Brazil’s natural wonders
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arriving in Rio
Rio offers sweeping beaches, great food and a lively atmosphere. When you arrive you will be met by a local representative who will take you through your itinerary and answer any questions. It’s about an hour’s transfer to your comfortable hotel right next to Copacabana Beach, the perfect place for a stroll to watch the sunset behind the mountains.
Days 2-3 – Revelling in Rio
The following morning will be spent getting acquainted with this vibrant city. You’ll be collected from your hotel by a private guide, before being driven through the city on a sightseeing tour where you can decide which spots you want to visit. You could head straight for Sugarloaf Mountain and take the cable car to the top for a fantastic view across Rio, or drive through the historic downtown area, where you’ll find old churches laden with gold ornaments and Portuguese artefacts. End your tour with a visit to the iconic Christ the Redeemer, a 125ft high statue that stands guard above the city. Once your tour is over and you’ve got your bearings, your driver will drop you back to your hotel or another spot you’d like to visit in Copacabana. You’ll spend another night at the same hotel
Day 3 – Overnight in Manaus
After catching a short domestic flight, you’ll be collected and transferred to your hotel in downtown Manaus, where you’ll spend the night, ready to be whisked away into the Amazon tomorrow morning. Your hotel is located near the famous theatre – Teatro Amazonas, built during the height of the rubber boom, and an iconic historical landmark for this city. Enjoy the hotel’s swimming pool and head out to the nearby restaurants for a bite to eat in the evening.
Days 4-5 – Welcome to the Jungle
Time to set off into the rainforest. As you continue further along the river the vegetation will become more dense, until you arrive at the small jetty where you’ll board a boat for the final part of your journey into the rainforest. The lodge where you’ll be based for the next three nights is small-scale, eco-friendly, and employs people from the local communities. You’ll stay in a comfortable wooden cabin, surrounded by the forest, and all of your food is included – home-cooked using ingredients found locally. You’ll also have warm water and electricity….most of the time, this is the Amazon after all!
Days 5-6 – Into the Amazon
For the next couple of days, you’ll be living the jungle life, waking up to the sound of the wild all around you. Your activities will vary depending upon the season, and also the weather during your stay – the Amazon is quite unpredictable of course! Your guide knows the jungle like the back of his hand and can take you trekking, piranha fishing, wildlife spotting by boat and even searching for caiman at night. He’ll also tell you all about life on the Amazon, and introduce you to some of the people who call it their home.
Day 7 – Back to Manaus and onto Cuiaba
Sadly it’s time to say goodbye to the Amazon, and you’ll be transferred back to Manaus airport (typically during the morning), in time for your onward flight to Cuiaba. If you’re not quite ready to move on and want to spend another night in the rainforest, let us know and we’ll add an extra night into your Travel Plan.
On arrival at Cuiaba airport, you’ll be picked up by your guide and transferred to a nearby hotel for an overnight stay before heading into the Pantanal tomorrow!
Day 8 – Into the Pantanal…
This morning, you’ll be collected from your hotel by 4WD truck and taken deep into the Pantanal. A large part of the journey takes you along the Transpantaneira, the ‘highway’ through the wild west of Brazil, and along the way, you’ll drive through villages that resemble something out of a country and Western movie. The journey then passes through savannah landscape where you might see a few water birds, and have a greater chance of spotting capybaras.
After about two hours of driving, you’ll arrive at your accommodation. For the next three nights, you’ll stay at a Fazenda (farm) where you can expect a very friendly and informal welcome. We work closely with a selection of comfortable fazendas, that we have chosen based on their remote location and intimate atmosphere. You’ll have time to settle in and explore your surroundings before you sit down for a meal.
Days 9-10 – Wildlife spotting in the Pantanal
You won’t need your alarm clock during this Pantanal trip as the resident birds are at their liveliest in the early morning and you’ll wake to the sound of squawking macaws. The Pantanal is home to an impressive diversity of animals and birdlife including monkeys, deer, tapir, anteater, toucans and macaws; not forgetting of course the cute capybara. Rare animals such as the armadillo and jaguar also make their home in the Pantanal, but, as always with wildlife spotting, there are no guarantees on which animals you’ll see during your stay. Depending on the time of year and how water-covered the landscape is, you’ll either explore on foot, by horse, boat or canoe. If you’ve never ridden a horse before, this isn’t a problem as the Pantanal horses are used to inexperienced riders. You’ll be accompanied by an English-speaking guide who knows the area and will be able to share further information about the wildlife you see.
Day 11 – Leave the Pantanal and head to Foz do Iguazu
After breakfast, you’ll travel back along the Transpantaneira Highway from the Pantanal to Cuiaba. Your driver will stop the car any time you pass a point of interest so that you can look around and take pictures. Upon your arrival in Cuiaba, you’ll be dropped at the airport for your flight to Foz do Ignazu.
Once you have landed at Iguazu’s tiny airport, you’ll see your driver waiting for you in the arrivals hall. He’ll take you straight to your modern resort hotel near the airport and park entrance. The resort offers a large pool, restaurant, bar and comfortable rooms. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and do whatever you wish.
Day 12 – Catch your breath at Devil’s Throat
Today you will experience the mighty Iguazu Falls from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides, as each offers a different perspective of the landscape and the waterfalls. In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the Argentine side, crossing the border on the way. Once inside the park, you’ll walk around the many tracks, and through the trees, spotting capuchin monkeys and coatis. The sound of rushing water is ever present and there are several viewing platforms along the way.
Then, head back over the border to the park on the Brazilian side. The Brazilians are known for saying: ‘Argentina may have the falls, but we have the view!’ The walking trail runs beside the river so you have a constant view of the falls, and there are plenty of places to stop for photo opportunities. The final section of the walk takes you across a platform over the water for a full view of the Devil’s Throat. Prepare to get a little wet as the raging waterfalls gush down in front of you. But it’s an unforgettable sight. Afterwards, you will return to your hotel.
Day 13 – Departure from Brazil
After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the airport to catch your international flight home to the UK. Returning home with treasured memories of the most spectacular natural wonders of Brazil.
Accommodation
