The Amazon Rainforest, Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls tour is a once in a lifetime experience that will take you deep into the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest before exploring the highlights of the city of Rio and the magic of Iguazu Falls on both the Brazilian and Argentine sides.
Arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Reception at the Airport. Transfer to your Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Breakfast: In the morning, after pick up, you will do a day-long tour. Sugar Loaf and Corcovado Mountains, including the impressive Christ Redeemer statue overlooking the city should definitely be at the top of your list, and Gray Line Rio de Janeiro is the perfect guide for your day. First thing in the morning, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken through downtown Rio for a panoramic tour. See the Sambrodome, stop at the Metropolitan Cathedral and discover the Cinelandia Square and its wealth of historical buildings. The Municipal Theater, National Library, and National Museum of Fine Arts are all on your way as well as you head toward toward the Urca neighborhood, home of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Ride the iconic cable cars all the way up the mountain, stopping at Urca Hill and its vantage point overlooking Guanabara Bay and its islands, the Rio-Niteroi bridge and Corcovado mountain. Finish your ascent to the top of Sugar Loaf, enjoying gorgeous views of the Copacabana beach and Santa Cruz Fortress.
Enjoy lunch before you head over to the base of Corcovado Mountain via the Cosme Vehlo Train. Ride through the lush and dense Tijuca rainforest to the towering Christ Redeemer statue. Standing guard over the city of Rio, the statue has a fascinating history—your knowledgeable hometown guide will share all the secrets with you before you head back to your hotel.
Breakfast: This morning we will have a tour to Guanabara Bay.
On January 1st 1502, a Portuguese squad, commanded by Andre Gonçalves, discovered the Guanabara Bay and, judging to be a great river, and being January he gave it the name of Rio de Janeiro. It is the largest bay of the world in volume of water; it has several islands, as the Governor’s island, Fundão and Snakes Island.
In the west margin we see Rio de Janeiro, and East the municipal district of Niteroi. Neighborhoods of Botafogo, Flamengo, Urca, Sugar Loaf, Fort São Joao, Flagstone Island, Santa Cruz Fortress, Rio-Niteroi Bridge and all other surrounding beauty are seen from a different perspective as we as we leave “Marina da Gloria ” by Saveiro (schooner).
After the tour return to your hotel and free time
Rio nights are electric. Feel the energy in the air… your heart beats faster…music and fun are key ingredients of Rio’s exciting nightlife! This atmosphere is brought to life at Ginga Tropical Carnaval Show!
After Hotel pick-ups, you will arrive at a traditional Barbecue Dinner, all you can eat style. Brazilian Churrascarias (Barbecue places) offer a wide variety of sides and alternative options. In case you decide to stick with a vegetarian option, you will still leave delighted. For those who prefered the show only option, they will be picked up at their hotels and meet the rest and the bus will head to the Show.
You will get to know every Brazilian region through dance performance and clothing. Ginga Tropical: Brazilian roots combines diversity and culture with The Journal of Theatre, the Northeast, the Amazon and the Pampas with its Folklore, Bahia with their mystical rituals and the Rio de Janeiro with its incomparable bohemian Lapa, their dance halls and their legendary Tricksters.
This is a breathtaking show with fantastic drummers and beautiful Mulatas dressed in outstanding carnival costumes. When you think that the show is close to the end, you may be surprised with interactive dancers. It’s time to shake your hips, so don’t be shy because the show must go on!
After this incredible experience, passengers return to the bus which will take them to their respective hotels.
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight to Manaos. (Arrival must to be before 14:00hs).
