You will find here a very complete tour of Brazil, with many must-see places, notably by way of a fantastic journey through the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. You will see many of Brazil's most impressive postcard favorites such as Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa, where nature meets concrete in an unprecedented harmony creating an urban jungle. But also the Iguaçu falls and last but not least, Salvador da Bahia, where its renown vitality and joie de vivre, as well as the fabulous historical center, and a praised glowing carnival, will, without a doubt, hold your attention.
Best of Brazil
Map
Itinerary
- Day 1: Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
- Day 2: Rio De Janeiro - Corcovado - Santa Teresa - Sugarloaf Mountain - Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
- Day 3: Rio De Janeiro - Historical Center - Favelas - Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
- Day 4: Rio De Janeiro - Foz do Iguaçu - Iguaçu Falls - Brazilian side - Foz do Iguaçu
- Day 5: Iguaçu Falls - Argentinian side - Foz do Iguaçu
- Day 6: Foz do Iguaçu - Manaus
- Day 7: Manaus - Manati Lodge
- Day 8: Manati Lodge
- Day 9: Manati Lodge
- Day 10: Manati Lodge - Manaus - Salvador
- Day 11: Salvador
- Day 12: Salvador - Recôncavo - Salvador
- Day 13: Salvador
- Day 14: Salvador
TRAVEL BOOK
Day 1: Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
Airport pick up (time and flight number to be confirmed) and transfer to the hotel.
Night at the Royal Rio hotel (breakfast included). Standard room.
Included : english speaking guide, reception with english-speaking guide, room & breakfast
Day 2: Rio De Janeiro - Corcovado - Santa Teresa - Sugarloaf Mountain - Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
At 09:00am start a city tour with your English-speaking guide, firstly going up to the Corcovado (el. 700 m.a.s.l.), worldly known symbol of Rio. Once up there, take the time to appreciate the unique and amazing panoramic view of the "cidade maravilhosa" (wonderful city).
Then way back down via Santa Teresa, which used to be one of the wealthiest residential neighborhoods of Rio, when the town was the capital of Brazil and all the principal institutions were located there. Surrounded by the agglomeration, the neighborhood has lost its former character, and the wealth of the area has moved to the Southwest of Rio, to Barra da Tijuca. Santa Teresa now shelters a diverse population in the bohemian quarter of the modern Rio. Walk through this area to get a taste of its quaint and old atmosphere. During the trip to Lapa, visit the colored stairs or "Escadaria do Convento da Santa Teresa", decorated by Jorge Selarón.
Later, take the cable cart to the summit of the Sugarloaf (el. 400 m.a.s.l.), another symbol of Rio which marks the entrance of the Guanabara Bay. Return to the hotel at 05:00pm.
Option: Helicopter flight of a few minutes from the mirador of Sugar Loaf (book on site).
Night at the Royal Rio hotel (breakfast included). Standard room.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, entrance fees, room & breakfast
Day 3: Rio De Janeiro - Historical Center - Favelas - Rio De Janeiro - Copacabana
At 09:00am you will meet your English-speaking guide for a private visit of Rio’s city center, from a colossal avenue framed by imposing glass buildings to quaint, small streets and their little affordable shops.
Many styles, one spirit, is the best definition to describe the architectural cocktail of the center, where past and modernism coexist in harmony. Among the possible visits (to be coordinated with the guide depending on opening times, your centers of interest, or eventual manifestations organized that day): Imperial Municipal (replicate of the Opera Garnier in France), foundation Banco do Brasil, casa da França (old custom house), national History museum, largo da Carioca, convento Santo Antônio, metropolitan cathedral, plaza Tiradentes...
In the afternoon, a specialized guide will take you on an "off-the-beaten-track" visit: the favelas. This visit of a few hours in a different reality of Rio, will give you a more real and complete view of the life in Carioca than the images of violence poverty which usually shown by the medias lacking of originality.
At the heart of these popular and "lawless" suburbs (the favelas are originally illegal land occupations), Brazilians organize themselves and live in a dignified and solitary manner.
Return to the hotel at 05:00pm.
Note 1: Entrance fees in the city center not included.
Note 2: For the visit of the center, avoid Sundays and bank holidays.
Night at the Royal Rio hotel (breakfast included). Standard room.
Included : english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast
Day 4: Rio De Janeiro - Foz do Iguaçu - Iguaçu Falls - Brazilian side - Foz do Iguaçu
Transfer to the airport 3 hours prior to departure. Flight from Rio de Janeiro (time and number to be confirmed).
Pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel (or to the site depending on the arrival time).
In a private vehicle, you will head to the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Park and admire a wondeful panoramic view.
The Iguaçu national park, 185,000 acres, was created in 1939 and its ecological reserve was classified as a Natural Heritage site by the UNESCO. You will pass hundreds of small falls before reaching the last one, Floriano Fall. From this one you will have an arresting panoramic view over the "Devil’s Canyon", in front of you.
