Amazing Brazil Tour Day 1 - Arrive in Iguazu Falls After collecting your luggage, proceed to the reception area, where our local representative will be holding a board with your name on it. You will be greeted with a Bemvindos a Iguazu and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the Iguazu National Park. The hotel Cataratas is one of the Iguazu s landmarks and its location is unbeatable as it sits in front of the famous falls. After checking in, our guide will escort you on a walking tour along walkways and observation points that offer prime views of the 275 falls from different angles. The inquisitive coatimundis, another attraction of the park, will tag along for most of the tour. The rest of the day is free to take a stroll in the park, put your camera to work or relax and enjoy the hotel facilities Day 2 - Argentinean Falls
This morning, cross the border over to Puerto Iguazu to enjoy a tour of the falls from the Argentinean side. This is a very comprehensive tour that renders different views of the falls: First head for the lower path where you will experience the closest contact with the falls. Then board small motorboats and cross the river up to San Martin Island. Finally, walk through the upper path that stretches along the highest part of the falls until reaching the belvedere at the famous Devil's Throat. The tour tops off with a short but thrilling helicopter flight over the falls and national park, which will allow you to understand where all that water is coming from. Day 3 - Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, the city that never sleeps, the traditional hangout of the rich and famous, is wedged among famous hills, blessed with miles of world-renown beaches, and surrounded by tropical forests and lagoons. The rest of the day is free to go shopping or enjoy a long walk on the beach. Rio has a pulsing nightlife, check with the concierge for dinner venues and night entertainment at your hotel, the Copacabana Palace Hotel. Day 4 - Everything Rio This morning, catch a first glimpse of the city as we tour one of Rio's best-known landmarks: The Sugar Loaf Mountain, a favorite on Rio's postcards. Our guide will meet you at your hotel for a drive along Rio s famous beaches followed by a tour to the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain on the cable car, a great opportunity to take in prime views of Rio s bay. Then we stop for a fabulous seafood lunch before continuing to Rio s most famous landmark: The Statue of Christ the Redeemer located atop Corcovado Mountain. Free evening. Day 5 - Samba Show Today you'll enjoy a free day to enjoy Rio at your own pace. You may catch some rays on one of the world-renowned beaches and lunch on fresh seafood, visit the colonial city of Petropolis, join an excursion to Rio s tropical islands by schooner or even see Rio from the air on an exciting helicopter tour. This evening get ready for traditional Brazilian fanfare as we dine on succulent Brazilian barbecue and later attend a fiery Samba show. Day 6 - Salvador da Bahia This morning our guide takes us to the airport for our flight to the city of Salvador, in the heart of the Brazilian Northwest. The first capital of Brazil was founded by Portuguese adventurers in 1551. During its colonial heyday, Salvador became an enormously wealthy city due to the riches generated by the cultivation of sugarcane and cacao. The legacy of this period can nowadays be appreciated not only in buildings and monuments but also in the cultural heritage left by the African slaves who were brought to work the plantations. This afternoon we join our local guide for a walking tour through the Pelourinho area. We stroll along historic alleys and bustling streets lined with buildings in pastel shades and
grandiose churches of an age gone. The district becomes alive in the late evening when street vendors start cooking typical dishes, impregnating the air with the intoxicating smell of palm oil and coconut milk. On open terraces, regular patrons and tourists rub elbows around caipirinhas while impromptu dancers sway hips to the elating rhythm of Brazilian music. This is the spirit of the Northeast, the Land of Happiness. Accommodations tonight are at the Bahia Othon Palace. Day 7 - Cachoeira Leave the city behind and drive through the oldest farmland in Brazil. This is the land of sugarcane and tobacco plantations, peaceful colonial towns and busy country markets. You will arrive in Cachoeira right before lunch after a short stop en route to visit an experimental cacao plantation. Cachoeira is a charming colonial town in a beautiful setting on the banks of the Paraguassu River. After a typical lunch, we stroll about visiting ateliers, the bustling market and finally the mysterious Sisterhood of the Boa Morte, a sorority that traces its origins back to the time of slavery. This tour provides a fantastic glimpse into the Brazil of yesteryear, the Brazil few tourists get to experience. Day 8 - Free Day Day at leisure to enjoy the beach, do some shopping, interact with the local artists or take a full day schooner tour around the bay. At night we will pick you up and take you for a very special farewell dinner and show. We will attend a fabulous show by the Bahian National Dance Ensemble. The show is performed at the Santana Theater in the heart of Pelourinho and is a showcase of the different African traditions, cultural myths, music and dances that are still so alive in Bahia. You will witness the religious dances of the Candomblé, the Maculelé (a stick and sword dance from the cane fields), the Capoeira (a martial art and dance of Angolan origin), and the