Day 1: USA – Rio de Janeiro
Depart on an overnight flight to Brazil and to Rio de Janeiro, A Cidade Maravilhosa – the marvelous city.

Day 2, Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in Rio and get settled into your hotel room. This afternoon you will visit the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain via a breathtaking cable car ride. (B)

Day 3, Rio de Janeiro
Today you will take the cog railway to the peak of Corcovado Mountain, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer (voted one of the Seven Wonders of the World) overlooks the city from a height of 2,300 feet. Enjoy the panoramic view of Rio including its famous beaches and Guanabara Bay. Your descent will bring you through the lush Tijuca Forest, the world’s largest urban forest. (B)

Day 4, Rio de Janeiro
Enjoy your day at leisure. This evening, a uniquely Brazilian experience – dinner at a local Churrascaria (barbecue) restaurant, followed by a passionate samba show at Plataforma 1. (B, D)

Day 5, Rio de Janeiro–Iguassu Falls
Today fly out of Rio bound for Iguassu Falls, one of the world’s most beautiful natural spectacles. Check into your room at the Hotel das Cataratas, overlooking the falls inside the Brazilian National Park. This afternoon, take the independent walking tour of the Brazilian side of the falls. The path begins in front of your hotel. (B)

Day 6, Iguassu Falls
The Argentine side of the falls offers a different perspective. Today pass over the Iguassu River into Argentina. You’ll walk through the Argentine National Park to the catwalk overlooking the Devil’s Throat, the most breathtaking view of the falls where the thundering water plunges 235 feet to the river below. (B)

Day 7, Iguassu Falls–Manaus
Head to the airport for your early flight to the city of Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon Jungle. Upon arrival, settle into your comfortable room at the 5–star Tropical Hotel Manaus, on the Rio Negro just before its confluence with the Amazon. This afternoon on your city tour, visit the rubber–boom era Opera House, Indian Museum, floating docks, and busy local market. (B)

Day 8, Manaus
This morning from your hotel’s docks, you’ll cruise on an Amazon riverboat to the “meeting of the waters,” where the dark waters of the Rio Negro meet the muddy waters of the Rio Solimões, forming the Amazon River. After a delicious lunch featuring fresh local cuisine, you’ll have a closer look at the Amazon’s fauna and flora, exploring tiny branches of the river via canoe, returning to your hotel by riverboat later in the afternoon. (B, L)

Day 9, Manaus – Brasília
Today you will fly to Brasília, one of the world’s most modern capital cities, and check into your room at the luxurious Blue Tree Park, adjacent to the President’s residence, the Palácio da Alvorada. (B)

Day 10, Brasília – Salvador da Bahia
Embark on an architecturally exciting city tour of Brasília. Points of interest include the legislative buildings (convex and concave domes), the Presidential Palace, the Supreme Court and the Ministries (18 identical buildings). Later this afternoon board your flight to Brazil’s first capital city Salvador da Bahia. Check into your comfortable hotel room and enjoy your private view of the Atlantic Ocean, at the Pestana Bahia Hotel. (B)

Day 11, Salvador da Bahia
Today you will tour the largest and best preserved complex of colonial architecture in the Americas – the famous Pelourinho district. Walk through the narrow, cobbled streets lined with fine colonial houses painted in pastel shades, and visit several churches including the spectacularly ornate Church of São Francisco, the finest example of of Baroque churches in Brazil. (B)

Day 12, Salvador da Bahia
Enjoy today at your leisure. This evening you’ll visit the 18th century oceanside colonial mansion Solar do Unhão, where in the former slaves quarters, you’ll dine on Bahian cuisine, and then see a fabulous show of Capoeira, a deadly acrobatic martial art originating from the Bantus of Angola. (B, D)

Day 13, Salvador da Bahia – USA
Relax this morning, and reflect on your long journey nearing its completion. Your homebound overnight flight departs late–afternoon. (B)

• 3 nights Rio de Janeiro
• Sugarloaf Mountain Tour via cable car
• Rio’s Botanical Gardens
• Corcovado Mountain & Tijuca Forest
• Rio by Night at Plataforma 1, including Churrascaria dinner & show
• 2 nights Iguassu Falls
• Independent walking tour of Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls
• Tour of Argentine side of Iguassu Falls
• 2 nights Manaus, Amazonas
• City Tour of Manaus, including Opera House and Indian Museum
• Amazon Riverboat Tour including Meeting of Waters & lunch
• 1 night Brasília
• City Tour of Brasília
• 3 nights Salvador da Bahia
• Historic City Tour of Salvador
• Bahia by Night at Solar do Unhão, with Bahian dinner and Capoeira Show
• Optional Buenos Aires extension
• Meals as indicated (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)