Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Peru / Cusco and Arequipa / Belmond Andean Explorer
Belmond Andean Explorer
Cusco and Arequipa, Peru · Belmond · High Luxury
The carriages of the Belmond Andean Explorer began as the Great South Pacific Express, an Australian luxury train that ran between Cairns and Brisbane for about four years before the rolling stock sat idle for 13 years. Shipped to Peru in 2016, complete with its original baby grand piano and check-in podium, the train relaunched in May 2017 as South America's first luxury sleeper, carrying up to 70 guests in 35 cabins across Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa.
- 35 rooms
- Opened 2017
- Neighborhood: Urbanización Magisterial
About Belmond Andean Explorer
- The train's carriages were built in Australia in the 1990s and first operated as the Great South Pacific Express, a luxury train between Cairns and Brisbane that lasted only about four years.
- After the Great South Pacific Express folded, the rolling stock sat idle for roughly 13 years before Belmond shipped it to Peru in 2016.
- The train carries up to 70 guests in 35 en-suite cabins split between suite, twin, and bunk configurations, plus two dining cars and a dedicated spa car.
- Guests can step onto an open-air observation platform for views of the Altiplano between Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa, one of the highest rail routes on earth.
History
The Belmond Andean Explorer is South America's first luxury sleeper train, carrying up to 70 guests in 35 en-suite cabins on overnight journeys across the Peruvian Altiplano linking Cusco, Puno and Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa. Its carriages were built in Australia in the 1990s and first ran as the Great South Pacific Express luxury train between Cairns and Brisbane; that service closed after about four years, and the rolling stock sat idle for some 13 years.
Shipped to Peru in 2016 — complete with its baby grand piano, check-in podium and original luggage tags — the train was reborn in May 2017 as the Belmond Andean Explorer, featuring suite, twin and bunk cabins, two dining cars, a piano lounge, an open-air observation platform and a full spa car.
Restaurants and bars
- Dining cars — Restaurant · Peruvian
- Piano Bar Car — Bar
Experiences
- Picaflor Spa Car wellness — Wellness in the Picaflor Spa Car, with early sunrise viewing on board and off.
- Peruvian Highlands journey — Over two awe-inspiring nights, journey from Cusco to Arequipa via Lake Titicaca for an immersive experience of the Andes.
- Guided off-board excursions — Off-board experiences bring the Andes to life, from visits to archeological ruins to a trip to the highest beach in the world.
- Gastronomic dining — Expert chefs weave the rich bounty of the Andes into Peruvian flavors across full board dining and bar service.
- Group charter — The entire train can be chartered for a private luxury rail experience.
Amenities
- private en-suite bathrooms in all listed cabin types
- stewards convert twin cabin banquette into two single beds at nightfall
- Open-air observation car
- Spa car
- Piano bar car
- Oxygen enrichment available
- Live entertainment
- Hand-woven Peruvian patterns and fabrics in cabins
- Guided off-board excursions
- Guides and transfers
- Group travel charter of entire train
- Celebrations and weddings
Open Belmond Andean Explorer in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More Belmond hotels
- Las Casitas, A Belmond Hotel, Colca Canyon — Yanque, Peru · Apex Luxury
- Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel, Lima — Lima, Peru · Grand Luxury
- Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel, Cusco — Cusco, Peru · Grand Luxury
- Palacio Nazarenas, A Belmond Hotel, Cusco — Cusco, Peru · Grand Luxury
- Rio Sagrado, A Belmond Hotel, Sacred Valley — Urubamba, Peru · Grand Luxury
- Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu — Machu Picchu, Peru · Grand Luxury
Belmond in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.