A twelve-day journey linking four of Brazil's most iconic settings by domestic flight.
The circuit opens with four nights in Rio de Janeiro, with tours to Sugarloaf and to Corcovado, where the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooks Guanabara Bay. It continues with two nights at the Iguaçu Falls, with a full programme on the Brazilian side including the Macuco Safari and the Bird Park. Two nights in the Amazon at Manaus bring a night canoe alligator tour, an Amazon River boat trip with piranha fishing, an indigenous village and a jungle walk. It closes with three nights at the beach resort of Búzios. Accommodation is offered in 4- and 5-star categories.
Highlights
Sugarloaf and Morro da Urca, with views over Rio and Guanabara Bay
Corcovado and the Christ the Redeemer statue by train through the Tijuca forest
Iguaçu Falls, Brazilian side, with the Macuco Safari jeep-and-boat ride
Bird Park beside the Iguaçu National Park
Amazon in Manaus: night canoe alligator tour, Amazon River boat trip with piranha fishing, indigenous village and jungle walk
Three nights at the beach resort of Búzios
Day-by-day itinerary
Day1
Day 1: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro
Arrival at Rio de Janeiro airport, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Rio de Janeiro, set among green hills, bays, islands and beaches such as Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, is one of the world's most beautiful cities. Remainder of the day at leisure.
Day2
Day 2: City tour and Sugarloaf
After breakfast, a four-hour excursion to Sugarloaf. The first stop is on Morro da Urca, with a wide viewing terrace; from the summit of Sugarloaf there are views over Rio, Copacabana beach, Guanabara Bay, the surrounding mountains and islands, the bridge to Niterói and the Christ statue on Corcovado. The tour continues by car through the old centre of Rio, past historic churches and monasteries, the city's main cathedral, the Uruguaiana and Carioca streets, and colonial-style buildings.
Day3
Day 3: Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer
After breakfast, a four-hour tour to Corcovado. A train climbs through the Tijuca forest — home to monkeys, birds and other wildlife — to the summit at 700 m, where the 38 m statue of Christ the Redeemer (built in 1931) stands. From the top there is a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings, including the Niterói bridge, Guanabara Bay, the Botanical Garden, the Maracanã stadium and Sugarloaf.
Day4
Day 4: Free day in Rio de Janeiro
After breakfast, a free day to explore the city on your own, or to add one of the optional tours.
Day5
Day 5: Rio de Janeiro – Iguaçu Falls
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Foz do Iguaçu, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. There is the option to add an excursion to the Argentine side of the falls.
Day6
Day 6: Iguaçu Falls — Brazilian side
After breakfast, a full programme on the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls, set within the national park on the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, with 275 waterfalls plunging into the Devil's Throat canyon. The Macuco Safari runs about 3 km by open jeep through the jungle with a guide, followed on foot by a motorboat ride close to the falls. The day continues with a visit to the Bird Park beside the Iguaçu National Park, with its large open-air aviaries. Transfer back to the hotel.
Day7
Day 7: Iguaçu Falls – Manaus
Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for the flight to Manaus, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. In the evening, dinner and a night canoe tour to spot alligators, with an English-speaking guide.
Day8
Day 8: Manaus — Amazon
Breakfast, then a boat trip on the Amazon River with piranha fishing from the boat. Visit to an indigenous village to learn about the daily life and traditions of the Amazon's inhabitants, and a walk in the jungle among its flora and fauna. During the excursion the guide shares lessons on survival in the jungle, on telling edible from poisonous plants, and on shooting with a blowpipe.
Day9
Day 9: Manaus – Rio de Janeiro – Búzios
Transfer to the airport and flight to Rio de Janeiro, where you are met and transferred to your hotel in Búzios, a fishing village some 105 miles from Rio de Janeiro with more than 20 beaches, crystal-clear water and a near year-round summer, known for its rustic charm, architectural harmony, beauty and its boutiques and restaurants.
Day10
Day 10: Free day in Búzios
Free day at the beach resort of Búzios.
Day11
Day 11: Free day in Búzios
Free day at the beach resort of Búzios.
Day12
Day 12: Búzios – Rio de Janeiro (departure)
Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for your international flight home. End of the programme.
Suggested hotels
Arena Leme
Superior
Rio de Janeiro
4-star option in Rio de Janeiro (4 nights).
Vivaz Cataratas
Superior
Foz do Iguaçu
4-star option at the Iguaçu Falls (2 nights).
Evolução Ecolodge
Superior
Manaus
Amazon ecolodge in Manaus (2 nights), used in both the 4- and 5-star packages.
Rio Buzios Boutique
Superior
Búzios
4-star option in Búzios (3 nights).
Miramar by Windsor
Luxury
Rio de Janeiro
5-star option in Rio de Janeiro (4 nights).
DoubleTree by Hilton Foz do Iguaçu
Luxury
Foz do Iguaçu
5-star option at the Iguaçu Falls (2 nights).
Rio Buzios Boutique deluxe sea view
Luxury
Búzios
5-star option in Búzios (3 nights).
Essential, Premium and Luxury categories available. Final accommodation is confirmed by date and availability.
What's included
Included: Accommodation in the listed hotels or similar, with breakfast (11 nights: 4 in Rio de Janeiro, 2 at the Iguaçu Falls, 2 in Manaus, 3 in Búzios)
Included: Transfers as per the programme
Included: Meals as per the programme
Included: City tour and Sugarloaf in Rio de Janeiro
Included: Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
Included: Iguaçu Falls, Brazilian side, with the Macuco Safari and the Bird Park
Included: Manaus: night canoe alligator tour, Amazon River boat trip with piranha fishing, indigenous village visit and jungle walk, with an English-speaking guide
What's not included
Not included: International airfare
Not included: Domestic flights Rio de Janeiro – Foz do Iguaçu – Manaus – Rio de Janeiro
Not included: Airport and tourism taxes and visa fees
Not included: Meals not mentioned in the programme, and food and drinks during transfers
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
Optional services
Optional, at extra cost:
Botanical Garden — Visit to the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, over 200 years old, with an avenue of imperial palms and more than 7,000 plant species, including orchids, bromeliads, cacti, bamboos and the giant Victoria water lily; monkeys and toucans are often seen. About 4 hours.
Optional, at extra cost:
Tropical Islands tour — Day trip to the island town of Itacuruça in Mangaratiba, about 1.5 hours from Rio, crossing Sepetiba Bay by schooner among tropical green islands, with a chance to see dolphins, fish and turtles. The schooner stops for a swim in the ocean; lunch and time on the island are included before returning to Rio. About 8 hours.
Optional, at extra cost:
Rio by night: samba and capoeira show — Evening out with hotel pick-up and a show of Brazilian samba and capoeira performed by professional dancers, with the option to dine during the show, before being brought back to the hotel. About 4 hours.
Optional, at extra cost:
Royal Petrópolis — Excursion to the historic mountain town of Petrópolis, about 60 km from Rio, where Emperor Pedro II built a summer palace. Visit to the imperial palace museum with its royal furniture and jewellery, and to the Gothic cathedral where Pedro II, his wife and Princess Isabel are buried.
Optional, at extra cost:
Helicopter flight over Rio — Panoramic helicopter flight from Sugarloaf over the city, its beaches, the Christ statue and the Botanical Garden. About 8–9 minutes.
Optional, at extra cost:
Iguaçu Falls — Argentine side — Excursion to the Argentine side of the Iguaçu Falls, crossing the Tancredo Neves bridge over the Iguaçu River. Walkways lead below and above the falls, close to the falling water and to the source of the Devil's Throat.