Brazil Dunes & Pink Dolphins

We arrive in Rio in the form of a private transfer and straight into the beating heart of the samba rhythm of Brazilian life. Rio is known for its warm, friendly people, its beaches, and Carnival, but the city is rich in myriad ways and any trip to Brazil requires Rio to form a strong part of the itinerary.

Situated along the coast and with a string of beautiful beaches (the most famous being the Copacabana) this seaside city has sun, art, culture, and no shortage of fantastic visitor attractions.  Although often thought of as the capital city, Rio has not been the de jure title holder of that honor since 1960, but it is very much the de facto hub of Brazil as far as tourism and outright beauty are concerned. Rio is home to dozens of beaches, all set along the spectacularly lush coast which is home to dozens of tall islands that dot the sea.

When in Rio we recommend visiting some of, and if not all of the following places: Sugar Loaf, Corcodova, Tijuca Forest, the city center, and last but by no means least, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse, or Rodizio.

Meals (X)

After breakfast, we embark on a trip to visit Corcovado Mountain. We take the cable car from Cosme Velho Station and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Our journey takes us through the dense Atlantic rain forest of Tijuca and offers us a wonderful opportunity for a closer look at the forest’s lush tropical vegetation and to enjoy the scenic landscapes of the beaches and city. Perched on top of the 2,300-foot high granite peak of the aforementioned Corcovado, the Cristo Redentor is as famous a landmark as there is globally.

While everyone will be familiar with it, not everyone has the chance to visit it up close and personal and appreciate just exactly how immense and imposing it is. Built between 1922 and 1931 in the art-deco style of the era, the statue is an enormous 100 feet high and the outstretched arms are only a few feet shorter.

We head on to the Aterro do Flamengo and the neighborhood of Urca and the site of the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain. You will travel all the way to the top in two steps by cable car. The first cable car takes us to Urca Hill, a vantage point some 215m (nearly 700 feet) high, from where we can enjoy fantastic views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Corcovado Mountain. The second leg of our cable car journey reaches the top of Sugar Loaf and from here we get a whole new set of views of such sights as Copacabana beach, the Santa Cruz fortress, and several beaches of Niterói.

Meals (B)

Today, you are picked up from the hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Fortaleza. Upon arrival, you are met by your guide and will start the roughly 300km drive to the fascinating and mysterious sand dune world of Jericoacara.

Jericoacara is located on the west coast of the state of Ceará, approximately 300 km from the city of Fortaleza. Until a few years ago, it was just a small fishing village completely isolated from the world, and still maintaining its rustic atmosphere and bohemian vibe, has become more popular given its unique, striking beauty. The landscape of Jericoacoara is composed of cliffs, large dunes that can reach thirty meters in height, beautiful beaches, and the famous freshwater lagoons, which together form a beautiful natural landscape.

Praia do Perá is the closest to the village and the most accessible, ideal for those who just want to relax and rest, watch the beautiful sunset from the “Pôr do Sol” dune. The beach is 12 km long and is the most frequented by those looking for extreme sports, such as windsurfing and kitesurfing, which need strong and constant winds (one of the main characteristics of the place). Praia da Malhada is suitable for surfers and is on its way to Pedra Furada, a symbol of the region. The famous natural freshwater lagoons are also great attractions, being the main ones; “Lagoa Azul” and “” Lagoa do Paraíso “”, with transparent waters that bathe fine white sand. Another attraction worth visiting is the ruins of Tatajuba, a small settlement buried by the dunes.

Meals (B)

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before being picked up by your guide and heading in the direction of Preá Beach by dune buggy, for an exciting day’s excursion in the sands of Jericoacoara National Park.

We first make our way towards Prea Beach, a picture-perfect stretch of coast, famous with windsurfers and extreme sports enthusiasts due to its predictable winds. From there, we will take a short walking excursion to explore some of the dunes and crystal clear lagoons that are the most eye-catching feature of Jericoacoara.

