Day 1

You will arrive in Rio de Janeiro and be met at the airport by a private driver who will take you to the elegant oceanfront Miramar Palace Hotel. After checking in, you may want to relax and have some lunch. We suggest lunch at Porcão, a Brazilian barbecue buffet restaurant.  In the afternoon you might like to take a wander around Copacabana and visit the famous beaches near your hotel.

Day 2

Today you will be taken by air-conditioned Land Rover on a city tour to visit some of the most famous sites of Rio. Driving on the scenic Castorina Road towards the Corcovado (the Christ statue) you will stop to see the Mesa do Imperador (the Emperor’s Table) and the Vista Chinesa (Chinese Lookout point) before entering the Tijuca National Park. In the park you will visit the principal hotspots: the Taunay Waterfall, the Mayrink Chapel and not to mention the view of the beautiful flora and fauna of the forest and the sounds of the Atlantic Forest birds. Still driving through tranquil scenic roads in the Tijuca National Park, the tour will take you across the top of the mountain in the direction of Corcovado. After experiencing the panoramic 360º views from the top of the Corcovado, you next stop will be the neighborhood of Santa Tereza, a historical district of old Rio, where artisans and artists live and work. You will be able to visit authentic local artisan stores and have lunch in one of the local restaurants, where you will experience the flavors of Brazilian cuisine. After lunch you will visit the Chacara do Céu Museum, a special place where nature, panoramic views of the Guanabara Bay and art are in total harmony with the landscape. Ending your tour at the Sugar Loaf, where you will be able to watch the magnificent sunset over the city and the bay, you will no doubt have fallen in love with this enchanted city. We suggest dinner at Da Brambini (Italian seafood) in Praia do Leme.

Day 3

On your final day in Rio, you must check out of the Miramar Palace Hotel at around 10.30am and say goodbye to this ‘marvelous city’, then be driven in a private, air-conditioned vehicle to the airport. The flight to Salvador leaves around 13:00 and arrives at around 15:00. At the Salvador airport you will be met by one of our guides and driven to the charming historic hotel Catharina Paraguacu. . We suggest dinner at the Lambreta Grill, an award winning seafood café in the Rio Vermelho district.

Day 4

Today you will begin your journey through Salvador visiting the Pelourinho, the historical district of the city, followed by a delicious Bahian lunch. Then you will visit the Mercado Modelo in Cidade Baixa.  The Mercado Modelo is a handcraft market that used to be the merchandise and slave-trading outpost of the city. Here you can buy many handicrafts and local products. Make sure you visit the dungeon below the market where the slaves were kept prior to sale.

Day 5

On the last day of your trip you will check out of the hotel Catharina Paraguacu and be transported by a private vehicle to Praia do Forte. The journey takes roughly an hour and when you arrive you will check into the Pousada Farol das Tartarugas. We suggest having lunch at 'Bar do Souza'; try their delicious and famous 'bolinhos de peixe' (Bahian-style fish cakes) and/or a fish or shrimp moqueca (Bahian stew). After lunch we suggest you visit the TAMAR PROJECT (turtle NGO) Visitor Center and then on to Papa Gente's Natural Pools for snorkeling (times may vary due to the tide). It is now getting dark and you have worked up a hardy appetite so, we suggest having dinner at the Fata Morgana restaurant (Spanish food) and taking a stroll through the village to see the various boutiques and artisan shops.

Day 6

After breakfast you will check out of Pousada Farol das Tartarugas and be driven to the airport in Salvador. From here you must take a plane to Recife (1 hour) and then to Fernando de Noronha, where our guide will meet you inside the Island tax paying area (the island tax is not included in your package) and then take you to the Pousada Zé Maria. You will then be taken by a private English-speaking guide in your rented buggy on the island tour. This tour will show you the entire island, so that you can better explore your favorite sites the following days of your trip. We suggest you have dinner at Ekologicus, a seafood restaurant near the port. After dinner, you will no doubt want to relax and prepare for day 2 of your Fernando de Noronha experience.

Day 7

On your second day on the island you will follow the Sancho Trekking Trail to see the dolphins returning to their resting bay in the morning. We suggest lunch at the Dolphin Hotel. Then, in the afternoon you will be taken on a boat ride which covers the inner sea of the island. There is good chance of seeing the island´s famous Spinner Dolphin as they depart their bay on their way to high sea for feeding. We recommend dinner at the Italian restaurant - Morena.

Day 8

Today you will do the Acquasub tour in the morning. This is a snorkeling activity where you are slowly pulled behind a boat with other Snorkelers. It is designed to allow you to snorkel covering longer distances. It is an activity you must experience. Our lunch suggestion for today is the Cantinho do Porto at the harbor, which has great fresh tuna and pasta dishes. The afternoon is free for you to relax and do what you want. Tonight why not try dinner at your pousada. Pousada Zé Maria is famous for its delicious dishes designed by a Cordon Bleu chef.

