After more than two years of pandemic fears, tourist train connections in Latin America are back in a big way. It's very good news for slow life lovers looking to enjoy stunning scenery, culture and more with ease.
From Mexico to Argentina, the rail tourism industry is back, offering visitors tours of World Heritage cities and fun experiences to enjoy as a couple or with the family. Here are four of the most popular now.
Hiram Bingham, explorer Belmond from the Andes, Peru
This luxury train belonging to the exclusive Belmond family, a company that operates luxury hotels, trains and cruises around the world, takes an extraordinary tour of the Andes from Cusco to Machu Picchu, the ancient lost city of the Incas.
Passengers are greeted with a welcome cocktail infused with Peruvian guaymanto to enjoy while admiring the magnificent view of the highlands. They will also enjoy gourmet food and exceptional regional wines as the day goes on and the sun rises on the horizon of the Sacred Valley, another great spot on this tour.
The onboard menu consists of artisan dishes with the best of famous contemporary Peruvian cuisine as exclusive recipes based on Sacred Valley corn, American Angus meat and coffee from the cloud forest. Dinner includes Pumahuancas trout, confit duck in a traditional northern Peruvian sauce, and Quicha caviar. The menu is rich in local products that change with the season.
The cocktails offered, exclusive to Hiram Bingham, are the brainchild of mixologist Aaron Diaz and include the refreshing Picaflor Andino, made with pisco and citrus flavors, as well as Belmont Swizzle with rum Cartavio Solera, coconut and pineapple. Like the Expresso Bingham, inspired by the classic Espresso Martini.
Shipe Express, Mexico
The Chepe Express takes an extensive tour of the stunning Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Ravines), located in northern Mexico. The journey takes approximately nine hours and starts from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, until you reach Creel, Chihuahua.
The trip features a stunning path that passes through tunnels and bridges where passengers can admire the beauty of some of the most impressive mountains in Mexico. In addition, the onboard service is of a high quality including regional cuisine and an extensive drinks menu.
Chepe Express has three types of accommodation: first, executive and tourist class, as well as a car bar, a restaurant and a terrace, where passengers can relax with a breathtaking view of the mountains. In addition to knowing the cities of Los Mochis and Creel, passengers have the opportunity to visit charming villages such as El Fuerte, Bahuichivo and Divisadero, located near the Sierra Tarahumara, inhabited by indigenous communities.
Train Las Nobis, Argentina
The Argentine Tren a las Nubes travels at an altitude of more than 13,800 feet above sea level, the third highest in the world. You leave San Antonio de los Cobres and arrive at Viaduct la Pulvorilla - villages in the Salta Province in northern Argentina - a journey of just over 13 miles.
The tour travels a wonderful path through the heights of the Andes, crossing great canyons and valleys. The track combines rail and road sections for passengers to take photos at panoramic points.
After leaving San Antonio de los Cobres, the train takes a ride through some impressive engineering feats made up of very high bridges. At the end of the trip, passengers are transferred to the city of Salta on a special bus service.
Those interested in the history and culture of these destinations have the chance to visit the Basilica of San Antonio de Padua, a haven that, year after year, welcomes pilgrims from the surrounding areas who celebrate with traditional music and dances.
Another attraction is the Provincial Andean Museum in San Antonio de los Cobres, where visitors can enjoy works donated by villagers to spread their ancient culture, customs, and history.
Torresin, Colombia
In the city of Bogotá, the great adventure of the Savannah tourist train commuter begins as they experience boarding locomotives that have been restored to retain their classic style and that travel many miles of urban and rural landscapes in the areas surrounding Bogotá.
After crossing the Colombian capital, Turistren arrives in Zipaquirá (which is surrounded by the beautiful Colombian savannah) in carriages where passengers enjoy the view in large, comfortable seats.
One of the main sites to visit is the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá, which is considered one of Colombia's modern wonders for being carved with salt.
While the journey is not as spectacular as those on other trains in Latin America, the experience of traveling on restored locomotives is very interesting for both local and foreign visitors. Turistren offers steam locomotive rides built in 1921 and 1947 in the United States, as well as three other General Electric rides with fully rehabilitated Swedish-made diesel engines and light trains.