On this vacation to South America, discover the Amazon Jungle and two of the great cities in Brazil and Argentina—Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires—at a leisurely pace. For an once-in-a-lifetime thrill, you’ll visit the Amazon Jungle and cruise along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the Amazon. Watch for the captivating native flora and fauna. Also, visit a rehabilitation center for primates and see spider, squirrel, woolly, and capuchin monkeys. In addition to the beauty of the Amazon, this tour also offers you a chance to experience Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Dance the Tango in Buenos Aires and experience a Samba show in Rio. Sip caipirinhas, a popular Brazilian cocktail; listen to the sounds of Rio; and watch people play soccer and volleyball on famous Copacabana Beach. Sightseeing in both cities shows you the famous sights, including the Cemetery of the Recoleta, where Eva Peron is buried in Buenos Aires. A trip highlight is Iguassu Falls, one of the most spectacular sights on earth. Meaning “Big Water” in the local dialect, there are 275 falls that cover a distance of over a mile and a half. A photograph cannot accurately portray this breathtaking sight—you must experience it for yourself! Hear the deafening roar and admire the brilliant rainbows created by the clouds of spray. From the vibrant cities to the scenic beauty, this vacation to the Amazon, Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls, and Buenos Aires will leave you with vacation memories you’ll cherish forever.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Manaus, Brazil. After arriving at your hotel, meet for guided sightseeing of Manaus to view vestiges of its glory days during the rubber boom. Your first stop will be the famous OPERA HOUSE, built in 1896 with materials imported from Europe. Next, visit a bustling LOCAL MARKET, abundant with local foods and wares. (D)
Day #2 Manaus–Amazon Jungle. Today your “Meeting of the Waters” tour passes by the impressive British-built Custom House and the floating port. CRUISE along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix! After lunch on the river, explore a JUNGLE ISLAND (if the water level is not too low) with fascinating native flora and fauna. Later this afternoon, arrive at the Ecopark Jungle Lodge, situated on the banks of the Rio Negro inside the Amazonian rainforest. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Amazon Jungle. Accompanied by a Naturalist, enjoy a guided WALK to see the flora and fauna that thrive in the Amazon. After lunch, depart the lodge and sail up the river to visit an AMAZON NATIVE CABOCLO VILLAGE to learn about their traditions, costumes, and culture. Also try your hand at piranha fishing! Later, visit the MONKEY JUNGLE RESERVE, where researchers work to rehabilitate primates like spider, squirrel, woolly, and capuchin monkeys and reintroduce them to the jungle. This evening, venture back out on canoe with your Naturalist to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, with the possibility to spot small alligators (or other night creatures). (B,L,D)
Day #4 Amazon Jungle–Rio de Janeiro. This morning, depart the Ecopark for a flight to Rio for an overnight. (B)
Day #5 Rio de Janeiro. Today is free in Rio to explore as you please. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a drive along famous Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city. Next, toast the start of a memorable vacation at a local restaurant with caipirinhas, a favorite Brazilian cocktail. Cap off the evening with a welcome dinner. (B,D)
Day #6 Rio de Janeiro. Today, visit the statue of Christ the Redeemer crowning CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. Take the scenic cog railway ride to its top, where a 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. Proceed to bustling downtown Rio. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. This evening, it’s off to a CHURRASCARIA for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style. Later, experience a SAMBA SHOW, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)
Day #7 Rio de Janeiro. A day of leisure or you may wish to enjoy a Guanabara Bay cruise, offering spectacular views of Rio and its beaches. This afternoon, consider an optional trip to historic Petropolis, once the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II and now a mountain resort. (B)
Day #8 Rio de Janeiro–Iguassu Falls. A flight from Rio takes you to IGUASSU FALLS. Experience the clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth that make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Spend the afternoon enjoying the magnificent panorama of waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Your Local Guide introduces the spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour, with some cataracts as high as 250 feet, which is nothing short of hypnotic. (B,D)
Day #9 Iguassu Falls. Today, journey to the Argentine side of IGUASSU FALLS, where you will take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN and enjoy a closer perspective on a walking tour of the falls. Meander along the walkways from atop the falls, and enjoy an exhilarating perspective looking over the precipice of the falls as the water plunges to the rocks below. You will also have the chance to walk through the rainforest on the lower falls trails that will bring you up close to some of the smaller falls. Return to the hotel, where the remainder of the day is at your leisure. (B)
Day #10 Iguassu Falls–Buenos Aires, Argentina. Today, fly to Buenos Aires. After arriving, an orientation walk acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. (B)
Day #11 Buenos Aires. Your sightseeing starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique neighborhood and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and a popular gathering spot for artists. At Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, housing San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching the CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous TANGO CLUB. Start with a [LF] DANCE LESSON followed by dinner featuring Argentine steaks and other local specialties and end with a show featuring flawless performances of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango! (B,D)
Day #12 Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to visit another South American country—Uruguay. Travel by catamaran to the World Heritage City of Colonia del Sacramento. Founded by Portuguese settlers from Brazil in 1680, this town held a strategic position as a smuggling outpost for transporting British goods across the Rio de la Plata into the Spanish colonies throughout the 17th century. Today, its charm lies in its narrow streets and colonial buildings. (B)
Day #13 Buenos Aires. Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
MANAUS Tropical Manaus (MD)
AMAZON RESERVE Ecopark Jungle Lodge (BA)
RIO DE JANEIRO Sheraton Rio (D)
IGUASSU FALLS Hotel Mabu Thermas (F)
BUENOS AIRES Sheraton Buenos Aires (MD)