Discover Brazil with your family. Take a tour of the cidade maravilhosa, Rio de Janeiro, that offers many children friendly activities among which stand-up paddle. Follow on to the Ilha Grande, south of Rio, a large island near the coast with some fairly easy trekking trails. Finally, get to know Salvador and surroundings for some cultural exploration but also magnificent beaches to lounge on.
Airport pick up (time and flight number to be confirmed) and transfer to the hotel.
Night at the hotel Promenade Princess Copacabana (breaksfast included). Junior Suite.
Your english speaking guide will meet you at the hotel at 09:00am for a city tour.
You will start the visit with the impressive botanical garden, proudness of the cariocas. Each of the 141 hectares of the park hosts species of the brazilian and world flora. The imperial palm trees, main attraction of the garden, were seeded under the order of the regent prince Dom Joao VI in 1809. centenary trees, orchids, vtorias regia, bromeliads, flamboyants in an atmosphere filled with tropical scents.
Free time to wander to your own pace between the water pools and to enjoy the freshness and peacefulness of the place.
Then transfer to Urca. Later, take the cable cart to the summit of the Sugarloaf (el. 400 m.a.s.l.), another Rio´s symbol which marks the entrance of the Bay of Guanabara.
Return to the hotel at 05:00pm.
Your english speaking guide will pick you up at 09:00am at the hotel.
After a short transfer to Ipanema, you will get your bikes for a half day discovery of the south area of Rio. The tour will firstly follow a biking track on the lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas´s banks (7.5 km circumference) just behind Ipanema (option to visit the Catacumba park, a nice park with modern sculptures).
Then you will follow the Leblon and Ipanema beaches, crowded in summer but quieter the rest of the year. You can take a break for a swim in the sea then enjoy the viewing point in arpoador, the rock marking the end of the beach.
A short distance to bike and you will be in Copacabana (option to visit the Copacabana fort, entrance fee not included).
Return the bikes late in the morning and return to the hotel.
Note 1: this excursion can not be planned on Sundays and Banking holidays.
Note 2: 3 to 4 hours excursion recommended in the morning.
At 14:00pm, your English-speaking guide will meet you at the hotel. Climb to the Corcovado, worldly known symbol of Rio. The ascent to 700 meters above sea level will be done by train. Once at the summit, take the time to appreciate the unique and wonderful panoramic view of the "cidade maravilhosa" (wondrful city). Rio will spread under your feet, majestic and calm. This outstanding viewpoint will give you a better understanding of the physical and "social" topography of the town. Return to the hotel at 01:00pm.
Option: Helicopter flight of a few minutes from the mirador of Dona Marta, check with us.
Departure from the hotel to drive to Conceição de Jacarei with your local driver. 2-hour drive on a paved road along the Green Coast, a vegetation corridor between ocean and mountains.
Board in a boat for the crossing to Ilha Grande (0h20 crossing).
Night at the pousada Naturalia (breakfast included).
Trek - 3 to 4-hour hike – elevation gain 150 meters – moderate.
At 09:00am, start the trek accompanied by your English-speaking guide, to the Lopes Mendes’ beach on the other side of the island. You will walk in a tropical atmosphere on a track sometimes steep (short elevation gain allowing great views over the little Bays of the island) or on beaches. After a 2 to 3-hour walk, you will reach Lopes Mendes, a long, wild and white sand beach bordered with coconut trees. Return to Abraão at the end of the day.
At 09:00am the captain will drive you to the pier to board on his vessel, a fishing boat equipped for the tour (benches and cushions, cooler…). Day sailing along the shore of the Ilha Grande (without noone but your captain). Stops planned on different sites suitable for swimming or snorkeling in the company of hundreds of fishes (mask and snorkel included): enseada das estrelas, ilha dos macacos, saco do ceú, japariz, lagoa azul... Return to Abraão around 04:00pm / 05:00pm.
Option: English-speaking guide, check with us..
Portage of luggage service from the pousada to the pier.
Boarding in the morning (regular line - about a 20 min crossing) for the crossing to Conceição de Jacarei.
Pick up at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Night at the Monte Pascoal hotel (breakfast included).
Meet at the hotel at 09:00am with your English-speaking guide for the discovery of the area best representing the heart and soul of Salvador.
With the influences of its African origins, the city has built a unique identity in Latino America, with a daily life animated by capoeira rythms and the religious festivities of the candomblé.
In the morning, visit the lower parts of town. Start with the farol (lighthouse) da Barra, a lonely guard at the entrance of the all saints bay, built under the order of Tomé de Souza, the first gobernador of Salvador.
Then you will head to the port area and visit the Sao Joaquim market, an authentic bahianan market. You will continue to the north and stop at the Bonfim church where you can admire an impressive ex votos collection showing the popular devotion to the Senhor do Bonfim in the "miracles room".
The visit will then take you to Ribeira, a always animated popular area. In the morning with the shouting merchants, at midday for lunch (moqueca specialty, a kind of fish and sea-fruit stew) and the night for dancing.
After lunch, visit of the higher parts of town, with the Pelourinho histrorical area. Its prestigious architectural ensemble was renovated in its original bright colors and has superb colonial houses and many baroque churches. The visit (by foot) will start in the capoieira fort where you will enjoy a wonderful scenic view over the bay.
You will ten walk up the rua do carmo until the convento do Carmo (a convent transformed in a luxurious hotel), The visit will be followed with the jewel workshop D'Klays, the house/museum Jorge Amado and the shiny Sao Francisco church with its surprising azuleiros frescos.
You will finish the afternoon at the base of the Lacerda elevador, the crossing of the lower and upper parts of the city, with a shopping time at the Mercado Modelo.
Return to the hotel at the end of the day.
Option: half day visit of the " candomblé" followed with a night ceremony, check with us.
Departure at 09:00am in a private vehicle with your English-speaking guide going to the North and its beautiful coast.
On the program, a stop in the well-known hippie village of Arembepe (where Janis Joplin and Mick Jagger used to live), then and 85 km further North, a visit of the Praia do Forte, a 12 km fine sand beach bordered with coconut trees.
You can visit the ecological project "Tamar" dedicated to the turtles protection (entrance fee not included / about USD 6) or walk through the many shops of the village.
If wish a quieter place, it is possible to continue to Imbassai ("where the waters meet" in Tupi Guarani dialect) where you will have the choice between fresh and salt water for a swim.
Return to Salvador end of the afternoon.
Night at the pousada Porto da Lua (breakfast included).
Departure at 09:00am in a private vehicle to discover the beautiful region of Mangue Seco, close to the border of Sergipe.
You will arrive at the small village of Pontal. You will cross the river using the "Tototós", typical boat of the region.
The difficulty to access this aerea and the mobile dunes are a natural protection which allow to preserve this natural paradise.
Night at the pousada O Forte (breakfast included).
Your guide will accompany you. Several Activities are available : hiking in the dunes, buggy or kayak to reach other small villages, discover the local fauna and flora, the mangroves.
Your guide will accompany you.
Departure from the hotel at your convenience for Salvador. Small boat to Pontal, then a four hour drive to Salvador.