Sophisticated South America Tour

9 Days / 8 Nights

Take your first look at South America with our tour of Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires. Walk along the curving sweep of Copacabana Beach and enjoy the colours of sunset over Ipanema Beach. Marvel at the stunning views of the city of Rio de Janeiro from the statue of Christ the Redeemer perched on top of Corcovado Mountain, and ride the cable car up Sugar Loaf Mountain. Enjoy the samba beats of the city’s vibrant nightlife and feel the exhuberant energy that produces the world famous Rio Carnaval. Relax on the beaches and enjoy watching the carioca residents of Rio de Janeiro, the most exotic city in the world.

From the Marvellous City to the natural wonder of Iguazu Falls. Take in the panoramic views of the 275 separate falls from the Brazilian side before crossing to Argentina for mesmerising close-up views of the Devil’s Throat and many others. Take photographs and videos to make your time in Iguazu Falls as memorable as possible, and ride helicopters and adventure boats for the most exhilarating experience.

Buenos Aires is the Tango City, with a more European feel in the streets, cafes and parks. Visit museums, watch tango in the squares and people-watch from the pavement as you pass the Pink Palace in Plaza de Mayo. Walk the cobbles of San Telmo and visit the colourful houses of La Boca. Enjoy Argentinean wines and fabulous steaks while watching a tango show. Spend the day in Colonia del Sacramento across the river in Uruguay, the Tigre Delta, or at a Gaucho Ranch on the edge of the city.

Our tour of Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires is the ideal introduction to South America for those with around 9 days to spend with Brazil Adventure Tours. The tour can easily be reversed too.

Combines With: Buzios; Paraty & Ilha Grande; Sao Paulo; Amazon; Pantanal & Bonito; Salvador, Lençois & Praia do Forte; even Patagonia or Peru.

Best Time to Visit: This tour can be taken all year round with December to February being the hottest, most humid and busiest months, but also with more rainfall. This does mean that the falls may be in fuller flow. June, July and August are cooler in Iguazu and especially Buenos Aires, and the clearer skies of April and May can also lead to a small drop in the amount of water flowing over the top of the falls.

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from $ 1,575 USD

9 Days / 8 Nights

Destinations Visited

Rio de Janeiro
Iguazu Falls
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Trip Style

Traditional

Activities Included

Ecotourism
Beaches

Tailor Made Tours

All our Brazil and South America Tours, are completely flexible with regards to dates, duration or the tours, activities and accommodation that we can include. All the tours featured on our website are our recommendations based on our experience of how to make the very best of your time in South America. We can adjust these details in any way that you wish. We are here to organise a tour that suits you after all!

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro

Destination: Rio de Janeiro

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.

Day 2

Rio & Christ the Redeemer

Destination: Rio de Janeiro

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.

Day 3

Cable Cars and Sugar Loaf Views

Destination: Rio de Janeiro

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.

Day 4

Iguazu Falls Views

Destination: Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu Falls

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.

Day 5

Mesmeric Iguazu

Destination: Iguazu Falls

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.

Day 6

On to the Tango City

Destination: Iguazu Falls to Buenos Aires

With your flight from Iguazu to Buenos Aires possible at any time of day, you may like to visit more Iguazu attractions. The Bird Park has hundreds of colourful tropical species free to fly around the huge aviaries, including parrots, macaws and toucans. They are accompanied by huge butterflies too. A tour to Itaipu Dam takes you to see one of the world\'s largest engineering projects on the Rio Parana. The dam was the largest hydroelectric plant on earth until recently. After flying to Buenos Aires you transfer across the city to your hotel, with the rest of the day is then free to explore the area around the famous Recoleta Cemetery.

Day 7

Buenos Aires By Day & Night

Destination: Buenos Aires

In the morning your Buenos Aires tour takes in the major city sights including Plaza de Mayo with the Pink Palace (Casa Rosada), the cathedral, colonial Cabildo and the old Town Hall. You also visit the coloured houses of La Boca and the old tango district of San Telmo, as well as the Congresso Parliament building and the Recoleta cemetery before returning to your hotel. After the afternoon to yourselves, you will be picked up and taken to one of Buenos Aires traditional Tango Shows. After dinner, the dancers entertain you with some of the classic tango numbers that have made the dance famous worldwide. Transfer back to your hotel is included afterwards.

Day 8

Free Time in the Tango City

Destination: Buenos Aires

The day is free to enjoy Buenos Aires. Many tours are available in and around the city or you can choose to explore on your own. One option is a trip outside of the city to visit an estancia, where Argentinean Gaucho cowboys maintain their traditional lifestyle. Boat trips around the Tigre Delta an hour outside the city are also popular, as is the trip across the Rio de la Plata to the historic town of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. Tango lessons can also be arranged if you want to learn the basic steps before visiting a milonga to practice them. You can also have the day to yourselves to enjoy the parks, the markets, the squares and the nightlife of Buenos Aires.

Day 9

Flying Home from South America

Destination: Buenos Aires & Away

With your flight home likely to leave Buenos Aires in the evening, you have the balance of the day to enjoy the city. You may like to lunch in one of the traditional cafes of Avenida de Mayo, such as Cafe Tortoni. There may be some time for last minute shopping at the leather goods and souvenir shops, and also the street markets of the city. You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the airport in good time for international check in. Here\'s hoping that your tour leaves you with the desire to explore more of South America with Brazil Adventure Tours!

Prices

* Domestic Flights Estimated Price
$320 USD

** Prices Per Adult based on two people travelling and sharing accommodation
Simple B&B
from $1,050 USD Request Quote
3 Stars
from $1,575 USD Request Quote
4 Stars
from $2,175 USD Request Quote
5 Stars
from $4,275USD Request Quote
* Prices vary depending on travel dates and flight availability. Peak periods in Brazil including Carnaval, public holidays and Christmas/New Year usually require a minimum number of nights, so in these cases itineraries may need to be changed. ** Domestic flight prices are estimated on typical values when reserved six months before travel. Prices can never be guaranteed until reservations are made, and do usually become more expensive closer to the travel period.

* Domestic Flights Estimated Price ** Prices Per Adult based on two people travelling and sharing accommodation

$320 USD

Simple

3 Stars

4 Stars

Luxury

from

$1,050 USD

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from

$1,575 USD

Request Quote

from

$2,175 USD

Request Quote

from

$4,275 USD

Request Quote

* Prices vary depending on travel dates and flight availability. Peak periods in Brazil including Carnaval, public holidays and Christmas/New Year usually require a minimum number of nights, so in these cases itineraries may need to be changed.

** Domestic flight prices are estimated on typical values when reserved six months before travel. Prices can never be guaranteed until reservations are made, and do usually become more expensive closer to the travel period.