BRAZIL IN DEPTH

Fly to Brazil

Today you will board a plane at London Heathrow and take a flight to Campo Grande, from which you will access the Pantanal.

The Pantanal

Upon arrival in Campo Grande, a private transfer will collect you from the airport and take you to your hotel in the Pantanal. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and recover from your flight.

Suggested accommodation – Caiman Ecological Refuge

Free Time in the Pantanal

During these few days you will enjoy a number of activities which will include walking tours, photo safaris and night safaris. You will see a wide variety of wildlife and birdlife as well as learning about life on a working farm. All excursions are led by bilingual guides who have a deep knowledge of local nature and regional culture.

The lodge offers exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and due to the location of the lodge many of our clients are lucky enough to see jaguars, even outside of the dry season.

In this itinerary we have included a whole day and evening jaguar experience. You will spend a full day and evening with the Jaguar Habituation Team, getting involved with them as they go about their daily activities and search for the elusive jaguar. The team spends a vast amount of time searching for the jaguars themselves as well as looking for clues that will point them in the right direction when the sun sets and the jaguar becomes active nocturnally. They will check previously set camera traps, check data from satellites that follow the collared jaguars and even search for them via a receiver. You may have a chance to experience tracking on foot with the expertly trained trackers, to see first-hand the pictures taken and experience the technology available. Once a sign of the animals is found they will attempt to locate it so that you and your group can be a part of the amazing experience. More often than not it is possible to find the approximate location of the cats during the day which increases the chances of finding them at night. Depending on the circumstances, you will set out at sunset or just after dinner in order to see the jaguars. You will also be given a presentation on the work of the Project and the aims of the team.

During this day all meals will be served at your lodge and you will have time to relax and recover after lunch before starting the afternoon tour.

Fly to Manaus

Upon arrival in Manaus, a private transfer will collect you from the airport and take you to your hotel where you will spend the night. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and recover from your flight and spend some time exploring if you wish.

Suggested accommodation – Villa Amazonia

The Amazon Rainforest

Today you will depart from Manaus and board a cruise ship, you will then begin an exciting and luxurious 4-night adventure along the river.

Suggested accommodation – Los Iberostar Grand Amazon Cruise

Free Time in the Amazon Rainforest

During this time you can explore the Amazon rainforest through a variety of activities which are offered as part of the cruise, including jungle treks, visits to the pink dolphins, piranha fishing, and sunrise bird watching. When not participating in excursions, guests can take advantage of the ship’s luxury facilities.

Fly to Iguazu Falls

Today a private transfer will take you to the airport for a short flight to Iguazu Falls. Upon arrival you will be taken to your hotel, where you will spend the next 3 nights, by private transfer.

Suggested accommodation – Belmond Das Cataratas

Private Full Day Tour of Iguazu Falls (Argentine side)

This morning you will be met by an English-speaking guide after breakfast and cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge, heading towards the Iguazú National Park in Argentina for a full day guided tour. After entering the park, you can spend the day strolling along the different paths throughout the Argentine side of the Iguazú National Park allowing many different views of this natural spectacle.

You will also be taken for a ride on the Gran Aventura Speedboat which is an exhilarating way to see the falls up close and you’ll get very wet!

Free Time at Iguazu Falls

This day is free for you to relax and enjoy the exclusive private access to the Brazilian side of the falls which your hotel offers. Alternatively you can simply relax by the pool, take an unfortgettable helicopter ride over the falls or visit the nearby native bird park.

Fly to Porto Seguro

Today you will fly to Porto Seguro, where a private transfer will collect you and take you to Trancoso, a pretty beach village. You will spend the next 3 nights here in a luxurious hotel.

Suggested accommodation – UXUA Casa

Free Time in Trancoso

These days are free for you to relax in Trancoso and soak up the sunshine.  Trancoso is perhaps the coolest beach destination in Brazil. It’s where the Brazil’s celebrities head to super chic hotels to live it up in luxury. Situated on the southern Bahian coast, the town was a little-known village some ten years ago but now is the place to be seen. The lovely little pastel coloured buildings offer good shopping, even away from the designer boutiques and there are gorgeous beaches such as the Praia dos Nativos or the Praia do Trancoso.  Further afield it’s worth the journey to the Praia do Espelho to have lunch at Silvinha’s, a local institution in a magnificent setting. For golfers, the excellent Terravista Club proves a sporting challenge with some wonderful views to go with it.

Fly to Salvador

Today you will fly to Salvador where a guide will meet you and take you to your centrally located hotel where you will spend the next 2 nights.

