Rio, Iguazu and the Costa Verde

After being welcomed on your arrival in Rio de Janeiro, your Brazil Adventure Tours guide describes the Marvellous City during the journey to your hotel. You pass along the edge of Guanabara Bay, with first glimpses of the city, the statue of Christ The Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain before you arrive at Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches. After arriving at your hotel, we will go through the details of your Brazil Tour and give you some local tips for your time in the city. The day is then free to explore Rio and perhaps enjoy your first caipirinha cocktail at sunset from Arpoador, the headland between the two main beaches.

Your first tour of Rio takes you to see the historic side of Rio, the Municipal Theatre and the grand buildings that date from the 19th Century and earlier. The modern Metropolitan Cathedral and the antique Arches of Lapa are two more of Rio\'s postcard sights. You then travel to the top of Corcovado, the steep 710m/2,340ft high mountain topped by the 31m/102ft statue of Christ The Redeemer. The views from the base across Rio, its beaches and mountains, over the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are as spectacular as city views can be. The afternoon and evening are free to relax.

Morning brings a journey around the lagoon to the Botanical Gardens in the shadow of Corcovado. The gardens contain an array of tropical species, with palms, orchids and the pau brasil tree that gave its name to the country watched over by monkeys and toucans. You then travel to the bottom of Sugar Loaf Mountain to ride the two cable cars to the 396m summit. The city views take in of Copacabana Beach, the mountains behind the statue of Christ the Redeemer and also those surrounding Rio on a clear day. The afternoon and evening are free once more, with a typical Brazilian churrascaria barbeque being one dinner option.

You can spend your day relaxing on Copacabana or Ipanema Beach or take a walk around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. If you prefer to fill your days there are many other ideas around Rio that you might like. You can take boat trips out on the ocean or around the bay; museum tours can include the Imperial & National Museums, Samba City, the Carmen Miranda or the diamond museums. You can cross the bay to MAC, with its impressive views back to Rio. A tour along the beaches at the edge of the city, Prainha & Grumari, is another possibility. There are also more adventurous activities such as tandem hang-gliding and kayaking.

The morning flight takes you to Iguazu Falls, and your first chance to see the 275 separate falls of the Iguazu River comes as you land. On arrival you will be met for an immediate tour of the Brazilian national park, where you can enjoy the majestic panoramic views of Iguazu from across the gorge. Options include viewing the falls from above with helicopter rides above them. In the late afternoon you transfer to your hotel with the evening free. Please be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for Iguazu Falls, as the walkways, paths and yourselves become wet from the spray. Camera protection is also a good idea.

After breakfast you cross to the Argentinean national park, where walkways allow you to experience the majesty of Iguazu from very close quarters. The undoubted highlight is the mesmeric experience of looking down into The Devil\'s Throat as the falling water pounds the bottom, creating the roar and mist that mean Iguazu Falls can be seen and heard for miles around. The afternoon finishes with the adventure boat ride which takes you right under the falling curtains of water. In the evening you may like to take in a Latin American Dance Show, or in the period around Full Moon, you can visit the falls to view Iguazu By Moonlight

In the morning, on the way back to the airport you can stop off at the Bird Park to see the collection of colourful tropical birds and butterflies, with toucans, macaws and hummingbirds all within touching distance. After you fly to Sao Paulo, you travel up the Costa Verde, Brazil\'s Emerald Coast, and possibly its most spectacular coastal route, with jungle-covered mountains, and tropical islands dotting the sparkling blue bays. After checking in to your Paraty hotel, you can spend the evening exploring the historic centre of the old port town, whose harbour, cobbled streets and colourful colonial houses make a pleasurable wander, day or night.

The day is full of possibilities around Paraty, with the The Old Gold Trail that tour takes you up in the hills along the road that used to connect Paraty with the mines of Minas Gerais which were 30 days\' walk away. You stop at waterfalls for swimming and perhaps even sliding down, and also visit an alambique to see how cachaça is made in a traditional rustic distillery. Alternative options include a trip over the hills of the Laranjeiras Peninsula to Trindade in the Serra da Bocaina National Park. You can also explore the old fort and some of the beaches close to town. Most tours begin in the morning and have you back in Paraty in the afternoon.

Your Paraty day begins at the picturesque harbour, with brightly painted boats taking you into the bay to visit some of the tropical islands, secluded beaches and crystal clear coves. Stops for snorkelling, swimming and strolling along the sands come before lunch, usually served on board. The journey back is a pleasant cruise as the sun dips behind the mountains, bathing Paraty in rays. After arriving late afternoon, the evening is free once more to appreciate the renowned seafood restaurants of the town. Shops also open late, with local cachaça of different flavours from the distilleries nearby being a favourite souvenir of Paraty.

After breakfast you transfer an hour to Angra dos Reis where the morning boat takes you to the largest island in the bay, Ilha Grande. On arrival at Vila do Abraao, the main village of the island, you will be helped with your luggage as there are no vehicles on the island, so journeys on foot along the beaches are necessary. After checking in, the afternoon is free to enjoy the beach, swing in a hammock under the trees, or perhaps walk or kayak to the beaches at Praia Crena or Abraaozinho. In the shallows of Crena or Praia Canto, the end of the main beach, you can often find sea turtles feeding, and snorkelling with them is an island treat.

After breakfast you can walk down to the town pier where a boat takes you around the island to see all of Ilha Grande\'s stunning coastline (if the wind is strong, the boat may be restricted to the continental side only, as the Atlantic waves become too rough). You make stops in lagoons and off deserted beaches for snorkelling while tropical fish and sea turtles feed on the coral. You may also spot one of Ilha Grande\'s many wrecks in the surrounding waters, including a helicopter. After returning late afternoon, you can enjoy dinner on the beach under the stars, with nothing but the gentle sound of lapping waves and rustling palm leaves.

A free day on Ilha Grande has many options. You can take the jungle trail or the boat and a short walk to Lopes Mendes, regularly voted as one of the very best beaches in Brazil. It is certainly not the only stunning beach on Ilha Grande, with the sands of Dois Rios, Aventureiro and Parnaoica featuring on island postcards. Reaching many of these beaches requires some effort, either by boat or by trails crossing the interior mountains. The reward is to spend the day almost alone on a beautiful Brazilian beach, a stretch of tropical paradise to yourselves. Be careful not to leave your return too late though - the jungle becomes very dark at sunset.

An early departure takes you back to the Ilha Grande pier for your boat back to Brazil! On arrival back on the mainland, you will be met at the marina for the transfer back along the Costa Verde to Rio de Janeiro. You will arrive with plenty of time to check in for your overnight international flight home, perhaps time to check your photos and your memories of this wonderfully exotic part of Brazil.