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Some of Brazil's
most valuable treasures are waiting for you on this
tour. Brazil's magnificent cities have so much to
offer, and the beaches possess a beauty that are
unrivalled throughout the world (we can prove it!).
You'll get to soak them all up in this well-designed
tour that will take you to the real nuggets of
Brazil. Ascend a skyscraper in grand São Paulo; bask
in the beauty of and history of Ilha Bela, scour the
deserted islands off of Paraty and get lost on the
idyllic paradise of Ilha Grande. We'll have time to
experience fabulous Rio in all of its glory, tour
stately Petropolis and visit the quaint Finnish
colony of Penedo. Lush national parks like the
Itatatiaia and breathtaking vistas await you on this
tour. Please read on....
Short itinerary
Day 1 -
Departure from
your home town
Day 2 -
Rio de Janeiro
- Optional excursion to Corcovado
Day 3 -
Rio -
Petropolis - Penedo (41 mi. / 66 km) - Drive to
Petropolis and palace of Brazil's last emperor
Day 4 -
Penedo -
Itatatiaia National Park - Serra da Mantiqueira
mountains - Village of Visconde de Mauá
Day 5 -
Ilhabela -
Drive along scenic Serra do Mar mountain range -
Ferry to beautiful Ilhabela
Day 6 -
Ilhabela -
Boat trip Trail walks on island - Praia de Bonete
beach
Day 7 -
Parati - Drive
along coastal route to Parati
Day 8 -
Parati -
Trinidade village - Beaches and waterfalls - Hiking
Day 9 -
Parati - Angra
dos Reis - Ilha Grande (90 km + boat)
Day 10 -
Ilha Grande -
Historic tour - Scenic jungle trail walks
Day 11 -
Ilha Grande -
Angra - Rio de Janeiro - Full city tour - Sugar Loaf
mountain - PM entertainment
Day 12 -
Rio de Janeiro
- Day at leisure - Return Flight to your final
destination
Day 13 -
Arrival at
your final destination
Detailed itinerary
Day 1
-
Departure from
Miami or other International airport
Depart from your home town to
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Day 2
-
Rio de Janeiro
- City tour - Optional excursion to Corcovado
After arriving at the airport,
we will be escorted to our hotel located at the
world-famous Copacabana Beach. After checking in at
the hotel, we will enjoy a full day getting to know
this marvelous city. You'll have the morning to rest
and refresh. Around midday we'll depart for a city
tour, going downtown to visit the Cathedral, built
by the Portuguese in the 1700s in Baroque style.
Next, we'll tour the beaches of Copacabana, Flamengo
and Ipanema (as mentioned in the famous Bossa Nova
hit "Girl from Ipanema") and the Sambódromo, where
Carnaval celebrations are held. Travel up to Sugar
Loaf on the cable car where you'll have a stupendous
view of this beautiful city and the sea below. Sugar
Loaf (known locally as Pão de Açucar) is a
famous landmark seen on numerous postcards. It was
first spotted on January 1, 1502 by Portuguese
navigator André Gonçales, who was mapping the
coast of Brazil. Guanabara Bay was mistaken for a
river, and the association of the date of the siting
and "river" led to the name Rio de Janeiro, or
January River. In the evening, go out on the town,
or we can organize a group to head to the
Plataforma to catch dinner and a Samba show (the
city's best one, we might add) or a typical
Brazilian dance place like Forro na Lagoa.
Overnight in Rio de Janeiro.
Day 3
-
Rio -
Petropolis - Penedo (41 mi. / 66 km) - Drive to
Petropolis and palace of Brazil's last emperor
Not far from Rio is the city
of Petropolis. Set in the mountains, imperial
Petropolis was once the seat of Brazil's Royal
Family. Horse-drawn carriages still ply the
cobblestone streets of the city. We'll have a look
at Quitandinha Palace, the summer residence
of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, who ruled
until 1889. The Palace is now a museum displaying
the crown jewels, paintings and furniture of the
Brazilian empire. The Igreja Luterana
(Lutheran Church) is also a wondrous sight to
behold. Dozens of fine restaurants are located
within the city center. Afterwards we'll drive to
Penedo, originally a Finnish settlement founded in
the 1920s. Although there are few full-blooded Finns
left, the town regularly celebrates its Finnish
heritage. Penedo is situated within the Itatatiaia
National Park in the northwest of the state of Rio
de Janeiro. Overnight in Penedo.
Day 4
-
Penedo -
Itatatiaia National Park - Serra da Mantiqueira
mountains - Village of Visconde de Mauá
AM visit to the Itatatiaia
National Park where we'll go on a very scenic
mountain hike and have a beautiful view of the Serra
da Mantiqueira from the trail. After this we will go
to a trout (forel) farm where we will have
the chance to actually fish for our own lunch. In
the afternoon we will visit the artist city of
Visconde de Mauá ·here we'll see waterfalls and the
many lakes surrounding this village. In the evening,
you may want to try out a Finnish sauna! Overnight
in Penedo.
Day 5
-
Ilhabela - Drive along scenic Serra do Mar mountain
range - Ferry to beautiful Ilhabela
Drive on one of the most
beautiful roads of Brazil. We will take a very
scenic route passing through the Serra da
Mantiqueira and Serra do Mar towards Ilhabela. After
a stop in Boiçoanga Beach, we take a ferry trip,
arriving at Ilhabela (beautiful island) around noon.