The most famous of the lagoons, Laguna Paraíso, is known for its varying shades of blue. Here we stop and enjoy a refreshing dip amongst the backdrop of a seemingly extraterrestrial landscape. Some may enjoy lounging in some of the hammocks suspended over the water. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and have the remainder of the evening free to explore on our own.

Meals (B, L)

Today, the choice of activities is up to you. We have left the itinerary open so that you may choose to relax at your hotel or take a self-guided tour of one of the many attractions in the area.

For those travelers eager for physical action optional tours may include joining a fat bike tour, which, as the name suggests, are bikes with oversized tires designed to be ridden on the sand. These E-bikes are a nice way to take in the sights, require minimal effort to ride, and have special access to various trails that larger vehicles cannot go.

If your preference is to be on the water, ask us about the option of including a kayak or stand-up paddleboard excursion to the itinerary. Explore the myriad nooks and crannies of the mangroves before entering the Guriú river, where assisted by the tides, enjoy a smooth ride through the countryside while assisted by the currents.

Meals (B)

Today, we leave the duned paradise for Fortaleza, four-and-a-half hours of drive time be sure to bring your patience and come prepared to enjoy the countryside. In Fortaleza, we board our flight for Manaus

We pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the airport for your flight to the jungle city of Manaus. Manaus is located right in the middle of the world’s largest rainforest and was founded when the Portuguese needed a base from which to defend their claim on the surrounding area from the Dutch who were based in what is now modern-day Suriname. Manaus became known worldwide as a city in the 19th Century with the Rubber Boom, and at the time was amongst the richest cities in the world.

These riches prompted extravagant spending, and a series of one-upmanship from rubber barons left a legacy of marble-clad buildings and huge estates that soon fell into disrepair once the rubber boom ended. Modern-day Manaus is a testament to this fascinating period in South America, and any visit to the Amazon in Brazil should include a stay in Manaus in order to understand modern-day man’s impact and interaction with the surrounding rainforest.

Meals (X)

AM: Enjoy breakfast in your hotel and spend the morning at your leisure, before meeting us this afternoon at the cruise port, for the beginning of your long-awaited Amazon cruise!

The Captain and his crew welcome you aboard where everything has been planned for your well-being, according to your preferences and choices as they have been previously discussed.

PM: Getting together for lunch (or a collation depending on your hour of arrival) with the Captain, you will learn about security guidelines, the journey program, planned stopovers, regional specificities… Then, next stop, the heart of Anavilhanas nature reserve, the “Três Bocas”, for your first boating day: cozily set up in a deck chair or a hammock, you observe the Rio Negro banks. Watch out for swimming dolphins, the elegant flight of blue aras, macaws, cute sloths, and other hosts with feathers, hair, or scales that inhabit this reserve. You will even get closer to them during a kayak ride or a swimming party in the river.

Depending on the season, the captain in an exclusive area that has been chosen for you (a desert beach or a peaceful bay according to the level of river water) for an enchanting evening under a magnificent starry sky.

Meals: (B, L, D)

AM/PM: After a charming breakfast listening to the song of aras, macaws, toucans, and all other singing birds of the forest, you will join the Rio Cuieiras. You will embark upon the dinghy for an even more intimate 1-to-1 with the surroundings, reaching out to “caboclos” that cultivate manioc, a precious staple food in Brazil.

Meals: (B, L, D)

AM/PM: You slowly sail down the Rio Negro to Jaraqui where natives will guide you through the jungle for a 1-hour educational trekking during which the secrets of medicinal Amazonian plants will be revealed to you. On your way (depending on the possibilities offered by the season), you will be at one with the forest during a magical and refreshing swim in some astonishing cascades that are nestled within in nestled within an island of luxuriant greenery.

Meals: (B, L, D)

Today we will go in search of the playful pink river dolphins. Probably the most loved of all Amazon river creatures, this is a unique species never joins the sea. You are free to swim with them, and these curious “botos” will welcome you in 30-degree water for a magical, unforgettable encounter. We’ll then visit a “Ribeirinha” community of Acajatuba to learn about their customs and lifestyle.

Afterward, you will disembark in Manaus, ready to head to the airport for your departure flight.

Meals: (B, L)