Below we provide a brief description of the most traditional tourist destinations in Brazil and South America, including recommended stay and local tours & services for best advantage in each place. Suggested destinations can be combined in a tailor—made travel program to be planned and booked anytime as optional tour, always adjusted to individual’s interest and time availability.
Iguaçu Falls » 02 days | 01 night tour
www.fozdoiguacu.pr.gov.br/
Also spelled Iguassú, Spanish Cataratas del Iguazú, Portuguese Cataratas do Iguaçu, or Saltos do Iguaçu, series of cataracts on the Iguaçu River, 14 miles [23 km] above its confluence with the Alto [Upper] Paraná River, at the Argentina–Brazil border. The falls resemble an elongated horseshoe that extends for 1.7 miles [2.7 km]—nearly three times wider than Niagara Falls in North America and significantly greater than the width of Victoria Falls in Africa. Numerous rocky and wooded islands on the edge of the escarpment over which the Iguaçu River plunges divide the falls into some 275 separate waterfalls or cataracts, varying between 200 and 269 feet [60 and 82 meters] in height.
The name of the falls, as well as the river, is derived from a Guaraní word
meaning “great water”. UNESCO has granted World Heritage status to the park.
Tour includes transfer airport/hotel/airport at Iguassu Falls; 01 night at Hotel das Cataratas—deluxe hotel, in standard room including tax and breakfast; Iguassu National Park admittance fee and “Macuco Safari” boat tour.Hotel das Cataratas is the only one located just in front of the Falls at Brazilian side. English speaking assistance.
www.hoteldascataratas.com/web/ogua/ogua_a2a_home.jsp
Price per person in a double room: R$ 925,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 1.505,00
As a good lower priced option in Iguaçu there is the Bourbon Cataratas Convention Resort—also a deluxe hotel located outside the Iguassu National Park, 20km far from the Falls. In this case, tour to the Falls at Brazilian side and dinner in the hotel are included in the package of services.
www.bourbon.com.br/resorts/cataratas/apresentacao_hotel.php?
codHotel=7
Price per person in a double room: R$ 690,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 980,00
Manaus and Amazon Rain Forest » 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.manaustur.com.br
Manaus, was one of the first cities in the country to have electric power, and it reached its economic peak with the rubber boom [hevea brasiliensis], period in which the rubber barons invested in exuberant architectural monuments, like The Opera House and the floating harbor. At that time Manaus was known as “the Paris of South America”.
The point where the Rio Negro meets the Rio Solimões leads to a spectacular phenomenon: the Meeting of the Waters, where the black waters of the Rio Negro [Negro river] and the creamy colored waters of the Solimões river flow side by side without mixing for 4 to 6 kilometers, and then, finally, they merge to form the magnificent Amazon River.
Tour includes 02 nights at Hotel Tropical Manaus—deluxe hotel, in a standard room with breakfast and tax; 01 night at Ariaú Jungle Tower in a standard room and full board basis; private transfer airport/hotel in Manaus; regular boat transfer Manaus/Ariaú Jungle Tower; regular boat transfer Ariaú Jungle Tower/Manaus Airport; half day private city tour in Manaus; full day “Meeting of the Waters” regular tour with lunch; local tours at Ariaú Jungle Tower, such as “crocodile” spotting, walking tour through the forest, visit to native’s houses, sunrise tour
and canoe tour on the river. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 1.880,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 2.660,00
Fernando de Noronha» 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.noronha.com.br
Fernando de Noronha is an isolated group of volcanic islands located in the South Equatorial Atlantic, approximately 340 miles from Recife, Pernambuco. The main islands are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains.
Consisting of 21 islands, islets and rocks of volcanic origin, the main island makes up 91% of the total area.
The climate is tropical, with two well-defined seasons: the rainy season from January to August, and the dry season for the rest of the year. The heaviest rains occur between March and July. There are many beaches to choose from in the island. Some are better adapted to diving, others to swimming, contemplation, surfing, etc. In general, the beaches found on the protected side of the main island are ideal for diving and swimming during the months of April through November, due to the extremely calm sea.
