Brazil Highlights

Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure. You’ll also have a private coach and driver while touring .

São Paulo, Brazil's vibrant financial center, is among the world's most populous cities, with numerous cultural institutions and a rich architectural tradition. Its iconic buildings range from its neo-Gothic cathedral and the 1929 Martinelli skyscraper to modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer's curvy Edifício Copan. The colonial-style Pátio do Colégio church marks where Jesuit priests founded the city in 1554. São Paulo ranks eighth among cities in the world for the number of high-rise buildings.

The city of Paraty, a UNESCO Heritage Site, is located halfway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Most of the city's charming historic downtown area dates from the 18th century, though pieces to its founding in 1531. The pedestrianized city naturally encourages walking to explore it's coastal and mountain scenery, or travel inland to the Atlantic rainforest.

Travel to paradise by way of Trindade, located just outside of Paraty. Hike through a portion of the Atlantic Rainforest and discover stunning beaches and scenic beauty. Stop at Cepilho beach, a surfer’s paradise, heart-shaped Meio’s beach, and from Caixa D’aco beach, discover nearby natural pools, an ideal setting for swimming and snorkeling.

Enjoy a rewarding and stunning hike around part of the island that will take you on the T10 trail towards Lopes Mendes beach passing by Palmas, Mangues and Pouso Beach. Lopes Mendes is arguably the most stunning beach in the world with fine white sand and crystal clear waters. Sure to captivate all who visit its shores. This beach is suitable for swimmers and surfers. Find its hidden treasures like the small creek that runs into the ocean as well as a small chapel with a mosaic by Silvio Cavalheiro.

Stylish, sophisticated Rio thrills visitors with its beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, and innovative buildings. Most impressive may be the soaring cathedral, whose vast interior can accommodate 25,000 people. Four enormous stained-glass windows throw colored light down on the space, unbroken by columns or other supports. Back outside, you may feel that you've escaped to Paris -- the theater house and art museum were modeled after Paris's ornate Opéra Garnier and Louvre museum.

Soccer or football is an integral part of Brazil's national identity. Connect with a team of local enthusiasts to play a game on the beach.

Rio's most spectacular landmark, up close and personal. Go up Corcovado ("hunchback") Mountain on a Swiss-made cogwheel train, through the lush Tijuca National Forest, and arrive at the top to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer that gazes out over the city. The views from the mountain are astounding, as is the statue itself. It stands almost 100 feet tall and weighs over 1000 tons.

Jump in what may be your most spectacular glass-elevator ride ever. Sugarloaf Mountain (named because it resembles the ceramic mold used to refine sugar cane) rises up from the intersection of Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. You'll take a glass-sided cable car up the peak, where you'll find amazing views of the entire city and beyond.

Indulge in the flavors, sounds, and sights of traditional Brazilian culture, from samba dancing to capoeira martial arts.

Your flight home is overnight. You will return home on Day 10.