Special 2: Samba and Falls

• Arrive to the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro and be transferred to your comfortable hotel. See our wonderful selection of recommended Rio de Janeiro Hotels.

• You will ride along the famous beaches of Rio to the Sugarloaf cable car. Ride first to the "Morro da Urca" mountain at 270 meters (886 feet) above sea level and then continue to the top of the Sugarloaf Mountain, 395 meters above sea level. After Sugarloaf, you will continue on with a city tour during which you will visit the cathedral, the Samba Stadium (Sambodromo), the historical center of Rio, and the Maracana football stadium.
• After a delicious lunch, you will ascend the 2,460ft mountain peak of Corcovado (Hunchback), famous for the statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and Rio's most famous landmark. A train ride through the forest will lead you to the top of the Corcovado Mountain.
• After descending by train, the tour continues through the "Rebouzas" to Barra da Tijuca, Rio’s most recently developed beach area. The tour returns via the beaches of Sao Conrado, Vidigal, Leblon and Ipanema to Copacabana.
• See our Rio de Janeiro Guide that includes recommended Rio de Janeiro Restaurants and other interesting and useful information about this Brazilian gem.

• After breakfast at the hotel, you will have the entire day to explore the ‘Marvelous City’ at your leisure. Find out more about Rio de Janeiro attractions and Rio de Janeiro shopping, and the Top 5 Events to Catch on a Brazil Vacation.

• Transfer to the airport for your flight to Iguazu.
• Pickup at the airport and transfer to your comfortable Iguazu hotel. See our selection of wonderful Iguazu hotels.
• You will take an afternoon tour through the Iguazu National Park covering 185,000 hectares of subtropical forest. You will follow the walkways that border the canyon of the Iguazu River with a 45 minute mini-trek through the rainforest which offers some spectacular panoramic views of the incredible waterfall system that stretches 1.67 miles long with falls that reach up to 266 feet high. You will observe hundreds of small waterfalls including the last and most impressive, Floriano Falls. Here, a complete frontal view of Devil's Throat can be seen.

• You will take a tour of the Argentine side of the Iguazu Falls, including an ecological train ride to the Devil's Throat. During this tour to the Argentinean national park, you will pass the Iguazu River. Trails through the 55,500 hectare reserve provide a different, complete view of the falls, especially the biggest one: the Devil's Throat. Lower and upper walkways permit a closer look at the waterfalls. Learn more about The Iguazu Falls and what makes them so stunning.

• You will enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then take a transfer to the airport.

Hotel prices during Reveillon (Brazil’s New Year’s Eve festivities) and Carnival increase. Please ask a Travel Advisor how prices for your Brazil Vacation may differ during this time.

• 5 nights at comfortable hotels based on US standards.
• Guided visits with English speaking tour guides.
• All transfers and entrance fees.
• All breakfasts. 4-star and up hotels offer breakfast buffets.

PLEASE NOTE:

A tourist visa is required upon entry to Brazil for citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Travelers not within this group are advised to check with the Brazilian consulate where they reside for visa requirements and inquiries. For more information on obtaining a Brazil tourist visa, please visit our Latin America For Less Travel Blog.

As of 1 January 2010, an entrance fee (Reciprocity Fee) is chargeable for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia visiting Argentina. For further details, please read this article on the Latin America For Less Travel Blog.

On the Argentine side of the Iguazu Falls, take the Great Adventure Safari Cruise, an exciting ride in a decommissioned military vehicle through the jungle and to the river. The ‘open’ back truck allows a great vantage point to see the many parakeets, parrots, macaws, toucans, and many other birds, lizards, monkeys, a myriad of butterflies, 85 species of orchids, bromeliads, and guembes that call this jungle area their home. After about a 45-minute ride through the forest, you will board riverboats that will take you breathtakingly close to the falls.

This tour takes you to the subtropical forests of the Brazilian Iguazu National Park. You will be taken by jeep though the forests, which is followed by a spectacular boat trip. A specialized guide will provide interesting information about the ecology of the region. You continue by foot to the banks of the Iguazu River where a motor launch takes you as close as possible to the waterfalls, providing a thrilling adventure and unique view of the falls.

Foz do Iguazu is a real bird habitat. This five-hectare bird sanctuary, located near the Iguazu National Park, offers great opportunities of seeing regional flora and fauna up close. While walking on the trails through native vegetation it is possible to observe many bird species in their natural habitat.

** This excursion can only be booked as a private tour.

This tour begins with a stroll along the beautiful beaches of Rio. Afterwards, enjoy a spectacular Brazilian samba show and experience the rhythm that pulses through the veins of Brazilians. Samba, like the country where it originated, has its roots in African and European rhythms. The music and dance are now synonymous with Brazil’s world famous Carnival celebrations.

Take a beautiful trip to Petropolis climbing the "Orgaos" Mountains. Each curve will bring you different spectacular sight of lush subtropical vegetation and mountain views. In Petropolis, the famed summer resort city, you will visit the former Palace of the Emperor, Dom Pedro II, today the Imperial Museum. There you will be able to admire the beauty of the antique furniture, jewelry and tapestries of an age of splendor. After this visit, we will see the best example of Gothic Cathedral called Sao Pedro de Alcantara, built in honor of the Emperor of Brazil, where you will be able to see the tombs of the Imperial Family. Our lunch will be served at the Quitandinha Palace that was opened in 1944 to be the gambling capital of the country and had its glamour as a Hotel and Casino until 1946 when gambling was prohibited in Brazil. It is now a Convention and Tourist Center, keeping the old architecture with ballrooms, galleries, theater, convention center, balconies, etc.

This trip has been acclaimed as one of the most charming attractions in the entire Rio area. Drive by 1 1/2 hour through numerous fields, banana plantations and villages along the way to the small fishing village of Itacurussa. Embark on a "Saveiro" (schooner from the northeast of Brazil) for a leisure cruise in the calm waters of the Sepetiba Bay. Stop for swim on a deserted island, and then continue to a private island to enjoy a tantalizing buffet luncheon served in a tranquil and rustic atmosphere. After the meal, guests will be free to explore the island's charm by strolling along the beach, swimming or just working on their Rio tan. Special features can be arranged to enhance the day even more: treasure hunt, beach Olympic games, snorkeling, water skiing, etc. The return cruise to Itacurussa is refreshing and allows guests to appreciate the view of the bay and mountains at sunset.