'Just a week in Brazil'

What makes this trip special?

The marvellous city

The marvellous city

Rio de Janeiro

Known to Brazilians as 'the marvellous city', Rio de Janeiro has undeniably the most beautiful setting of any city in the world. Rio also has style, culture, spirit, and an irrepressible thirst for life as it should be lived.

Iconic Rio

Iconic Rio

Christ the Redeemer

The statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms outstretched, is one of the most iconic sights in the Americas. The views from the foot of the statue are to die for. Straight ahead is Sugar Loaf mountain and Guanabara Bay, with successions of pepper-pot hills stretching to the horizon.

Cable car to stunning views

Cable car to stunning views

Sugar Loaf

Take the cable car to the top of Rio's Sugar Loaf mountain for stunning views across the city, along the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, across to Christ the Redeemer, and over Guanabara Bay.

Wildlife and waterfalls

Wildlife and waterfalls

Iguazu Falls

The Iguazu Falls lie on a triple border between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The majority of the falls (around 70%) are situated on the Argentinean side of the border, which offers visitors a more up close and personal experience of the falls, but the best views, are from the panoramic viewpoints on the Brazilian side of the falls.

Brazil's Afro-Brazilian heartland

Brazil's Afro-Brazilian heartland

Salvador

Salvador dances to a different beat, driven by its African heritage. A thriving colourful historical centre (with UNESCO World Heritage status), fine baroque churches, great views across the bay - and a public elevator to descend from the city to the port.

Itinerary map for Brazil 'Just a week in Brazil' holiday

Itinerary

  • Day      Overnight
  • 1 Rio de Janeiro
  • 2 Rio de Janeiro
  • 3 Iguazu Falls
  • 4 Iguazu Falls
  • 5 Salvador
  • 6 Salvador
  • For the detail of each day click the ‘Day-by-day’ tab above.

Day-by-day itinerary for 'Just a week in Brazil'

DAY 1
B

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro

Arrival at the airport, meet-and-greet with a local billingual guide and transfer in a private air conditioned vehicle to the hotel. After check-in, free time to relax.

DAY 2
BL

Christ the Redeemer & Sugar Loaf

Today you will be taken on a shared full day guided excursion to see two of Rio's iconic landmarks. Take a train up Corcovado hill to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer. The view from the top of the hill showcases Rio's greatest landmarks: Sugar Loaf, the Guanabara bay, the beaches of the southern zone of the city and the Rodrigo Freitas lagoon. You will also visit the neighbourhood of Urca to ride the cable car up to Sugar Loaf mountain for further fantastic picture-postcard views of Rio. Lunch is included, as well as a visit to a number of sites of interest in downtown Rio de Janeiro, namely the contemporary Metropolitan Cathedral, with its vast stained-glass windows and Aterro do Flamengo, a spacious park with lawns and blossoming trees, offering super views of Rio and Sugar Loaf.

DAY 3
B

to Iguazu Falls

Morning transfer to the airport for a flight to the Iguazu Falls. Meet-and-greet on arrival with a local guide and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon you will be taken on a tour to the Brazilian side of the falls. Starting at the modern visitors centre at the entrance to the National Park which has a small museum with interactive exhibits, information and facts about the falls. You will then be transferred to the start of the ‘Waterfall Trail’, a 1,200m paved trail dotted with superb panoramic viewpoints, culminating in a catwalk that leads you to the base of the almighty Devil’s Throat cascade, a sheer mass of thundering water pouring and undoubtedly the most impressive part of the falls. The tour ends at the upper part of the Iguaçu river accessed via a panoramic lift, which gives you a view of the falls from above.

DAY 4
B

Today you will be taken over the border to Argentina for a different perspective of the falls. Walk along the upper circuit catwalk, a short trail in the forest above the first few waterfalls. Keep your eyes peeled for toco toucans. You will then be taken to admire the spectacular Devil's Throat falls, accessed by taking the train to the Devils Throat station and walking 1,100m along a flat catwalk suspended over the Upper Iguazu river. The lookout point at the end of the catwalk offers stunning views over this side of the falls.

DAY 5
B

to Salvador

Morning pick-up at the hotel and transfer to the airport for flight to Salvador. Early afternoon arrival, meet-and-greet and transfer to hotel in Pelourinho, the historic heart of Salvador.

