Brazil travel itinerary: Salvador Brazil Tours in 9 Days

Your guide meets you at the airport for a private transfer to the hotel. After check-in, you head to the Brazilian side of the falls, where a canyon trail gives panoramic views of more than 240 waterfalls and a glass elevator rises to the viewing platform. Then comes the Macuco Safari: an open jeep-wagon ride through three kilometres of jungle with multilingual guides, an optional 600-metre walk to the 20-metre Macuco Falls, and an inflatable boat upriver into the spray of the Devil’s Throat. Bring a change of clothes. The day ends at the artisans’ fair.

Duration: approximately 5 hours.

Today belongs to Argentina. You cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge above the Iguassu Canyon into the national park, where a small train carries you to the upper and lower circuits. Walkways lead through forest alive with orchids and birdlife and finish at the suspended platform at the brink of the Devil’s Throat, the greatest waterfall of them all.

Duration: approximately 7 hours.

After breakfast, a private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight is not included, though it can be arranged on request. In Rio, the first stop is Sugarloaf. The first cable car climbs Urca Hill, 215 metres up, with views across Guanabara Bay and its islands. The second lifts you to the summit at 395 metres for a 360-degree view over Botafogo, Copacabana, Corcovado, and downtown.

A scenic drive along Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon brings you to Corcovado, where a small train climbs the forested mountainside to Christ the Redeemer, one of the seven modern wonders, at 2,300 ft above the sea. The panorama explains the city’s nickname, the Marvelous City. A lunch stop follows (meal not included). Then the day continues at Cidade do Samba, the warehouses where Carnival’s floats and costumes are built year-round. You learn the history of the parade and can try a costume on.

Duration: approximately 8 hours.

A free day to explore Rio at your own pace, or to add one of the optional tours (not included). Our guide to Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro has ideas for filling the day.

After breakfast, a private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight to Salvador. The flight is not included, though it can be arranged on request. Welcome to Bahia! A local guide meets you on arrival and transfers you to your hotel.

The day begins along the bay and winds up through the city’s tree-lined streets to Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage site of beautifully preserved colonial architecture. You leave the vehicle at Municipal Square, near the Lacerda Elevator, and continue on foot to São Francisco Church, known for its extravagant gold-leaf baroque, and to Largo do Pelourinho at the heart of the neighborhood. For more on the city, read our Salvador Brazil Travel Guide.

Duration: approximately 4 hours.

A panoramic tour of the lower city begins on the quiet Itapagipe Peninsula, a peaceful fishing district watched over by Bonfim Church, one of Brazil’s great pilgrimage sites. The route continues to Monserrat for its city views and ends at the Mercado Modelo, a lively market for local crafts and souvenirs. Lunch is at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, your guide assists with check-out before a private transfer to the airport.