Along the way....

Daily program

Day 1: DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN

Day 2: RIO / CORCOVADO & SANTA TERESA & SUGARLOAF

Airport pick up (time and flight number to be confirmed) and transfer to the hotel. We settle in, and then visit town with our English-speaking guide.
Climb to the Corcovado, universally known symbol of the town of Rio. By car, we climb to an elevation of 700 meters above sea level. Once on the summit, we take the time to appreciate the unique and enchanting panoramic view of the “cidade maravilhosa” (magnificent city).
Rio spreads under our feet, majestic and languid. This advantageous viewpoint gives us a better understanding of the physical and “social” topography of the town.
We descend via Santa Teresa, which used to be one of the wealthiest residential neighborhoods of Rio, at the time when the town was the capital of Brazil and all the principal powers where located there.
Surrounded by the agglomeration, the neighborhood has lost its exclusive character, and the wealth of the area has moved to the Southwest of Rio, to Barra da Tijuca.
Santa Teresa shelters today an unconventional population, constituting the bohemian quarter of modern Rio.
We stroll through this neighborhood to get a taste of its quaint and dated atmosphere.
Along its narrow and winding streets, we can admire some splendid houses dating from the 19th century and catch a glimpse of the soul of a Rio from another time.
The best way to realize this nostalgic trip is to take the bondinho, a little wooden tramway, a miraculous vestige from the start of the 20th century, and the most famous symbol of Santa Teresa.
During the descent to Lapa, we visit the colored staircase or "Escadaria do Convento da Santa Teresa", decorated by Jorge Selarón.
This self-taught Chilean artist is one of the best-known personalities of this neighborhood.
After exhibiting his paintings around the world, he settled in Brazil in 1983 and spontaneously decided to decorate this staircase with a multicolored mosaic in perpetual evolution.
His ambition is to link the neighborhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa, by covering the staircases with thousands of azulejos (ceramic tile-work). We might have the opportunity to see him at work…
We, later, reach the cable cart taking us to the summit of the Sugarloaf (el. 400 m.a.s.l.) the symbol of Rio, marking the entrance of the Bay of Guanabara.
Return to our hotel at 5 p.m.
Entrance fee to Corcovado and Sugarloaf included. Meals not included. Night in hotel.

Option: Helicopter flight of a few minutes from the mirador of Dona Marta.

Recommended for lunch: the restaurant Sobrenatural.
Near Largo Dos Guimarães, at the heart of Santa Teresa, Sobrenatural offers a charming and relaxing decor.
Varied menu to satisfy all tastes, we particularly recommend the fish and seafood plates, to be sampled with a cold beer.

Day 3: RIO / THE FAVELAS & THE CENTER

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. by minibus (group service, 4 to 9 person max). A specialized guide takes us on an "off-the-beaten-path" visit: the favelas. These incursions of a few hours in a different reality of Rio, gives us a complete and realistic vision of life in Carioca, far from the images of violence or of poverty that are the only ones transmitted by a media lacking originality.
At the heart of these popular and "lawless" neighborhoods (the favelas are originally illegal land occupations), Brazilians organize themselves and live in a dignified and solitary manner.
In the afternoon, visit of Rio’s city center, where in a few minutes we pass from a colossal avenue framed by imposing glass buildings to quaint, small streets and their little affordable shops. Many styles, one frame of mind, this is the best definition to describe the architectural cocktail of the center, where past and modernism coexist in harmony.
Among the possible visits (to be coordinated with the guide depending on opening times, of your centers of interest, of eventual manifestations organized that day): Imperial Municipal (replicate of the Opera Garnier in France), foundation Banco do Brasil, casa da França (old custom house), national History museum, largo da Carioca, convento Santo Antônio, metropolitan cathedral, plaza Tiradentes...
And if you feel like it, go for a cold beer at Luis’ bar where the decor seems to not have changed since its construction… at the beginning of the 19th century.
Return to the hotel at 17:00.
Entrance to museums and monuments included. Meals not included. Night in a hotel.