Caboclo (a hunting dance). Then cross the street and enjoy a succulent traditional Bahian dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in town. Day 9 - Amazing Amazon We leave the land of happiness and head off for the legendary Manaus, the gateway to the Amazon and the former hub of the once booming rubber trade industry. Upon arrival we will be transferred to the docks where we will board the Iberostar Grand Amazon. Captain's welcome drink and introduction of the crew, director and officials at the Ballroom Lua, followed by a safety drill. This evening enjoy a welcome dinner at the Restaurant Kuarup followed by live music. Day 10 - Anavilhanas Archipelago The day starts with breakfast followed by an introductory lecture on Amazon's botany and fauna. Then prepare for a motorboat excursion through the famous Anavilhanas Archipelago, the largest in the world. Return to the ship and departure to Praia Grande, where we will enjoy the fluvial beach and swimming on the river. Late afternoon optional trekking. Returning to the ship in the evening, we will be treated to a sunset cocktail while we attend a lecture on caimans and are briefed on instructions for our evening excursion. At around 7:30 we will board our motorboats and depart on a fascinating excursion
for caiman spotting. Back on the ship enjoy dinner at the Kuarup restaurant followed by a light party and open bar on the top deck. Day 11 - Cauixi Lake Morning lecture on the local fauna followed by a motorboat excursion and bird watching. Optional jungle hike before returning to the ship. In the afternoon we will enjoy a lecture on Amazon's fish, which will prepare us for our piranha fishing and photo safari expedition. Return to the boat and departure for Manaus. Dinner at the Kuarup Restaurant followed by live music at the Lua Ballroom. Day 12 - Depart Manaos On our last morning in the Amazon, we will be able to witness the incredible Meeting of the Waters phenomenon while we have breakfast on our top deck. Upon arrival in Manaos, our local crew will be waiting to transfer you to the airport in time for your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant trip back home and hope to enjoy your company in another exciting adventure very soon. Accommodations: Iguazu Falls Hotel das Cataratas
Facing the spectacular Iguaçu Falls in Iguaçu National Park, the 5-star Cataratas Hotel provides free Wi-Fi internet access. Guests can enjoy a cocktail by the swimming pool or play a game of tennis on the provided court. The falls can be experienced by speed boat, rafting or by a helicopter flyover. For excitement and adventure, guests can enjoy abseiling, rock climbing and canopy walks. Walking tours allow for the surrounding lush rainforest to be explored. The Hotel das Cataratas offers traditional Portuguese styled rooms with a flat screen TV, dark wood furniture and warm natural tones. Some rooms provide a balcony and sitting area. The 2 restaurants on-site provide views of the falls and of the hotel s pool. They serve a selection of international and local Brazilian cuisine. In the evening live music can be enjoyed in the downstairs bar. The Iguaçu Falls lie between the Brazilian state of Paraná and Argentina. The Brazilian side offers postcard panoramic views, while the Argentinian side provides varied, up-close views.
Accommodations: Rio de Janeiro Copacabana Palace An elegant hotel located alongside the beach, convenient to business & entertainment districts. Copacabana Palace has a great variety of accommodation with a majority of suites, which have recently been re-designed and given a new lease of life with new fabrics and furniture. The hotel has a marvellous Semi-Olympic Size Pool, one Tennis Court, a modern Fitness Centre, a three-floor Spa and a new Lounge Bar 'Bar do Copa' open from Wed to Sat with a selection of DJs playing each night. The Hotel Cipriani Restaurant is the hotel's gastronomic flagship, a sophisticated Italian restaurant serving classics and innovative dishes from the restaurant s namesake in Venice. The Pergula Restaurant serves Brazilian Buffet breakfast, lunch buffet and dinner a la carte by the pool. Copacabana Palace offers you a great and unique experience in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.
Accommodations: Salvador Bahia Othon Palace Bahia Othon Palace Hotel is on the southern tip of Salvador, the capital of Bahia, near the 50 kilometers of beach and coastline that frame the city. The hotel is perched on a high area overlooking rocky Ondina Beach and the Atlantic beyond. Jardim Zoologico is about 1 km (less than a mile) north. Just over 3 km (2 mi) east, you'll find Forte Santo Antonio da Barra, a 500-year-old fort that has survived numerous wars. The Federal University of Bahia is 4 km (2.5 mi) north. In the northern part of the city, 7.5 km (about 4.5 mi) away, you can visit Pelourinho, Salvador's historic neighborhood. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is filled with buildings dating from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries--plus modern touches like restaurants and live music. Accommodations: Amazon Iberostar Grand Amazon
The cost of the above tour is $2,350 per person based on double occupancy. It includes all of the above. This does not include travel insurance and flight. Please visit our website at http://www.maupintour.com/resources/terms/index.asp to refer to the terms and conditions attached to this quote. Please note that this is only a quote and it is therefore subject to availability at the time of booking. To book this tour or if you have any additional questions, contact Maupintour at 1-800-255-4266.