Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro tour
| country: | Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay |
| departures: | 2008: 20 Sep, 25 Oct, 29 Nov 2009: 3 Jan, 5 Feb, 11 Mar, 10 Apr, 10 May, 9 Jun |
| price: | From £600 (16 days) excluding flights, plus local payment US $200. Price includes accommodation (in pleasant hotels & overnight buses) and transport (public bus, ferry), plus the assistance of a tour leader and local guides |
the amazing things you'll be doing
You will live and breathe the Latino culture on this tour. Travelling on public transport, you will experience life on the road as intimately as the locals do, whether on a bus, ferry or scenic train trip. Enjoy the vibrant nightlife of Buenos Aires, see a traditional tango performance in its city of origin, and sample the live and exciting samba music performed by local artists.
Take in the convergence of cultures and rich architectural heritage of Montevideo, Uruguay – a city overflowing with writers, artists and musicians. At San Ignacio Miní, we visit the Jesuit ruins, a famous UNESCO World Heritage site. At Foz do Iguacu we take in the awe-inspiring power of the mighty Iguazu Falls and wander through the rainforest on boarded walks above the rushing waters. At Curitiba you have the option to take a scenic train trip through the mountains and down the escarpment of the fabulous Murumbi National Park to the Atlantic coast. Sao Paulo is a thriving multicultural city with diverse neighbourhoods which can be easily explored via the city’s metro system. Relax on the beach in Parati or take a boat cruise, then on to Rio de Janeiro.
Highlights: This tour offers something for everyone, whether you’re interested in natural or cultural experiences there is something for you. Visit the Jesuit ruins at San Ignacio Miní, in the heart of a tropical rainforest– a UNESCO World Heritage site. Excursion to Iguazu Falls at Foz do Iguacu, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, in the heart of two National Parks the place is still Sacred to the native Guarani Indians. There’s also an optional visit to Iguazu National Park bird park, situated on 12 acres of native subtropical forest. You’ll have the chance to visit the world's largest hydroelectric dam at Itaipu near the Iguazu Falls and take an optional scenic train journey to Murumbi National Park.
Best time to go: October through to March. Try to time your trip to take in the Rio Carnival.
Take in the convergence of cultures and rich architectural heritage of Montevideo, Uruguay – a city overflowing with writers, artists and musicians. At San Ignacio Miní, we visit the Jesuit ruins, a famous UNESCO World Heritage site. At Foz do Iguacu we take in the awe-inspiring power of the mighty Iguazu Falls and wander through the rainforest on boarded walks above the rushing waters. At Curitiba you have the option to take a scenic train trip through the mountains and down the escarpment of the fabulous Murumbi National Park to the Atlantic coast. Sao Paulo is a thriving multicultural city with diverse neighbourhoods which can be easily explored via the city’s metro system. Relax on the beach in Parati or take a boat cruise, then on to Rio de Janeiro.
Highlights: This tour offers something for everyone, whether you’re interested in natural or cultural experiences there is something for you. Visit the Jesuit ruins at San Ignacio Miní, in the heart of a tropical rainforest– a UNESCO World Heritage site. Excursion to Iguazu Falls at Foz do Iguacu, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, in the heart of two National Parks the place is still Sacred to the native Guarani Indians. There’s also an optional visit to Iguazu National Park bird park, situated on 12 acres of native subtropical forest. You’ll have the chance to visit the world's largest hydroelectric dam at Itaipu near the Iguazu Falls and take an optional scenic train journey to Murumbi National Park.
Best time to go: October through to March. Try to time your trip to take in the Rio Carnival.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-3: | Buenos Aires - Colonia - Montevideo. This beautiful city is known as the "Paris of South America" due to its lovely green parks, plazas and wide boulevards. The reputation of Buenos Aires' nightlife is not exaggerated, as there are many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and cinemas open until all hours. For a great evening, you could see a tango show in the city where the dance originated and you shouldn't leave Buenos Aires before trying one of the best beefsteaks in the world! Leaving Buenos Aires we head across the River Plate to charming riverside Colonia with its historic old city and on to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. Montevideo is a blend of many cities and architectural styles with an international port and seaside at either end of the interesting old city. You might get the feeling that time has turned back to the 1930's as much of the architecture is from that era, as are many of the vehicles. Many buildings in the centre have fine stone and iron work and there are many museums and historic houses to visit. There are also plenty of outdoor markets and indoor malls if you want to shop. Near the port, the old railway station is now remodelled and overflowing with steak and seafood restaurants. But if steak and seafood is not your thing, Montevideo has a thriving café culture to keep you busy while you listen to the strains of tango music. |
| Day 4-5: | Salto - Concordia. Onto the well presented town of Salto, a centre for growing and processing citrus fruits. The town centre is beautifully kept and there are several delightful parks you can stroll through. A popular excursion is to the nearby Salto Grande dam and hydroelectric plant. We have time to soak in the nearby hot springs or visit the aqua park before crossing the river and the border to the prosperous city of Concordia in Argentina. We take an overnight bus to the port city of Posadas. |