Note 1: an association founded by people originally from the favelas organizes the visits to the favelas.
This association donates a significant part of their income to the inhabitants of the neighborhood by financing development or social projects.
In 2007, their contribution reached close to $ 22,000 US.

Note 2: For the visit of the center, avoid Sundays and holidays.

Recommended for lunch: the Confeitaria Colombo / except on Sundays
This place is the living portrait of the Carioca epoch, and the gastronomical reference of the city. Its famous Belgium mirrors, its showcases in jacaranda wood, its balconies of Italian marble and its light fixtures, all stayed intact, contributed to write the country’s history.
http://www.confeitariacolombo.com.br/

Day 4: RIO - IGUAÇU FALLS BRAZILIAN SIDE / Except on Mondays

Departure from the hotel with a private vehicle, for a transfer to the airport, 3 hours before departure time. Domestic flight Rio – Iguaçu (not included / departure airport, flight time and number to be confirmed). Pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel (or, depending on arrival time, directly to the site).
In a private vehicle and with our English-speaking guide, we head for the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Park and a stunning panoramic view. The national park of Iguaçu, 185,000 acres, was created in 1939 and its ecological reserve registered as a Natural Heritage site by UNESCO. We skirt hundreds of small falls before reaching the last one, Floriano Fall. This one offers an arresting panoramic view over "Devil’s Canyon", across the way.
Return towards Foz de Iguaçu. On the way, we stop at the bird park (parque das aves), where hundreds of different varieties of birds from Brazil are sheltered, but also from other tropical countries.
Entrance fees included. Meals open. Night in hotel.

Option: 12-minute helicopter flight over the falls.

Day 5: LES CHUTES D’IGUAÇU COTE ARGENTIN

At 8:45 a.m., we meet at the hotel with our English-speaking guide. Transfer to the Argentine side of the park (about 40 minutes). Stop at the symbolic panoramic triple border point Paraguay - Brazil - Argentina.
Visit of the falls from the Argentine side, from where we get closer to the water, and of impressive "Devil’s Canyon" opening at our feet. Then return to our hotel on the Brazilian side in the afternoon.
Entrance included. Meals open. Night in hotel.

Options: boat tour at the heart of the falls / excursion in the forest.

Day 6: IGUAÇU - CAMPO GRANDE – ESTRADA DO PARQUE – PANTANAL

Transfer from the hotel to the airport in private transportation 2 hours before departure time. Domestic flight Iguaçu – Campo Grande (not included / departure airport, flight time and number to be confirmed). Pick up at the airport before noon.
Departure by bus around noon (regular line – ticket included – transfer without guide - option of private transportation). We drive around 250 miles on a paved road to Buraco Das Piranhas. There we await our private vehicle to get on the Estrada Do Parque (park road) entering into the Pantanal.
The scene is set: on this track crossing swamps, and around it, we can already spot numerous animals. Alligators basking in the sun on the shores of the lagunas, capibaras (semi-aquatic rodent) wandering in the wild, and multicolored birds observing our struggling vehicle lifting huge clouds of dust.
We reach our destination after a 5 to 6-hour drive. We settle and then dine. Lunch open. Dinner included. 3 lodging options: camping, fazenda or huts.

Option: private transportation Campo Grande - Pantanal

Day 7 & 8: PANTANAL

During our stay in the Pantanal, the (English-speaking) guide alternates the excursions (groups limited to a maximum of 8 people) to allow us to see as many different things as possible His choices depend on the season as certain animals migrate during the year.
Among the activities offered:
Sunrise hike
Swim in the lagunas with alligators (no risk, food abound and they don’t attack humans)
Canoe excursion along Rio Negro or other river (depending on the season) to observe the local fauna and flora
Fishing for piranha, catfish, etc.
Afternoon hike (nap from 13:00 to 16:00 well appreciated during the warm season)
Horseback ride
Nocturnal exploration in the heart of the Pantanal, in remote areas (only from July to November, outside the rainy season, as the tracks are more manageable and the snakes less numerous).
All included. Night in the fazenda Santa Clara.

Option 1: camping or Ecolodge, ask us.

