The Very Best of Brazil

Day 1 UK to Rio de Janeiro
Relax in the executive lounge before your overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro.

Day 2 Rio de Janeiro
Morning arrival at transfer to your hotel on Copacabana beach. An early check in is arrange for your to relax after your journey. After time to freshen up, you will be taken on an afternoon tour on the cable car up Sugar Loaf Mountain, for a panoramic view of the city, bays, mountains and beaches. This is our location for welcome drinks, with cocktails on Sugar Loaf.

Day 4 Rio de Janeiro
Enjoy a full day free in Rio. You might want to relax by the hotel and enjoy the atmosphere of Copacabana, the lively beach promenade, cafes and shops, or take the short stroll from your hotel to Ipanema, enjoy the beach atmosphere and enjoy the lively and fashionable neighbourhood.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu Falls
Transfer to the airport and fly to the Iguazu Falls, one of nature’s great spectacles, where the huge river falls over great fissures spread over many kilometres between the border of Brazil and Argentina. You will hear the falls before you see them, as you near to your hotel on the Brazil side. This afternoon you will wander down to the walkways close to your hotel, for the astounding sensory experience of the falls from viewpoints and the front and below the falls. There is also time to relax at the hotel, as you can see and hear the spray. You might want to take the optional speedboat ride on the river below the falls.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 Iguazu Falls
This morning you will be taken on a guided tour of the Argentina side of the falls. Here you can get a different perspective of the falls, as paths lead through the jungle to viewing platforms above the cascades. There are many small falls which flow through the jungle foliage, offering a wonderful panorama. You will also be taken to the viewpoint at the thrilling Devil’s Throat, the powerful, thundering central horseshoe of Iguazu.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Iguazu to Manaus
Transfer to the airport for a flight to Manaus, via Sao Paulo. On arrival, journey into the Amazon rainforest on a three hour drive to the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge set on the banks of the Rio Negro tributary of the Amazon. This lodge is one of the best jungle lodges in Brazil, offering private bathrooms, hot shower and good food. The bungalows are quite rustic, in a remote and natural jungle environment.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 Amazon rainforest excursions
During your stay at Anavilhanas lodge you will be taken on included excursions with the lodge’s resident naturalist guides. The programme is flexible to benefit from seasonal conditions. Excursions include canoe trips on the flooded rainforest, looking for the river wildlife and visiting small villages, and short walks in the rainforest highlands where you may see monkeys and beautiful bird life as well as being introduced to the delicate plant life of the rainforest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Amazon Rainforest excursions
The Anavilhanas lodge is named after the archipelago of small islands, dotted around the river close to the lodge and you will be taken on day time and nocturnal trips around the islands, on the lookout for rare Amazon River dolphins and at night the rainforest is alive with caiman, nocturnal mammals and more. You may also be taken to visit the indigenous community at Tiririca and even try your hand at piranha fishing. Enjoy sunset over the rainforest before meeting for dinner at the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 Amazon to Brasilia
This morning you’ll travel back to Manaus, stopping to see this large booming city on the amazon and see the ornate 19th century Opera house. You’ll fly to Brasilia, the modern, planned city located in the very centre of Brazil which was purpose built as the capital in just 41 months in the late 1950s, and officially became the capital in 1960.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 Brasilia to Salvador
A guided tour of the capital this morning will introduce you to the quirky sides of Brasilia, with the unique modernist architecture of Oscar Niermeyer including the cathedral and government buildings. Continue directly to the airport for a flight to Salvador, on Brazil’s north east coast. Salvador has strong African influences, mixed with Portuguese and European heritage, resulting in an exotic and cosmopolitan city known for its music and art. Arrive at your city centre hotel for a relaxing evening.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 Salvador
Enjoy a tour of Salvador, visiting the historic heart of the city, the Pelourinho with its beautiful Renaissance architecture, including the Sao Francisco church and the Carmo museum. This afternoon head to Mont Serrat for panoramic views of Salvador old and new towns. This evening meet for a farewell dinner of Bahia dishes at a traditional Brazilian barbeque restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14 Salvador to London
This morning will be free for some last minute souvenir shopping and to stroll around the historic centre. Afternoon transfer to the airport for a flight to London via Sao Paulo. You may wish to stay an extra night in Salvador, or head to the beach on an extension to Praia do Forte and 3 nights at the Tivoli Eco Resort, set on a sweeping beach and blue seas.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15 UK
Morning arrival in the UK.

Tour includes:

Maximum group size: 25
JOD Tour Manager throughout
Local expert guides in resort
All flights specified
London airport executive lounge
Welcome drinks party
Inspirational sightseeing programme
Hotel luggage porterage service
11 breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”