| Day 6-10: | San Ignacio Miní - Foz do Iguaçu - Iguazu Falls - Curitiba. From Posadas we travel by bus to the Jesuit ruins at San Ignacio Mini, which were featured in the film "The Mission". Built in 1696, these are some of the best kept Jesuit ruins in the region and show how the Jesuits lived when they came here to convert the Guarani Indians to Catholicism. The location, together with the nearby missions of Santa Ana and Loreto, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Crossing into Brazil we reach Foz do Iguaçu, our base for visiting the famous Iguazu Falls, known to be the most magnificent waterfalls in the world. Unlike most other waterfalls that have just one or two cataracts, at Iguazu there are 275 cataracts that you can visit from the Brazilian (included) or Argentine side (optional). You can see the falls by walking through the rainforest and along catwalks above and below the rushing water or, for a bird's eye view a helicopter flight is on offer (optional). You can also visit the world's largest hydroelectric dam at Itaipu (optional) where you can learn more about the ecological issues faced during the dam's construction. There is also a good bird park nearby – perfect for that must- have photo with a toucan! Visiting the Argentinean side of the falls will give you a completely different perspective from the Brazilian side. Here you may board a speed boat which will take you under the falls soaking you from head to toe - an adventure you'll never forget! On the Argentine side you'll also find the famous "Devil's Throat" where fourteen falls drop with such force that there is always a massive cloud of spray overhead. An overnight bus takes us to the attractive university city of Curitiba. An exceptionally planned city, there are many pleasant squares and parks to wander and quite a lively nightlife. We spend the night here and have the option to take a scenic train trip through the mountains and down the escarpment of the fabulous Murumbi National Park to the Atlantic coast. There is also a good hop- on, hop- off tourist bus which visits all the main attractions in the city. |
| Day 11-12: | São Paulo. We then visit the world's fastest growing city, Sâo Paulo, which has a metropolitan population of 19 million and skyscrapers sprawling upwards and avenues spreading outwards. We can visit a snake farm and the Latin American Exhibition Centre designed by famous architect Oscar Niemeyer, who also designed Brasília, the country's capital (optional tours). After a hard day of sightseeing we can relax and perhaps have a meal in the Japanese quarter. Interestingly, São Paulo has the most Japanese residents outside of Japan so this is a great place to enjoy sushi. We stay in a pleasant area full of life and activity with easy access to the city by underground metro trains. |
| Day 13-16: | Parati - Rio de Janeiro. Following the stunning coastline north we come to colonial Parati, an old pirate town with streets made of stone slabs designed to let the tide wash over and clean them. You have an option to go on a full day boat cruise around the bay with plenty of time for swimming in the turquoise waters, sun- baking on the decks and eating a fresh seafood lunch washed down by a few cold beers. Other popular past- times here are exploring the nearby beaches and shopping in the hippy markets. We arrive at our last stop on this tour around lunchtime. Fantastic Rio de Janeiro has many things to see and do. There are trips up Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car and Corcovado, with its famous Statue of Christ, for great city views. Another interesting journey is on the old tram system across the viaduct into the cobblestone neighbourhood of Santa Teresa. A walking tour of Rio's historic buildings is also a lovely way to pass an afternoon, or you may like to visit the Botanical Gardens or one of the famous beaches, such as Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon. If you are in Rio around February, get ready for the world's biggest party – the Rio Carnival! If your tour coincides with the Carnival you can book a four night extension package including a carnival ticket (see our brochure or the Brazil Country Dossier for details). Our tour concludes on Day 16 in Rio de Janeiro. |
Please note: This trip can also be run in the opposite direction, from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires.
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
|
Travelling on local public bus, ferry, by foot and by train, this tour gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the local people of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, while minimising our impact on the local environment.
We encourage you to learn at least a few phrases of the local language and interact with the locals as much as possible to maximise your social experience. Language sheets are available on our website and our tour leaders are able to teach you useful words on the road. If you're courageous enough to test out your language skills on public transport and start a friendly conversation you'll learn more about the culture than you could from any travel book. Your tour leader will introduce you to many local restaurants and bars throughout the tour, helping you discover the authentic local cuisine. Local guides will also lend their expertise to the journey, explaining the historical background and cultural significance of the places we visit. We choose only the best trained guides, who will help you to appreciate the importance of respecting the environment of these heritage sites and understand the conservation efforts undertaken at various parks. Your entrance fees will help to conserve and preserve heritage sites, such as ancient ruins, while entrance fees at national parks support the conservation efforts of forest and native animal and bird species. We will visit many local shopping districts and markets along the way, giving you plenty of opportunity to support local merchants. We would encourage you to purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans rather than mass produced goods from chain stores, as you will learn more about the skill involved in the production, while also supporting the craft itself. We have a full Responsible Travel policy available on our website, which our reservations team will send you a link to when you book. It’s full of practical tips for responsible travellers and details our company’s commitment to minimising our impact on the people and the places that we visit. We also encourage all our clients to offset the carbon emissions of their international flights with international conservation charity World Land Trust. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |