Brasilian kiertomatka: Manaus, Amazon, Salvador & Praia do Forte

Lähtö kohti Brasiliaa ja Rio de Janeiroa! Illalla saapuminen kohteeseen ja yksityinen kuljetus hotellille. 

Full day Corcovado & Sugarloaf with lunch time - 8h:

We’ll visit the city's main tourist icon and one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World: the Christ the Redeemer statue. After that, we will go on a panoramic City Tour, through the Maracana and the Sambadrome. We’ll pass by the financial center of Rio and make a short stop to visit the famous Cathedral of São Sebastião. Then we continue to one of the best views of the city of Rio de Janeiro, the Sugarloaf lookout. From the base, we will go on a small trek* along the Pista Claudio Coutinho trail, which is also known as Caminho Bem Te Vi. This is the easiest and most famous track in Rio de Janeiro, it is only 1,250 meters, and is safe and impossible to get lost. The hike takes about 45 minutes at most, walking slowly. It provides a great opportunity to enjoy the woods and its sounds and animals, such as marmosets and numerous birds. The trail ends at the top of Morro da Urca. From there, we will take the cable car to the top of Sugarloaf. The descent will also be done via cable car and finally we return to the vehicle towards the hotel.

*Note that should we arrive at the bottom of Moro da Urca and decide to take the cable car right to the top, without walking the trail, that is possible at no additional cost.

Sisältyy: private tour in van with driver + English speaking guide, entrance fees to Corcovado and Sugarloaf

Free day to choose between a great variety of optional activities in Rio de Janeiro according to our interests or preferences, like a visit to the National Park of Tijuca or to the Botanical Gardens. There are also optional one-day trips outside the city such as a visit to Petrópolis, Niteroi or Búzios.

Half day Tour Little Africa - 4h :

During the colonial era two million Africans were made slaves in Rio de Janeiro. Once the slave trade became illegal in 1831, the port area known as Cais do Valongo became known as “Little Africa”. This tour explores the region’s past and present and passes by important landmarks in Rio de Janeiro, such as the “New Blacks Cemetery”, where some of the slaves were buried.

In addition to exploring the Cais do Volongo, we will will have a chance to enjoy Harmony square (Praça da Harmonia), the immense Ethnicities mural (the largest of its kind in the world, comprising 3,000m² and representing Brazil’s heterogeneity), the Suspended gardens of Valongo and San Francisco da Parinha plaza. At this plaza you will see the statue of Mercedes Baptista, the first black classic dancer in Brazil. The tour also passes by Pedra da Sal, which is the cradle of samba and religious groups in the city, and a significant monument dedicated to the memory of African slaves in Brazil.

Sisältyy: private tour in van with driver + English speaking guide, entrance fees

Free time still to enjoy Rio de Janeiro. At the appropriate time, according to our flight schedule, we will transfer from hotel in Copacabana to Rio de Janeiro airport.

Airport arrival at Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian Amazon and the central point to start all excursions into the Amazon jungle.

Leave the hotel at 08:00 a.m. by car to the river port Ceasa (20 minutes). Take a speedboat to the village “Careiro da Varzea” (30 minutes). At this point, we will be passing the meeting of the waters, where the Negro and Solimões Rivers meet (Encontro das Aguas). This is where the Amazon River is formed, flowing from this area all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. It is truly a magnificent sight to see. The two rivers run side by side without mixing for many kilometers and you will most likely be visited by a few curious river dolphins as well.

After a stop at the fruit market, take a bus or van to the Araça River via the Manaus-Porto Velho highway (40 minutes BR319). By boat, we will pass through many lakes and small wildlife-abundant creeks, where you will have the opportunity to see the incredible giant Amazon water lilies (Vitoria Regia) with their enormous floating leaves.

You will also pass by native villages and the floating houses of Caboclo`s village. This length of the trip is ideal for observing wildlife due to the abundance of many varied species, such as birds, alligators, fish, sloths, and monkeys. During this trip to the lodge, you have the opportunity to stumble on a creature at any time. Arrival at Amazon Turtle Lodge after a 50-minute ride by boat, arriving around 12:00 pm.

Lunch will be served: freshwater fish, beef (meat), chicken, salads, and exotic fruits from the Amazon (buffet style).

After lunch, you'll have a motorized canoe trip that will allow you to be introduced to the area. Throughout the duration of this trip, you will experience the pristine and varied landscapes of the region, with the opportunity to observe and enjoy the great diversity of animals found in the area. It is common to see squirrel monkeys, sloths, iguanas, spiders, and a wide variety of birds, including the beautiful white egrets that delicately wade amongst the floating grass islands.

Dinner will be served in the restaurant of the Amazon Turtle Lodge at 07:30 p.m. (buffet style).

Sisältyy: shared transfers and tours with bilingual (English speaking) guide, entrance fees, accommodations with full board (drinks not included), activities as described in the program.

