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Brazil Wildlife & Waterfalls for Families

9 Days | A Family Journey

9 Days

Brazil Wildlife & Waterfalls for Families

Welcome to Brazil!

9 Day Sample Journey

Trip at a Glance

Day 1

Arrival Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 2

Venture out to explore the city highlights of Rio de Janeiro

Day 3

Go on a jeep adventure through the Tijuca Forest and take in views from atop Corcovado Mountain.  Have fun moving your feet during a samba class

Day 4 - 6

Fly to Pantanal, begin your 3-night adventure in this wildlife sanctuary

Day 7

Fly to Iguassu Falls to begin your exploration inside the national park

Day 8

Get a backstage experience at the Tropical Bird Park and explore the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls both on foot and by boat

Day 9

Explore the Argentine side of the falls. Depart Brazil

FOR TRIP PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
Contact a Brazil Travel Specialist

Desire a perfect trip? With the help of our travel specialists, this journey can be customized around your specific interests, tastes and preferences. We will provide helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.

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Day 1: ARRIVE RIO DE JANEIRO

Welcome to Brazil!

Your family journey begins with a stay in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Accommodations: Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
  • Meals Included: None Today
Day 2: RIO DE JANEIRO

Enjoy a full day exploration of Rio de Janeiro

Sugar Loaf Mountain rises up from a small peninsula at the entrance of Guanabara Bay, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined sugar loaf. Take a two-stop cable ride to enjoy the beautiful views of the city. The first cable car takes you to the top of Urca Hill, which rises 705 feet above sea level and offers spectacular views of the entire bay and its islands. The second cable car takes you to the top, at 1,300 feet and offers a 360-degree view of the entire city, the Southern beaches, Corcovado and Niteroi Bridge.

The charming district of Santa Teresa is one of the most original of the city due to its unique hillside geography, history, and the alternative urban lifestyle it offers. This picturesque neighborhood that began as the site of a Carmelite convent (still here) in the 18th Century is home today to some of Brazil‘s most vibrant artists – many of whom open their home studios to the public. Rio’s elegance and colorful artistic side are expressed in Santa Teresa’s lush flowers; large, elegant old houses; winding streets; and breathtaking views.

Enjoy an overview of the downtown area with stops at the modern cathedral, Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, and the Casa Franca-Brasil (France-Brasil Foundation), and the Marechal Floriano Square, also known as Cinelandia. These attracions concentrate the best of late 18th century French-style architecture in Rio de Janeiro. The Municipal Theatre, a scaled-down copy of the Paris Opera; the Fine Arts Museum, and the National Library will also be stops during your tour. Enjoy lunch at the famed Confeiteria Colombo before heading back to your hotel.

  • Accommodations: Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch Today
Day 3: RIO DE JANEIRO

Continue your exploration of Rio de Janeiro with a jeep adventure and later, a percussion workshop and samba class!

The open-air jeep provides a unique opportunity to enjoy Rio in the fresh air. After boarding the jeep, you will proceed to the Corcovado Mountain, crossing the Tijuca Rainforest. The city is, literally, sliced down the middle by this impressive mountain range. Situated atop this mountain, at a height of 2,329 feet above sea level, is the statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the world’s best-known and most-visited monuments and now a new modern seven wonder of the world.

The soapstone mosaic, one of the finest art nouveau style, is reached via a flight of steep steps. The view from this vantage point, with the surrounding forest spreading below and a circle of mountains marking the horizon at the very back of Guanabara Bay, is nothing short of breathtaking. Experience a panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro and discover why it is known as the “Marvelous City!” You will continue your Jeep tour with a panoramic drive through Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and the Lagoon.

End your day with a fun interactive experience. Join a local instructor and learn the history of samba and of carnival. Get in contact with several Afro-Brazilian rhythms: Ijexá, Coco, Jongo, Samba-circle and learn samba steps with professional dancers and play percussion instruments typical of the carnival, in a class offered by the teenagers of Pimpolhos of Grande Rio.

  • Accommodations: Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
  • Meals Included: Breakfast Today
Days 4-6: RIO DE JANEIRO / PANTANAL

Fly to Pantanal, begin your 3-night wildlife adventure

Pantanal is the largest floodplain of the planet, and UNESCO declares the place as a World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve, the true wildlife sanctuary of South America. Located at the center of the continent, with an area of approximately 150,000 km², Pantanal consists of a transition area, containing elements of Cerrado, the Amazon and Atlantic forests, and Paraguayan Chaco and Caatinga. Such fantastic biodiversity includes approximately: 698 species of birds, 80 species of mammals, 26 species of fish and 50 species of reptiles.

Spend your days exploring with scheduled excursions consisting of land safaris, horseback riding, river canoeing, wildlife spotting expeditions, sunset and sunrise hikes, and other fun activities.

  • Accommodations: Araras Pantanal Eco Lodge
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner Daily
Day 7: PANTANAL / IGUASSU FALLS

The journey continues

Fly to Iguassu Falls, head to the national park and enjoy a relaxing evening.

  • Accommodations: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas
  • Meals Included: Breakfast Today
Day 8: IGUASSU FALLS

Spend the entire day exploring the National Park on the Brazilian Side

Begin with a fun and special visit to the Tropical Bird Park. The Park is an internationally recognized center for bird conservation and is located amidst lush Atlantic Forest next to the Iguaçu National Park. The park’s Backstage Experience gives the opportunity to learn about their work on an hour and a half behind the scenes tour. It includes access to restricted areas and the unique opportunity to interact and feed some of the birds, understand the rehabilitation efforts to reintroduce animals saved from poaching, and the recovery work being performed to replenish part of the birds’ population.

Head back to your hotel where you will begin your walking tour of the Brazilian side of the falls. Start with a hike down a descending trail of the canyon, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of more than 240 falls. Board a glass elevator, which takes you to a platform where more exquisite views will be revealed. Along with its sister park in Argentina, the Iguassu National Park forms the most significant remaining rainforest in the southern cone of South America, which along with the waterfalls, have been declared a National Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Next, embark in an open jeep-towed wagon along a three km trail, where you will be able to enjoy beautiful forested views until reaching the Macuco Falls. Once reaching the dock, you will board an inflatable bi-motor boat that will take you down the river to experience the falls up close. The boat travels up-river, passing the canyon, facing the rapids at a speed which allows for the appreciation of the scenery. Rocks, animals, and a spectacular green landscape complete the scenery until we reach the great horseshoe known as the Devil’s Throat. To top the tour off, the pilot will give everyone a splash by navigating through the spray of one of the falls!

  • Accommodations: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas
  • Meals Included: Breakfast Today
Day 9: DEPART BRAZIL

Head across the border to experience the falls from the Argentine side

Begin with a walk along the Lower Circuit, which consists of a series of catwalks strategically placed for visitors to get several views of the falls and to get close to the cascades and charming spots of the forest. The highlight is the Devil’s Throat, a breathtaking, horseshoe-shaped gorge that is 262-feet high and 492 feet wide and falls into the river with a deafening roar. Sun and water vapor often create rainbows over the falls, crowning this beautiful landscape.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight from Brazil.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast Today
FOR TRIP PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
Contact a Brazil Travel Specialist

Desire a perfect trip? With the help of our travel specialists, this journey can be customized around your specific interests, tastes and preferences. We will provide helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.

CONTACT US ABOUT THIS TRIP
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