This itinerary is perfect if you love nature and you want to discover two of the world’s best spots to connect with the natural world, its flora and fauna. The Amazon rainforest needs no introduction but the lesser known Pantanal truly is the best spot in Brazil to view wildlife. It is also the home of the jaguar and Porto Jofre is one of the best places in the region to encounter this beautiful predator. Holidays to the Amazon and the Pantanal are not the most economical but they are worth it for a once in your life experience. From someone who has experienced both, I would suggest this trip to anyone who loves nature and the wonderful animals we share this planet with! One absolute must and suggestion, buy a pair of binoculars before the trip!
Your Itinerary
Day 1 - Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in Rio de Janeiro where your guide and driver will meet you and take you by private car to your hotel. Depending on your flight arrival, you might have some free time before bedtime so we suggest to relax on Copacabana beach and maybe savour the local drink, caipirinha, whist watching the world go by.
Day 2 - Jeep tour to Corcovado and Sugarloaf
Today you will discover two of Rio’s and arguably the world’s most iconic sights. You will be taken on a guided tour of Corcovado Mountain where you will appreciate the magnificent Christ the Redeemer statue and the view of whole Rio beneath you. Afterwards, you will be able to enjoy another stunning view of the city from Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain). You will take two cable cars to get to the hill’s top from where you will have a 360 degrees view of the entire city. The tour will last approximately 5 hours and you will be travelling in an open air jeep accompanied by an English speaking guide.
Day 3 - Rio at leisure
Rio offers so many activities but we have kept this day free for you to enjoy as you wish. If you prefer to be kept busy, we can suggest a plethora of tours for you to choose from. Why not dedicate half day to the city’s cultural heritage and take a guided tour of Santa Teresa and one of Rio’s favelas?
Day 4 - Fly to Manaus
This morning you will be taken by private transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Manaus. Once landed, you will be met by your Amazon lodge’s drivers and taken to your accommodation in the rainforest. In the afternoon, time to enjoy the first included activities to discover this unique ecosystem.
Day 5 - Nature walk and piranha fishing
Early in the morning you will depart for a sunrise excursion witnessing the transformation of the sky and listening to the sounds of the waking birds. Your guides are equipped with binoculars to complement this experience with bird watching. Enjoy a breakfast with typical fruits and regional food and you will then depart for a jungle hike. In this educational jungle walk, the expert guide will introduce you to the wildlife of the Amazon. They will show you plants and describe their uses, as many are edible or medicinal. The paths implemented in exploration walks are constantly changed to avoid damaging the forest with overuse. You will return to the lodge for lunch with regional and international cuisine. Later in the afternoon you will board a motorboat with one of the guides to fish and learn how to fish piranha as well as other Amazonian fish native to the river. While enjoying the sunset from the boat you will return to the lodge. Dinner will be provided from the fish you caught earlier in the afternoon. Following dinner, one of your native guides will offer an informal lecture regarding everyday life in the Amazon, and the legends, traditions and culture of the region.
Day 6 - Meet the natives
After breakfast, you will depart the lodge for a hike, followed by a stop in a captivating area of the forest to eat lunch (regional cuisine cooked over a fire) and subsequently rest in hammocks, as the natives do. In the afternoon, you will visit a local native house and learn from the inhabitants about their fascinating culture. A native will share his knowledge of the traditional medicinal plants and demonstrate how to prepare manioc flour, one of the region’s main economic resources. You will return to the lodge and enjoy dinner, prepared with local ingredients and regional and international influences.
Day 7 - Pirarucu floating dock and flight to Cuiabá
Today breakfast will be followed by the departure from the lodge. On the way back to Manaus, you will stop at the Pirarucu Floating Dock to see the giant Pirarucu fish (also known as Arapaima), reaching 3 meters high and 200 kg! From the Floating Dock you can feed the fish and observe their impressive strength. From there you will return to Manaus, arriving around 12:00pm where you will be dropped off at the airport for your flight to Cuiabá. Once landed, you will be met by your guide and taken by private car to your hotel in the city.
Day 8 - Transfer to Porto Jofre and first excursion in search of the jaguar
Your jaguar adventure starts here! You will travel in the morning towards Porto Jofre. The transfer can be around 5 hours on the Transpantaneira but sit back, relax and enjoy sighting the wildlife from the car. In the afternoon, you will have the first boat outing along the river in search of the jaguar!
Day 9 - Outings in search of the Jaguar
Today you will have another two outings by boat in search of the jaguar. Always accompanied by an English speaking guide, they will help you identify not only the elusive feline but also the wealth of wildlife that lives in the Pantanal.
Day 10 - Land transfer to the Pantanal lodge
This morning you will travel by land further north to your Pantanal lodge. Included in your stay you have the choice of several excursions from a photographic safari, nature walk, canoe trip and more.
Day 11 - Morning and afternoon excursions at the lodge
Take advantage of another couple of excursions accompanied by your guide surrounded by the beauty of the Pantanal.
Day 12 - Fly to Iguaçu
Enjoy breakfast and then the 2 to 3 hours transfer to Cuiabá airport for your flight to Iguaçu Falls. Once landed you will be met and taken by private car to your hotel.
Day 13 - Tour of the Brazilian side of the falls
The Brazilian side of the falls offers a panoramic view to give you a sense of how big and majestic they are. You will be accompanied by an English speaking guide and the tour will last approximately 4 hours. In the afternoon you will have some free time to relax or we suggest to either add a guided tour of the Argentinian side of the falls or a visit to the bird park.
Day 14 - Departure
Your Brazil wildlife adventure has come to an end but you are leaving with memories that will stay with you forever. We have included your final transfer to the airport for you onward flight.
What's included?
INCLUDED:
- Prices start from £4,130 per person
- 13 nights in 3* and 4* hotels B&B basis
- Full Board in the Amazon, Pantanal lodge and Porto Jofre
- All tours on a shared basis
- Private and shared transfers depending on location
- All domestic flights within Brazil in Economy
- All entrance fees with service of English speaking guide for excursions
- Local taxes
- All trips are ATOL protected or ABTA bonded to ensure you are fully covered
Please note: this itinerary has some long land transfers in the Pantanal region on a dirt track road. Please bear in mind that sighting of the jaguar is not guaranteed as with all wildlife. Also, all tours in both the Amazon and Pantanal are dependent to weather conditions and other factors out of our control so there could be last minute changes once you are in Brazil.
All prices correct at the time of writing. Give us a call on 0207 112 0019 or email us to discuss your requirements and get a confirmed price.
Please remember this is a sample itinerary and we are happy to modify it to suit your plans. We can add or remove days and look at different places to stay.
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