Compare Brazil's carnival celebrations: Rio de Janeiro & colonial Paraty by Audley Travel vs Brazil (South): See & Experience it ALL in 13 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler

Day 1 : Rio de Janeiro

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Rio de Janeiro. On arrival in Rio today you will be met by a guide and driven to your Copacabana hotel in a private vehicle.

Day 2 : Rio de Janeiro

At leisure in Rio to explore, stroll along the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and absorb the exciting atmosphere of the world famous Carnival.

Day 3 : Rio de Janeiro

Today take a guided tour of Rio's most iconic sights, such as the Statue of Christ the Redeemer and a cable car ride up to Sugar Loaf.

Day 4 : Rio de Janeiro

Carnival day! The morning is at leisure, maybe relax by heading to the tranquil Santa Teresa district before things get much more frantic and lively in the evening when you transfer to the famous Sambadrome to enjoy the colourful samba parades. (Tickets in the non-numbered bleachers are included but upgrades are available for additional cost.)

Day 5 : Rio de Janeiro

Free day in Rio to recover from Carnival or arrange further tours. You could visit the botanical gardens or try a local cookery class.

Day 6 : Paraty

This morning take a group transfer along the stunning Green Coast to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Paraty, a stunning example of Brazil's colonial heritage

Day 7 : Paraty

Experience some of the beauty of the Green Coast as you take a half day tour inland to the beautiful Mata Atlantica forest. Visit some pretty waterfalls and a traditional cachaca rum distillery.

Day 8 : Paraty

At leisure. We recommend simply soaking up Paraty's laid back atmosphere and exploring the cobbled streets. For those wanting to venture further afield why not hire a boat and visit one of the nearby beaches.

Day 9 : International return flight

Private transfer back to Rio in time for your onward flight.

Day 10 : International return flight

Arrive home today to complete your journey.

Day 1: The Ecotourism Capital of Brazil

Our tour begins in Bonito, enjoyed especially by those who seek outdoor activities. This town is Brazil’s ecotourism hub. The surrounding area is known for its caves and for crystal-clear rivers. If visiting during the wet season (December through March), we make a daytrip to a waterfall called Boca da Onca. There we go swimming and hiking on a full-day guided tour. During the times of the year when the waterfall has dried up, we replace Boca da Onca with a trip to a river called Rio da Prata. It is only a 30-minute drive away from Bonito. There we are provided with snorkeling gear as we swim in some of the clearest waters on Earth. The large fish which are abundant in this river make this tour even that much more special. Regardless whether we end up going to the waterfall or to the river, lunch is included on today’s tour.

Note that if you cannot get to Sao Paulo in time to make the connecting flight to Bonito, then we will take you to a hotel and you will officially start this 13-day tour the following morning.

Day 2: River Water Clearer Than Air & Fragile Caves

This morning starts with a daytrip from Bonito to a natural monument called Gruta do Lago Azul. There we are provided with a guided walking tour. It holds two caves with interesting but fragile calcareous formations. Gruta do Lago Azul has been listed as a protected area since 1978. The second half of the day is spent at a place called Segunda do Nascente Rio Sucuri. There we go snorkeling along the river for a significant amount of time. Rio Sucuri is unarguably Brazil’s clearest river.

Day 3: The World's Largest Tropical Wetland Area

Today we make a daytrip from Bonito to the world's largest tropical wetland area. It is called Pantanal Matogrossense National Park. Pantanal is also home to the world's largest flooded grasslands. Along with exploring the area by boat, we go on a 4x4 safari. Animals commonly spotted are jaguars, lowland tapirs, giant anteaters, deer, caimans, black howler monkeys and southern tamanduas. Lunch is included on today’s tour.

Day 4: Gigantic Waterfalls Splitting 2 Countries

Today we relocate by flight from Bonito to the city of Foz do Iguaçu. Its waterfalls, called Iguazu Falls, literally separate Brazil from its neighbor Argentina. The falls are shared by the Iguazu National Park (Argentina) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil). The two parks were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1987, respectively. What's more, Iguazu is the largest waterfall system in the world. Although the falls are indeed the main draw, the city itself carries its own weight. More specifically, Foz features great nightlife in the downtown area: bands, drinks and people who have a God-given talent to dance so passionately.

Day 5: An Aerial View of the Falls, the Devil’s Throat & Confronting the Falls by Boat

Today we make a daytrip to the Argentinean side of the falls. Upon arrival, we take a tourist train to the ‘Devil’s Throat’ circuit. There we are provided with a guided tour of both the upper and lower circuits. We later get wet as we take a boat out to some of the falls. We save the best for last. The day ends with a helicopter ride over the falls.

Day 6: An Animal Kingdom & a Rainbow Stretching Across the Falls

Before relocating by flight to the city of Florianopolis, we explore the Iguazu area some more. The morning starts with a guided visit to the Brazilian side of the falls. Hopefully we see the rainbow which stretches across the falls. In the afternoon, we head to a natural bird park called Parque Das Aves. Creatures commonly seen there include jaguars, butterflies, raccoons, monkeys, coral snakes, toucans, parrots and yellow-breasted caimans.

