Itinerary Details
Day 1: Arrive in Rio de Janeiro
Transfer: Rio de Janeiro International Airportto Rio de Janeiro - Copacabana - Leme
Hotel: Mirador Rio Hotel (4 Star Rating)
Whether your stay is for business or pleasure, the Mirador Rio Copacabana Hotel offers everything you need for a pleasant experience. On the rooftop, relax by the beautiful pool or take care of your well-being in on-site gym.
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Day 2: Full Day Sugar Loaf & Corcovado TourExplore several of Rio's iconic peaks on this quintessential tour, led by a knowledgeable local guide. Begin as the group ascends Sugar Loaf Mountain via its charming cable cars, each car a glass bubble offering jaw-dropping panoramas of the sprawling city, glittering beaches, and verdant rainforest. Capture breathtaking selfies at the summit, feeling the city shrink beneath you. Continue your journey through the Tijuca National Park, a lush haven teeming with vibrant flora and fauna. Reach the majestic Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Mountain, where outstretched arms embrace the city in a timeless blessing. Experience the incredible 360-degree views of Rio, which showcase the city's iconic landmarks and its breathtaking beauty. This tour is more than sightseeing; it's a chance to connect with Rio's soul, its history, and its breathtaking natural wonders.
Day 3: Half Day Rio by Night Food TourDiscover the rich flavors of Brazilian cuisine, especially the unique tastes of 'carioca' cuisine, on this immersive food tour around Rio. Begin in the lively neighborhood of Copacabana, where you'll sample a variety of foods, from fresh juices to savory bar snacks, and even a few Amazonian delights like 'açaí'. Your journey continues as you visit some of Rio's most traditional bars, including Pavao Azul, Belmonte, and Galeto Sat's. Here, you'll indulge in famous appetizers like 'empada' (open pastry pies in various flavors), 'pastanisca de bacalhau' (fried codfish balls), tender chicken with a zesty secret sauce, and grilled garlic bread. Along the way, you'll also have the chance to try Brazil's beloved 'cachaça' and caipirinhas, the national cocktail. If you're still craving more, the final stop will be a local fruit juice bar, where you can savor the Amazonian 'açaí', a berry that has become a staple in Rio's vibrant food scene.
Day 4: Half Day Favela Tour by JeepExplore the bustling streets, vibrant street art, and local businesses, feeling the warmth of community life. You'll have the opportunity to interact with residents, sample delicious local snacks, and even learn a few words of Portuguese! The tour focuses on responsible and respectful tourism, ensuring your visit benefits the community directly. This isn't just a sightseeing adventure; it's a chance to challenge perspectives, connect with people, and discover a genuine side of Rio often unseen. Be prepared for an eye-opening experience that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the city's diverse tapestry.
Day 5: Rio de Janeiro to ManausTransfer: Rio de Janeiro - Copacabana - Leme to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont Apt
Transfer: Manaus Airportto Manaus
Hotel: Juma Opera Hotel (4 Star Rating)
With the exclusivity of a high-end boutique hotel and occupying historic mansions in front of the imposing Teatro Amazonas, Juma Ópera has 41 spacious accommodations, a restaurant dedicated to regional and international cuisine, a gym and a rooftop with swimming pool.
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Day 6: Private Half Day Manaus City Tour with a visit to the Opera HouseUncover the historic charm of Manaus on this half-day city tour, taking you back to the days of the rubber boom. Begin with a drive through the city, where you'll see landmarks like the 19th-century Provincial Palace, now home to several museums. Visit the unique floating harbor, built in 1903 by the English to accommodate the Rio Negro's changing water levels. From the Customs House, prefabricated in Liverpool, to the "Little Big Ben" clock tower, each stop unveils a piece of Manaus' rich past. Stroll through the art nouveau Municipal Market and take in the lively atmosphere of Matriz Square. A photo stop at the impressive Rio Negro Palace, once the home of a German rubber baron and later a governor's residence, showcases Manaus' grandeur. The tour culminates with a visit to the lavish Opera House, a symbol of Manaus' opulence during the rubber boom, constructed with materials imported from Europe and inaugurated in 1896.
Day 7: Depart Manaus and cruise to the Rio Negro RiverThis afternoon, embark on the M/Y Tucano in Manaus, Brazil. Depart on the Rio Negro and as the vessel glides upstream.
