9 Day Rio, Iguassu, and the Southern Pantanal

Fly to Rio de Janeiro where upon arrival you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel. Rio cries out to be explored and you have two days to do it. Visiting Corcovado and Sugar Loaf are a good starting point, and the chance to get up close to the awe-inspiring statue of Christ the Redeemer, towering over the city. There’s plenty of time for sightseeing on your own too, so don’t miss that fabulous beach. 3 nights Accommodation. • Standard: Windsor Copa; • Superior: Porto Bay Rio Internacional; • Deluxe: Miramar Hotel by Windsor, Belmond Copacabana Palace Hotel

After breakfast, you will be met by your private English-speaking guide and depart for Corcovado to see the most famous of all images of Rio, the statue of Christ the Redeemer. The views from the top are breath-taking and make you realise why Rio is considered by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. After lunch, you will head off to explore Sugar Loaf Mountain. This granite rock is an iconic Rio landmark and from the top, you’ll once again have the most wonderful views of the whole city, its beaches and a stunning view of Guanabara Bay. It’s a great place to watch the sun set over the city, sipping a caipirinha. The evening will then be free for you to relax.

This day is free for you at your leisure. Relax on one of the city’s many beaches, explore the historic centre, meander around the cobbled streets of Santa Teresa or amble around the Botanical gardens. The city has ample to keep you entertained for many a day. If you’re in Rio near the weekend and want a good night out then head to Lapa and to the famous Rio Scenarium club for live samba music and dancing until the small hours in a fabulous old colonial building.

After breakfast a private transfer will take you to the airport for a flight to the town of Foz do Iguaçu, the gateway to the most impressive waterfalls in the world. You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel for the night. In the afternoon you will be met by your private guide and enjoy a half day tour of the Brazilian side of the falls. Within the park on the Brazilian side is approximately a mile of boardwalks which snake through the trees and allow you to get close up to the full force of the waterfalls and also see an abundance of wildlife such as coatis or toucans. The tour ends on the upper part of the falls which are reached by a panoramic elevator before you return to your hotel. 2 nights Accommodation (B) • Standard: Viale Cataratas; • Superior: Mabu Thermas Resort; • Deluxe: Das Cataratas

After breakfast, you will again be met by your guide for a private tour of the falls from the Argentinean side which offers a completely different view of the falls. Once in the national park, there are two ecological trains which are perfect to take you around the park’s attractions taking you eventually to the Devils Throat Station for the best view of the falls. If you really want to get close to the falls then board the La Gran Aventura boat and get to the base of the falls and feel their incredible force.

An early morning flight takes you to Campo Grande, the gateway to the southern Pantanal. On arrival, you will be collected by a private transfer and taken to your hotel which will be roughly a 2- hour drive into the heart of the Pantanal. Alternatively, it is possible to fly into the Pantanal by private plane. Accommodation: Caiman Lodge Ecological Refuge (3 nights)

The next couple of days will be a mix of relaxation and activities. You will enjoy canoe tours, nocturnal spotlighting, photographic safaris and caiman spotting. Activities will begin early in the morning to make the most of the best part of the day and before the temperature warms up too much so that you can enjoy two daylight tours each day plus an evening activity. The lodge also offers a specific jaguar spotting day with the conservation team from the lodge which is highly recommended.

Following a private transfer to the airport, today you will wave goodbye to Brazil and board a flight back home after what will have been an unforgettable Brazil holiday.