A Taste of South America

Overview

Itinerary at a Glance

• 1 Depart USA
• 2 Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 3 Rio de Janeiro
• 4 Rio de Janeiro
• 5 Rio de Janeiro & Iguazú Falls
• Optional Excursion: Macuco Safari, $110
• 6 Iguazú Falls
• Optional Excursion: Dinner & Folklore show at Rafain Cataratas, $125
• 7 Iguazú & Buenos Aires
• 8 Buenos Aires
• Optional Excursion: Dinner & tango show, $125
• 9 Buenos Aires
• Optional Excursion: Argentine cattle ranch with barbecue lunch, $245
• 10 Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

• Depart the USA on your overnight flight for Rio de Janeiro via São Paulo, Brazil

Day 2 Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Meet your guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in
• Welcome dinner

Arena Leme Hotel or similar Dinner

Full Day Itinerary

This morning, arrive in Rio de Janeiro, the crown jewel of Brazil’s Atlantic shore, designated as a World Heritage by UNESCO. Transfer to your hotel located by the beach. Enjoy the rest of the day unwinding at Copacabana Beach or Leme Beach. Later, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3 Rio de Janeiro

• Admire the views of Rio de Janeiro from atop the 2,400 ft. high Corcovado Mountain
• Visit the statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World
• Learn about Carnival at a samba school

Arena Leme Hotel or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, drive to the Corcovado train station and board the cogwheel train for a 15-minute ride up Corcovado Mountain to the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue. With its outstretched arms visible everywhere in the city, this 125 ft. art deco statue designed by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski is the most recognizable landmark of Rio de Janeiro and is among the New 7 Wonders of the World. Marvel at the spectacular 360° panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro!

After riding the cogwheel train back down to the base of Corcovado, visit the hangar of the Acadêmicos da Grande Rio samba school. Here you will learn about the history of the Samba and get a look behind the scenes of the elaborate planning that goes into a Carnival parade, from selecting a theme to building the floats and crafting the costumes to recording the music and rehearsing the performance. Enjoy a delicious lemon caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail, and take advantage of the opportunity to try on some of the costumes and take memorable pictures!

Day 4 Rio de Janeiro

• Visit Sugarloaf Mountain
• Tour downtown Rio de Janeiro and see the New Cathedral

Arena Leme Hotel or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Enjoy the morning at leisure. Drive to Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) in the Urca district early this afternoon. From here, board the cable car that ascends the famous Sugarloaf Mountain in two stages. The first stage brings you to the Urca mountain station, where you can admire the attractive gardens and lookout points before boarding the second stage to the peak. From the top of this 1,300 ft. crag, you can see the crescent beaches in full view below. After enjoying this fantastic vista, return to Praia Vermelha and continue downtown, crossing the beautiful Flamengo Park. Visit the New Cathedral, with its modern design based on the architectural style of the Mayan pyramids.

Day 5 Rio de Janeiro & Iguazú Falls

• Morning flight from Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu near Brazil’s border with Argentina and Paraguay
• Admire the magnificent Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side

Bourbon Cataratas do Iguaçu Resort or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Transfer to the airport and board your flight to Foz do Iguaçu, on the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Upon arrival, head to Iguaçu National Park. Upon seeing Iguazu Falls, Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed, "Poor Niagara!" You'll soon discover why this UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered one of the world's greatest natural wonders! Straddling the border of Argentina and Brazil, the Falls consists of 275 inlets and cataracts that cascade down 250 ft. framed by multiple rainbows and mist that rises to 500 ft. in the air. Iguazu is undoubtedly among the most impressive waterfalls in the world and is counted among the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Admire these magnificent falls from the Brazilian side, strolling down the platforms that bring you up close. Come prepared to get sprayed! Continue to your hotel for check-in, and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

Optional Excursion: Macuco Safari, $110

Get up close and personal with Iguazu Falls on this optional adventure. Hop on electric vehicles for a ride through the dense rainforest paths. Then, descend via a funicular to a platform on the Iguazu River to board your speedboat. You will have the choice of boarding the "dry" boat or the "wet" boat. Both boats will take you upstream through the rapids to get a closer look at some of the more than two hundred drops that are part of Iguazu Falls. If you choose the wet boat, be prepared to get splashed! Bring your swimwear or a change of clothing.

Day 6 Iguazú Falls

• Visit the Iguazú Falls from Argentina, including the incredible Devil’s Throat

Bourbon Cataratas do Iguaçu Resort or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After going though international customs control this morning, cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge between Brazil and Argentina. Once in Argentina, travel through the rain forest to the most spectacular sight at Iguazu: Devil's Throat, a massive U-shaped cataract measuring 270 ft. high, 490 ft. wide, and 2300 ft. long. Continue to the upper Argentinean falls, including the San Martin Falls. Return to your hotel in Brazil for an evening at leisure.

Today's tour requires you bring your passport.