Option 2: extra day(s) in the Pantanal.

Day 9: PANTANAL – CAMPO GRANDE - MANAUS

After our morning excursion and breakfast, we get back on the road, first by 4WD and then by bus (regular line – ticket included – transfer without guide - option of private transportation) towards Campo Grande (5 to 6 hours on the road), to the airport for our domestic flight Campo Grande – Manaus (not included / flight time and number to be confirmed). Pick up upon arrival and transfer to hotel.
Lunch included. Dinner open. Night in hotel.

Option: Private transportation Pantanal – Campo Grande

Day 10: MANAUS / VISIT / except on Sundays

Morning open.
Pick up and transfer to the hotel (usually before noon).
At 2 p.m. meeting at the hotel with our English-speaking guide for a guided visit of the town.
The capital of this immense territory is a town like others, except for its geographical situation (it is located in the heart of the Amazon) giving it a unique style: the atmosphere is tropical, saturated with humidity, and from the beach of Ponta Negra or from the floating pier, we are astounded by the size of Río Negro (Black River), running peacefully, as far as the eye can see. A few miles lower, it mixes its water with those of Río Solimoes to form, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, the Amazon River.
Our stroll takes us to the Opera, which ceiling represents the Eiffel tower seen from the ground (closed on Mondays). Then visit of the floating pier built by English engineers at the beginning of the 20th century, a real technological feat for the time.
Finally, mandatory stop at the market, where we may desire to be left to ourselves, early in the morning, to attend the ballet of the Dockers discharging fruits, vegetable, but especially impressive fish … Return to the hotel at the end of the day.
Entrance fee included. Meals not included. Night in hotel.

Day 11: MANAUS – MALOCAS JUNGLE LODGE

Departure from the hotel at 7:30 a.m. for the site where the waters encounter. The dark and amber water of Río Negro seem to hesitate before mixing with the more yellowish water of Solimoes. We go and observe from a motorboat the surprising show of these two waterways, running side by side over a few miles before mixing.
We, then, return to the Lodge. After 50 miles on the road (1-hour), we reach the village of Rio Preto da Eva, charming little beach resort visited during the weekends by the Manaus’ inhabitants. There we exchange our vehicle for a motor-pirogue loaded with food.
We follow Río Preto da Eva. The last traces of civilization disappear as we enter deeper in a labyrinth of water and vegetation. We follow the meanders of the river resembling a ribbon reflecting the sunlight.
Once we arrive at the lodge, we are welcome with a cocktail. After settling, we are invited to share a typical local lunch (fish / feijao (beans) / rice / raw vegetables / fruit).
In the afternoon, excursion by pirogue on the igarapés (canals flooded after the rainy season, dry the rest of the year) to meet a family of Caboclos.
Caboclos is the name given here to the people of mixed descent (Indians and Portuguese colons) living in the heart of the forest and keeping a very traditional rural lifestyle (subsistence agriculture, especially of manioc, fishing, domestically used handicraft...).
On the way back to the lodge, our guide will rapidly set up a fishing line equipped with a piece of white wire serving as a hook.
He attaches a piece of chicken to the end and in a few minutes, the piranhas arrive. The lodge cook will gill them, and shortly after serve them to us (their flesh, although full of bones, is delicious).
All included. Night in the lodge.

Note 1: English-speaking guide

Note 2: For security and comfort during the traveling between Manaus and the lodge, we recommend that you take with you only the strict necessary items for your jungle trip, in a supple and easy to manipulate travel bag instead of a rigid suitcase. Upon return to Manaus you will be able to recover the things left there.

Note 2: The captain house of Manaus demands that all people navigating from the city be registered (name / first name / birth date / nationality) at least a week in advance. We, therefore, imperatively need all this information for each member of the group.