DAY 6
B

Today you will be taken on a half day tour of Salvador, starting with a walking tour along the cobbled streets of the Pelhourino district. This is the historic centre of Salvador and it is a UNESCO world heritage site, bursting with well preserved colourful colonial buildings (Salvador contains the largest collection of colonial architecture in Latin America). There are many beautiful churches, the most famous of which, Sao Francisco church, is one of the richest churches in Brazil, with a painted ceiling, a blue and white azulejos tiled cloister and an extravagently carved Baroque interior gilded with 800kg of gold leaf except at the rear where the slaves worshipped. The Pelourinho is situated in cidade alta or "upper city", from where there are stunning views over the cidade baixa or "lower city" and harbour. The ends with a visit to other traditional neighborhoods such as Vitoria and Campo Grande (the square where Bahian carnival begins and ends) with a brief stop at the park and fountain of Piedade.

DAY 7

Depart Salvador

Today you will be transferred to Salvador airport to catch your onwards flight or alternatively extend your trip to spend some time at one of Bahia's many beach destinations

Guide prices for 'Just a week in Brazil'

options based on all year low season mid season high season peak season other season
Guide price 2 people sharing £1,515
Prices are per person and include:
  • all accommodation
  • all land transport in Brazil
  • meals as indicated: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner
  • tours as described with an English speaking local guide
Prices do not include:
  • international flights
  • domestic flights
  • airport and departure taxes
  • travel insurance
  • items of a personal nature such as drinks, tips, laundry, etc

Customer reviews for 'Just a week in Brazil'

Recent reviews are shown here from holidays based on this initial design. In each case the itinerary may have been modified (a little or a lot) to suit the individual traveller.

Average

Seasonal information for 'Just a week in Brazil'

Along this route in January

Day Location Max °C Monthly rainfall
1 Rio de Janeiro 30°C rainfall 152mm
2 Rio de Janeiro 30°C rainfall 152mm
3 Iguazu Falls 32°C rainfall 173mm
4 Iguazu Falls 32°C rainfall 173mm
5 Iguazu Falls 32°C rainfall 173mm
6 Manaus 31°C rainfall 271mm
7 Acu Creek 31°C rainfall 362mm
8 Anavilhanas 31°C rainfall 339mm
9 Novo Airao 31°C rainfall 306mm
10 Cuiaba 32°C rainfall 201mm
11 Araras Ecolodge, North Pantanal 33°C rainfall 208mm
12 Araras Ecolodge, North Pantanal 33°C rainfall 208mm
13 Araras Ecolodge, North Pantanal 33°C rainfall 208mm

Typical weather for January

rainchart

Max °C figures are the average daily maximum temperatures for the month. Rainfall is the average precipitation for the month.

Hotels for 'Just a week in Brazil'

Days 1 - 2

Olinda Rio

Copacabana

Copacabana beach. Elegant lobby and restaurant decorated in a classic 1940's style with chandeliers and Italian marble floors.

Each of the 100 rooms have  A/C, telephone, direct dial telephone, mini-bar, desk, flat-screen cable TV, hairdryers and either internal or sea view.

N.B ocean view rooms have wonderful views over Copacabana but the hotel does not have double-glazed windows so noise from the street and beachside promenade can be a problem at night.

Olinda Rio
Day 3

Sanma Hotel

Sanma Hotel is set within well-maintained and extensive grounds, a 5 minute drive from Iguazu airport and a short walk from the main entrance to the Iguazu National Park. There are 134 recently refurbished rooms split between superior, deluxe and suite categories each with a elegant contemporary furniture and decoration, A/C, Argan Pure Essence bath amenities, safe, flatscreen Smart TV's, minibar and wifi.

Hotel facilities include two restaurants "Cataratas" which serves a contemprary Mediterranean inspired menu, and "Vila Guarani" a more intimate option for special occasions. There is also a poolside "Grill Bar" serving drinks and snacks throughout the day and two bars - "Wine Bar Iguassu" and "Bar Aldemir" piano bar.  There is also an outdoor swimming pool with daybeds, tennis court, kids playground, gym, full service spa with whirlpool and sauna, "Sanma Escape" are for yoga and meditation and 2.4km of hiking trails.

Sanma Hotel
Days 5 - 6

Pousada do Pilar, Salvador

Pelhourinho

A small characterful hotel set in a restored colonial building in the historic Pelourinho district.

There are 12 rather spartan rooms each with A/C, private bathrooms with hot water, cable TV, minibar and safe, city or sea view, some with private balconies. 2 duplex rooms with a mezzanine level are ideal for families.

A traditional regional breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace which boasts a fabulous view over the Bay of All Saints.

WIFI, a lift between floors, internet facilities and English speaking staff are additional benefits.

Pousada do Pilar, Salvador