Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls & Buzios Tour

After being welcomed on arrival in Rio de Janeiro, your Brazil Adventure Tours guide describes the Marvellous City during the journey to your hotel close to Ipanema or Copacabana Beaches. You pass along the edge of Guanabara Bay, with first glimpses of the city, the statue of Christ The Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain. After a little orientation of the city and the area around your hotel, the rest of the day is then free to explore Rio and perhaps enjoy your first coconut water or a caipirinha cocktail at sunset from Arpoador, the headland between the two main beaches. Evening brings the chance to enjoy Brazilian cuisine for the first time.

Your first tour of Rio takes you to the top of Corcovado, the steep 710m high mountain topped by the 31m statue of Christ The Redeemer. The views from the base across the city, beaches, mountains, the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are as spectacular as city views can be. You then drop through Santa Teresa and the Selaron Staircase to see the historic side of Rio, the Municipal Theatre and the grand buildings that date from the 19th Century and earlier. The modern Metropolitan Cathedral and the antique Arches of Lapa are two more of Rio\'s postcard sights. The afternoon and evening are free to relax.

Morning brings a journey around the lagoon to the Botanical Gardens in the shadow of Christ the Redeemer. The gardens contain an array of tropical species, with palms, orchids and the pau brasil tree that gave its name to the country watched over by monkeys and toucans. You then travel to Sugar Loaf Mountain to ride the cable cars to the 396m summit. The views take in Copacabana Beach, the mountains behind the statue and those surrounding Rio on a clear day. Afternoon and evening are free with a typical Brazilian churrascaria barbeque being one option, while weekend evenings can bring a trip to the samba clubs of Lapa.

Your day in Rio can be spent relaxing on Copacabana or Ipanema Beach or walking around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. If you prefer to fill your days there are many other ideas around Rio that might appeal. You can take boat trips out on the ocean or around the bay; museum tours can include the Imperial & National Museums, Samba City, the Carmen Miranda or the Diamond Museums. You can cross the bay to MAC, with impressive views back to Rio. A day at the wild beaches at the edge of the city, Prainha & Grumari, is another possibility. Adventurous activities such as hiking, tandem hang-gliding and kayaking can also be included.

The morning flight takes you to Iguazu Falls, and your first chance to see the 275 separate falls of the Iguazu River comes as you land. On arrival you will be met for an immediate tour of the Brazilian national park, where you can enjoy the majestic panoramic views of Iguazu from across the gorge. Options include viewing the falls from above with helicopter rides above them. In the late afternoon you transfer to your hotel with the evening free. Please be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for Iguazu Falls, as the walkways, paths and yourselves become wet from the spray. Camera protection is also a good idea.

After breakfast you cross to the Argentinean national park, where walkways allow you to experience the majesty of Iguazu from very close quarters. The undoubted highlight is the mesmeric experience of looking down into The Devil\\\'s Throat as the falling water pounds the bottom, creating the roar and mist that mean Iguazu Falls can be seen and heard for miles around. The afternoon finishes with the adventure boat ride which takes you right under the falling curtains of water. In the evening you may like to take in a Latin American Dance Show, or in the period around Full Moon, you can visit the falls to view Iguazu By Moonlight.

In the morning you fly back to Rio where you will be met for the 3 hour drive across the Rio-Niteroi Bridge and east along the coast to Buzios, Brazil\'s most glamorous beach resort. Buzios is actually three small settlements - Ossos is an old fishing village with winding cobblestone streets that has lost none of its charm; Rua das Pedras has the sophisticated boutiques and Orla Bardot and Porto da Barras have charming restaurants for evening entertainment. You can explore them all in one day, or spend time around Praia do Canto, with the picturesque bay and its colourful boats looking especially beautiful as the sun sets in the late afternoon.

Today is free to discover the delights of the Buzios peninsula on foot, by bike, or even horseback. You can walk over the headland to Ossos and the incredibly picturesque Azeda and Azedinha Beaches. The turquoise waters are calm and clear, perfect for snorkelling with the turtles and fish that pass by regularly. You can also take out pedal boats and kayaks to explore around the rocks. Further around the peninsula are Joao Fernandes and Brava. The water on Joao Fernandes has golden sands that glitter in the sun as the waves wash gently on the shore. The final evening of your trip can be spent dining somewhere special.

One highly recommended Buzios experience is to head down to the harbor and take a day\\\'s boat trip. A schooner tour takes you out into the sparkling bay to visit the tiny tropical islands with their secluded stretches of golden sand. You also see parts of the peninsula accessible only by foot or from the water. Swimming and snorkelling stops give you chance to dive into fresh Atlantic waters and view tropical fish and other marine life - dolphins and penguins occasionally accompany the boats. Drinks and food are available to buy on board, and finishing the trip with a caipirinha as the sun begins to set over Buzios Bay is a special moment.

With your flight home from Rio likely to be overnight, you will have the morning to enjoy Buzios some more. After lunch you will be picked up at your hotel for the transfer to the airport back in Rio de Janeiro. The journey should take 3 hours or so, and leaves you with time to reflect on your time in Brazil, with wonderful memories and photos of to take home with you. Here\'s hoping that you will also take home the desire to visit more of Brazil\\\'s spectacular destinations with Brazil Adventure Tours.