Belmond Andean Explorer

The Belmond Andean Explorer traces the standard-gauge (1,435 mm / 4 ft 8½ in) Southern Railway of Peru — the historic Ferrocarril del Sur — on a two-night journey linking three of the country's landmark cities. From Cusco, the ancient Inca capital at roughly 3,400 m (11,150 ft), the train climbs onto the altiplano, crossing the La Raya pass at about 4,313 m (14,150 ft) on the boundary between the Cusco and Puno regions before descending to the junction town of Juliaca and reaching Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake at 3,812 m (12,507 ft).

The second leg leaves the Puno branch at Juliaca and follows the line toward the Pacific coast, cresting the railway's high point at Crucero Alto — around 4,470 m (14,665 ft) — amid the treeless puna before winding down to Arequipa at 2,335 m (7,660 ft), a UNESCO World Heritage city built from pale sillar volcanic stone beneath the El Misti volcano. Over roughly 733 km (456 miles) the route spans an altitude swing of more than 2,000 m.

Between rail legs, guests leave the train for curated excursions: a boat trip to the Uros floating islands built from totora reeds, a private lunch on Taquile Island, an isolated altiplano overnight at Saracocha with high-altitude stargazing, and a visit to the Sumbay Caves and their prehistoric rock art. The train itself carries no more than 70 passengers in en-suite cabins fitted with a supplementary oxygen system to ease the altitude.

The Andean Explorer was, at its May 2017 launch, South America's first luxury sleeper train — bringing the overnight-cabin format long established in Europe and Asia to the Peruvian Andes. It runs on one of the highest railway routes in the world, cresting above 4,400 m (14,400 ft) at Crucero Alto and calling at Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake on Earth.

Its rolling stock carries a distinctive provenance: the carriages previously formed the Great South Pacific Express, which ran in Australia from 1999 to 2003 before being mothballed, shipped to Peru in February 2016 and refurbished. Cars bear Quechua names — the Ichu observation car with its open-air deck, the Picaflor spa car, the Muña and Llama dining cars — tying the train to the Andean landscape it crosses.

Because it links Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa in a single continuous rail itinerary rather than requiring flights or long road transfers, the Andean Explorer connects three of Peru's headline destinations on one ticket, a combination no other train in the country offers.

The Andean Explorer accommodates a maximum of 70 guests across three cabin grades — Bunk, Twin and Suite — each with a private en-suite bathroom with shower and a supplementary oxygen supply available on request to help with acclimatisation. Public cars include two dining cars, a piano bar car (the Maca), a spa car (the Picaflor) offering treatments at extra cost, and the Ichu observation car with an open-air deck at the rear of the train.

Fares are all-inclusive: meals prepared from Peruvian seasonal ingredients, drinks, and the daily off-train excursions are covered. On the two-night Cusco–Puno–Arequipa itinerary the rhythm alternates authentic daytime excursions — boat trips on Lake Titicaca, the Sumbay Caves — with restful nights in a private cabin as the train sits at quiet altiplano halts such as Saracocha.

Because much of the route sits above 3,800 m (12,500 ft), the onboard oxygen, heating and unhurried pace are practical features rather than frills; the train is designed for slow, high-altitude travel with time to acclimatise between excursions.

The line the Andean Explorer runs on is the former Ferrocarril del Sur, the Southern Railway of Peru, a 1,435 mm standard-gauge network begun in the 19th century that linked the Pacific port of Mollendo/Matarani through Arequipa to the altiplano, splitting at Juliaca toward Puno and Cusco. The route was one of the great engineering undertakings of South American railways, climbing to passes above 4,400 m.

The luxury service itself is recent. Belmond (formerly Orient-Express Hotels) launched the Andean Explorer in May 2017, replacing the earlier Pullman-style Andean Explorer day train that had run between Cusco and Puno. The overnight train converted that daytime run into a one-night journey and extended it beyond Puno to Arequipa.

The carriages have a second life: they originally operated as the Great South Pacific Express in Australia between 1999 and 2003, were mothballed, then shipped to Peru in February 2016 and refurbished, retaining their three sleeping grades, two dining and bar cars and open-air observation deck. The train is owned by PeruRail — a 50/50 joint venture between Belmond and Peruvian investor Lorenzo Sousa Debarbieri, founder and chairman of PeruRail — which also operates the Belmond Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu.

The defining engineering challenge of this route is altitude rather than tunnels or viaducts. Built to 1,435 mm standard gauge, the Southern Railway of Peru climbs from Arequipa at 2,335 m to its summit at Crucero Alto around 4,470 m (14,665 ft), and on the Cusco branch crosses the La Raya pass at roughly 4,313 m (14,150 ft) on the Cusco–Puno regional boundary — figures that place it among the highest passenger railways on Earth.

The grades and thin air demand diesel-electric traction and careful operation; the line runs across the open puna of the altiplano rather than through the tunnel-and-bridge terrain typical of Alpine railways, so its drama comes from sheer elevation and the vast treeless plateau it traverses at over 4,000 m.

Because the passenger experience takes place so high, the train is fitted with a supplementary oxygen system in the cabins — an engineering adaptation to the route rather than the track itself. (Precise counts of tunnels and bridges were not published by the operator and are left blank pending confirmation.)

The southern Peruvian Andes have a marked dry season from roughly May to October, when clear skies and minimal rain make the altiplano crossings and Lake Titicaca excursions most reliable; this coincides with the coldest nights, when high-altitude halts such as Saracocha can drop well below freezing. The wet season from November to March brings afternoon rain and greener landscapes but a higher chance of disruption to off-train excursions.

Because the route spends long stretches above 3,800 m (12,500 ft), travellers are advised to arrive in Cusco or Arequipa a day or two early to acclimatise before boarding. The train's cabins carry supplementary oxygen, but pacing the first days at altitude matters more than the season.

June to August is peak season across Cusco, Titicaca and Arequipa and overlaps with major Andean festivals such as Cusco's Inti Raymi in late June, so booking well ahead is essential for those dates.

Confirm the exact itinerary before booking: the Andean Explorer sells one- and two-night journeys in both directions (Cusco–Puno, Puno–Arequipa, and the full two-night Cusco–Puno–Arequipa), each with a different excursion set. Fares are all-inclusive of meals, drinks and excursions, so budget comparisons should account for that.

Pack for extreme altitude and large temperature swings: warm layers for below-freezing altiplano nights, sun protection for intense high-altitude daytime sun, and any personal altitude medication. Request the in-cabin oxygen if you are sensitive to elevation, and keep essentials in a small bag as luggage allowances on the train are limited.

Allow acclimatisation time before departure, carry your passport for the journey, and note that the train's departure stations (Cusco's Wanchaq station and Arequipa) are separate from the airports — plan transfers accordingly. Because the service is small (70 guests) and departures are not daily, reserve early, especially for the dry-season and festival months.