Return towards Foz de Iguaçu. On the way, you will stop at the bird park (parque das aves), where hundreds of different types of birds from Brazil are sheltered, but also from other tropical countries.
Note: 4h service.
Option: 12-minute helicopter flight over the falls, check with us.
Night at the San Martin Hotel & Resort hotel (breakfast included). Superior room.
Included : transfer departure, transfer arrival, local guide, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Day 5: Iguaçu Falls - Argentinian side - Foz do Iguaçu
Meet your English-speaking guide at 08:45am at your hotel. Transfer to the Argentinean side of the park (about 40 minutes). Stop at the symbolic panoramic point on three borders: Paraguay - Brazil - Argentina. Visit of the falls from the Argentina side, from where you will get closer to the water, and of the impressive "Devil’s Canyon" under your feet. Then return to your hotel on the Brazilian side in the afternoon.
Options: boat tour in the middle of the falls / excursion in the forest, check with us.
Night at the San Martin Hotel & Resort hotel (breakfast included). Superior room.
Included : local guide, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Day 6: Foz do Iguaçu - Manaus
Private transport to the airport 2 hours prior departure. Domestic flight from Foz do Iguaçu (arrival airport, flight time and number to be confirmed).
Pick up and transfer to the hotel.
Night at the Saint Paul hotel (breakfast included).
Included : transfer departure, reception with english-speaking guide, room & breakfast
Day 7: Manaus - Manati Lodge
You leave your hotel at 8.30 am by car and drive for 1h on highway, crossing the Rio Negro Bridge. On the way, you will see countryside with farms as well as the tile industry (fábricas de tijolos), which is the main activity in Iranduba village. From there, we will move on by boat, for 45 minutes (or 1.30 hour of duration, if on the dry season). This vibrant part of the journey is the first step of the tour, where flooded trees can be seen. You will pass through small water channels, home of ribeirinhos.
Arriving at Manati lodge, you will be welcomed with a refreshing drink, before being shown to the accommodations.
At noon, an Amazonian lunch followed by a necessary rest until 4pm, when we will leave by canoe for the first official visit of the day. Getting to know igapós, or flooded forest, and hopefully to see some monkeys and sloths, typical jungle animals.
At 5.30pm returning time, at which point we can share the photos and stories from the day from the balcony facing the trees, while waiting a fantastic dinner served at 7.00 pm, with traditional and regional meals.
Later on at the same night, a boat will take us on a wild tour by night, to spot alligators and observe its habitat. High adrenaline and fun is guaranteed.
Night at Manati lodge.
Included : room & breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), english speaking guide, shared transport
Day 8: Manati Lodge
At 7.30 am, a delicious and energizing traditional breakfast, laid on the wood tables of the lodge. You will have the opportunity to try some interesting new fruits as the core foods of our famous cuisine.
At 9.00 am, a canoe and tour guide will bring you to the right place for a jungle trek, explaining part of the rich biodiversity, giving an opportunity to learn about various native plants, some with medicinal designation and others with cosmetic uses, giving an enlightening insight to the way we consider nature.
Around 11 am, return to the Manati Lodge to avoid the hottest time of the day.
At 4.00 pm, our powered canoe will take you fishing, where you can see the piranhas, the famously dangerous fish, and the main protagonist of many horror films due to its avid and rapid hunger for fresh flesh, normally acting on groups.
At the end of the day, we will ride back to the lodge, and have a well deserved dinner at 7.00 pm, in reward for all your adventurous courage. You will then have some personal time to relax.
Night at the Manati lodge.
Included : room & breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), english speaking guide
Day 9: Manati Lodge
Enjoying an early start in the jungle really is an amazing experience. At 5.30am, while it is still dark, get ready and go out for a sunrise tour, with the opportunity to looking for birds, on the Rio Negro. Create some lasting memories of the Amazon to remember.
Breakfast will be ready at your return to the lodge.
An experienced tour guide will take you out again at 9.30 am, to visit a “House of Flour”. There, we will learn the process of how the native people manufacture this essential food which forms part of every meal in an Amazonian house. Naturally, you will be given the opportunity to taste the famous tapioca with Brazil nuts.
In the afternoon you will get to visit one of the 6 communities around the lodge, the Nossa Senhora do Perétuo Socorro, or simply Vila Acajatuba. It is the biggest community and also the more “modern” having a basic health service, school and a church, returning later in the evening to the lodge to enjoy your farewell dinner.
Night at the Manati lodge.
Included : room & breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), english speaking guide
Day 10: Manati Lodge - Manaus - Salvador
After another delicious breakfast, a guide will again take you out to the last and most exciting activity of your jungle tour, to see the wonderful pink dolphins, creatures which are almost domestic, as they are so familiar in their behavior with human beings.
