A fourteen-day journey through five destinations in Brazil, linked by domestic flights.
It opens with three nights in Rio de Janeiro, with excursions to Corcovado and the Christ the Redeemer statue and to Sugar Loaf by cable car. It continues with two nights at the Iguaçu Falls, visiting the Brazilian side with the Devil's Throat, the Macuco Safari and the Bird Park. Two nights in Salvador take in the Lower City, the church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim and the Bay of All Saints, and two nights in Recife — the "Brazilian Venice" — include a full-day tour of Recife and the UNESCO-listed town of Olinda. The circuit closes with four nights in Porto de Galinhas, with free days for its beaches and natural reef pools. Accommodation is in 4-star hotels on a bed-and-breakfast basis, with private transfers and guided excursions.
Highlights
Corcovado and the Christ the Redeemer statue by cog train
Sugar Loaf by cable car via Morro da Urca
Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls, with the Devil's Throat and the Macuco Safari
Salvador's Lower City, Nosso Senhor do Bonfim and the Bay of All Saints
Recife and Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage site
The beaches and natural pools of Porto de Galinhas
Day-by-day itinerary
Day1
Day 1: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro
Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, where you are met at the airport and transferred to the hotel for check-in and rest after the long flight. The rest of the day is free to enjoy the city and its beaches.
Day2
Day 2: Corcovado & Christ the Redeemer
After breakfast, excursion to the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. An open cog train climbs through dense forest to the 38 m statue, erected in 1931, with wide views over the city from the summit. Return to the hotel.
Day3
Day 3: Sugar Loaf & city tour
After breakfast, excursion to Sugar Loaf. From Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) a cable car rises first to Morro da Urca and then to the summit of Sugar Loaf, with views over Copacabana, Ipanema, Guanabara Bay, the Niterói bridge and Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. The tour continues by road through the main sights of Rio; time permitting, the Cathedral of São Sebastião and the Selarón Steps. Return to the hotel.
Day4
Day 4: Rio de Janeiro – Foz do Iguaçu
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Foz do Iguaçu, to the Iguaçu Falls. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free.
Day5
Day 5: Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls
After breakfast, excursion to the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls, along the canyon of the Iguaçu River. Walkways and viewing platforms lead to the falls — some 275 cascades — including the Devil's Throat. The day also includes the Macuco Safari, an off-road drive through the jungle and a boat ride beneath the falls, and ends with a visit to the Bird Park near the national park. Return to the hotel.
Day6
Day 6: Foz do Iguaçu – Salvador
After breakfast, private transfer with driver to the airport for the flight to Salvador. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for check-in and rest.
Day7
Day 7: Salvador city tour
After breakfast, tour of Salvador, where African, Portuguese and Brazilian cultures blend. The route explores the Lower City and visits Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, an 18th-century church, then climbs to the walls of the Monte Serrat fortification for views over the Bay of All Saints. The last stop is the Mercado Modelo souvenir market. Return to the hotel.
Day8
Day 8: Salvador – Recife
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Recife. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Capital of Pernambuco state, at the mouth of the Capibaribe River, Recife is known as the "Brazilian Venice" for its many canals and bridges, and keeps traces of Portuguese and Dutch rule.
Day9
Day 9: Recife & Olinda
After breakfast, full-day sightseeing tour of Recife and Olinda. In Recife you visit the three central sectors — Recife, Santo Antônio and Boa Vista — seeing the Maurício de Nassau Bridge, the Praça da República (with the Governor's Palace, the Santa Isabel Theatre and the courts) and the Casa da Cultura, a 19th-century building that once served as a prison and is now a crafts centre. The tour continues to Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the Church of Mercy, the Monastery of São Bento and the Church of the Saviour on the Alto da Sé hill, with views over the sister cities.
Day10
Day 10: Recife – Porto de Galinhas
After breakfast, transfer to the hotel in Porto de Galinhas, 60 km south of Recife. Time to rest. This old colonial town is known for some of the country's finest beaches, with clear turquoise water, white sand and palm-lined shores.
Day11
Day 11: Porto de Galinhas — free day
Free day for the beach. The Pernambuco coast is known for the natural pools that form among the reefs at low tide, such as Muro Alto, and for beaches like Maracaípe, popular with surfers. A few kilometres offshore lies the island of Santo Aleixo, known among divers.
Day12
Day 12: Porto de Galinhas — free day
Free day for the beach and independent activities in Porto de Galinhas.
Day13
Day 13: Porto de Galinhas — free day
Free day for the beach and independent activities in Porto de Galinhas.
Day14
Day 14: Departure
Transfer to Recife airport for your flight home.
Suggested hotels
Arena Leme
Superior
Rio de Janeiro
4-star hotel in Rio de Janeiro (3 nights).
Vivaz Cataratas
Superior
Foz do Iguaçu
4-star hotel in Foz do Iguaçu (2 nights).
Vila Galé Salvador
Superior
Salvador
4-star hotel in Salvador (2 nights).
Hotel Luzeiros
Superior
Recife
4-star hotel in Recife (2 nights).
Solar Porto de Galinhas
Superior
Porto de Galinhas
4-star hotel in Porto de Galinhas (4 nights).
Essential, Premium and Luxury categories available. Final accommodation is confirmed by date and availability.
What's included
Included: Accommodation in the listed 4-star hotels or similar, with breakfast (13 nights: 3 in Rio de Janeiro, 2 in Foz do Iguaçu, 2 in Salvador, 2 in Recife, 4 in Porto de Galinhas)
Included: Private transfers with driver
Included: Guided excursions with an English-speaking guide: Corcovado, Sugar Loaf and central Rio, the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls, the Salvador city tour, and the Recife and Olinda tour
What's not included
Not included: International airfare
Not included: Domestic flights Rio de Janeiro – Foz do Iguaçu – Salvador – Recife
Not included: Airport and tourism taxes and visa fees
Not included: Meals not mentioned in the programme
Not included: Drinks unless explicitly stated
Not included: Tips and gratuities
Not included: Personal expenses and optional excursions
Not included: Travel insurance
Not included: Anything not expressly mentioned as included