Day 9

A 3-hour horseback ride awaits you this morning. You will be given a choice of a variety of trails, depending on your preference and your experience. The trails are either through mountains or along beaches. We suggest lunch at Nascimento, which has a variety of different cuisines. The afternoon is free. You might want to relax at your pousada, on the beach or go back and visit one of your favorite spots on the island in the rented buggy. We suggest dinner at Tartarugão Restaurant.

Day 10

On your last day on this beautiful island paradise you will go snorkeling with sea turtles at Sueste Beach. The tidal pools are clear turquoise blue and full of marine life. This is one of the few places where a colony of white sea urchins can be seen (the colony is located on the right side of the bay by the remains of the old port).  We suggest you lunch at your pousada today, because at 3pm you will be picked up and taken to the airport in order to make your way to Manaus. Upon arriving at the Manaus Airport you will be met by a private guide who will drive you to the Tropical Manaus Hotel, where you will check in and probably want to go straight to bed, after your long day’s journey.

Day 11

After breakfast you will be taken on a Manaus city tour by one of our private English-speaking guides. You will first visit the Manaus Theater / Opera House and then be taken to either the Indian Museum or the Museum of Natural History (you choose which tour and let your guide know the night before). Afterwards you will be taken on a tour of the port area and the Municipal (a replica of the old Les Halles market in Paris), where you will find a variety of goods, including a wide choice of handicrafts and presents to buy for friends and family back home. We suggest lunch back at your hotel and the afternoon is free to relax and perhaps take a swim in the pool. We suggest the dinner show, which comprises a folkloric music and dance presentation by the pool. Your flight to Tefe leaves early the next day, so a good night´s sleep will help you prepare for the full day coming up next.

Day 12

You will be driven to the Manaus airport early in the morning to catch a flight to Tefe. You will be met at the airport in Tefe by one of the representatives from the Uakari Lodge and taken to the dock area and then in a speed boat to the Lodge. The boat journey lasts about one and a half hours. You will arrive at the Lodge just before lunch and will be given an orientation by the Uakari Lodge manager. After lunch at the Lodge you will have some time to relax and settle in before going on a tour in the afternoon. The tour will be either a walking trail to see wildlife in the flooded forest, or a canoe trip through the small tributaries to see wildlife along the banks of the rivers.

Days 13 and 14

You need to wake up early at around 6.30am to have breakfast at 7am. Your morning tour will set off at roughly 7.30am. This is the best time to see animals and also the temperature is cooler and therefore more amenable to do jungle tours. You will come back for lunch and then have a couple of hours after lunch to rest and prepare for the afternoon tour. There is a book and video library which you may use at liberty. The afternoon tour departs at roughly 3pm and returns at about 6pm. Supper is served in the main dining room and occasionally the researchers from the Mamiraua Institute will join. One of the evenings during your stay at the Lodge you will be shown a presentation of the flooded forest after dinner.

During these 2 days the tours will be a variety of the following:

·         Lake Mamiraua Trip – by motorized canoe to a beautiful lake inside the Reserve, where you will have an opportunity to see a plethora of birds, monkeys, pink dolphins, black caiman and perhaps the pirarucu fish. You will stay at the Lake until sunset and on your way back you will spot nocturnal fauna.  During this night spotting you will be able to see various sized Caymans and if you are lucky small fish attracted by the lights will jump into the boat by the hundreds.

·         Daily Walks along one of the jungle trails in the company of experienced guides, to see capuchin monkeys, howlers, uakaris, squirrel monkeys, three toed sloths and hoatzin birds among many other species.

·         Traditional native Indian harpoon fishing where, depending on how dedicated you are, you can expect to catch a variety of fish.

·         Trip to visit a local riverine ‘Caboclo” village in order to interact and get to know the Amazonian population and way of life.

·         Paddling trips in dugout canoes where you will see a rich variety of birdlife and fauna.

Day 15

On the last day of your trip you will check out of the Uakari Lodge after lunch and be driven by speed boat to Tefe where you can catch a plane to Manaus. We are certain that you will have enjoyed your trip and we look forward to seeing you again in Brazil.

Flights are not included in this package. Please contact us for flight quotes.

·         If you happen to be in Rio on a Sunday the hippie fair (open-air handcrafts market) at Praça Gen Osório in Ipanema is worth a visit.

·         There is an evening dinner show (Samba show and dinner) available, if you are interested, which is not included in the above package. Please let us know if you would like us to book this for you.