At 05:30 a.m. we leave at sunrise to go birdwatching, a wonderful opportunity to experience the majestic Amazon and all its creatures awaking with the sun. We will return in time for breakfast.

At 08:30 a.m. we go on a jungle trek where you will learn a bit about survival techniques with our experienced guides: tactics on how to use wine as ropes, how to climb trees, how to find water and also food, and learn about the local fauna and biodiversity.

At 12:00 p.m. we'll have lunch. After lunch, we go canoeing with oars to watch more birds and animals such as sloths and monkeys. Then we return to the Lodge for dinner at 07:30 p.m. and after dinner, you have the opportunity to see the beautiful glow of the moon and hear the sounds of the creatures wandering around in the jungle.

Sisältyy: Included: shared transfers and tours with bilingual (English speaking) guide, entrance fees, accommodations with full board (drinks not included), activities as described in the program.

At 08:00 a.m. we visit natives at a caboclo`s house to learn about their customs and culture. We will visit rubber and cassava plantations and others. This is a great opportunity to observe and take photos of the local native people's customs. We can observe how to collect fruits in the jungle, brazil nuts, herbs, vegetables, and spices. Check out how they prepare their food using all these goods and taste some of these exotic products.

At 12:00 p.m. lunch and you will have the opportunity to experience some of those things that you saw in the native's houses (fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs). By the afternoon piranha fishing and Dinner at 07:30 p.m., we leave by canoe for night wildlife watching and also the alligator spotting with a flashlight.

Sisältyy: shared transfers and tours with bilingual (English speaking) guide, entrance fees, accommodations with full board (drinks not included), activities as described in the program.

We will start our day by trekking back to the lodge, where we will have breakfast. After breakfast, we will depart in paddle canoes, like the natives, to observe the nature between igapos (flooded forests) and igarapes (small creeks). After the tour, we will return to the lodge for lunch. At 1pm, we will check out and depart for Manaus, with an estimated arrival time at around 5pm.

Transfer from Salvador airport to Hotel in Salvador.

Salvador is the capital of the Brazilian state that will host us throughout our trip. Declared cultural heritage and known as "Terra de Todos os Santos," Salvador is the cradle of Afro-Brazilian culture, the result of cultural mixing of colonization and European evangelization, African traditions and beliefs that slaves brought and some traditions left by the few Indians who survived.

Sisältyy: Shared activities and transfer as described in the program with English speaking guide, private arrival transfer with driver + English speaking guide

Morning Walking Tour Pelourinho - 3h: 

We will visit one of the main attractions of Salvador’s historic downtown: the famous Pelourinho, which is the largest collection of colonial building in Latin America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will walk the streets with their colonial neighborhood cobbled sidewalks surrounded by houses in pastel colors. Then we visit the exuberant São Francisco Church, the Cathedral, where we will see the imposing baroque tropical progression with its first trends of the Rococo refinement. We continue to the Praça Municipal where we will be above the Cidade Baixa, with wonderful views of the Baía de Todos los Santos.

Free afternoon.

By Night in Salvador Teatro Miguel Santana Bale Folclórico - 3h: 

By Night we leave bound for Miguel Santana Theatre to watch the presentation of the Companhia de Balé Folclórico da Bahia. The company performs in the intimacy of Miguel Santana Theatre in the Pelourinho in a seamless presentation of the multiple African traditions that shape Bahian culture. We will see the sacred dances of Candomblé; “puxada de rede” a song by fishermen in honor of Yemanja, the goddess of the sea; maculelê, a stick and sword dance acrobatics with its origins in the cane fields; capoeira, a martial art / dance of Angolan origin and the samba de roda, a spinning, a version of this exuberant national dance. At the end of the show, time for dinner and we return to the pousada.

Optional not included

Half day Panoramic City Tour - 4h

This tour offers us another perspective of the city`s expansion, taking us to the
quiet waters of Itapagipe Peninsula, where life moves at a slower pace than the
bustling Cidade Alta (upper city). We will see fishermen in their canoes
“escavadas”, locals collecting shellfish at low tide, anchored schooners, all
protected by the famous Bonfim Church, one of the most important churches of
pilgrimage in Brazil and deeply related to Candomblé. We will continue in the
Monserrat district with its panoramic view of the city and the Mercado Modelo, a
thriving market for local artifacts and souvenirs. This is also where you can test
your trading skills!

Free afternoon.

Transfer from Hotel in Salvador to Praia do Forte. The total driving time is approximately 1 hour.

Free day to enjoy Praia do Forte. During these days we will refresh on the beautiful beaches and natural pools, visit the Tamar. Project, a conservation project for the sea turtles (also great for the kids!) or the Garcia D'Ávila Lighthouse.

Transfer from Praia do Forte to Salvador airport.