Belmond Andean Explorer: South America's only luxury sleeper train
The Andean Explorer, a Belmond train, is South America's only luxury overnight train - crossing one of the highest rail routes on earth between Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, with two restaurant cars, a piano bar, a spa car and an open-air observation deck for altiplano sunsets. One-night journeys start around US$1,400 per person; the two-night crossings from around US$4,700. Booked through Stars Desk, an accredited Belmond Bellini Club advisor, you pay the same Belmond fare and receive a US$100 per-person onboard credit, cabin-upgrade priority and VIP welcome treats, at no extra cost.
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The train - and where it actually goes
Two clarifications first. The Andean Explorer is a Belmond luxury sleeper train in Peru, operated in partnership with PeruRail - not a trekking expedition, despite the name. And it does not go to Machu Picchu: its route crosses the southern altiplano between Cusco, Puno on Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. For Machu Picchu, Belmond runs its sister day train, the Hiram Bingham - and the two combine into Peru's complete luxury rail journey, which is exactly how most of our clients book them.
Why book your Andean Explorer journey with Stars Desk
Stars Desk is an accredited advisor in the Belmond Bellini Club, Belmond's invitation-only preferred-partner program held by fewer than one hundred agencies worldwide. You pay the same best available rate published by Belmond, and receive a US$100 per-person onboard credit - the spa car is what it is made for - priority for a cabin upgrade, VIP welcome treats and a welcome letter at no extra cost.
The advisor work here is the itinerary around the train: acclimatization days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before you board (this is high-altitude travel), the Hiram Bingham and Machu Picchu leg, Belmond's Peru hotels - Monasterio, Palacio Nazarenas, Las Casitas by Colca Canyon - and picking the departure whose overnight pattern suits light sleepers. One advisor, the whole Peru journey.
The Andean Explorer at a glance
| Region | Southern Peru - Cusco, Puno (Lake Titicaca) and Arequipa, across the Andean altiplano |
| Journey length | 1 night (four routes) or 2 nights (two routes) |
| Cabins | 35 in three categories - 9 Suite, 17 Twin, 9 Bunk - each with a private bathroom and shower |
| Dining & bars | Two restaurant cars, Llama and Muna; a piano bar car; the Observatory Bar with open-air deck |
| Wellness | A dedicated spa car - the only one on a South American sleeper train |
| Altitude | Crosses La Raya at about 14,200 ft (4,335 m); oxygen is available on request |
| From (guide, per person) | ~US$1,400 (1 night); ~US$4,700 (2 nights / 3 days) |
| Season | January and March to December |
Guide "from" prices in US dollars, per person based on two sharing, all-inclusive - meals, open bar, excursions and transfers. Belmond fares are dynamic; we confirm the exact live fare when you enquire.
Cabins: all with private bathrooms
| Category | Size | The essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Suite Cabins (9) | ~141 sq ft (13.1 m2) | The flagship: large double bed, sitting area, wardrobe and en-suite with shower - the largest cabins on the train, with bathrobes, slippers and luxury amenities. |
| Twin Cabins (17) | ~81 sq ft (7.5 m2) | Panoramic windows, daytime lounge configuration converting to two lower beds at night, en-suite with shower. |
| Bunk Bed Cabins (9) | ~59 sq ft (5.5 m2) | The cosy entry point: bench seating by day, upper and lower berths by night - and, like every cabin on the train, a private bathroom with shower. |
Cabins feature hand-woven Peruvian textiles and alpaca-soft textures; each sleeps two, so families book multiple cabins - a family of five travels comfortably in three.
Routes: where does the Andean Explorer go?
Peruvian Highlands - 2 nights
Cusco to Puno to Arequipa: the full crossing, with Lake Titicaca, Taquile Island and the Sumbay caves rock art en route to the White City.
Andean Plains & Islands of Discovery - 2 nights
The reverse: Arequipa to Puno to Cusco, with island communities on the world's highest navigable lake.
Spirit of the Water / Spirit of the Andes - 1 night
Cusco to Puno, or Puno to Cusco - the classic overnight across the high plains, arriving to the reflective beauty of Lake Titicaca or the Inca capital.
Spirit of the Valley / Spirit of the Islands - 1 night
Puno to Arequipa, or Arequipa to Puno - winding past Lake Saracocha near the route's highest ground, with stargazing stops on select departures.
Off-train excursions across itineraries: the Uros floating islands and UNESCO-recognized Taquile weaving community on Lake Titicaca, the Sumbay caves, and sunset stops on the altiplano. Extend to Colca Canyon - twice the depth of the Grand Canyon - with a stay at Las Casitas, A Belmond Hotel.
Life on board: pisco, a piano bar and a spa in the clouds
Dining in Llama and Muna
Peruvian menus built on Andean produce, served against the altiplano - every meal, wine and cocktail included, and the kitchen happily cooks around children and preferences.
The Observatory Bar & open-air deck
The train's signature: an open-air deck at the tail for pisco sours at sunset and some of the clearest stargazing skies on any railway.
The piano bar
Live music tailored to the journey - and to your celebration, if there is one.
The spa car
Massages and Andean-inspired treatments as the highlands roll by - the only spa car on a sleeper train in South America, and the natural home for your Bellini onboard credit.
