Tour Overview
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Brazil |
| Route | Rio de Janeiro → Salvador da Bahia → Manaus (Amazon) → Foz do Iguaçu |
| Tour Type | Group Tour — Complete Brazil |
| Best Season | Year-round (June-September best for Amazon wildlife) |
| Price | $3,190 USD per person |
Data source: southamerica.travel — verified real itinerary
The ultimate Brazilian journey. This 12-day comprehensive tour adds Salvador da Bahia — Brazil’s Afro-Brazilian cultural capital — to the classic Rio-Amazon-Iguazu circuit. Experience four radically different faces of this continent-sized country: Rio’s beach culture, Salvador’s African heritage, the Amazon’s primeval jungle, and Iguazu’s thunderous waterfalls.
Day 1: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro
- Bem-vindo ao Rio! — Welcome to the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). Arrive at Galeão Airport, transfer to your Copacabana hotel
- Beach Orientation Walk — Walk the famous wave-mosaic promenade of Copacabana and Ipanema. Sip fresh coconut water, watch locals play footvolley and frescobol (beach paddle ball), and feel the vibrant pulse of the city
- Sunset at Arpoador Rock — Join the cariocas in the daily ritual of applauding the sunset between Ipanema and Copacabana beaches
Overnight in Rio de Janeiro.
Day 2: Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf
- Cog Train to Corcovado — Ride through Tijuca Forest to the feet of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). The 38m Art Deco statue (including 8m pedestal), arms spread 28m wide, is both a religious icon and the defining symbol of Rio. The 360-degree panorama over Rio’s dramatic geography is unforgettable
- Sugarloaf Mountain — Two-stage cable car to the 396m summit. The granite dome rises almost vertically from the entrance to Guanabara Bay. Views sweep from Copacabana to the mountains and the distant islands of the bay
- Selarón Steps — Visit the world-famous mosaic staircase in Lapa — 215 steps covered in 2,000+ tiles from over 60 countries
Overnight in Rio de Janeiro.
Day 3: Rio’s Cultural Treasures & Beaches
- Maracanã Stadium — Tour Brazil’s football cathedral, where World Cup dreams were made and broken
- Santa Teresa — Rio’s bohemian hilltop neighborhood with colonial mansions, art galleries, and vintage tram
- Free Beach Afternoon — Ipanema or Copacabana. Rent a beach chair and umbrella, enjoy grilled cheese on a stick (queijo coalho), and watch the beach life parade by
- Lapa Nightlife — Optional evening in Rio’s samba district. The arches (Arcos da Lapa) illuminate dramatically, and the sound of samba, forró, and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) spills from every bar
Overnight in Rio de Janeiro.
Day 4: Fly to Salvador — The Afro-Brazilian Capital
- Morning Flight — Two-hour flight north to Salvador, capital of Bahia state. This is the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture — over 80% of the population claims African ancestry, making it the largest African diaspora city outside Africa
- Pelourinho (Historic Center) — UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most beautiful colonial districts in the Americas. Pastel-colored buildings, cobblestone streets, and ornate Baroque churches climb the hillside above the Bay of All Saints. The name Pelourinho means “pillory” — the central square was where enslaved Africans were once sold, making the area’s transformation into a vibrant center of Afro-Brazilian culture all the more powerful
- São Francisco Church & Convent — One of Brazil’s most spectacular churches. From the modest exterior, you enter a breathtaking interior completely covered in gold leaf — an estimated 800kg of gold adorns the walls, ceiling, and altars in incredibly detailed Baroque carvings. The adjoining convent features Portugal’s largest collection of 18th-century azulejos (painted tiles)
- Elevador Lacerda — Ride the iconic Art Deco elevator connecting the upper city (Cidade Alta) and lower city (Cidade Baixa) — 72m high with spectacular views over the Bay of All Saints
- Mercado Modelo — Browse Bahia’s most famous market. Three floors of handicrafts, including lacework (renda), wood carvings, leather goods, and the colorful ribbon wishes (fitas do Senhor do Bonfim)
Overnight in Salvador.
