Day 1 - Rio

Botanical Garden Guided Visit in Rio

Wander the shady paths, admire rare orchids and bromeliads. See dozens of bird species. Follow your guide through a succession of hothouses and gardens, from scent to scent, from one ecosystem to another. You will enjoy the buildings in colonial style, and discover a bit of Brazilian history as you learn about the Portuguese king who fled Napoleon and created this vast botanical garden. You will walk in a Japanese garden, admire centuries-old imperial palms and discover the aquatic plant named after a British queen.

Stay at Belmond Copacabana Palace in Rio

A view of Copacabana beach and the ocean. Period furniture, pastel colours, original artworks. Curtains fluttering in the sea breeze. These are your rooms. If you prefer a penthouse suite, you will also have a private terrace and access to the penthouse swimming pool.Try exotic drinks at the piano bar. At lunch and dinner time, choose between South American, Far East and Italian cuisine. The latter two, in Michelin-starred restaurants. This is a place for you to experience Rio at its most luxurious, alongside its most famous place.

Day 2 - Rio

Rio de Janeiro Scenic Helicopter Flight

Hover above the wide white beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, and the imposing statue of Christ the Redeemer.From your helicopter you will be able to fully appreciate the grandeur of Guanabara Bay, with its dramatic and unique topography. And you will understand why this is called the Wondrous City.Is there a more iconic city in the world for doing a scenic helicopter flight?

Day 3 - Rio

Yacht Charter to the Tijucas and Cagarras Islands

Sail down the coast in your private yacht, admiring Rio’s beaches from the sea. You will reach the Tijucas, rocky islets that rise out of the water and are crowned with lush greenery. Here you can enjoy a fresh, invigorating dive.Your yacht will then take you to the Cagarras, another rocky, uninhabited archipelago. If you like, dive to see tropical fish, turtles and crustaceans. If you prefer, stay onboard. Enjoy the seascape while basking and having a snack. Lean back and close your eyes. Or maybe, keep them open — dolphins and whales might be around. As with all yacht charters, there is opportunity to extend and tailor your itinerary.

Days 4 & 5 - Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls Tour, Brazil

Admire the grandeur of the Iguaçu Falls as you look at them from the Brazilian side. The falls are horseshoe-shaped, and from here you have a panoramic view of two thirds of the waterfalls, which are on Argentine soil.Walk the jungle trails in the jungle, then come out on the circuits. Admire the contrast between the lush green and the foaming white. Feel the might of that mass of water that plunges ceaselessly over the cliffs. Tell your guide your abilities and preferences, for there are many options and trails to explore.

Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, Iguazu Falls

Experience the largest waterfall in the world, as more than simply an adventure. Wake up in the morning and open your ears to Iguazu Falls. See Portuguese colonial furniture, colourful paintings of local fauna and flora, and traditional painted tiles. Have Brazilian barbecue for lunch, and enjoy sustainable rainforest products in the spa.Hotel das Cataratas is not only in the most convenient location for discovering the falls. It’s also a place where you immerse yourself in the best of Brazilian décor, gastronomy and ambience.

Visit Argentinian Iguazu Falls From Brazil

Feel the might of the waters from up close as you walk the circuits around the falls.The Iguaçu Falls are horseshoe-shaped, and two thirds of the cascades are on Argentinian ground. This is where you can get the closest to them, and even see them from above, as opposed to the Brazilian side, where you have the best panoramic views.Your tour can include a ten-minute helicopter flight that will take you over the jungle, the Iguaçu River, and then the falls themselves. It’s an experience worthy of a John Barry soundtrack.

Dinner at A Casa do Chef, Iguazu Falls

Taste typical Brazilian delicacies while you learn their history and stories. Your host the chef will prepare several dishes in front of you, and explain their origin and importance in local culture. As you eat, you will also taste wines, and learn which ones are best for pairing with each dish. It’s the finest culinary experience to be found in Iguazu Falls.

Days 6 - 9 - Brazilian Amazon

Boat & Canoe the Meeting of the Waters, Manaus

Witness a unique natural phenomenon. Here the waters of two immense rivers flow in the same bed, without mixing. A dark current and a light brown one, running side by side for kilometres.Together, the Negro and Solimões rivers become the Amazon. So when you see the “meeting of the waters”, you will be seeing the birthplace of the largest river on earth.After this, your private boat will take you where you can paddle a canoe in the flooded jungle, or hike if it’s the dry season. And you will discover the famous aquatic plant named after a British queen.

Iberostar Grand Amazon Multi Day Cruise

Sip your favourite South American cocktail in the bar, while you watch the sunset colours on the river’s surface. You will explore the Amazon in comfort and safety as you travel on board this floating hotel. You will fish for dangerous piranhas, then relax with a massage in the spa. Discover the flooded igapó jungle, then dive into the cooling upper deck pool. Enjoy continental breakfasts and Amazonian gastronomy, then visit riverside communities, and spot pink dolphins and alligators.There are three possible itineraries for you to choose from in this family-friendly river adventure. Or you can charter the boat and create your own itinerary in the Brazilian itinerary.

Days 10 - 12 - Salvador

Salvador Cooking Class

Learn how to prepare a typical Bahian dish with a local chef. You will start by picking the best ingredients at a colourful open market. While you are at it, ask him about Bahian cuisine, and you will discover what the influences and ingredients that make it unique.At the chef’s restaurant you will cook together, and he will teach you a secret or two. Bahian cuisine has so many subtleties and what you create is far beyond typical restaurant fare - it’s the really good stuff, only served in homes.

Rio Vermelho, Salvador by Night

Enjoy the nightlife in Salvador as your guide takes you through the lively streets and squares of Rio Vermelho neighbourhood.You will sit in a bar on Largo da Mariquita to sip a cocktail and watch the night crowds going to and fro in the square. You will enjoy live Brazilian music and typical Salvador food in a restaurant in Vila Caramuru. You can go dancing, or attend a music or art event in the nearby cultural centres.Just let your guide know your preferences and he will tailor your tour accordingly.

Capoeira and Percussion Class, Salvador

A martial art disguised as dance, capoeira was created by slaves who wanted to practice self-defence — without their masters realising it. You have probably seen fake versions of it in foreign cinema. Now you will see and practice the authentic capoeira. From a consummate master of the art, you will learn its basic principles and movements. You will also learn to play different Brazilian percussion instruments such as atabaque and pandeiro, and rhythms like samba, maracatu and ijexá.This class will give you an insight into the soul of Bahia, Brazil’s most energetic region.

Salvador Walking Tour with Acarajé & Cachaça Tasting

Follow your local guide along Salvador’s cobblestone streets. Admire the buildings in Portuguese colonial style and discover Brazilian history. Buildings date from the 18th, 17th and even the 16h century. This was the country’s first capital. You will see glimpses of that glorious past, in baroque altars plated with gold and imposing public buildings.Return to the present to try acarajé, a scone-shaped local delicacy made of mashed beans and onions, deep-fried in palm oil. And while you are at it, discover cachaça, the Brazilian distilled spirit made from sugarcane.

Stay at Hotel Fasano, Salvador

Lodge in an elegant building from the 1930s, in rooms with a contemporary décor and a view to the sea.Float in the swimming pool on the top floor, sipping coconut water and watching the entire bay spread before you in deep blue. In the restaurant, admire the original 1930s architecture as you indulge in Italian or Bahian cuisine.Besides giving you elegance and comfort, Fasano is situated in the historic centre, so you are within walking distance of the monuments, buildings and squares that you want to see in Salvador.

Day 13 - Departure