Day 1:
Rio de Janeiro
Transfer from Rio de Janeiro airport (Galeão airport) to your hotel . Free day.
If you arrive in the daylight, already on the way from the airport you will see green hills, rocky mountains, palm trees on both sides of the road and beautiful bays. As darkness falls, the city is surrounded by a shimmering necklace – it’s the lights of the favelas! And between the palm trees, sand and ocean waves, it’s a serene vacation! The famous Copacabana and Ipanema, lined with black and white tiles and with cozy cafes open until late at night, where you can quench your thirst with cold coconut water! All this is in front of you because you are in Rio de Janeiro – one of the most beautiful and exotic cities in the world!
Day 2: Rio de Janeiro
Breakfast at the hotel. Next You drive to Praia Vermelha (Red Beach), from where you will take the cable car up to Mount Urca. The first stop is at Mount Urka, which has a wide observation deck. You can see all of Rio from here! There are plenty of restaurants and bars to grab a bite to eat at this observation deck. There is a smaller site on Sugar Loaf Mountain itself, but it offers a great view not only of Rio, but also of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Lemme, Guanabara Bay, the famous Rio Niteroi Bridge and Niteroi itself, the architecture of which is associated with the name of the world-famous Nemeira, the statue of Christ the Savior on Mount Corcovado, the surrounding mountains, the islands in the ocean.
Duration of the tour: 4 hours.
Day 3: Rio de Janeiro
After breakfast, you depart for the statue of Christ the Savior through the historic downtown area. The monuments left from the past are well preserved, so the Church of Candelaria was built in 1775. Some of the best examples of the Baroque style are embodied in the Monastery of San Bento. The arches of the famous Paw Paw were built in 1732 and used as an aqueduct to bring water from the Carioca River to the city center. The city theater was decorated by the best artists from Europe. Novembro Square is home to some of the city’s most important monuments: the Imperial Palace, from whose balcony slavery was abolished, the Tiradentes Palace, the cathedral built in 1808 as a royal church, and the 16th century Carmelite Monastery. In Piazza Boticario stand buildings with mosaics, old facades surrounded by century-old trees. Very impressive is the Cathedral with a capacity of 20,000 people. Along the way you will admire churches, monasteries, the main Cathedral of the city, and buildings built in colonial style. Arrive at the station where an open, eco-friendly steam train departs and heads through the jungle to the top of Corcovado Hill. At the top of Corcovado Hill, 700 m above sea level, stands the symbol of Rio – the statue of Christ the Savior (38 m), which was erected in 1931. From the top of Corcovado you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the metropolis and its surroundings: the Niteroi Bridge, Guanabara Bay, the Botanical Gardens, the world’s largest stadium Maracana, the Sugar Loaf.
Duration of the tour: 4 hours.
Day 4:
Free day. Relax and enjoy.
On this day, you can book additional tours such as:
Secrets of Old Rio (4 hours) *individually (minimum 2 people) with a guide.
On this tour you will discover the secrets of old Rio de Janeiro. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and you will drive to the historic center of the city where you will learn the history of Rio de Janeiro, its colonial past, rituals, churches and the origin of the name Rio de Janeiro, which was founded in 1565. In this walk through the historic center of the city you will see many monuments left from the past, such as the Church of Candelaria, built in 1775 and the Monastery of San Bento, which embodies the best examples of the Baroque style. Visit the famous Paw Paw Arches, which were built in 1732 and used as a conduit to bring water from the Carioca River to the city center. The Municipal Theater has been decorated by the best artists from Europe and resembles a Parisian opera house! Then you will go to Novembro Square, where you will find several important monuments of the city: the Imperial Palace, from whose balcony slavery was abolished, the Palace of Tiradentes, the cathedral built in 1808 as a royal church, the 16th century Carmelite Monastery. In Piazza Boticario stand buildings with mosaics, old facades surrounded by century-old trees. Finally, visit Rio’s unique Cathedral with a capacity of 20,000 people. At the end of the tour you will visit Colombo’s historic cafeteria, where Rio’s elite come out for afternoon tea and coffee. Try the brownies and this is a flavor you will remember! (Meals and drinks in Colombo are not included.)
Trip to tropical islands *
in a prefabricated group with a guide, includes transfers and lunch. (Duration of the tour – 8 hours)
Early in the morning you will depart for the region of Angra dos Reis, which is 155km south of Rio de Janeiro (about 3h from Rio) Upon arrival you will be taken on a boat trip to the Tpropic Islands! You’ll see some unique scenery! Emerald sea and many picturesque islets scattered around the bay. The Atlantic coast of Costa Verde, on which Angra dos Reis is located, is famous for having the best beaches in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Frolicking dolphins, giant fish, and turtles can be seen very often. At sea, the schooner stops for those wishing to swim. And a sumptuous lunch buffet awaits on the island.