Over lunch you will enjoy a brief presentation about key Amazon environments. By late afternoon, enter one of the world's largest river island systems, the Anavilhanas Archipelago. The boat will weave along a winding channel with rainforest on both sides in a riot of brilliant vegetation. Weather permitting, set off for a launch excursion in the gnarled and dense flooded forest along the river's edge. You may see some Squirrel Monkeys and hear the other-worldly growls of Howler Monkeys echoing through the primitive rainforest. The Amazon has one of the greatest collection of birds in the world and you are sure to see some of these brightly colored jewels perched in the treetops. In the late afternoon, return to the M/Y Tucano for hors d'oeuvres on the observation deck and a toast to the rainforest sunset.
Following dinner, embark in launches in search of nocturnal creatures such as the Caiman, the Amazon's crocodilians. You may also see one of the large night birds such as a Great Potoo, with its bulging eyes and large mouth, adapted to swallow the huge Mariposa Moths.
Hotel: M/Y Tucano (3 Star Rating)
The M/Y Tucano offers plenty of space to spread out and contemplate the wonders of nature. With over seventy large windows, the vessel is bright and airy. The cabins and the salon are air conditioned and have elegant raised wood panelling in the style of the classic steamships that once cruised these majestic rivers.
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Meal(s): Dinner, Lunch
Day 8: Cruising the AmazonShortly after sunrise this morning, explore the Anavilhanas Archipelago, a reserve that includes the world's largest system of river islands and also areas of tall dense rainforest. Here you will see the strange environment called the igapó, the black water flooded forest, where trees grow right out of the dark water of the Rio Negro. Travelers can explore in our launches or conditions permitting, in kayaks.
In the mid-morning, return to the vessel for a hearty Brazilian breakfast. After some time to relax, weather permitting, in mid-morning you will go for a walk in the type of rainforest known as the terra firme. In addition to the countless plants and small creatures of the forest floor, here you have a good chance to see the markings, if not the animals themselves, of some of the Amazon's great mammals like peccaries (wild pigs) or even a jaguar.
Around mid-day, return to the vessel for lunch and a siesta. In the afternoon, set off on launches along the edges of the dense forest and listen to the sunset chorus of birds, howler monkeys and frogs.
Weather permitting, tonight you will have an excursion to spot caiman (the Amazon's crocodiles) and other nocturnal creatures including arboreal porcupines or sloths.
Hotel: M/Y Tucano (3 Star Rating)
The M/Y Tucano offers plenty of space to spread out and contemplate the wonders of nature. With over seventy large windows, the vessel is bright and airy. The cabins and the salon are air conditioned and have elegant raised wood panelling in the style of the classic steamships that once cruised these majestic rivers.
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Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Day 9: Cruising the AmazonToday you will voyage to the west side of the Rio Negro and continue to scout in launches and walk in the forest. Explore, according to the weather and water depth, areas rarely visited by anyone else.
Tonight the M/Y Tucano goes downstream, and river depth permitting, will enter an east bank affluent of the Rio Negro and explore deep into the rainforest on this small river. After your nocturnal exploration of the rainforest in launches, return to the Motor Yacht Tucano for "Caipirinha Night" and perhaps try a bit of samba on the top deck.
Hotel: M/Y Tucano (3 Star Rating)
The M/Y Tucano offers plenty of space to spread out and contemplate the wonders of nature. With over seventy large windows, the vessel is bright and airy. The cabins and the salon are air conditioned and have elegant raised wood panelling in the style of the classic steamships that once cruised these majestic rivers.
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Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Day 10: Cruising the AmazonThe day begins with a dawn excursion in search of wakening wildlife followed by a full Brazilian breakfast. You will then go one last time into the forest. Conditions permitting, you may go for a swim in the refreshing water of the Rio Negro.
In the mid-afternoon the journey downstream to arrive late in the day at the "Encontro das Aguas" begins - a stark several mile long line where two of the world's largest rivers, the Amazon and the Rio Negro join in a turbulent maelstrom. Here the dark water of the Negro runs beside the opaque brown water of the Amazon.
At sunset, the M/Y Tucano will once again turn her bows upstream on the Rio Negro and journey to the overnight anchorage. As you pass in front of Manaus, marvel at the scale of one of the world's largest and most vibrant port cities over a thousand miles from the sea. Tonight you will have a farewell dinner and prepare for an early departure in the morning.
Hotel: M/Y Tucano (3 Star Rating)
The M/Y Tucano offers plenty of space to spread out and contemplate the wonders of nature. With over seventy large windows, the vessel is bright and airy. The cabins and the salon are air conditioned and have elegant raised wood panelling in the style of the classic steamships that once cruised these majestic rivers.
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Meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Day 11: Return to Manaus & DepartureEarly this morning, after a hearty breakfast, all guests disembark from the M/Y Tucano.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Transfer: Manaus Port to Manaus
