Pure Brazil: Salvador, the Amazon, Pantanal, Iguaçu & Rio – 14 Days
Salvador, an Amazon lodge, Pantanal safaris, Iguaçu Falls and Rio, in a group of 10 to 16.
Tour overview
This 14-day small-group tour is a complete journey through Brazil's most extraordinary landscapes and cities, flying between the Afro-Brazilian culture of Salvador, the Amazon rainforest, the wildlife-rich wetlands of the Pantanal, the thundering Iguaçu Falls and Rio de Janeiro. Groups have between 10 and 16 travellers aged 16 and over, with a tour leader throughout and local guides in the wilderness areas. You stay thirteen nights: eight in comfortable hotels and five in lodges, including an Amazon eco lodge on the banks of the Rio Juma and Pousada Piuval in the Pantanal. Thirteen breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners are included, with most meals provided in the lodges.
Your tour begins in Salvador, the first capital of Brazil and the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture, where a guided orientation tour reveals the colourful colonial Pelourinho district, its churches and its music. Flying to Manaus, gateway to the Amazon, you travel by bus and boat to your eco lodge.
Read more
In the Amazon you take a jungle walk with local guides to learn about medicinal plants and wildlife, visit a riverside community and head out on a night boat trip to search for caimans by torchlight. A long travel day via Manaus brings you to Cuiabá and on to the Pantanal Wildlife Reserve, the world's largest tropical wetland and one of the best places in South America to see wildlife. On foot, by 4×4 and by boat you look for capybaras, caimans, giant otters, hyacinth macaws and, with luck, a jaguar.
Flying to Foz do Iguaçu, you visit the Brazilian side of the falls, where walkways bring you close to the roaring water and panoramic views of the hundreds of cascades. Your final stop is Rio de Janeiro, with a visit to the bohemian hilltop district of Santa Teresa and a cable car ride up Sugarloaf Mountain for views over the bay and beaches.
The physical rating is medium, with long travel days, heat and early starts for wildlife. This tour suits nature lovers who want to see the full variety of Brazil in two weeks, with expert guides in the wild. Departures need ten travellers.
Trip highlights
-
Salvador's Pelourinho (Day 2)
-
An Amazon eco lodge (Days 4–5)
-
A night boat trip for caimans (Day 5)
-
Pantanal wildlife safaris (Days 7–9)
-
Iguaçu Falls (Day 11)
-
Sugarloaf Mountain (Day 13)
Your route
8 stops from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro
- Salvador Days 1–2
- Manaus Day 3
- Amazon Eco Lodge Days 4–5
- Manaus Day 6
- Cuiabá Day 6
- Pantanal (Pousada Piuval) Days 7–9
- Foz do Iguaçu Days 10–11
- Rio de Janeiro Days 12–14
Why choose this tour
The Amazon, the Pantanal and Iguaçu in one two-week trip. Lodge stays with local guides in Brazil's great wildlife areas.
Best suited to
- Wildlife lovers
- Travellers who want to see all of Brazil
- Photographers
- Solo travellers looking for a group
Day-by-day itinerary
14 days from Salvador, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
-
Day 1 · Salvador Arrive in Salvador
The tour starts in Bahia's capital.
- Hotel
- Pousada da Mangueira or similar
-
Day 2 · Pelourinho Salvador
A guided orientation tour.
- Hotel
- Pousada da Mangueira or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 3 · Manaus Manaus
Fly to the gateway to the Amazon.
- Hotel
- Hotel Saint Paul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 4 · Rio Juma Amazon
Bus and boat to the lodge.
- Hotel
- Amazon Eco Lodge or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 5 · Rio Juma Amazon
A jungle walk and a night boat trip.
- Hotel
- Amazon Eco Lodge or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 6 · Manaus, Cuiabá Cuiabá
A long travel day south.
- Hotel
- Mato Grosso Palace or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 7 · Pantanal Wildlife Reserve Pantanal
Drive into the wetlands.
- Hotel
- Pousada Piuval or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 8 · Pantanal Wildlife Reserve Pantanal
Explore on foot and by 4x4 or boat.
- Hotel
- Pousada Piuval or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 9 · Pantanal Wildlife Reserve Pantanal
A jeep safari or boat ride.
- Hotel
- Pousada Piuval or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 10 · Cuiabá, Foz do Iguaçu Foz do Iguaçu
Fly to the falls.
- Hotel
- Hotel Rafain Centro or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 11 · Iguaçu Falls Iguaçu Falls
The Brazilian side of the falls.
- Hotel
- Hotel Rafain Centro or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 12 · Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro
Fly to Rio for a free afternoon.
- Hotel
- Hotel Copa Sul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 13 · Santa Teresa, Sugarloaf Mountain Rio de Janeiro
A hilltop district and Sugarloaf.
- Hotel
- Hotel Copa Sul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 14 · Rio de Janeiro Tour ends
The tour ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Salvador (2 nights) Pousada da Mangueira or similar
- Manaus (1 night) Hotel Saint Paul or similar
- Amazon (2 nights) Amazon Eco Lodge or similar
- Cuiabá (1 night) Mato Grosso Palace or similar
- Pantanal (3 nights) Pousada Piuval or similar
- Foz do Iguaçu (2 nights) Hotel Rafain Centro or similar
- Rio de Janeiro (2 nights) Hotel Copa Sul or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 8 nights in hotels and 5 in lodges
- Meals 13 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 5 dinners
- Internal flights between Salvador, Manaus, Cuiabá, Foz do Iguaçu and Rio
- Salvador orientation tour
- Amazon jungle walk, community visit and night boat trip
- Pantanal walks, 4x4 safaris and boat trips
- Iguaçu Falls, Santa Teresa and Sugarloaf Mountain
- Tour leader throughout
Not included
- International flights
- Meals not included 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- Optional activities
- Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You dislike long travel days and early starts
- You want a beach holiday
- You want luxury
- You want international flights included — they are not
Good to know
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £4,995 per person, twin share, tour only. 9 upcoming departures.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Are internal flights included?
Yes, flights between Salvador, Manaus, Cuiabá, Foz do Iguaçu and Rio are included.
Will I see a jaguar?
The Pantanal is one of the best places to see one, but sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Does the tour need a minimum number?
Yes, departures need at least 10 travellers to run.
Do I need a visa?
UK visitors do not usually need a visa for a holiday stay in Brazil. Check before you travel.
What is the minimum age?
The minimum age is 16.
How many people travel together?
Between 10 and 16 travellers, with a tour leader.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary