Brazil Wonders

Airport pick up (time and flight number to be confirmed) and transfer to the hotel.

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).

Leave the hotel with your English speaking guide for an exhaustive visit of Rio to see the favelas, neighborhoods resulting from the chaotic expansion that Rio lived through in the 20th Century. No voyeurism, we are welcome in the favelas where inhabitants want to make sure that their neighborhoods aren't reduced to clichés such as drug trafficking or dangerous life.

Here, children go to school, people go to work and have fun, just as anywhere else. The most extraordinary thing about favelas is how close they are from the fancy neighborhoods. You will visit the favela of Santa Marta in the Botafogo neighborhood with your English speaking guide as well as a local who lives in the favela.

Lunch back at the hotel.

Departure from the hotel for a journey to Paraty with your local driver in private car with air conditioning. 4 ½-hour drive on a sealed road along the Green Coast, a vegetation corridor between ocean and mountains.
Day open in the historical centre of the village.
Nestled between ocean and the foothills of the Serra do Mar, Paraty, registered as a word heritage site with UNESCO, shelters one of the most beautiful colonial heritage of Brazil.
Along narrow, paved streets, you will discover this outstanding heritage, witness to the wealth of the 17th and 18th century: sublime mansions, four superb baroque churches, one being the church of Santa Rita de Cassia hosting today a museum of sacred art.
Paraty, a very animated town night and day, has many nearby beaches.

Night at the pousada do Principe (breakfast included).

At 09:00am, the captain will drive you to the pier to board a private craft, a fishing boat adapted for the tour (benches and cushions, cooler…). Day in the Bay of Paraty, traveling from an island to another and a beach to another. Stops planned on different sites suitable for swimming or snorkeling among hundreds of fishes (mask and snorkel included): ilha Comprida, saco da Velha, praia Vermelha... Return to Paraty around 04:00pm / 05:00pm.

Option: English-speaking guide.

Night at the pousada do Principe (breakfast included).

Departure from the pousada 7 hours before departure for your transfer to the airport. Flight from Rio (airport, flight 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).



Night at the San Martin Hotel & Resort hotel (breakfast included). Superior room.
Included : private transport, transfer departure, transfer arrival, room & breakfast

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.

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

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 at the airport and transfer to Ouro Preto (between 1 ½-hour and 2 ½-hour trip depending on the airport in Belo Horizonte). Visit of the town. With its steep paved streets, its old stone houses, its over-ornated and excessively baroque churches, the town of Ouro Preto, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, offers the largest ensemble of Brazilian colonial art. Its monuments, the pieces exhibited, the wealth of the details make it the archetypal cultural visit of Brazil, also because of its tragic history and of its actual splendor.

You can admire, among others, pieces from the creating genius of the time, the painters Manoel da Costa Athaíde and Aleijadinho, who, like in Congonhas, left evidences of its imprint. Among the visits: the church of Saint François of Assisi, the church of Our Lady of the Pilar, the School of mines museum, the Oratory museum.

Night at the pousada Clássica (breakfast included). Luxury room.
Included : transfer departure, english speaking guide, private transport, room & breakfast

In the morning, a short trip (6km) will take you to the mine of Passagem, halfway on the sinuous road between Ouro Preto and Mariana. Visit of this gigantic old gold mine, preserved nowadays like a testimony of the gold rush which made the area busy during the 18th century. A little cart will take you to a few hundred meters below the ground in the large caverns dug by slaves a few centuries ago. Nearby, you can also visit an open pit Imperial Topaz mine where dozens of Brazilians are still trying, with hope as their only motivation. You will drive a few more kilometers to reach Mariana.

First town established in the Minas Gerais area by the Portuguese after the discovery of the gold and diamond deposits, Mariana, unchanged since the conquistadors, is surrounded with mountains. Mariana will instantly charm you with its particular character, the paved streets, the churches and the peacefulness of its inhabitants.

Town visit: Arquidiocesano museum, churches of Do Carmo and of São Francisco and Cathedral da Sé where you can admire a German organ Arp Schnitger (Hamburg) from 1701. Offered in 1753 by the king of Portugal Dom José 1er for the creation of the diocese of Mariana, it constitutes the only existing model nowadays outside Europe. It is still in use twice a week, during baroque music concerts organized on Fridays at 11:00am and on Sundays at noon.

Return to Ouro Preto, around midday, to finish your visit of town.

Night at the pousada Clássica (breakfast included). Luxury room.
Included : room & breakfast

With your English speaking guide, go to Congonhas in private transport. There you will discover the statues of the twelve prophets, considered as Aleijadinho's masterpieces. Those sculptures can be found at the forecourt in front of the Bom Jesus de Matosinhos Basilica. They overlook the esplanade where the six Passos chapels stand. In the chapels you will find some wood sculptures representing a few of the Passion of the Christ scenes in real size.

You will then go to one of the main gold cities, Sao Joao del Rei. Visit of the Sao Francisco de Assis Church before getting on the road to Tiradentes, a 20 minute drive from Sao Joao, at the end of the day.



Night at the pousada Villa Allegra (breaksfast included).
Included : room & breakfast

Spend some free time in the morning at Tiradentes, colonial village today converted into a bohemian city where many artists have decided to settle down, attracted by the architectural subtleness of the buildings (houses, patios, fountains, churches) and the simple sweet life in that quiet village.

Without a doubt, it is the most romantic city to visit in the colonial Minas Gerais. The best thing to do is to get lost in its narrow steep streets, going from bungalows to churches, churches to gardens, in a true Baroque setting. Thanks to the fertile vegetation at the foot of Serra de Sao Jose's cliffs, the place benefits from a tropical weather. The Santo Antonio de Tiradentes Matriw Church is one the most beautiful examples of the Brazilian Baroque art.

After lunch, leave for the Belo Horizonte airport (250km).

Flight departure from Belo Horizonte (time and flight number to be confirmed later on).

Pick up and transfer to the hotel.

Night at the Saint Paul hotel (breakfast included).
Included : reception with english-speaking guide, room & breakfast

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

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

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

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.

Night at the Saint Paul hotel (breakfast included).
Included : english speaking guide, shared transport, room & breakfast

Private transport to the airport 2 hours prior to departure. Domestic flight from Manaus (arrival airport, flight time and number to be confirmed).
Pick up at the airport and transfer to hotel.

Night at the Bahia Café hotel (breaksfast included).
Superior room.
Included : departure transfer with english speaking guide, transfer arrival, reception with english-speaking guide, room & breakfast

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.

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.



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.

Transfer to the airport 3 hours prior to departure. Flight from Salvador (flight time and number to be confirmed).

Included : transfer departure