Day 7: Lagoons, Latin Flare, European Influence & Great Nightlife

Home to fancy resorts, charming hotels, beach clubs and a lively nightlife scene (specifically at Conceição Lagoon), it should come as no surprise that Santa Catarina is South Brazil’s most visited island. Using its capital Florianopolis as our base, today we cover Campeche Central Beach, Armação Beach, the bridge walk to the island of Ilha das Campanhas, Matadeiro Beach, Peri Lagoon, Caldeirão Beach, Morro das Pedras viewpoint, a historic village called Ribeirão da Ilha, a channel called Barra da Lagoa and the adjacent beach, Prainha Beach, Praia Mole Beach, Belvedere Beach, Conceição Lagoon, Joaquina Beach, sand dunes called Dunas of Joaquina and a viewpoint near Conceição Lagoon.

Day 8: Glimmering Beaches, Beach Clubs & Historic Villages

Today we cover the other half of Santa Catarina Island: Canasjure Beach, 2 beaches and beach clubs in the town of Jurerê, Praia do Forte Beach, São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress, Cacupé Beach, a historic village called Santo Antônio de Lisboa and downtown Florianopolis (street art, the cathedral, a palace called Cruz e Sousa and the public market).

Day 9: A Colonial Gem of a Town

This morning we relocate by flight from Florianopolis to the city of Belo Horizonte. From the airport, we are taken to the colonial town of Mariana. There we are provided with a guided tour. Mariana is the oldest town in the state of Minas Gerais. It was founded on July 16, 1696. Mariana retains the characteristics of a baroque town, with its churches, historic buildings and museums. After our tour, we are taken to the colonial town of Ouro Preto. This is where we sleep this evening.

Day 10: Picturesque Architecture & Cobblestone Streets

Before returning to Belo Horizonte so we can fly out to the city of Rio de Janeiro, we explore Ouro Preto in depth with our tour guide. This former colony owes to the riches that were once extracted from below it. Now a focal point of arts and education, Ouro Preto was once an important center for mining and government. Fortunately, its history has left it with attractive baroque buildings and lasting ambiance. Although this steep town’s sites are a bit spread out and are otherwise church-centric (23 churches to be exact), there’s something to be said about Ouro Preto being one of Brazil’s most visited urban destinations. The narrow and stone-paved streets generally and the spectacular panorama views of fine architecture especially are enough reasons to come here. Ouro Preto is one of the most authentic Portuguese town settlements in not only the state of Minas Gerais but in all of Brazil.

Day 11: The Fashionable Hotspot Where People Style & Profile

As a daytrip from Rio de Janeiro, firstly we are taken to a beach town called Cabo Frio. There we see the beaches of Praia do Forte, Praia das Conchas and Praia do Peró. We later head to the beach town of Arraial do Cabo. The first stop is a beach called Praia dos Anjos. There we are taken by foot to a lookout point. The views from there are spectacular. Next, we are taken on a boat which visits the beaches of Praia do Forno, Pontal do Atalaia and Praia Grande. Before heading to our final destination for today, a resort town called Buzios, a stop is made along the road so we can get a good view of a beach called Prainha. Upon arrival in Buzios, we are provided with both a driving and walking tour of the area. The shops and restaurants are indeed the highlights. Buzios is the place in Brazil to ‘see and be seen’, with its fashionable scene and good-looking people. We return to Rio de Janeiro in the late evening.

Day 12: The So-Called 'Green Coastline'

As a daytrip from Rio de Janeiro, we are taken along Costa Verde (meaning the ‘Green Coast’). The beaches and islands along the way are quite exotic. Today’s highlights are the islands surrounding a municipality called Angra dos Reis and an island called Ilha Grande. Lunch, a boat ride and snorkeling are included on today’s tour.

Day 13: Our Tour Ends in South America's Most Famous City

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Rio de Janeiro.

If you have the extra time, we strongly recommend you stick around. If you really want to cover all of the highlights in Rio de Janeiro, then you will need about 6.5 days. However, few people have that sort of time. Upon request, we can provide you with a guided sightseeing tour, for as many days as you wish. We can also provide you with a spectacular paragliding tour over the city. Ask us for details.

Rio de Janeiro is undoubtedly Brazil’s showcase destination…and rightfully so. Called the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city), Rio de Janeiro is renowned for its spectacular mountainous setting, stunning scenery, a tropical rainforest, exotic white-sand beaches complimented by clear waters, water sports activities, plenty of fascinating colonial architecture, chic and carefree people, festive music and an almost overwhelming nightlife scene. Spend your mornings sightseeing, afternoons tanning and evenings partying in the Lapa district, where street bands are performing to locals who love to sing and celebrate seemingly as no other culture can. As a famous song goes, Rio is a city ‘where music and passion are always in fashion’.