Voted Conde Nasté Traveller Best Train in the World
What finer way to discover the breath-taking landscape and soaring peaks of Peru than by a deeply luxurious train as it traverses the Andean peaks of the highest rail route on earth? Icon in the collection of Belmond, since 2019 a LVMH Maison, The Andean Explorer offers an extraordinary voyage of discovery, heading south through 300 miles of epic terrain and one-time capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco. A remarkable journey requires an exceptional global brand, and our objective was to create an essay in authentic luxury, drawing from the region’s Millennia of heritage and history, and its vibrant present, to weave a visual world inspired by the art and artefacts of Peru.
Briefed to conceptualise the entire experience, we shaped every step of the customer journey, from brand marque to exterior livery, naming carriages to way-finding within; not to mention all on-board guest communications. As we crafted the train’s visual world, we looked deep into its destinations and found our inspiration there; in the spirit of the ancient Inca civilisation. Considered the most complete holy geometric sign, we redefined the Chakana cross as an emblem emblazoned on exterior livery and visual identity. Engraved in metal, its two-dimensional iteration takes on an abstract form, while our family of symbols and pictograms lead every guest through the train. Our brand strategy was to evoke the pure spirit of Peru, so we named each carriage after the flora and fauna of the region, while our colour palette reflects the surrounding countryside.
Following a glittering launch in 2017, in just a few years the Andean Explorer has become one of the greatest train journeys in the world. Critically acclaimed from the outset, the extraordinary experience that is the Andean Explorer was, in 2019, voted Best Train in the World in Conde Nasté Traveller’s highly sought-after, Reader’s Choice Awards.