Day 5: Salvador — African Roots & Bahian Culture
- Igreja do Bonfim — Salvador’s most beloved church, a powerful symbol of religious syncretism. The famous Senhor do Bonfim ribbons are tied to the church gates with three knots — each representing a wish. The Lavagem do Bonfim (Washing of the Steps) festival in January is one of Bahia’s most spectacular celebrations
- Dique do Tororó — Lake with eight monumental sculptures of Orixás (Candomblé deities), representing the fusion of African Yoruba traditions with Catholic saints that defines Bahian spirituality
- Bahian Cooking Class & Lunch — Learn to prepare moqueca (fish stew in coconut milk with dendê palm oil), acarajé (black-eyed pea fritters fried in dendê, stuffed with vatapá — the quintessential Bahian street food introduced by enslaved Yoruba women), and other Afro-Brazilian specialties
- Olodum & Candomblé — Visit the headquarters of Olodum, the iconic Afro-Brazilian bloco (carnival group) that performs worldwide and was featured with Michael Jackson and Paul Simon. Learn about Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion that preserves Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu traditions
- Capoeira Performance — Evening showcase of capoeira — the unique Afro-Brazilian martial art that blends dance, acrobatics, music, and combat. Developed by enslaved Africans as a form of disguised resistance, it’s now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Overnight in Salvador.
Day 6: Fly to Manaus — Into the Amazon
- Morning Flight — Fly to Manaus (4 hours), deep in the heart of the Amazon
- Manaus City Tour — Brief tour of this improbable jungle metropolis. Visit the Teatro Amazonas — a Belle Époque opera house built with materials imported from Europe: Carrara marble from Italy, iron from Glasgow, 198 chandeliers from Murano. Caruso sang here, and rubber barons sent their laundry to Paris. The contrast between this opulent European palace and the surrounding rainforest is surreal
- Meeting of the Waters — Board your boat for the 20-minute ride to witness the extraordinary phenomenon where dark Rio Negro and sandy Rio Solimões flow side by side without mixing for 6km
- Transfer to Jungle Lodge — Journey up the Rio Negro by motorized canoe. As dusk falls, the jungle becomes a wall of sound — cicadas, frogs, and the distant roar of howler monkeys
Overnight: Amazon Jungle Lodge.
Day 7: Amazon Rainforest Immersion
- Sunrise Canoe — Paddle through the flooded forest at dawn. The bird chorus is overwhelming: toucans, parrots, macaws, kingfishers, and the bizarre call of the screaming piha (the voice of the Amazon). Troops of squirrel monkeys and capuchins crash through the canopy
- Jungle Survival Walk — Your naturalist guide demonstrates traditional forest skills: identify edible fruits and medicinal plants; find fresh water from jungle vines; learn which palm fronds make the best shelter and which ants provide insect repellent. Spot the tiny poison dart frogs in brilliant blue and yellow
- Piranha Fishing — Fish for piranhas from a canoe. The thrill when one strikes and you see those razor teeth is unforgettable. Your catch becomes dinner — fried with garlic and farofa (toasted manioc flour)
- Nocturnal Wildlife Search — After dark, spotlight for caimans (Amazon crocodilians) whose eyes glow like pairs of orange embers on the riverbank. Spot tree boas, night monkeys, and countless species of frogs — the night belongs to different creatures entirely
Overnight: Amazon Jungle Lodge.
Day 8: Amazon Exploration, Return to Manaus
- Pink River Dolphin Encounter — Visit a floating platform where the legendary boto interact with visitors. These intelligent, pink-colored freshwater dolphins are the largest in the world. According to Amazon folklore, they can transform into handsome young men who seduce local women at river festivals
- Visit to an Indigenous Riverside Community (Ribeirinho) — Meet a traditional Amazonian family who lives in harmony with the river. See how they cultivate manioc (cassava) to make farinha (toasted flour) — the staple of the Amazon diet — and learn about the seasonal flooded forest lifestyle
- Return to Manaus — Afternoon boat back to the city. Fly evening to Foz do Iguaçu
Overnight in Foz do Iguaçu.
