Rhythms of Brazil- From Rio to the Amazon

As you arrive in Rio de Janeiro, your transfer will take you to a hotel in Copacabana. Upon reaching the hotel, you will settle into your room to rest and prepare for the upcoming adventures. While you are in your hotel, you can catch your first sunset over the Atlantic. 

Enjoy your breakfast and spend your morning exploring some of Rio’s most famous landmarks. The cable car up Sugar Loaf stops at Morro da Urca first, and the views over Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic just get wider the higher you go. You will visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, a concrete space pyramid that genuinely puzzles people the first time they see it, and the Selarón Steps, a mosaic staircase one artist spent decades obsessing over. After a day of exploration, you will head back to your hotel.

After breakfast, take the cogwheel train through Tijuca Forest to the top of Corcovado Mountain, where you will come face to face with Christ the Redeemer. Standing beneath the statue and looking out across Rio is one of the highlights of any visit to the city.

Later, head down to Rio’s famous beach districts. Stroll along Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon, where beach kiosks, cyclists, runners and volleyball games are all part of everyday life. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. To round off your time in Rio, you can opt to spend the evening exploring Olympic Boulevard and the Museum of Tomorrow, or enjoy a samba show before returning to your hotel for your final night in the city.

Enjoy your breakfast and transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Iguassu Falls. On arrival, check into your luxury hotel. Later, visit the Brazilian side of the falls for your first views of this spectacular natural wonder. After soaking in the views, return to your hotel to relax and recharge for the next day.

After breakfast, cross the border for a guided tour of the Argentine side of Iguassu Falls. Travel through the national park on the Ecological Jungle Train and explore both the Upper and Lower Circuits, offering different perspectives of the falls. The highlight is reaching the famous Devil’s Throat, allowing you to stand right above the most powerful part of the falls. Experience the incredible roar, feel the refreshing mist, and get a little wet from the spray. After this, you will head back to the hotel to relax for the rest of the day.

After breakfast, head to the airport for your flight to Manaus. When you arrive, continue on to the Amazon Ecopark Lodge and check in. The rest of the day is free to settle in. Out here, everything moves at a slower pace. You will notice it in the way the river drifts past and birds settle into the trees as the afternoon goes on. If time permits, you may visit the Bird Park in Iguassu before your flight to Manaus, which is an optional activity, subject to timing.

After breakfast, you will head to the pier and take a boat to the Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge. Once you arrive, check in and settle into your surroundings. Your first evening is simply about easing into life in the rainforest and taking in the atmosphere. All meals are included during your stay at the lodge.

Head out by boat to the Meeting of the Waters, where the Rio Negro and Solimões River flow alongside each other without blending. Seeing the two colours stay divided like that feels almost unreal, especially given the scale of the rivers.

After a final morning in the rainforest, you head back into Manaus and take a walk through the historic centre. The whole area still feels shaped by the old rubber boom, with these faded grand buildings sitting right alongside the rhythm of everyday city life.

The Amazon Opera House (Teatro Amazonas) is the main highlight. It is a large pink opera house that feels almost surreal in the middle of the Amazon. Built during Manaus’ wealthiest period, it remains the city’s most iconic landmark. After visiting, you can wander through the surrounding streets before heading back to your hotel for a quiet evening.

After breakfast in Manaus, head to the airport and fly to Salvador da Bahia. Check into your luxury hotel, relax, and feel the vibrant, rhythmic atmosphere of Brazil’s first capital. 

After breakfast, head out for a walking tour of Pelourinho (Old Town). This is Salvador’s historic heart and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its colonial and Afro-Brazilian heritage. As you walk through the cobbled streets, you will pass baroque churches and brightly coloured buildings that reflect the area’s past.

From there, the route opens up to wider city views as you pass through neighbourhoods like Barra and Campo Grande, before finishing at Terreiro de Jesus square. The afternoon is free, so you can wander a bit more or just take it easy.

Enjoy a final Brazilian breakfast before your private transfer to the airport for your flight back to London, carrying memories of an unforgettable 11-night tour.