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Brazil: Pantanal, Iguassu, Rio — 15 Days

Height (m): less than 2000
Duration: 15 days
Difficulty: Low
Continent: South America
Children: From 2 years old
Accommodation: Hotels only

Temporarily unavailable

A fifteen-day Brazil expedition in three parts: wildlife in the Pantanal, the cave and the falls at Bonito and Foz do Iguaçu, and Rio de Janeiro.

The Iguazu falls, higher and wider than Niagara
An abseil on a free-hanging rope into a show cave near Bonito
Diving among fish species that have lived in complete isolation for more than two million years
A flight over the panorama of the Pantanal wetlands
Pantanal jaguars, giant anteaters, ocelots, monkeys, anacondas and the capybara, the largest rodent on Earth
Catching and grilling piranha for lunch
Learning to throw a lasso, as in the old westerns
Sharing a picnic sandwich with the caimans
Learning to ride and setting out on a real journey through the jungle
Kayaking on the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon and the mysterious black river of South America
Herds of some of the best beef cattle in the world and, perhaps, a jaguar hunting them

The company does not sell air tickets or arrange visas, and cannot accept responsibility for events beyond its control connected with flights and border crossings.

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About the journey

This is a Brazil expedition made up of three very different parts. It is worth coming for what the Iguazu falls, the Pantanal reserve, a tributary of the Amazon and the wild Amazonian jungle can offer.

If you choose Brazil and decide to go to the Pantanal, remember that although these places are visited, most of them remain genuinely wild. Protected Latin American land is no more forgiving than any other remote wilderness, and the programme is planned around that.

The final part of the journey is Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil.

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Three-in-One Brazil programme, 15 days

Day 1. Arrival in Campo Grande.

Our representative meets you at the airport. Check-in at the hotel. In the evening, a short briefing with the guide and the safety instructions. Dinner at one of the local restaurants serving national cooking.

Day 2. Campo Grande – Fazenda Baía das Pedras (310 km, 6 hours’ drive).

Early in the morning we get into the jeeps and set off across the Pantanal, one of the most interesting regions in the world. The first 175 km are made road, the next 135 km a rough track through the bush. Along the way you may see various wild animals: marsh and pampas deer, capybara, caimans, howler monkeys, tapirs, wild pigs, toucans, jabiru storks, hyacinth macaws, yellow and red macaws and hundreds of other birds. We arrive at the lodge towards evening and check in. The following activities are planned for your stay: riding, walking, canoe trips and a photo safari around the area. The fazenda stands on the shore of the Vazante de Castelo marsh lake in the Nhecolândia region of the Pantanal. Hospitality and local cooking are the basis of the fazenda’s traditions, and guests can try their hand at working with the cattle and get to know the local culture better. Night at the fazenda lodge.

Day 3. Activities at Fazenda Baía das Pedras.

The activities described above, spread across the days so that we are sure to try all of them. Every excursion is chosen carefully according to the climate and the season. They are led by local guides who know everything about the distinctive local flora and fauna. To avoid the midday heat, all the trips are planned for the morning and the late afternoon, which are also the times when animals are most active. Night at the fazenda lodge.

Day 4. Fazenda Baía das Pedras – Fazenda Barranco Alto (80 km, 1.5 hours’ drive).

After breakfast, a road transfer to Fazenda Barranco Alto with stops for photography and wildlife. The drive is not just hours in a vehicle: it is often in these hours that we manage to see giant anteaters and armadillos, so keep your eyes open, this is a real safari. Arrival and check-in at the lodge. The rest of the programme is adapted to guests’ own preferences. Among the activities on offer are a photo safari and a trip along the bends of the Rio Negro in silent boats and kayaks. The waters hold various species of piranha, as well as river catfish and caimans. Sloths live in the trees along the bank. There are also day and night trips on horseback, on foot and by boat, spotlight searches for animals at night, swimming and the study of river life. Lunch and the night at Fazenda Barranco Alto.

Days 5 and 6. Activities at Fazenda Barranco Alto.

The activities described above. Every excursion is chosen carefully according to the climate and the season. They are led by local guides who know everything about the distinctive local flora and fauna. To avoid the midday heat, all the trips are planned for the early morning and the late afternoon, which are also the times when animals are most active. Nights at the fazenda.

Day 7. Fazenda Barranco Alto – Campo Grande – Bonito.

After breakfast you take a memorable flight in a light aircraft (Cessna 206 or 210, or a Piper Arrow) over the wetlands of the Pantanal, heading back to Campo Grande. The flight lasts about 60 minutes and gives a bird’s-eye view of the Pantanal wetlands, with their forested islands, lakes and channels and the farms built here and there on higher ground to avoid the annual floods. Flying at 183 m above the Pantanal, you can see tapirs, capybara, flocks of birds and other animals. Then a drive of 4 to 6 hours to Bonito, and in the evening a practice session on the rope technique for the descent into the cave the following day.

Day 8. The Abismo Anhumas cave.

Today you will feel like a real climber. We descend 72 metres on ropes, without even touching the rock, to make a short boat trip on the underground lake and look at unique, untouched stalactites, some of which even have names, then snorkel or dive, and climb back up the ropes. The fish that live in the cave lake arrived here two million years ago and have developed in isolation from the outside world ever since. The lake is replenished with organic matter and water in the rainy season; it is clear for tens of metres down, showing us the stalagmites on the bottom.

Day 9. Transfer to Foz do Iguaçu.

Day 10. The Iguazu falls and the bird park.

Today we visit the Iguazu falls, an enormous complex of almost 300 separate falls inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The water falls up to 82 metres. The place is surrounded by legends; one of them says that a god wanted to marry a beautiful local woman, but she fled with her lover by canoe, and in his anger the god cut the river in two, creating the falls and condemning the lovers to fall for ever. A word of caution: in every café in the Iguazu national park there are dozens of permanently hungry coatis. Trying to feed them by hand can end in serious injury, however endearing these animals are.

After the falls we visit the well-known Iguazu bird park. This is a private zoo founded in 1994 by the Croukamp family. The park covers more than 16 hectares and holds around 800 birds. Besides birds you can see butterflies and reptiles characteristic of the area. It is worth noting that this is not simply a commercial zoo but a place where birds are rescued from illegal traders, treated and socialised with other birds so that they can return to a normal life. Night in a hotel.

Day 11. Flight to Rio de Janeiro.

Flight to Rio de Janeiro and transfer to the hotel. Free time in the evening, which we suggest spending on a walk through Rio. Simply enjoy the atmosphere of this cinematic city over a glass of cachaça, the Brazilian national drink, or a cup of real Brazilian coffee. The evening can be spent in a restaurant on Copacabana beach, where you can try absolutely everything that lives in the ocean. Tomorrow we start seeing the city’s most striking sights. Night in a hotel.

Day 12. Corcovado, Sugarloaf, the Selarón steps and the Maracanã.

An ideal journey through Rio de Janeiro is an exotic mixture of rich culture, energetic dance and lasting impressions. We begin exploring the city with the ascent of the well-known Corcovado hill, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer stands, the symbol of Rio de Janeiro. We take in the remarkable views of the city and the sweeping panoramas of Guanabara bay. We continue our adventure at another significant Rio landmark, Sugarloaf Mountain, riding the cable car and enjoying the striking views of the city, the ocean and the surrounding mountains. Then, after lunch in a classic Rio steakhouse, our route leads to the Selarón steps and the Maracanã stadium.

Day 13. Copacabana and Ipanema.

Today the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema await us, where we enjoy the Brazilian sun and the waves. We swim in the warm water of the Atlantic and try fresh fruit from the sellers on the beach. An evening helicopter flight over the city can be arranged. Later it is worth visiting the local clubs or bars to take in the atmosphere of this lively, traditional music and dance. Night in a hotel.

Day 14. The Rocinha favela.

A walk through Rocinha, the largest favela in Brazil. Today we learn about life in the city’s best known informal neighbourhoods, walk through them with a resident of the favela, meet local people and see their life beyond the stereotypes. Free time after lunch. Dinner at a Michelin restaurant.

Day 15. Transfer to the airport.

Flight home.

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What the Three-in-One Brazil journey includes

An experienced trek leader with extensive climbing experience, for groups of 4 participants or more
The domestic flight to Rio de Janeiro
Hotel accommodation in twin rooms, the number of nights set out in the programme
All transfers along the programme
All the safaris in the programme
The jeep trips
Piranha fishing
The cave dive
The flight in a light aircraft (Cessna 206 or 210, or a Piper Arrow)
Horse riding
Kayaking
The helicopter flight over Rio de Janeiro
All entrance fees
Permits and registrations for the route, with the exact scope and the responsibility of each side confirmed before booking
Group equipment
A first-aid kit