Being in the water and touching and interacting with them is a beautiful moment, which you will probably want to record on video for a lifetime souvenir. This breathtaking swimming will finish your tour and make you want to return soon.
Ride back to the Manati Lodge and at 2.00 pm, travel back to Manaus on the same road, to your hotel or airport.
Private transfer to the Airport.
Pick up at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Night at the Bahia Café hotel (breaksfast included).
Superior room.
Included : english speaking guide, shared transport, transfer arrival, reception with english-speaking guide, room & breakfast
Day 11: Salvador
Meet at the hotel at 09:00am with your English-speaking guide for the discovery of the area best representing the heart and soul of Salvador.
With the influences of its African origins, the city has built a unique identity in Latino America, with a daily life animated by capoeira rythms and the religious festivities of the candomblé.
In the morning, visit the lower parts of town. Start with the farol (lighthouse) da Barra, a lonely guard at the entrance of the all saints bay, built under the order of Tomé de Souza, the first gobernador of Salvador.
Then you will head to the port area and visit the Sao Joaquim market, an authentic bahianan market. You will continue to the north and stop at the Bonfim church where you can admire an impressive ex votos collection showing the popular devotion to the Senhor do Bonfim in the "miracles room".
The visit will then take you to Ribeira, a always animated popular area. In the morning with the shouting merchants, at midday for lunch (moqueca specialty, a kind of fish and sea-fruit stew) and the night for dancing.
After lunch, visit of the higher parts of town, with the Pelourinho histrorical area. Its prestigious architectural ensemble was renovated in its original bright colors and has superb colonial houses and many baroque churches. The visit (by foot) will start in the capoieira fort where you will enjoy a wonderful scenic view over the bay.
You will ten walk up the rua do carmo until the convento do Carmo (a convent transformed in a luxurious hotel), The visit will be followed with the jewel workshop D'Klays, the house/museum Jorge Amado and the shiny Sao Francisco church with its surprising azuleiros frescos.
You will finish the afternoon at the base of the Lacerda elevador, the crossing of the lower and upper parts of the city, with a shopping time at the Mercado Modelo.
Return to the hotel at the end of the day.
Option: half day visit of the " candomblé" followed with a night ceremony, check with us.
Night at the Bahia Café hotel (breaksfast included).
Superior room.
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Day 12: Salvador - Recôncavo - Salvador
Departure at 09:00am, in a private vehicle, with your English-speaking guide to go to Cachoeira, one of the colonial pearls of the North East, two hours away from Salvador (110 km). Shortly after leaving you will drive inland and start to feel the typical ambiance of the Recôncavo Baiano. This wealthy agricultural area was one of the first in Brazil to be colonized and exploited by the Portuguese. On your way to Cachoeira, you will cross sugar cane, manioc and tobacco plantations, some of which being many centuries old.
You will stop in Santo Amaro, the birth town of the musician Caetano Veloso, where you can visit the local market.
Your guide will make you discovering the rich historical past of the town of Cachoeira, which was for a time the capital of the state of Bahia, and included among its inhabitants some famous people like Anastacia, symbol of the slave resistance, or Ana Neri, one of the pioneers of humanitarian work.
You will then cross the Rio Paraguaçu to walk through the narrow streets of São Felix, across the river from Cachoeira. Visit of the Dannemann cigar factory, over two centuries old.
Return to Salvador at the end of the day.
Note: Museums are closed on Sundays and the cigar factory on Mondays and Sundays – there is a cattle market on Saturdays.
Night at the Bahia Café hotel (breaksfast included).
Superior room.
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Day 13: Salvador
Leave the hotel at 08:15 to go to the pier with your English-speaking guide. In a boat (escuna or saveiro / shared by other travelers, no guide other than the boat captain), you will start the excursion in the superb Bay of Todos Os Santos. You will cross to the island of Frade, where you will stop for a swim.
You will then continue still by boat, towards Ponte de Arreia and the island of Itaparica. Lunch on the island (buffet included). Panoramic view over Salvador and its surroundings.
Return to Salvador late in the afternoon.
Option: private service, check with us.
Night at the Bahia Café hotel (breaksfast included).
Superior room.
Included : lunch (no drinks), english speaking guide, private transport, boat ticket, room & breakfast
Day 14: Salvador
Transfer to the airport 3 hours prior to departure. Flight from Salvador (flight time and number to be confirmed).
Included : transfer departure
Hotel Royal Rio Rio De Janeiro
Level : 3*
Included :
room & breakfast
San Martin Hotel & Resort Foz do Iguaçu
Level : 3*
Included :
room & breakfast
Hotel Saint Paul Manaus
Level : 3*
Included :
room & breakfast
Manati Lodge - 4 days 3 nights Manaus
Level : Pool service english speaking
Included :
room & breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), english speaking guide, shared transport
Option : Private transfer Manati Lodge - airport
Bahia Café Hotel Salvador
Level : 3*
Included :
room & breakfast