Day 12: AMAZON FOREST

After a hearty breakfast, we enter the forest in the company of our guide. The Indians have acquired empiric knowledge of the local wildlife and fauna that doesn’t cease to impress visitors. The animals with which they co-habit do not hold any secrets for them. They know their habitat, their eating habits; know if they are comestible, and the best way to hunt them…
Some plants are used in everyday life (construction, weaving, tool fabrication, utensils or arms…); others are known for such and such medicinal virtue. Each pain has its remedy. We become aware that we are walking through an immense outdoor pharmacy…
The adaptation of the Indians to their natural habitat is equally manifested in their capacity to orient themselves, precisely, without obvious landmarks and without the help of any navigation instruments, in the heart of a jungle where everything looks alike.
We return to the lodge for lunch. On the way back, we can cool down in the crystal clear waters of a waterfall.
If we are lucky, we might spot of few of the forest’s animals: a group of monkeys snacking, a tapir loudly escaping in front of us, a few snakes sleeping in the middle of a path, a toucan…
The rest of the day is dedicated to a pirogue tour on the nearby waterways/or a bath in the cool waters of Río Presto da Eva.
After dinner, our hosts invite us to take place around a blazing campfire on the white sand beach.
A frozen caïpirinha in our hand, we enjoy the magic of the Amazonian night and the silence of a nature that nothing disturbs, except the crickets and the noise of the palms agitated by the breeze.
All included. Night in lodge.

Option: extra day (lodge or survival in the jungle), check with us.

Day 13: MALOCAS JUNGLE LODGE – MANAUS - SALVADOR

Before sunrise, our guide takes us to attend the ballet of the birds leaving their night shelter. Another walk in the forest can follow breakfast. After lunch, we return to Manaus (we take the same trail as on the way in). We may be lucky enough to see some sloths on the way. Loving tender leaves, we frequently find them on the highest branches of the trees, where they are easily visible. The observation of these mammals is easier after the rain, the sloths looking then for open places to dry their coat.
Arrival in Manaus 2 hours before flight departure to Salvador. Domestic flight Manaus-Salvador (not included / time and flight number to be confirmed). Pick up at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Lunch included. Dinner open. Night in hotel

Day14: SALVADOR / VISIT

Meeting at the hotel / the pousada at 9 a.m. with our English-speaking guide who takes us to the discovery of the neighborhood representing best the heart and soul of Salvador.
In the morning, a visit to the lower part of town, starting with its monuments and its markets.
The Mercado Modelo (touristy), then São Joaquim market (authentic Bahianese market). We cross town towards the North to reach the Church of Bonfim, a pilgrimage site where we can admire, in the "miracle room", an impressive collection of votive offerings, testifying to the local popular devotion for Senhor do Bonfim.
We follow with a visit to the Museum of Sacred Art (open afternoons only, visit after lunch). Located at the heart of the antique Santa-Teresa convent, it exhibits a collection of unique pieces dating from the 16th to the 20th century: azulejos (ceramic tile-work) panes, sculptures, silver and furniture.
In the afternoon, we visit the high part of town, dominated by the historical quarter of Pelourinho. Its prestigious architectural ensemble, renovated with its original bright colors, is constituted by magnificent colonial mansions and baroque churches one of them being the Church of São Francisco and its stunning azulejos fresco. By drawing from its African roots, the city created for itself a unique identity in Latin America, animating its daily life by the frenetic rhythms of Capoeira and religious ceremonies of Candomblé.
Return to the pousada at the end of the day.
Entrance fees included. Meals not included. Night in a pousada.

Option: mix the un-avoidable and an initiation to candomblé (we recommend, after this day, that you go to a ceremony)

Day 15: SALVADOR – LENÇOIS

Departure from the hotel at 6 a.m. and transfer to the bus terminal (rodoviaria). Bus departure at 7 a.m. for a 6 to 7-hour drive to Lençóis. Pick up at Lençois and transfer to the pousada.
The afternoon is spent discovering, on foot, the town that was the world’s most important pole of diamond production at the beginning of the last century. The "pools" of the Serrano where inlayed with diamonds, today people swim in them.
We then head towards Salon des sables, beautiful caverns of multicolored sand and the waterfall of Primavera, on Río Lençois. Stores selling handicraft, jewelry and regional precious stones as well as remarkable architecture contribute to the charm of this tropical town giving it a 19th century feel. We spend the end of the afternoon at the fresh water toboggan of "Ribeirão Do Meio" on the large river of the Ribeirão.
Bus tickets included. Meals not included. Night in a pousada.