Arrival in Manaos and transfer to the Tropical’s pier, from here the trip via speed boat to the Amazon Eco-Park Lodge. After checked in to their rooms and then will visit the Monkey Forest. The facilities for rehabilitation and re-introduction of wild animals in their habitat (known as Monkey Forest), was created in 1991 with the intention of receiving animals that have been confiscated from illegal commerce. This is a joint project with the Municipal Secretary of Environment and Sustainability. In this center, the animals are initially put into quarantine to be evaluated and taken care of by a team of veterinaries and biologists. The duration of the tour of the center will be about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Following will be lunch, and then a visit to a native resident’s house. Guests will depart from the lodge on a boat or motorized canoe, accompanied by a bilingual guide to learn about the traditions and customs of local Amazonian natives. The duration of this tour varies according to the place visited, and during low water level seasons a boat may not be required. At high water level seasons, distant communities may be visited and the tour can last up to three hours. After visiting the native’s house some fishing may be done. Next the guests will have dinner, and then go to a Night tour in canoe. Depart lodge in paddle or motorized canoes, to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, with the possibility to spot small alligators (or other nightly creatures). Alligators are spotted because their eyes shine like small red lights. Once the alligator is spotted by the guide’s spotlight, he will try to catch a small alligator with his own hands and bring it on to the canoe, and a brief explanation of their habitat follows. The alligator will then be safely released back to the river. (No harm is done to any of the animals) Duration: about 1 hour.
Note: during “high water level” season (from April to August) and on full moon evenings, it might be difficult to find alligators.
After breakfast, guests will go on a nature hike. Biodiversity is the main characteristics of ECOPARK. It includes uncatalogued species in virgin rainforest, natural savannahs and creeks. Several streams of crystal clear warm water run through the rainforest. During the tour, the guide will lead clients and educate them about the local flora/fauna, how and where to find edible fruits and potable water, first aid, how to find their way in the forest and much more. The duration of this hike will be one to three hours, depending on health conditions of the participants. Then guests will have lunch, before going on a fishing tour. Depart lodge in paddle or motorized canoes, accompanied by a Bilingual guide. (Fishing of piranhas and other species, depending on season). It is a non-professional fishing. Upon returning to the lodge, guests will be served dinner.
After breakfast, guests will depart for a tour of Meeting of the Waters. Departs from the lodge at 08h30am on board of a regional double deck boat. The boat goes down the Negro River navigating along the shore of the City of Manaus, allowing passengers to view the Amazonas Theater, the Port of Manaus, the Customs and the interesting aspects of the local life – the stilt houses for instance. Arrival at The Meeting of the Waters by 11h30am ( Lunch is not included, during this activity). It’s a spectacular merge of Negro and Solimões Rivers. From this point on both rivers form the famous Amazon River that runs all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The waters of the two rivers run together for about 12kms, side by side, without mixing. The phenomenon happens due to differences in temperature, density and speed of the waters of the rivers. Depending on the level of the waters, a visit to a typical ” caboclo ” (local inhabitants) villa will be included (at Terra Nova Island) during this full day tour (may not be available during the months of May, June, July and sometimes also August, when the villa is flooded). This visit will happen prior or after lunch. Dinner will be served at the lodge.
Duration: about 09 hours
IMPORTANT: The distribution of the tours will be coordinated by the local operation department.
After breakfast, guests will have a morning of leisure to relax and explore the area, then transfer back to Manaus’ Airport for your flight to Iguazu Falls. (FLIGHT MUST TO BE AFTER 14 hs)
Reception at the Airport. Transfer to your Hotel.
After breakfast, early in the Morning, get your cameras ready because a memorable experience awaits you as you explore this natural wonder of the world. The 200,000 year old falls span across the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and are known to pour over 400,000 gallons of water a second onto the rocks below!
We will travel outside the city of Iguassu to the national park where we will spend the day exploring the falls and learning about the history and culture.
We will explore the three tiers of the park to see the falls from different vantages. The lower path leads to the base of the falls where the intense crash of the falls releases a thick mist into the air. The upper path leads to incredible panoramic views of the falls from an extensive footbridge, also an unforgettable experience.
You will be guided throughout the tour but will have lots of free time to take pictures, enjoy the nature and see the falls at your own pace. At the end of the tour we will all meet back up for transportation back to the hotel.
After breakfast pick up from your Hotel Lobby to go to the Brazilian side of the Falls, located 24 kilometers from downtown Foz do Iguaçu. Arrival to the Visitors Center, at the entrance of the Iguassu National Park, about 10 kilometers from the city center.
After passing through the Center, the visits continue, now inside the National Park, along a paved road that will take us to the magnificent Iguassu Falls. There, happens the walking tour along the catwalk measuring one kilometer of easy hike. Along this easy trek, there are several gorgeous panoramic views of the fall and other main falls.
At the end of the tour we will all meet back up for transportation to the airport.