Optional Excursion: Dinner & Folklore show at Rafain Cataratas, $125

In the evening, enjoy a performance of traditional dances of different countries and regions of South America, along with a delicious dinner of local and regional specialties.

Day 7 Iguazú & Buenos Aires

• Flight to Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires

Principado Downtown Hotel or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After a relaxing morning, once again cross over the Iguazú River and continue to Puerto Iguazú Airport to board your flight to Buenos Aires, the bustling capital of Argentina. Upon arrival, cross Avenue 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.

Day 8 Buenos Aires

• See the sights of Buenos Aires on a city tour
• Admire the colorful houses in the La Boca neighborhood
• Visit the Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Perón is buried
• Enjoy a wine tasting experience

Principado Downtown Hotel or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Discover why Buenos Aires is so often referred to as "the Paris of the South." Each neighborhood has its distinctive flavor, but everywhere you go, the people are warm, welcoming, and happy to see visitors.

Begin the day exploring downtown. See the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace from which Juan and Eva Perón spoke to throngs of adoring Argentinians, and the ornate Metropolitan Cathedral, where Pope Francis I served as cardinal. Next, visit Plaza de Mayo, the historical and political center of the city. Later, stop by the crowded Florida Street, a true shopper's paradise. Stop for coffee and croissants at a historic café. Drive past the Obelisk landmark on Avenue 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world, on your way to the lively neighborhood of La Boca with its famous colorful painted houses and street tango performers. Continue admiring the French architecture in the exquisite Recoleta neighborhood, including the beautiful Cemetery of La Recoleta, where Eva Perón, affectionately known as Evita, is buried. It is one of many ironies of this complex city that Evita, the heroine of the poor, is buried in this most elegant (and expensive) cemetery. Complete the tour with an opportunity to experience Argentinean wine during an exclusive wine tasting and food pairing experience. Learn from a sommelier the premium wines of the main producing areas in Argentina. 

 

 

 

 

Optional Excursion: Dinner & tango show, $125

This evening, enjoy dinner and an exciting tango performance, Argentina's passionate national dance. The performance will take you on a journey through the development and evolution of the tango, from its inception in the 19th-century suburbs of Buenos Aires and its golden age in the 1930s and 40s to its newer developments in the 1970s and 80s.

Day 9 Buenos Aires

• Enjoy the day on your own. Or, choose an optional excursion to learn about the life of the gauchos on the Pampas!
• Join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner

Principado Downtown Hotel or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Enjoy the day at leisure to explore Buenos Aires independently. Alternatively, join an optional excursion to the Argentine Pampas! Afterward, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.

Optional Excursion: Argentine cattle ranch with barbecue lunch, $245

Travel outside the city for a full-day excursion to the Argentine Pampas. Visit a traditional estancia (ranch), where you'll discover the life of the Argentine cowboys known as gauchos. You'll be met with welcoming wine and empanadas. After a sumptuous Asado barbecue lunch, you will enjoy a colorful folklore show of traditional Argentine dance and song, all in traditional dress, and an exciting demonstration of gaucho horsemanship. (Private transportation will be provided to/from the estancia, accompanied by an English-speaking guide. The activities at the ranch are shared).

Note: This optional excursion must be pre-purchased and requires a minimum of 4 passengers to operate.

Day 10 Departure

• Spend the last morning at leisure exploring Buenos Aires on your own
• Explore the archaeological site of El Zanjón de Granados
• Transfer to the airport for your return flight, arriving in the USA tomorrow morning

Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

This afternoon, learn about Buenos Aires' earliest settlements during a guided tour of El Zanjón de Granados, an almost-200 year old mansion located above underground tunnels that made up the first water system of the colonial city.

Bid farewell to Buenos Aires as you transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight, arriving in the USA tomorrow morning.

Hotels

Arena Leme Hotel

First Class

Facing the beach in one of Rio’s most relaxing neighborhoods, the Arena Leme Hotel is a great place to unwind, and to enjoy the trendy Leme waterfront. 

More information

Bourbon Cataratas do Iguaçu Resort

First Class

Conveniently located 13 miles from Iguazu Falls, 6 miles from Foz do Iguaçu Airport, and just 4 miles from the tri-border marker with Argentina and Paraguay, the Bourbon Cataratas offers a great base to explore the UNESCO World Heritage site that is Iguazu Falls and relax on a 605-acre property surrounded by lush tropical gardens. 

More information

Principado Downtown Hotel

First Class

Located strategically in the heart of downtown of Buenos Aires, the Principado Downtown Hotel just steps away from Galerías Pacífico shopping center housed in a historic building and San Martin Square the original location of many colonial  Spanish governor's residences.  The modern, stylish interior provides comfort and serenity in the bustling downtown. 

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Argentina? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
• What should I know about Brazil? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.

Other Packages

Small Group Tour

Patagonian Explorer by Land & Sea

from $9399 w/ Flights from $8499 Tour Only 14 days

per person, double occupancy*

See package map dates