Tour includes round trip Recife–Fernando de Noronha air transportation by TRIP Airlines in economy class; round trip airport transportation in Fernando de Noronha Island; 03 nights at Pousada Dolphin or similar—tourist class, in standard room with private bath, including breakfast and tax; walking guided Historical Tour, boat tour to Dolphins Bay and 4x4 Ilhatour through the Island.
English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 2.512,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 3.168,00
Environmental Preservation tax to be paid in advance: R$ 37,00 [~USD 15,00] per person and per day, subject to change without previous notice
Rio de Janeiro» 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur/
Called “Cidade Maravilhosa” [Marvelous City], the luxuriant greenery contrasts with thousands of modern buildings and a bustling metropolis.
The city brings together one of the country’s busiest nights and cultural lives, the world’s most well known Carnival—with its luxurious samba schools.
Rio de Janeiro also offers its white sand beaches such as “Copacabana” and “Ipanema”, names that are recognized all over the world.
Tour includes private transfer airport/hotel/airport in Rio de Janeiro; 03 nights at Astoria Palace Copacabana Hotel—first class hotel, in a standard room including tax and breakfast; half day private tour visiting the Sugar Loaf and downtown area; half day private tour visiting Corcovado and Tijuca Forest; tickets for Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 930,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 1.795,00
Salvador: 03 days / 02 nights tour
www.emtursa.ba.gov.br
Salvador was founded in 1549 by Thome de Souza, Brazil’s Portuguese governor, and remained its capital until 1763. For 300 years it was Brazil’s most important city of the South Atlantic and the capital of the Portuguese Colony in America. Nowadays, Salvador is the third largest city of Brazil and one of the most valuable historical, architectural and cultural centers of our country.
On the streets of the Historical City Center, full of Portuguese Colonial houses, protected by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humankind, it is easy to see the opulence and power of the Past.
Mysticism and great musicality are part of its people’s strong personality.
The African influence dominates religious and cultural manifestations.
Tour includes regular transfer airport/hotel/airport in Salvador; 02 nights at Blue Tree Salvador Hotel—first class hotel, in a standard room including tax and breakfast; half day private historical city tour; half day private sightseeing tour; regular tour by night with dinner and show. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 815,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 1.555,00
Pantanal » 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.pantanalms.tur.br
Located in the central region of Brazil and one of the biggest sedimentation plains in the world, Pantanal takes a large area—about 140,000 km2—and it also spreads out to the neighboring countries of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
This true ecological patrimony dwelt by countless species of mammals and reptiles, birds and fishes, has exuberant vegetation and, due to the permanent movement of shapes, colors and sounds it is one of the most beautiful live shows on Earth.
Everyone who visits South Pantanal understands the need to preserve and protect that peerless patrimony bestowed by Nature upon Man.
Tour includes regular transfer Campo Grande Airport/Hotel/Campo Grande Airport [236 Km]; 03 or 04 nights at Caiman Ecological Refuge—first class hotel, in a standard room at full board basis and tax; local guided tours as horseback riding, nocturnal outings, trekking, boat tours. English speaking assistance.
Dry Season » 03 nights package:
Price per person in a double room: R$ 2.570,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 4.706,00
Rain Season » 03 nights package
Price per person in a double room: R$ 2.364,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 4.290,00
Dry Season » 04 nights package:
Price per person in a double room: R$ 3.294,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 6.142,00
Rain Season » 04 nights package:
Price per person in a double room: R$ 3.020,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 5.590,00
Bonito » 05 days | 04 nights tour
www.bonito-ms.com.br/
Located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito’s main attractions are its prehistoric caves, falls with crystalline waters, natural aquariums, and archeology sites among many others. Also registered by the National Historical Patrimony, both The Cave of Nossa Senhora Aparecida and the Cave of Lago Azul [with a deep and unbelievably blue lake inside] are well worth a visit.
