Brazil: Amazonas, Iguazu and Bahia

This private full day tour takes you to the two major landmarks of Rio, in fact of Brazil: Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountain. Begin the tour by riding the cog-wheel train up Corcovado Mountain to reach the spectacular view at the summit. Marvel at the Christ the Redeemer statue, built at the top of the mountain and gaze down on the entire city of Rio de Janeiro. Next visit the famous Sugarloaf Mountain, reaching the top by cable car. From your view at the top look out on the glittering waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful beaches below. (08:00-16:00, Timing can vary and will be reconfirmed on the ground. Private Activity, Lunch included)

Master the art of making traditional Brazilian dishes on this enjoyable tour. Set out in the mid-morning or later to spend the next few hours perfecting secret techniques under the guidance of an expert chef. Choose to make feijoada, a stew with meat and black beans, or Bahian-style moqueca, a seafood stew made with coconut milk. For dessert, try either brigadeiro, a chocolate dessert, or cheese and guava paste. You’ll be working with recipes that incorporate ingredients that are available across the globe, in case you’d like to recreate the magic back home. Pick up helpful tips and hear about the diverse cultural influences that have shaped Brazilian gastronomy, from your chef. Once the dishes are ready, sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor before you head back. (Only possible from Mon – Sat; Duration: 4 hours; Time: between 10am and 9pm; Private activity & transfers; Meals included; lunch/dinner; Fitness level: easy; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance)

Enjoy a variety of joyous, energetic Brazilian traditional dances that showcase the country’s rich musical heritage and folklore. Sit back and watch the Bossa Nova, Samba and other music and dance styles. Groove to traditional rhythms from the Amazon, Pampas and Pernambuco. Be amazed by around 16 different dance styles including the Boleadeira, Lambada, Carimbo, Xaxado, Forro, Frevo, and Maculele, and the skillful combination of martial arts and dance – the capoeira. Get a flavour of the history and culture of the country conveyed by the graceful and acrobatic dancers in this show that almost seems like a tour through Tupiniquins lands, the Parintins Festival, Lambada, Carimbo, Xaxado, Forro, Frevo, Maculele, Capoeira, Dance of Orixas, Boleadeiras, Bossa Nova, and the Samba de Gafieira carnival. (Duration: 4 hrs; Private Activity and Transfers; Dinner is not included; This tour is available on Thursdays and Saturdays. Please note that taking pictures or recording the performance is not allowed).

On this half day tour, take in the incredible panoramic view of Iguazu Waterfalls. From the amazing vantage points in Brazil, marvel at the sheer beauty and amazing magnitude of this natural wonder. (Duration 4 hours, if you have a preference for timing, please tell your travel consultant at the time of booking, otherwise our team will schedule the tour at the best available time. Private Activity)

Gain a deep perspective of the breathtaking waterfalls, recently named one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Three sets of trails and walkways allow you to explore the natural beauty of the falls and the surrounding jungle as you walk through the national park. On the lower circuit take in a view of the falls from below, feeling part of the natural surroundings, and sensing their great magnitude. The upper circuit takes you above the falls where you get a different perspective of the same waterfalls you just saw on the lower circuit. Hop on one of the open-top carriages of the Jungle Ecological Train and enjoy a 15-20 minute ride through the forest to the start of the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat) trail. No visit to Iguazu is complete without viewing the Devil’s Throat Falls, where you stand just feet from the thundering cascades of water tumbling to depths below. (From 09:00 to 15:00. Timing can vary and will be reconfirmed on the ground. Private Activity)

Enchance your visit to the Argentina side of the Iguazu Waterfalls with an exciting boat ride up the Iguazu River. Begin your adventure in the heart of the national park with a ride by truck through the subtropical rainforest to the launch point on the river. Embark on a thirty minute navigation up the Iguazu River. End this fun-filled adventure by going up under the waterfalls themselves, getting a stunning view, and also nice and wet. (Duration around 2:15 hours, Group Activity, Maximum 45 people in the boat, Combined with the Visit to the Argentine Side of Iguazu Waterfalls Activity. Important: you will get wet, please bring a rain poncho and/or extra clothes , packed in a water sealed bag)

Explore Manaus’ past and present on this engaging tour of the city. Visit the Municipal Market home to a large variety of stunning regional products including fish, fruits and herbs found only in the Amazon. View the Government Place and typical houses built on stilts over the many creeks that traverse the region before visiting the floating docks, symbols of Manaus’ commercial connection to the rivers of the Amazon. Finish at the Amazon Opera House, the primary symbol of the city’s golden age during the rubber boom at the end of the 19th century. Admire the splendor of that epic period. (Duration 4 hours. Private Activity)

During your stay, become a jungle explorer as you discover the unique natural beauty of the Amazon rainforest. Choose from a variety of shared activities that explore all facets of the region. Activities include nautical excursions through the many rivers of the Anavilhanas Archipelago, hiking through the forest, piranha fishing, and visits to view pink river dolphins and local crafts markets of Novo Airão.

Sample the delicious Afro-Brazilian cuisine of the Bahia region on this food trail around Salvador. Seafood, especially shrimps, form the core of much of Bahian dishes. What better place then, to start your food tour, than the colorful local fish markets of this coastal city? Visit the recently redeveloped Agua dos Meninos fish market, which is the main seafood hub of the city. Walk up to the bustling Sao Joaquim market, a traditional open marketplace for the rich produce of the surrounding farming region. This largest traditional Brazilian market boasts of nearly a thousand stalls selling everything from exotic fruits and vegetables to local spices, herbs, wicker baskets and traditional earthen cookware! Stop by a local restaurant for a well-earned and sumptuous Bahian lunch. The region’s favorite seafood stew of Moqueca is certainly worth a try, in combination with Vatapá, yet another Afro-Brazilian staple of shrimp, nuts and peppers cooked in a deliciously creamy coconut milk curry. Both are usually served with rice. Polish it all off with the ubiquitous coconut, milk and eggs desert of the much loved Cocadas. You could also end on the refreshingly sweet notes of thin tapioca wraps with bananas and condensed milk! (Half Day, Morning Tour; Meals included: Lunch; Please bring comfortable walking shoes).

Discover the fascinating history of this pulsating city on this half day tour. One of the oldest colonial cities to be established in the Americas, Salvador traces its roots to the 16th century Portuguese fortress of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos. Enjoy a walk along the bay before making your way down tree-lined avenues to reach Pelourinho. It is not surprising that the spectacular and well-preserved colonial architecture surrounding this city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a turn around this magnificent town square, admiring all its grand old colonial buildings. Stop by the glorious São Francisco Church, with its extravagant gold leaf baroque designs, before heading to the Largo do Pelourinho, at the heart of this old neighbourhood. (Half Day; Private Activity & Transfers; Fitness Level: Easy; Please bring comfortable walking shoes. Please note that on Sundays, this tour is available only in the morning).