Buenos Aires to Rio

Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, located on the southern shores of the Rio de la Plata. Since its founding by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536 the city has thrived on trade and its vibrant streets are filled with an eclectic mix of European architectural styles, with Spanish, French and Italian classicism rubbing shoulders with remnants of Victorian grandeur.



For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Buenos Aires at any time. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into either Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) or Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), a 30 minute or 1 hour drive respectively from our hotel. Should you miss the meeting, your leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.



If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you could explore this lively city by wandering the city streets, admiring the impressive architecture and relaxing parks, or enjoy the traditional Porteno pastime of people watching from the many sidewalk cafes. The rooms at the hotel are not ready until 3pm, but baggage storage is available for you.

Today we plan to explore some of the city on foot with our Local guide, especially the major landmarks around the Plaza de Mayo, site of the famous mass demonstrations by supporters of Juan Domingo Peron in 1945, organised by his wife Eva. This afternoon has been left free for more sightseeing. Sunday is also the day of the famous San Telmo Market where local people dance tango on street corners and the stalls laden with their brightly coloured wares line the plaza.

Today is free to further explore Argentina's vibrant capital. You can also visit the elaborate mausoleums of the famous Recoleta Cemetary, the final resting place of some of Argentina's most revered figures, including Eva Peron herself or also take the opportunity to visit Palermo Park. This evening you can enjoy Buenos Aires' dazzling nightlife and soak up the pulsating rhythms of one of South America's most captivating cities, perhaps taking the opportunity to enjoy a tango show (optional).

This morning has been left free for you to catch up on any sightseeing you couldn't do yesterday. Perhaps take a guided tour to other parts of the city including the colourful vibrancy of La Caminito in the La Boca district of the city. Make sure you're back in time this afternoon though, as we will be leaving the city and flying north-east to Puerto Iguazu, home to the the largest waterfall systems in the world - the Iguazu Falls.

Set amidst the lush landscapes of the Parque Nacional do Iguazu Reserve, the falls are one of nature's true masterpieces, a spectacular cascade of some 275 interconnecting falls that hurtle over high cliffs into a marvellous curved amphitheatre - a breathtaking sight that extends 3km across the Rio Iguazu. We explore the Argentinean side of the falls today with our Tour Leader, walking to the churning caldron of the Garganta del Diablo (the Devil's Throat), where a series of 14 separate falls merge into one, producing an immense torrent.

Today you will have a free day with the opportunity to visit the Brazilian side of the falls (optional) which gives a panoramic view of these mighty cataracts. Four times wider than Niagara, the falls hurtle over high cliffs into a marvellous curved amphitheatre several miles wide - a breathtaking sight. The noise is tremendous and huge clouds of mist are churned up by the cascade. The surrounding spray-soaked forest is alive with brightly plumaged toucans, parrots, hummingbirds and colourful butterflies. This afternoon there are a number of optional trips, for a more spectacular view of the falls you may like to take a 10 minute helicopter flight. Or you could always visit the Tropicana Bird Park lying in the rainforest near the entrance gate - this is a must for ornithologists and anyone interested in local wildlife. Another option this afternoon is an excursion to the 65 stories high Itaipu Dam, the largest hydroelectric plant in the world, with an 8km long dam and a reservoir that covers 1400 square kilometres. The output from the plant, supplies some 80% of Paraguay's electricity and 25% of Brazil's.

Depending on flight availability we will either fly to Sao Paulo or Rio today, and drive to the pretty town of Paraty. With its secluded beaches and backdrop of jungled mountains, Paraty has a superb location, and the cobblestoned colonial centre is a wonderful place to relax and people watch.

This is a free day to explore Paraty. You can take a boat trip out to some of the outlying islands and tropical beaches in the bay, with the chance to stop off and swim and snorkel in the clear, lukewarm Atlantic waters. Another option is to take a trip back in time and explore the trail through the mountains once used by the miners to bring their gold. Alternatively, hiring a bike and exploring the local area is a popular choice.

After a final chance to stroll through the atmospheric cobbled streets of Paraty, we take a bus down the Atlantic coast to Angra dos Reis. This will be our gateway out to Ilha Grande, a beautiful island preserve of spectacular scenery, unspoilt beaches and atmospheric ruins. The island is car free which adds to its relaxed ambience. We take a public boat from Angra dos Reis later this afternoon, travelling the short distance to the colonial port of Vila Do Abraão (about 1.5 hours), a picturesque coastal town lying beneath the shadow of towering mountains. On arrival, we will walk to our hotel with luggage transported in a baggage cart.

The jungle canopies and white-sand beaches of Ilha Grande offer a little slice of island paradise away from Brazil's mainland, and today we will explore this remarkable landscape in more depth. Lopes Mendes beach regularly features on lists of Brazil's Top 10 beaches - remarkable in a country that numbers not hundreds but thousands of beaches dotted along its lengthy coastline. As it is only accessible by boat and on foot, we'll first take a taxi boat trip from Abraao to Manges Beach, where we have a 20 minute walk through atmospheric forest, along well-marked trails that include some steps, as we walk over a hill and down the other side towards Lopes Mendes. With not a building in sight, Lopes Mendes is a long 3 kilometre stretch of the cleanest, whitest sand imaginable, curving into a crystal blue sea. The boat trip and the walk really give us a great overview of one of the highlights of Ilha Grande. Take a book, a swimming costume or a pack of cards, or explore some of the walking trails off the beach. After spending the day here, we'll go back to our hotel the way that we came - walking out to catch our return taxi boat.

The spectacular setting of Rio de Janeiro brings us to the end of our journey today. Leaving Ilha Grande by ferry this morning we then travel by bus from Angra to Rio, one of the world's most beautiful cities. Named from the Portuguese for River and the month of January, it is a hard location to beat. With 193 kilometers of marvellous beaches, and a mountain backdrop to die for, it is a city that lives up to its name - Cidade Marvihosa. We arrive late afternoon and the rest of the day is free to relax, perhaps sip a refreshing caipirinha whilst overlooking Copacabana Beach.

Rio is truly a city of spectacular highlights, and today we plan to visit two of the major draws. We will visit the towering summit of Corcovado, topped by the immense statue of Christ the Redeemer, giving us incredible panoramic views of the famous bay. Our local guide will then accompany us to the bohemian neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, with its winding streets, famous street cars and colourful buildings, whose hilltop setting gives us an excellent view out to the Guanabara Bay coastline. We'll do a walking tour of the neighbourhood, which is home to many of Rio's artists, musicians and poets, and is undoubtedly the most picturesque area in the city. Revealing many of the area's highlights, we'll walk through the colourful, tile-lined stairway that leads to the studio of Jorge Selaron, as well as the cultural centre of Parque das Ruinas, which overlooks the bay. Please note that on festivals or special holidays, the queues for the tramway to Santa Teresa can be enormous, and cause delays to our program. The Tour Leader might in that situation decide to take you into the heart of the historical centre to discover that district instead. In a city the size of Rio, there are numerous districts to explore, each with a character and interest all of their own.



We'll celebrate our final evening in Rio tonight, perhaps in the old district of Lapa, where the authentic samba can still be enjoyed along with a caipirinha.