Natural Wonders of Brazil

Saturday. Bem Vindo ao Brazil! Upon arrival at the airport you will be met and transferred to our start hotel in Copacabana. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to explore the beautiful stretch of Copacabana beach.

The next day we have a guided tour of this extraordinary city of extremes, where the glamorous apartments of Rio’s rich and famous are set against the back drop of the favelas and half-built shanty towns that cling onto the hillsides. We take a cable car up to Sugarloaf Mountain to enjoy views of the city and board a steep rack-and-pinion railway which glides through the Tijuca National Park, the largest urban forest in the world, before reaching the summit of Corcovado Mountain. Here we marvel at the iconic 40-meter Christ the Redeemer statue which overlooks the city with arms outspread. On a clear day the views over the city and across the ocean are simply spectacular.

Rio de Janeiro - Paraty. We venture west of Rio this morning, through the high-rise suburbs as we drive along the ‘green coast’ to the colonial bay-side town of Paraty. This small-town, whose name means ‘river of fish’ in the indigenous Tupi language, is set on a beautiful stretch of the bay of Ilha Grande which is surrounded by pristine beaches and jungled mountains. The rest of the day is free to wander around the cobbled streets of this picturesque town and check out local art work in the many contemporary galleries. Be sure to try some of the amazing local fresh fish for lunch or dinner today.

Today we board a schooner and cruise south along the spectacular emerald coastline which is studded with tropical islands. We take some time to stop and explore hidden and hidden bays and take a swim in the shimmering waters of the picture-perfect beaches. Upon arrival back to Paraty we have the rest of the day at leisure.

Paraty - Foz do Iguacu. Today we depart Paraty and enjoy a scenic drive across the state border to Sao Paulo where we board our flight to Iguazu Falls. Upon arrival we’re transferred to our hotel in the town Foz do Iguacu, which is situated on the border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. This is our base for excursions to the Argentine and Brazilian side of the spectacular Iguazu Falls, where a total of 275 falls thunder through dense forest over a 2.5km stretch.

At the u-shaped Devil’s throat we can hear the waterfalls crashing over the gorge and watch the water flow through the rainforest breaking up into smaller falls. Here we have the chance to spot colourful toucans perched in the leaves above the fierce waters. The Brazilian side of the falls offers broad panoramic views of the falls, while the Argentine side offers a series of walkways to explore the forest as we feel the spray from the falls.

Foz do Iguacu - Pantanal. Bidding farewell to Iguazu Falls we travel on to the world’s largest wetland today, known as the Pantanal. After a flight to Campo Grande we continue by road into the vast wilderness where we reach our lodge which is also a working ranch.

Over the next three days we discover the remarkable flora and fauna of the wetlands, as we explore the rivers, marshes and savannahs with local guides. Take a 4WD by road and track tour through the open grasslands, swampland and permanently flooded bays. Ride a horse across the savannah, motorboat down the local rivers or paddle a canoe on one of the numerous waterways. There is an extraordinary variety of wildlife in the area including giant storks, howler monkeys, anteaters, armadillos as well as an array of birdlife in addition to the aquatic birds, including parakeets, macaws and toucans.

Pantanal - Rio de Janeiro. We leave the wildlife-rich wetlands and fly back to Rio for our final night in one of the world's most exciting cities. Head to the edgy district of Lapa which is home to dozens of music halls offering live music entertainment and weekend street parties or sit back and try one of the famous steaks in a Brazilian Churasco.

Wednesday. Our tour comes to an end today. Included transfer to the airport for your onward flight or we arrange some extra nights accommodation if you'd like to extend.