Tour includes private transportation Campo Grande Airport [CGR]/Bonito/Campo Grande Airport [280 Km]; 04 nights at Marruá Hotel—tourist class hotel, in a deluxe suite including breakfast and tax; local guided tour and transfer to Lago Azul Cave, Natural Aquarium [flotation], Formoso river [flotation], Parque das Cachoeiras [falls park], Rio da Prata [flotation] and Rio Sucuri [flotation]. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 1.546,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 2.375,00
Historical Towns » 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.cidadeshistoricas.art.br/ouropreto/op_inf_p.htm
Belo Horizonte
State capital of Minas Gerais—The distributing and processing center of a rich agricultural and mining region. Belo Horizonte is the nucleus of a burgeoning industrial complex; its chief industries are furniture, textiles, food processing, and publishing. Belo Horizonte was Brazil’s first planned metropolis and was built [1895–97] to replace Ouro Preto as the state capital. With its wide, tree-lined avenues, skyscrapers, and spacious parks, and with its beautiful surroundings and bracing climate, Belo Horizonte is a fashionable resort and a leading cultural center. The Chapel of São Francisco, with paintings by Candido Portinari, is very famous.
Ouro Preto
Shortly after its founding in 1698, Ouro Preto became the center of the greatest gold and silver rush in the Americas to that date, and even nowadays is one of the main mineral extracting regions of Brazil. Ouro Preto today lives largely in the past. In 1933 it was declared a national monument and the surrounding region a national park, so that the city’s elaborate [mostly late 18th–century] public buildings, churches, and houses might be preserved or restored.
The city has many extremely ornate [gold leafed] Baroque churches; religious architecture and sculpture mostly made by the skillful hands of Antonio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho [“Little Cripple”]. The Church of Sao Francisco de Assis and the façade of the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo are his masterpieces. Ouro Preto was declared World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO .
Mariana
Located in the state of Minas Gerais [state’s oldest city], Mariana was once renowned as a mining center and since 1905 it has been the seat of a bishopric. The old prison, the Carmo and São Francisco de Assis churches, the Palace of Governors, and other colonial buildings remain. The nearby Minas da Passagem, one of the largest gold mines in Minas Gerais, is still economically significant.
São João del Rey
Like many other historic towns in Minas Gerais, this city was founded for the mining of gold in its surroundings.
However, unlike many other colonial cities, São João del Rey continued to develop after the depletion of its gold. It remained an attractive location because of the farms in its surroundings. Later, it became a centre of textile industry.
For this reason, São João del Rey did not stay behind in the 18th century .
It does not only count many 18th century buildings but it has also numerous monuments from the 19th and 20th century.
São Joao del Rey counts more than 70 churches, but the most impressive one is the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis. This building was finished in 1774. It has works of the famous Brazilian master Aleijadinho.
Tiradentes
Tiradentes is a small town founded in 1702 that was soon overshadowed by the neighbouring São João del Rey.
Tiradentes looks as if the 18th century is still lasting. A local law requires that all new houses in Tiradentes are built in the baroque style of Minas Gerais [Barroco Mineiro]. This effectively protects the character of this town and it also prevents that Tiradentes becomes a big city after all.
Tiradentes is a quiet place on weekdays but it fills up with people during the weekends. The Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio built between 1710 and 1730 and Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, built between 1708 and 1719 are the most impressive attractions in the city.
Congonhas
Congonhas do Campo is one of the historic cities of Minas Gerais. The reason that tourists visit Congonhas is the Basílica do Senhor Bom Jesus de Matosinhos and the neighbouring historic buildings.
Tour includes meeting at Belo Horizonte Airport and private transportation to Ouro Preto [107 Km]; 02 nights at Pousada Classica or similar in Ouro Preto—standard room with breakfast basis; guided tour in Ouro Preto and Mariana including lunch; private transportation to Tiradentes [170 Km] passing by São João del Rei; guided tour in São João del Rei and Tiradentes including lunch; 01 night at Pousada Pequena Tiradentes or similar in Tiradentes—standard room with breakfast basis; private transportation back to Belo Horizonte’s airport [185Km], passing by Congonhas do Campo where a guided tour will be provided. A panoramic tour in Belo Horizonte is included in the package but depends on flights and arrival/departure time in that city. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 2.272,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 4.485,00
Brasilia » 02 days | 01 night tour
www.geocities.com/augusto_areal/minis_p.htm
Capital of Brazil, Brasilia—which is located on the Central Plateau, at the heart of the country—was planned, designed and built in three years and inaugurated on April 2lst, 1960. Its master plan [“Plano Piloto”] was conceived by Lucio Costa, and its major buildings were designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
Known all over the world for the lightness of its architecture and innovative urban design, in just a little over three decades Brasilia has won UNESCO’s recognition as “heritage of humanity” and has attracted tourists from various parts of the planet who want to know what the daily life in the national decision-making center is like.