Suggested accommodation – Casa do Amarelindo

Private Full Day Tour of Salvador (including lunch)

This morning you will be met by a private English-speaking guide and depart on a full day tour of Salvador. You will be taken to the mouth of the immense bay and then via elegant tree-lined avenues and bustling city streets to the Pelourinho, the largest complex of colonial architecture in South America.

Fly to Rio de Janeiro

Today you will board a flight to the dazzling and iconic city of Rio de Janeiro. A private transfer will take you to your hotel where you will spend the next 3 nights.

Suggested accommodation – Fasano

Private Half Day Tour of Corcovado

Today, after breakfast, your guide will collect you from the hotel and take you on a private half day tour of Corcovado. See the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and enjoy impressive views from the top. On a clear day the views from the top are nothing short of sensation

Private Half Day Tour of Sugarloaf Mountain

This morning your guide will take you on a private tour to one of Rio’s most iconic sights, Sugarloaf Mountain, offering fabulous views of the beaches and the city with entrance included. The Sugarloaf is the imposing natural monument that has made the unmistakable Rio skyline a modern icon. The tour is divided into two parts, the first taking in a number of sites of interest in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The second stage of the tour takes visitors through the old Urca neighborhood towards the Sugarloaf. Here you will board a cable-car which starts the steep, exhilarating 215 m climb up Morro da Urca. From here, the cable-car travels high above the rugged, vegetated terrain to the Sugarloaf’s 395 m summit. At the top you will have spectacular 360-degree views across the city and the chance to see one of the local residents at close quarters – the Wied’s Marmoset, a very small and cute monkey that lives on the mountain.

Private Transfer to Buzios

Today your guide will accompany you on a transfer to the nearby region of Buzios. Here you will spend 3 nights in a fabulous hotel by the beach.

Suggested accommodation – Insolito Boutique Hotel

Free Time in Buzios

These days are free for you to relax in and around the town of Búzios, made famous in the 1960s by Brigitte Bardot who fell in love with the town and it’s easy to see why. There are a huge number of beaches close to the town centre such as the picture perfect horseshoe shaped Ferradura Beach which is wonderful for snorkelling or Geribá Beach which is the place to head for surfing. Ossos beach is in the centre of town and is the place to be seen amongst the young, rich and famous where you can often see Brazilian and international celebrities. The town has some wonderful fine dining and numerous boutique shops plus there is a vast amount of activities on offer such a windsurfing, surfing, diving, sailing and other water sports.

Fly Home

Today, at the appropriate time your guide will accompany you to the airport in Rio de Janeiro for your flight home.

Caiman Ecological Refuge

The Caiman Ecological Refuge offers real luxury within the Pantanal with two stunning properties amidst an incredible setting by the floodplains which provide a great mix of comfort and fabulous wildlife viewing opportunities. It’s the place to stay in the Pantanal.

Villa Amazonia

Located in the historic centre of Manaus, close to the famous opera house, this small boutique hotel features 30 exclusive apartments, all which face an indoor garden and a natural stone pool.

Iberostar Grand Amazon

This a luxury ship that takes guests on an exciting and breathtaking cruise along the Rio Negro and Amazon River. Providing total comfort and excellent service, you are sure to have an unforgettable Amazon vacation.

Belmond Hotel Das Cataratas

The Belmond Hotel Das Cataratas is the only hotel situated within the Iguassu National Park on the Brazilian side of the falls. It is the place to stay while on holiday to Iguassu Falls. The hotel is directly in front of the falls enjoying an unrivalled location where guests can experience exclusive access to this magnificent sight in the evening and at dawn, when the park is closed to other visitors.

UXUA Casa 

For those seeking excellent service, 5-star luxury and bundles of Bahian character, you can do no better than Uxua Casa. This boutique hotel offering a stunning collection of 1-3-bedroom bohemian, ‘shabby chic’ cottages scattered around Trancoso’s UNESCO protected Quadrado, is a 1-minute walk from São João Batista church and an 8-minute walk from some of the most picturesque beaches in Brazil.

Casa do Amarelindo

Hotel Fasano

Located on Rio de Janeiro’s legendary Ipanema Beach, the Fasano Rio is the first building to be designed by Philippe Starck in Brazil and is a celebration of the Bossa Nova era of Brazilian design from the 1950s and 1960s.

Insolito Boutique Hotel

It is easy to see why Insolito is regarded as one of the top luxury hotels in Brazil. Located in a beautiful setting with wonderful decoration it is an incredible place to stay on a Brazil holiday. This incredible property was voted as the Best Beach Hotel 2012 in South America at the World Travel Awards. The award was certainly justified.