Days 1-4 – Revelling in Rio
Rio offers sweeping beaches, great food and a lively atmosphere. When you arrive you will be met by a guide who will take you through your itinerary and answer any questions. It’s about an hour transfer to your comfortable hotel right next to Copacabana beach, the perfect place for a stroll to watch the sunset behind the mountains. You’ll also spend a morning with a private guide and driver, so you can tick off some of those iconic sights.
Days 4-6 – Catch your breath at Devil’s Throat
We’ll arrange a transfer back to the airport so you can catch your 2 hour domestic flight to Foz de Iguacu. Your flights within Brazil will be booked alongside your international ticket. For more information on the various options, please have a chat with your Travel Specialist. On arrival you’ll be transferred to your hotel, a short 10 minute drive.
The next few days are all about experiencing South America’s most spectacular waterfalls. You’ll stay in a modern resort hotel with swimming pool, restaurant and bar. The next day you’ll visit the Brazilian side of the falls with a private English-speaking guide, allowing you to ask questions along the way and experience the falls in your own time.
In the afternoon you’ll visit the Argentinean side of the falls. You can take many different walking trails around the smaller waterfalls before heading to the Devil’s Throat. Here you can watch the river transform into a powerful thundering waterfall, plunging down into the depths below… it will take your breath away!
Days 6-10 – Welcome to the jungle – Amazon lodge
Next, you’ll be transferred back to the airport in time to catch your domestic flight to Manuas, the gateway to the Amazon. There are no direct flights from Foz de Iguacu, so your Travel Specialist will recommend the best connections for you. Flying time today is usually around 6 and a half hours.
On arrival into Manaus you will be collected and transferred to your hotel where you’ll spend the night, before your journey into the rainforest the following day. As you continue further along the river the vegetation will become denser and denser, 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 is small-scale, eco-friendly, and provides employment to people from the local communities. You’ll stay in your own 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! During your stay you’ll trek through the jungle, fish for piranhas and meet the locals along the waterways. On your final day you’ll be taken back to Manaus and transferred to the airport for your onward journey.
Days 10-12 – Cobbled streets of Salvador
Next, you’ll take domestic flights to Salvador de Bahia. The flights are indirect and your Travel Specialist will be able to advise the best options for you. Overall, your flight time today is around 6 hours.
Back in the colonial days when the Portuguese ruled over Brazil, the arrival of African slaves brought African culture and traditions to Salvador de Bahia. The current combination of Indian, Portuguese and African influences really gives this city its unique identity. We believe the best place to experience this melting pot of cultures is in the historic Pelourinho district.
Upon your arrival in Salvador you’ll find one of our local guides waiting for you. They’ll tell you all about the city and its heritage as they take you to your comfortable pousada in the Pelourinho district. During your stay you will head out with your guide to explore this historic district, as you wander along the cobbled streets you will learn all about the history and how the religions and cultures from Africa have mixed with the Portuguese heritage to create a unique Bahian community.
Days 12-15 – Bahia Beach break
Next you’ll be collected by a driver from your hotel and head to the beach at Praia das Ondas, about 90 minutes drive north. The wide beaches of Praia das Ondas lies just an hour north of Salvador and is a great place to visit for some rest and relaxation. The pousada offers air-conditioned bungalows with hammocks set in a garden with two pools and a restaurant, as well as being only a short walk away from the beach.
The only think we have arranged during your stay is a cocktail making class where you’ll learn how to make the perfect Caipirinha. If you feel like exploring you can easily arrange a visit the nearby town of Praia de Forte, the town has a quirky assortment of souvenir shops and restaurants.
On your final day we’ll pre-arrange the 90 minute transfer to take you back to Salvador airport.
Accommodation
For this itinerary we offer the following options
Upgrade this Itinerary
For the locations included in this itinerary we have alternative accommodation options available. Our In Style options are more comfortable, they may offer something a little more unique or extra special – all with that local flavour! If you would like to upgrade your itinerary select our In Style option below.