Option: transfert by plane / everyday towards 14:00 / 120 € per person / A/R 240 €.

Day 16: LENÇOIS - MORRO DO PAI INACIO – LAPA DOCE & PRATINHA - LENÇOIS

Departure from Lençóis at 8:30 a.m. with our English-speaking guide for a day excursion in our private vehicle around the great natural sites of the North of Chapada Diamantina.
We first stop at the cave of Torrinha, one of the most beautiful in Brazil, in the caving park of Iraquara. There we find aragonite and gypsite formations unique in the world.
Then, we relax in the lake of Pratinha and its turquoise waters. Option to cave-dive and to do a Tyrolean (60 meters before dropping in the lake!). After lunch (included), on the way back, stop at Morro do Pai Inacio, symbol of the Chapada Diamantina.
The ascent takes 30 minutes, and from the summit we enjoy the best panorama over the surrounding mountain ranges: Serra da Bacia, Mucugezinho, Sobradinho and the morros of Camelo and of Morrão.
Return to Lençóis at the end of the day.
Lunch included. Dinner not included. Night in a pousada.

Note: Group service with Portuguese-speaking guide (max 12 persons

Option 1: sprivate transportation, 120 euros extra/day/group

Option 2: English-speaking guide, 60 euros extra/day/group

Day 17: LENÇOIS - POÇO ENCANTADO & POÇO AZUL - LENÇOIS

Departure from the pousada at 8:30 a.m. with our English-speaking guide. Day of excursion in our private vehicle around the two best known natural sites of the area.
The region of the caves is located 97.5 miles South of Lençóis. After about 1½-hour drive along the “morros”, we arrive at Poço Encantado (the enchanted well), covered with superb stalagmites and stalactites and located near the village of Iatete.
A crystal clear underground river runs 40 meters bellow, at the bottom of the well.
Between April and September, when the morning sun fills the cave of colorful and diaphanous lights, the name of the place takes a whole new dimension. Cold lunch.
In the afternoon, visit of Poço Azul (the blue well), cousin of Poço Encantado and famous for the deep blue color of its water. The swim, authorized, will be memorable.
Return in Lençóis at the end of the day.
Lunch included. Dinner not included. Night in a pousada.

Option: same as previous day.

OR (option to confirm)

Day 17: LENÇOIS - FUMAÇA - CAPAO – LENÇOIS

5-hour walk - elevation gain 250 m - difficulty: moderate.

Departure from the pousada at 8:30 a.m. with our English-speaking guide. After a 44-mile trip in a private vehicle, we reach the peaceful village of Caete Açu, nestled at the bottom of the valley of Capão. The trek starts from here by the ascent of the steep valley shoulders.
Once we reach the plateau, the hardest part behind us, we progress on flat terrain until we arrive at the edge of the precipice of Fumaça, one of the highest falls in Brazil with its 366 meters.
From the plateau, the fall spills its water into an enormous canyon covered with tropical vegetation.
On the way back towards Lençóis, we stop at the waterfall of Riachinho for a regenerating swim.
We return to Lençóis at the end of the afternoon after a stop at Morrão, the highest point of the Chapada Diamantina, to take advantage of the panoramic view over the whole region.
Cold lunch included. Dinner not included. Night in a pousada.

Option: same as previous day.

Day 18: LENÇÓIS - SALVADOR

Morning open.
At 13:00, transfer to the bus terminal (rodoviaria) where we embark on the return bus to Salvador de Bahia. Upon arrival take a taxi to the pousada (between $ 5.60 US and $ 8.40 US for the ride).
Bus ticket included. Meals not included. Night in a pousada.

Day 19: SALVADOR / DEPARTURE

Departure from the hotel for a private transfer to the airport 3 hours before take off. International flight (not included / time and flight number to be confirmed)

Day 20 :RETURN TO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

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