9 Days / 8 Nights
Rio de Janeiro and Iguassu Falls
Day 1 - Flight
- USA / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro "The most beautiful city of the world"
according to the Cariocas. Rio enjoys a turquoise sea, stunning lagoons,
awesome mountains and gorgeous sandy beaches. The best way to describe
the Rio natives or Cariocas is: people with uncanny good humor and contagious
happiness.
Day 2 - Upon
arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring
to the hotel and in registering.
Sugar Loaf Tour, Half Day
Drive to "Praia Vermelha" (Red beach), to take the two stage car up to
the top of Sugar Loaf (270 meters-high), which grants the entrance to
Rio's harbor and Guanabara Bay. The Italian made cable car holds 80 passengers
and each of the two stages takes two minutes. The first stage is Morro
da Urca with 170 meters, with a restaurant, amphitheatre and heli-port.
The second stage goes on the Sugar Loaf itself, thus named for its resemblance
to the loaves of sugar used by the Portuguese at the time of the city's
discovery.
Day 3 - Brazilian
breakfast at your hotel.
Optional Tour
Corcovado Tour, Half Day. We will drive to one of the older parts of Rio
called Cosme Velho, from where we take the train to the Corcovado mountain
with the gigantic statue of Christ the Redeemer (2.300ft above sea level).
A modern Swiss-made cogwheel rail climbs the mountain from its base at
15meters almost to the summit at 710 meters. The trip up takes 17 minutes
approximate, at a maximum speed of 15km/h. The trip down takes 22min.
At a speed of 12km/h
Day 4 - Brazilian
breakfast at your hotel.
Optional Tour
Samba Show at Plataforma 1 - Rio's nightlife has all you might wish and
can be compared to any other major city's nightlife in the world. You
will enjoy the allegoric Samba Show at the famous "Plataforma 1".
Free day in Rio de Janeiro - Stroll on Copacabana Beach where people watching is a popular event or if you are fashion conscious shop the favorite boutiques of Ipanema. For inspirational last minute shopping visit the stellar shopping malls favored by Cariocas. If today happens to be a Sunday, the Hippie Fair of Ipanema is full of local color and great buys.
Transfer from hotel to the airport for departure. Flight to Iguassu Falls. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the hotel and in registering.
Iguazu Falls The most spectaculars falls in the world. The Iguazu river throws an average of 1700 cubic meters of water per second from 70m (210 feet) high alone 275 falls spread in a half moon shape width 2.7 kilometers (4.32 miles). Most of the falls are in the Argentine side, but in order to get a good view the visitor must see them from both sides for a few hours at least. You can also have a close look to the flora and fauna walking through the Argentine catwalks in between the falls at the lower level or upper level, discovering the amazing varieties of ferns, begonias, orchids, birds, and butterflies. To get to the Devil's throat, which is another attraction, you will have to go to Puerto Canoas, where you will board little boats to approach to it, and enjoy the refreshing spray from the falls, which has a permanent rainbow and an oilskin in winter.
Morning Guided tour of the Brazilian side of the falls - As the Das Cataratas Hotel is conveniently inside the Iguassu National Park property, you will go in a guided walking tour of the falls, considered to be one of the wonders of the world - Here you will see the waters of the Paraná River plunge in 32 separate falls over a 200 foot precipice two and a half miles wide. These colossal waterfalls make the Niagara look like a tiny stream. This morning tour is a complimentary service provided by Hotel DAs Cataratas. Please check at the front desk the departure time.
Optional Tour
Guided excursion of the Argentinean side of Iguazu Falls - This tour will introduce you to one of the wonders of the world: the Iguazu falls. Visit to the Argentina side falls. They are located inside Iguazu National Park, one of the first protected natural areas in America, declared Natural Patrimony of Humankind by Unesco. We will walk through the Inferior and Superior paths admiring the breathtaking 275 cascades that spread across a gulf of nearly 2 miles and pour past lush tropical vines as they crash into the waters below. After the walk the will drive to Puerto Canoas and take a boat ride to the Devil's throat observation deck to enjoy the most impressive view of the very heart of the falls.
Optional Tour
Nautical Adventure Boat Excursion - Boat excursion to the Argentinean and Brazilian side of the falls, to admire the falls from the bottom. Take a short walk down from the Inferior Path to board your speedboat to San Martin Island. You will have a view of the Brazilian side of the falls, navigate along the island shore for a view of the Argentine side of the falls.