The biggest island on the Brazilian coast,
Ilhabela's environmentally sensitive areas were
declared a state park in 1977, and the cultural
treasures of the city were also afforded protection.
Relax or go to enjoy Praia das Conchas, a park with
a beautiful beach with the chance to go snorkeling.
At night there are several nice restaurants, bars
and live music where you can meet locals. Overnight
in Ilhabela.
Day
6
-
Ilhabela -
Boat trip Trail walks on island - Praia de Bonete
beach
Today we visit the historical
city center, including the colonial church Nossa
Senhora da Ajuda, built in 1803 from rocks,
shells and whale oil(!). Later you can go on a boat
trip around the island, stopping at the various
beaches to swim or snorkel, or take a trail to the
waterfalls, passing through tropical rainforest. The
more adventurous can walk a 4-hour-trail through the
State Park on the island, through the rainforest and
seeing several waterfalls (there are over 360
waterfalls on the island), to Praia de Bonete, a bay
once used by pirates as a hideout. Return by boat.
There are also several high peaks to hike up, such
as Baepi, São Sebastião and Papagaio Peak.
Overnight in Ilhabela.
Day 7
-
Parati - Drive
along coastal route to Parati
We continue our way along the
coast with stunning views of the shoreline along the
way. Towards late morning, we arrive in Ubatuba, a
city situated in a preserved area where the
mountains of the Serra do Mar meet the ocean. After
a marvelous trip along several bays (99 mi. or 160
km total) we will arrive in Paraty, one of the most
famous villages on the Brazilian coast. An important
city during the age of gold, you can observe
striking 17th century architecture in the colonial
section of town; no cars are allowed here, and
deliveries to stores are made by donkey-drawn carts.
Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets and feel the
17th century spirit. Founded in the 1660s, Parati
was a major point of export for gold and diamonds
mined in Brazil's interior. Parati was designated by
UNESCO as a so-called World Heritage site. At night,
take in some of the many different bars and
restaurants of this charming city. Overnight in
Paraty.
Day 8
-
Parati -
Trinidade village - Beaches and waterfalls - Hiking
The surroundings of Parati
should not be overlooked. There are over 300 beaches
and 65 islands around the city. Wander the untouched
village of Trinidade, where you can enjoy deserted
beaches and the waterfalls not far from the beach.
Or, enjoy a pleasant visit to some of the many
untouched and deserted islands of the coast of
Parati by boat, stopping at a few islands to swim
and discover the islands by foot.
Day 9
-
Parati - Angra
dos Reis - Ilha Grande (90 km + boat)
- Leaving Parati, we
will stop at an Indian (Guaraní village where we
will see how this tribe lives nowadays, combining
their old traditions and modern life. From here we
will drive through the National Park of Serra da
Bocaina to arrive in Angra dos Reis, a coastal
getaway for the rich and famous. (Brazil's only
nuclear power plant is located here, and yes, it is
safe). Today's final destination is Ilha Grande, a
beautifully preserved island. Since there are no
roads and cars on the island, we'll take an
invigorating stroll here. We'll walk through Vila do
Abraão to get to the hotel. You'll have the evening
free to get to know the street art and markets of
this quiet village.
Day 10
-
Ilha Grande -
Historic tour - Scenic jungle trail walks
Today we will get to know the
highlights of this truly dreamy island. Explorer
Amerigo Vespucci said that if heaven on earth
exists, it must not be far from Ilha Grande! Take a
boat trip to the southern tip of the island, or walk
the trails, seeing on the way the ruins of the
Lazareto Prison, or for the more adventurous, hike
to the peak, known as the Pico do Papagaio
(Parrot's Peak) from which you have a marvelous view
of the entire island. Local wildlife includes
monkeys, parrots, hummingbirds and colorful
butterflies. At the end of the day you can admire
the sunset from a boat enjoying a drink. Overnight
on Ilha Grande.
Day 11
- Ilha
Grande - Angra - Rio de Janeiro - Full city tour -
Sugar Loaf mountain - PM entertainment
- Rio de Janeiro (125
mi. / 200 km) - After a morning boat trip from the
island, we will head for Rio de Janeiro, situated in
one of the most beautiful settings in the world,
where the Serra das Araras reaches the sea. Night
free in Rio de Janeiro. Optional tours available
upon request.
Day
12
-
Rio de Janeiro
- Day at leisure - Return Flight to your final
destination
Today, you'll have a day at
leisure to enjoy the famous Copacabana or Ipanema
Beach. Towards the end of the day, we will transfer
to Rio's International Airport to board to our
returning flight home.
Day 13
-
Arrival at
your final destination
The ecobrazil family wishes you a great expedition!
Tour package includes
- All local ground transportation
- Hotel accommodations
- Daily breakfast
- City tours
- Selected activities & admission fees
- Bilingual guide services
NOTE
Prices,
as listed in our rates pages, are subject to availability and may vary by
time of year. All prices are based on double
accommodations and subject to change without notice.
This is a preset departure bus tour and prices are
based on groups of 20 passengers or more. Package
does not include international airfares, airport
taxes, optional
tours, tips or items of a personal nature. |
