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15 days:
US$3450/UK£1730
Departures any day for four or more
Brazil
is like no other country, with the mightiest river, the largest
rainforest, arguably the most beautiful city and undoubtedly the happiest
people on the entire planet. Brazil's beauty is enchanting, and its
inhabitants so friendly and filled with life that many visitors discover
they never want to leave.
Brazil is also immense, but we've worked
out what we feel is the perfect 15-day trip to really get a
taste of this exotic country. We start out in Manaus, a thriving
city in the heart of the rainforest, where we go for a three- day excursion to a
floating rainforest lodge with
opportunities for jungle walks and wildlife viewing. Afterwards, we catch a
riverboat for a
two-day trip down the Amazon! Arriving at the picturesque town of
Santarem, we go a short way out of town to the beautiful riverside beach
of Alter do Chao, where we can swim, enjoy some cold beer and fried fish
and rent a kayak to paddle to nearby jungle islands. Continuing by air to
the state of Bahia and its capital, Salvador, we'll go to some of
Brazil's best beaches as well as take in the culture of Brazil's most
unique city. The capoeira martial arts dance and the
voodoo-like rituals of candomble both originated here in
Salvador, center of the African slave trade for centuries. After Salvador, we take to the air again for a flight
down the coast to Rio de Janeiro, one of the world's most breath-taking
and vibrant cities. A couple of days of sightseeing and fun in the sun in Rio finish
off our adventure in Brazil.
TRIP
ITINERARY
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Day |
Activity/Location |
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1 |
Arrive Manaus. Manaus is a bustling city of over
one million people set in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
For many years, it was the largest city in the world with no
roads connecting it to the outside. Although there is now a
road connection to Venezuela to the north, it is still the
great Amazon River on which people rely for commerce and
transportation.
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2 |
We'll have the day free in Manaus to buy hammocks for
our upcoming jungle lodge excursion and river journey, visit the
famous opera house and sample some Amazon cuisine.
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3-5 |
Today we head off to a floating lodge deep in the
rainforest. We'll set off in a small riverboat and view the famous
"Meeting of the Waters", where the oily black Rio Negro
joins the yellow Rio Solimoes to form the Amazon proper, and then
transfer to a motorized dugout canoe for our trip up a small jungle
stream to the floating lodge. We'll spend our time taking
rainforest walks where our English-speaking guide will point out and
explain a myriad of fascinating flora and fauna, paddling down small
streams to bird- and monkey-watch, fishing for piranha, catching
caiman (well, watching our guide do so...), and visiting some small
indigenous settlements in the area. In between these activities
we'll have the comfort of our lodge, where we can relax in our
hammocks, take a dip in the lake (no piranhas here), and be served
three delicious meals a day. On day five we'll
say goodbye to our guide and the rest of the staff and motor our way
back to Manaus.
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6-7 |
On the evening of Day 6, we climb aboard a big
triple-decker riverboat, stake out a place for our hammocks, and
head down the Amazon! Of all the experiences one can have in South
America, there is none quite like the feeling of sitting on the top
deck of an Amazon riverboat and realizing you are cruising down the
mightiest, most famous river on the planet. We'll spend the day and
a half it takes to arrive in Santarem getting to know our Brazilian
shipmates, visiting the captain (and maybe even steering the ship!),
relaxing in our hammocks or on deck, and sharing communal meals with
the crew and passengers. There is really nothing quite like this
experience! Late on Day 7, we debark in Santarem.
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8 |
Santarem is a small, attractive town midway between
Manaus and the mouth of the Amazon. The only road out of the city
goes about twenty miles to a beautiful river beach known as Alter do
Chao. Quaint cabanas are set up all along the beach serving cold
beer and fried fish, the water is ideal for swimming and kayaks and
canoes can be rented to paddle to nearby jungle islands. We'll spend
a fantastic day here before heading back to Santarem in the evening.
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9-11 |
This morning we
fly out of the Amazon and down the coast to Bahia. Bahia, and particularly Salvador, pulses with a
vibrancy notable even in Brazil. The sound of drums drifts
through the air, capoeira dancers weave and spin to their unique
beat, women glide by with flowing white dresses and exotic foods
perched on their heads to sell, and the mysterious rituals of candomble, Brazil's version of voodoo, go on in ceremonial houses
throughout the city. Soak up the atmosphere, sample some of
Bahia's mouth-watering cuisine, or hit the sand at one of Salvador's
sparkling white beaches. Those seriously interested may also
have the opportunity to attend a candomble ceremony, depending upon
schedules.
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12-14 |
We fly down the
coast today to Rio de Janeiro, a city that needs no introduction.
We'll take a stroll down
Copacabana Beach, visit the famous Christ statue that overlooks the
city and take a cable car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain before
going out on the town in the city that never rests. We've got
three days here, so we'll also visit to the quaint and hilly
neighborhood of Santa Teresa, explore Rio's large and beautiful
Botanical Gardens, romp on the sands of Ipanema Beach, and even go
day hiking and look for monkeys in Rio's nearby state park.
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15 |
Departure Day |
TRIP
DETAILS
15 days:
US$3450/UK£1730
Departures any day for four or more
Is this trip for me?
Although this trip is not
particularly strenuous, it is adventure travel. We'll be
sleeping in hammocks on a riverboat and and at a jungle lodge for
several days. Our jungle lodge is clean, comfortable and
completely screen-enclosed. Any ages are welcome on this trip.
Joining the tour
You will be given the name, address and phone number of our joining hotel
before departing, but that won't be necessary.
On all
Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by one of our
representatives (holding a Southern Crossings placard), who will
accompany you to our joining hotel. No bargaining or being ripped
off by airport taxis!
Trip briefing
Upon purchase of this trip, we will send you via email, fax, or regular
mail (your choice) a trip briefing, which includes joining instructions
with a map to the hotel in Manaus, Brazil, a list of things to bring, and a
climate/currency/visa guide.
What's included in the trip
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Airport pickup/drop off
and transfer to/from hotel
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Southern
Crossings bilingual guide
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All internal
transport, including internal flights
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Two-day riverboat cruise down the Amazon River
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Three day, two
night excursion to a rainforest lodge
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Alter do Chao beach excursion,
including kayak rental
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Three
breakfasts, lunches and dinners while on rainforest
excursion,
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All meals
while on
riverboat
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Eleven
days hotel accommodation. Hotels are clean, cozy and tourist
class, twin share, with
private bathrooms and 24-hour hot water
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Rio excursions including
Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ Statue, Botanical Gardens and day hike
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Transfers
to/from internal flight
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Southern Crossings T-Shirt and Cap
What's not included
International flight to/from Manaus/Rio,
international airport departure taxes (US$35 from the Rio de Janeiro airport), pre-
& post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance,
meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while
on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature.
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you in
Manaus before your trip and in Rio de Janeiro after your trip at a price
of $40 per person.
Single Person Supplement: $925
Please add this amount to the payment
if you will be traveling alone.
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