Tour includes private transportation airport / hotel / airport in Brasília; 01 night at Comfort Suites Hotel - first class hotel, in standard room with tax and breakfast; full day tour with lunch visiting the main spots in the city including architecture landmarks. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 545,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 924,00
Recife » 04 days | 03 nights tour
www.guiapernambuco.com.br
Recife, the Capital of Pernambuco, was built as a sugar cane port city and due to its numerous waterways has been called “Venice of Brazil”. Olinda, an ancient and historical city near Recife, was founded in 1537 and is designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage city. Porto de Galinhas [chicken port], 70Km from Recife, was the gateway for slaves brought to work on the sugar cane plantations. Now, it is one of the most famous tourist destinations on the Brazilian coast.
Tour includes private transfer airport/hotel/airport in Recife; 03 nights at Tulip Inn Recife Apart-hotel—superior tourist class apart-hotel, in a standard one bedroom suite including tax and breakfast; half day private tour in Recife and Olinda; tour by night to the Old Recife [dinner not included]; full day private tour to Porto de Galinhas [70Km—lunch not included]. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: R$ 824,00
Price per person in a single room: R$ 1.407,00
Amazon Cruise
www.iberostar.com.br/amazon/
This All Inclusive IBEROSTAR cruise includes lodging, all meals, welcome cocktail, all snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, guided activities and excursions at the stops; round trip transportation in Manaus and English speaking assistance.
Rio Solimões & Amazonas Cruise » 4 Days | 3 nights cruise
6 pm on Thursday to 8 am on Sunday
Price per person in a Double cabin: R$ 2.190,00
Price per person in a Single cabin: R$ 3.230,00
RIO NEGRO Cruise » 5 Days | 4 nights cruise
6 pm on Thursday to 8 am on Sunday
Price per person in a Double cabin: R$ 2.860,00
Price per person in a Single cabin: R$ 4.200,00
Entertainment on the ship includes field trips, dance classes, fishing and ecological classes where participants are taught about the native fauna and flora. There are also motorboat excursions through the local lakes of Igapos and Igarapes. Evening activities include live music and theme parties.
Machu Picchu » Peru » 06 días | 05 noches
www.machu-picchu.info
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400 meters [7,875ft] above sea level and 80Km far frm Cuzco. Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu is probably the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire, built around the year 1450, but abandoned a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish Conquest Inca Empire. Forgotten for centuries, the site was brought to worldwide attention in 1911 and since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. It was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is Tour includes transfer airport/hotel/airport in Lima; 02 nights accommodation in Lima and 03 nights accommodation in Cuzco, always in standard rooms at first class hotels without breakfast but with local taxes included; regular city sightseeing in Lima, Cuzco and Machu Picchu [lunch included in Machu Picchu]. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: USD$ 790,00
Price per person in a single room: USD$ 1.095,00
Buenos Aires » Argentina » 03 días | 02 noches
www.buenosaires.com
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city in Argentina. Located on the
southern shore of the La Plata River on the southeastern South America’s coast, Buenos Aires is also the city where the Tango music was born.
This metropolis has its own identity and is open to world architecture, culture and art; it is same time cosmopolitan and controversial, dynamic and traditional, historical and avantgardist.
Tour includes transfers airport / hotel / airport in Buenos Aires; 02 nights at first class hotels in standard room with breakfast and local taxes; half day regular city sightseeing and a Tango Show with dinner [no beverage]. English speaking assistance.
Price per person in a double room: USD$ 350,00
Price per person in a single room: USD$ 605,00
For Brazilian tours prices are quoted in Reais—Brazilian currency
[USD$ 1,00 ~ R$ 2,30 on Jan 2009] and for South American tours prices are quoted in American Dollars. Prices are subject to change until final reservation and full payment of services. The domestic airfare in Brazil or airfares between Brazil and other countries are not included. For non residents in Brazil it is possible to buy an “Air Pass” generally more reasonable than regular domestic fares. The Air Pass is available only if purchased outside Brazil in connection with any international ticket.