An advisor's honest take: who the Andean Explorer is right for
Stars Desk books all seven Belmond trains, so here is what we tell clients before they commit. This is the highest luxury sleeper on earth, and the altitude is real: the route crosses passes above 14,000 ft, so we build one to two acclimatization days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before boarding, and on the train the honest formula is simple - hydrate, go easy on the alcohol the first evening, and use the oxygen if you want it; guests who do this are fine, and the sunset from the open-air deck repays every bit of it. Second, sleep: itineraries are designed around overnight stops, and newer departures board earlier so the train stands still on the first night - if you are a light sleeper, tell us and we will pick the departure with the most stationary hours. Third, families do well here, better than most luxury trains: cabins sleep two, so a family of five books three cabins, and the crew genuinely spoils children - on a recent departure a quarter of the guests were kids and teens. And the classic question - Andean Explorer or Hiram Bingham? They do different jobs: the Hiram Bingham is a one-day round trip to Machu Picchu; the Andean Explorer is one to two nights across the altiplano to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. The definitive Peru trip does both, with Belmond's hotels in between - which is exactly the itinerary we build most often.
Belmond Bellini Club benefits on the Andean Explorer
| Book direct on belmond.com | Book through Stars Desk (Bellini Club) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fare | Best available rate | The same best available rate |
| Onboard credit | - | US$100 per person, per journey |
| Cabin upgrade | - | Priority, subject to availability |
| VIP welcome | - | Welcome treats and a welcome letter |
| Future-travel voucher | - | US$500 on qualifying bookings (terms vary) |
| The full Peru itinerary | Self-serve | Acclimatization days, Hiram Bingham and Machu Picchu leg, Belmond Peru hotels - built as one trip |
Benefits apply to the standard best available rate and are not combinable with restricted or promotional rates. The US$500 voucher is a rotating Belmond promotion; we confirm current terms at booking. See our full Belmond Bellini Club guide.
Frequently asked questions about the Andean Explorer
How much does a trip on the Andean Explorer cost?
One-night journeys start around US$1,400 per person and the two-night, three-day crossings from around US$4,700 per person, based on two sharing - all-inclusive of meals, the open bar, excursions and transfers. Suite Cabins run higher. Fares are dynamic; we confirm the exact live fare, in US dollars, when you enquire.
Does the Andean Explorer go to Machu Picchu?
No - and this is the most common misconception about the train. The Andean Explorer runs between Cusco, Puno on Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. Machu Picchu is served by its Belmond sister train, the Hiram Bingham, a luxury day train from Cusco. The two combine naturally into one Peru rail itinerary.
Is the Andean Explorer worth it?
For the landscapes alone, guests consistently rank it among their favorite trips anywhere - there is no other way to cross the Andean altiplano in a private cabin with an open-air deck, a spa car and pisco sours at sunset. It rewards travelers who love the journey itself; if your only goal is Machu Picchu, the Hiram Bingham day train is the better fit.
What is the difference between the Andean Explorer and the Hiram Bingham?
Both are Belmond trains in Peru with 1920s Pullman glamour, but they do different jobs: the Hiram Bingham is a day train from Cusco to Machu Picchu with a guided citadel tour included; the Andean Explorer is South America's only luxury sleeper, crossing overnight to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. Most of our clients do both in one trip.
Is altitude sickness a problem on the Andean Explorer?
The route is genuinely high - Cusco sits at 11,150 ft and the line crosses La Raya at about 14,200 ft - so acclimatization matters. We build one to two days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before boarding; on the train, hydrate, keep alcohol light on the first evening, and oxygen is available on request in every cabin. Prepared this way, the vast majority of guests are absolutely fine.
Can you sleep well on the Andean Explorer?
Itineraries are built around overnight stops, and newer departures board earlier so the train stands still on the first night; where the train does run at night, there is motion on mountain track. Light sleepers should bring earplugs and ask us to pick the departure with the most stationary hours - the second night, stabled, sleeps beautifully.
Do the cabins have their own bathrooms?
Yes - every cabin on the Andean Explorer, including the entry Bunk Bed Cabins, has a private en-suite bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. Suite Cabins add a large double bed, sitting area and the train's most generous bathrooms.
Can children travel on the Andean Explorer?
Yes - and unusually well for a luxury train. Cabins sleep two, so families book multiple cabins (a family of five travels in three), and the kitchen happily cooks for younger palates. Families with school-age children and teens are a regular sight on board, especially over holidays.
When does the Andean Explorer run?
Most of the year: January and March through December, with the dry season from May to October offering the most reliable altiplano skies. February is the annual pause. We confirm the live 2026 calendar for your dates.
Who owns the Andean Explorer?
It is a Belmond train - the company behind the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Belmond's Peru collection - operated in partnership with PeruRail. Belmond has been part of LVMH since 2019.
What is included in the fare?
Everything on board: all meals, the open bar - wines, spirits, beers and cocktails - the off-train excursions, private transfers, and cabin amenities from bathrobes to a journey guidebook. Spa treatments are the main extra, which is precisely what the Bellini onboard credit covers.
How do I get an upgrade or onboard credit on the Andean Explorer?
Book through an accredited Belmond Bellini Club advisor such as Stars Desk. You pay the same Belmond fare and receive a US$100 per-person onboard credit, priority for a cabin upgrade and VIP welcome treats, at no extra cost.
Request Andean Explorer rates & availability
Tell us your dates and route - or just say "the full Peru trip" and we will build it: acclimatization days, the Andean Explorer, the Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu and Belmond's hotels in between, with your Bellini Club benefits applied.
Explore the rest of the fleet on our Belmond luxury trains guide, pair this journey with the Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu, compare the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, or see all Belmond Bellini Club benefits.