BRAZIL'S BEACHES AND JUNGLES !

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Day 1: Rio de Janeiro – Arrival (D)

Upon arrival at the airport you will be met and transferred to our hotel, the Ipanema Plaza, located on Ipanema beach. The morning is free to rest and relax and get acquainted with your surroundings. 

 

This evening Hermes Tours will host a welcome dinner so that you get better acquainted with our new traveling companions.

 

Day 2: Rio de Janeiro – City Tour, Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer), Sugar Loaf Mountain (B)

We’ll make our way to Corcovado via the Cosme Velho Train Cog Station at the bottom of the Corcovado Mountain. Once at the mountain, we’ll take the ride up to the top, through the dense Tijuca rain forest to the 38m tall Christ the Redeemer Statue. From the top, you will enjoy the spectacular views of Rio and the surrounding countryside as your guide shows you the wonderful sights of Rio.

This afternoon we will visit Sugar Loaf Mountain. From the Aterro do Flamengo, we will be taken to the neighborhood of Urca. Here, we will find one of the largest symbols of the city: Sugar Loaf Mountain. We’ll travel all the way to the top in two cable car rides. The first cable car takes us to Urca Hill, at a vantage point of 215 meters for beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Corcovado Mountain. A second cable car takes us the rest of the way to the top. At 395 meters, we’ll enjoy splendid views of Copacabana beach, the Santa Cruz fortress and several beaches of Niterói. We will relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset from this splendid vantage point.

 

This you may wish to join your guide and head out to explore Rio's pulsating nightlife.

 

Day 3: Rio de Janeiro Beach, Arcos da Lapa, Lapa Steps, Contemporary Art Museum (B)

Your morning is free to sleep in, relax on the beach, or perhaps engage in a little retail therapy!

 

This afternoon, we will visit the Contemporary Art Museum, built to attract visitors for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

 

We’ll also visit the neighborhood of Lapa. The neighborhood is home to the Arcos da Lapa, an impressive aqueduct constructed in the mid-18th century by Portuguese colonists. Next, we’ll board a historic tram to the Lapa Steps. The 215 steps are the tiled masterpiece of Chilean painter Selaron. After moving to Brazil in 1983, he began working on the steps as a tribute to his adopted country and claims he will never stop working on them until the day he dies. He can often be spotted working outside his home, halfway up the steps, and is always happy to stop and say hello to passers-by.

 

Day 4: Rio de Janeiro to Salvador Pelourinho, Dinner/Capoeira Show (B, D)

Today, we transfer to the airport today and head to the historic city of Salvador da Bahia, where Brazil was discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500.

 

After checking into our hotel we’ll have an afternoon tour of the neighborhood of Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll have the opportunity to photograph one of the most historical cultural centers of Brazil including the San Francisco Church and Terreiro de Jesus. Salvador was the first capital of Brazil and remained so for over 200 years. The city has the most important African influence anywhere in the world, outside the African continent. Our main destination will be the Pelourinho District, the most important historical center of colonial architecture in Latin America. We will visit the last slave market in Brazil; the First African Church in the new world, built in 1704; art galleries, souvenirs shops and various other important historical landmarks. This tour gives a good prospective of the African influence in the building of Brazil.

 

This evening, we’ll meet for a group dinner, followed by a Capoeira show, a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music.

 

Day 5: Salvador Tour-  Upper and Lower City (Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa) (B)

Today, we’ll visit the low city in Salvador, Bonfim Church and stop off at the Mercado Modelo to see the local handicrafts. We then journey along Centenery Avenue where we will stop for a photo opportunity of the beautiful Statues of the Orishas. These distinctive statues, representing the deities of the Candomble religion, stand triumphantly in the middle of a peaceful lake.

Our next stop will be at The Good End Church, known by the locals as “Oxala's Church”. This 18th century church is the center for the connection between African religions and Catholicism. After our tour, your afternoon is free to spend relaxing on the beach, shopping, or taking in the sites.

 

This evening, you may want to join your guide for a night out.

 

Day 6: Salvador Itaparica Island Tour (B, L)

After breakfast, we’ll board our schooner boat and spend all day sight-seeing Frades and Itaparica Islands, and sail around the Baia de Todos os Santos (All Saints Bay), one of the most panoramic and beautiful views of Salvador. We’ll stop at Priest Island, a stunning tropical paradise where we can swim, snorkel, sun bathe, stroll along the sandy beaches, or purchase shells, coral, or other handicrafts made by local merchants. After Priest Island, we reboard  and set sail for Itaparica Island. Here, we’ll enjoy a delicious lunch of salads, beans, fish, meats, deserts and coffee. Following lunch, we can take a short tour featuring a stop at the original “Fountain of Youth”, or simply relax on the beach.

 

Day 7: Salvador to Manaus (B, D)

Today we board our flight to the Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. We transfer to the pier and board our boat destined for our lodge. On the way we will stop and see the Meeting of the Rivers. Navigate and see for yourself the meeting of two of the most powerful rivers of the Amazon - the Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes. On a tour boats you’ll see the Meeting of the Waters, where the black waters of the Negro River meet the brown waters of the Solimoes River, flowing side by side without mixing for 9 km.

 

Upon our arrival at the hotel you will have time to relax. After our dinner we enjoy evening tour by canoe for Caiman spotting.

 

Day 8: Manaus (B, L, D)

After breakfast we embark on a Nature-Hike around the amazon forest. We return to the lodge for our included lunch. After a short rest, join us as we visit the home of local Amazonian residents (Caboclos) with an opportunity for fishing. Dinner tonight is included at our lodge.

 

Day 9: Monkey Jungle, end of tour (B)

After breakfast we visit the Monkey Jungle where we are sure to see lots of these fun and interactive creatures. Check-out today is at 11:30 am and transfer to Manaus Airport. End of the tour.

 

If you would like to extend your stay in Brazil or visit other parts of South America, please let us know and we can assist you.