Day 9: Iguazu Falls — Brazilian Side
- Iguaçu National Park (Brazilian Side) — Walk the 1,200m trail along the canyon rim. The 275 falls stretch nearly 3km across, each with its own character. The Brazilian side delivers the grand panorama — you step back and take it all in at once. Rainbows dance perpetually in the mist, and the roar is a constant physical presence
- Macuco Safari — Boat Into the Falls — The most thrilling Iguazu experience. The jet boat powers up the river, deliberately charging into the curtain of water at the base of the Three Musketeers Falls. Expect to get completely drenched — the force of the water, the deafening roar, and the sheer exhilaration are unforgettable
- Parque das Aves — Walk among 150 species of tropical birds in giant aviaries. Hand-feed toucans, stand within arm’s reach of scarlet ibises, and enter the macaw aviary where brilliant blue-and-gold macaws swoop overhead
Overnight in Foz do Iguaçu.
Day 10: Iguazu Falls — Argentine Side & Devil’s Throat
- Passport to Adventure — Cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge into Argentina for a completely different falls experience
- Upper & Lower Circuits — The Argentine side’s extensive catwalk network brings you right to the brink of the falls. Walk above the cascades on the Upper Circuit, then descend right beside them on the Lower Circuit. At Salto Bossetti, the walkway extends so close the spray drenches you
- Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo) — The piece de resistance. A rainforest train and 1.1km catwalk lead to the abyss where 14 falls converge — the largest single waterfall face on the planet. The power is overwhelming: 1,500 cubic meters per second plunging 80m into an invisible gorge, throwing up a cloud of mist that rises 150m into the air
Overnight in Foz do Iguaçu.
Day 11: Itaipu Dam & Free Afternoon
- Itaipu Binacional Dam — Tour the world’s second-largest hydroelectric dam (after Three Gorges), a binational marvel built by Brazil and Paraguay. The statistics are staggering: 7,700m long, 196m high, 20 generating units producing enough electricity to supply 17% of Brazil and 75% of Paraguay
- Free Afternoon — Option to revisit the falls, shop for souvenirs, or relax by the hotel pool
- Farewell Churrascaria Dinner — A proper Brazilian farewell at a traditional rodízio steakhouse. Gauchos carve picanha (rump cap), fraldinha (flank steak), costela (beef ribs), and more directly onto your plate — simply flip your card from green (keep serving!) to red (stop!)
Overnight in Foz do Iguaçu.
Day 12: Departure
- Transfer to Foz do Iguaçu Airport. Fly to São Paulo for international connections. You depart having experienced the extraordinary diversity of Brazil — from samba rhythms and Afro-Brazilian spirituality to the Amazon’s primeval jungle and Iguazu’s roaring power.
Inclusions
- ✅ 11 nights accommodation (city hotels + jungle lodge)
- ✅ Professional bilingual guide throughout
- ✅ All transfers and transportation
- ✅ Rio: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Maracanã
- ✅ Salvador: Pelourinho walking tour, São Francisco, Bonfim, capoeira show
- ✅ Amazon: 2-night jungle lodge with all excursions
- ✅ Iguazu Falls: Both Brazilian & Argentine sides
- ✅ Macuco Safari boat ride
- ✅ Itaipu Dam tour
- ✅ Daily breakfast
- ✅ Airport transfers
Exclusions
- ❌ International & domestic flights
- ❌ Meals not specified
- ❌ Travel insurance
- ❌ Argentina reciprocity fee (if applicable)
- ❌ Tips and gratuities
- ❌ Personal expenses