Royal Petropolis
in a prefabricated group with a guide. Petropolis is located high in the fog-shrouded mountains, 60 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro. The last king of Brazil, Don Pedro II, built a summer palace on this land in 1830 to be able to move his sick daughter here from hot Rio de Janeiro. In this city, where the news of the military coup d’état and deposition from the throne caught him, he will find his last resting place in this world. The Imperial Palace, which is now a museum, houses a unique collection of decorative arts, furniture, ancient books, beautiful statues of saints and a golden imperial crown adorned with numerous diamonds and pearls, which was traditionally placed on kings at coronation. After the overthrow of the Monarchy in Brazil, no subject of that country has been awarded the highest Imperial Order of Russia – the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle. The town still retains the spirit and architecture of the German settlers – houses with pointed roofs and mansards, tall windows.
Favela tour! * in the national team. Once upon a time, soldiers from battled a royal detachment on the hill where the favela tree stood. After the war, survivors came to Rio de Janeiro to demand payment. They set up on Providence Hill, and there they remained to live. They named it favela hill to commemorate their battle. There are narrow, muddy streets with stinking ditches running along them. There are a total of 700 favelas in Rio. It’s not just thieves and drug dealers who live in favelas. There are technicians and clerks here, or you can rent a room. You can get here by permission of the local godfather. The police don’t come here. On the narrow streets there is a brisk street trade. There is also a free market for food and handmade goods. It has its own internal laws. By jeep you will drive the neighborhoods of Rocinha and return to the hotel.
Day
5:
Foz de Iguaçu
Transfer from your hotel to Rio airport, from where you will fly to Foz de Iguaçu.
Transfer from the airport to your hotel.
Free day.
At night you can go to the Rafain Show (great restaurant). In addition to the quality food, you will see a wonderful music show and Latin-American dancing). Cost $75U$ per person Min 2 people (includes group transfers and dinner (excluding drinks))
Rafain Grill Place is a huge 1200 seat air-conditioned restaurant with a parking lot. The restaurant’s menu is very diverse and you can try many meat dishes made of the freshest beef and pork. The buffet is abundant with vegetables, fruits and delicious dessert. Lunch is accompanied by a show of Latin American artists who present both folkloric chants and modern dances. Restaurant visitation is at 7:50pm daily. Gather at the location of your hotel.
Day 6: Iguazu Falls – Brazil side.
Breakfast at the hotel. An excursion to the Brazilian side of the waterfalls awaits you. These 275 huge water streams, plummeting from terrifying heights, are on the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The waterfalls are located in a national park with unique flora and fauna. They resulted from volcanic eruption and shifting of the earth’s strata. The name of the waterfalls means “big water” in Guarani. 275 waterfalls, each with its own name, merge into one and come crashing down into the Devil’s Throat Gorge. The sight of water splashes in a halo of the rainbow spectrum is simply mesmerizing! The contrast between the calm and even lazy flow of the Iguazu River above the waterfalls and the powerful overthrow of rushing streams of water from a height of 72 meters into the abyss is amazing. Walking across the bridge under the tiny splashes, one can stand for hours contemplating this spectacle and thinking about the splendor and eternity of our universe.
Duration of the tour: 4 hours.
Additionally, you can book an excursion to the Bird Park, which is nearby ($50). This park has the largest concentration of birds in all of Latin America!
Day
7:
Iguazu Falls – Argentine side.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Excursion to the Argentine Waterfalls. Across the Tancredo Neves Bridge, built over the Iguazu River, the National Park begins. After walking along it you will come close to the waterfalls and be directly under them, feel the power of the falling water very close and enjoy the natural park around this magnificent beauty! You will see the birth of the waterfalls and the most famous waterfall “Devil’s Throat”. The numerous paths and passages created by human hands are amazing, allowing you to observe this natural phenomenon from a very close distance. We will make a walk to the National Park and admire the waterfalls from special observation platforms located high above them. Multi-ton water jets form a huge number of waterfalls of various shapes and heights, over which overhang multicolored rainbows. Impressions from this spectacle will stay with you for life. Especially impressive is the waterfall called Devil’s Throat, which is the largest of the waterfalls. The National Park covers an area of 55,500 hectares, where a variety of unique flora and fauna unique to the region are preserved.
Day 8: Foz de Iguaçu. Airport transfer
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport.
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