Day 1 –  Arrival to Rio

Welcome to Rio. When you arrive you will be met at the airport by your Earth Trip representative and driven to your hotel. After check-in, you would have a couple of hour to rest before an afternoon walking your to Sugarloaf.

This is the easiest and most famous track in Rio de Janeiro. It’s safe and impossible to get lost. We start the tour going by car to Praia Vermelha in Urca neighborhood, which is the beach where the cable car station to the Sugar Loaf is located. From there, walking, we’ll take the track Claudio Coutinho also known as Caminho Bem Te Vi, which is 1250 meters. The hike takes 45 minutes at most going up slowly; it is great to enjoy the woods, its sounds and animals like marmosets and numerous birds. At the end of it, we’ll take the cable car to the Sugar Loaf. The descent will also be done via cable car and finally we return to the vehicle towards the hotel.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Windsor Excelsior Copacabana

Convenience and refinement by the ocean for those who want to enjoy unique moments in the...

• Board Includes:
• Dinner

Day 2 – Rio de Janeiro → Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu

After breakfast, you will transfer to the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu.

REGUA has an extensive network of trails leading to some of the best preserved parts of the Atlantic Forest, passing through restored floodplains to rivers and waterfalls that were untouched until a few years ago. All trails offer magnificent birdwatching opportunities and this area is one of the easiest places in the Atlantic Forest to see a large number of bird species. We begin by making the roughly 2-hour drive from Rio de Janeiro. Upon our arrival, we will be met by a local guide, specialized in birdwatching and familiar with the trails. Together we will assess which are the best trails to explore, according to the local conditions.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Regua Lodge

The Lodge, opened in 2004, offers ten suites in a relaxed setting within Brazil's Atlantic Forest....

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 3 – Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu →Rio de Janeiro

Today, you will enjoy our last morning at Regua, as after lunch, you will be transferred back to Rio.

Once you arrive, you will have the rest of the day at leisure.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Windsor Excelsior Copacabana

Convenience and refinement by the ocean for those who want to enjoy unique moments in the...

• Board Includes:
• Dinner

Day 4 – Rio de Janeiro → North Pantanal via Cuiabá

This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your domestic flight to Cuiabá.

Once you arrive, you will be met by an Earth Trip representative and transferred by car to your hotel. Travel time will be approximately 3 hours route passing through the small town of Santo Antonio do Leverger and the villages of Porto de Fora, and Mimoso.

On the way to the lodge, if you’re lucky, you might spot birds, small animals, landscapes, and typical buildings from Pantanal native people.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Pousada do Rio Mutum

Pousada do Rio Mutum - is located in the municipality of Barão de Melgaço, in one...

• Board Includes:
• Dinner

Day 5 – North Pantanal

After breakfast, you will take an ecological walk for approximately 2 hours to explore the natural environment. You will pass through wood areas, forests, and open fields in search of birds, mammals, reptiles, plants and other components of the Pantanal ecosystem. We will return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will go on a boat ride along the Mutum River for approximately 3 hours. In addition to the beautiful vegetation that lines the river, these transparent waters are also home to giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis), rays (lymma Taeniura), and shoals of small fish. Thanks to this rich water and vegetation, these riverbanks are home to various bird species. After the boat ride, we will return to the lodge for dinner.

After dinner, you will take a night spotlighting tour by jeep or boat for approximately 2 hours, exploring the surroundings in search of nocturnal creatures and to contemplate of the wetland environment.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Pousada do Rio Mutum

Pousada do Rio Mutum - is located in the municipality of Barão de Melgaço, in one...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 6: North Pantanal

After breakfast, we’ll set out on a horseback ride lasting approximately three hours to visit a traditional farm situated on the edge of Sia Mariana Bay. This route offers an excellent opportunity to observe the region’s flora and fauna year-round, with an impressive diversity of species, particularly birds. After the ride, we’ll return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, we’ll embark on a three-hour boat trip along the Mutum River to Sia Mariana Bay, which stretches 8 kilometers from north to south. During this journey, we’ll explore the bay’s shores and the channel that connects Sia Mariana Bay to Chacororé Bay. The area is teeming with wildlife, including a variety of bird species, reptiles, and other animals, with particularly expansive views of Chacororé Bay during the rainy season when it spans over 15 kilometers. At sunset, we’ll stop to fish for piranhas. On our return to the lodge, we’ll use flashlights to spot nocturnal animals before concluding the day with dinner.

* Piranha fishing occurs in the months of March to October. In the period from November 1 to February 28, it is prohibited to fish in rivers, lakes and bays of Mato Grosso, because it is the period of breeding fish (Piracema).

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Pousada do Rio Mutum

Pousada do Rio Mutum - is located in the municipality of Barão de Melgaço, in one...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 7 – North Pantanal → Chapada dos Guimarães

Our day begins early at 4:30 a.m. with a serene sunrise canoe tour, lasting about 1.5 hours. This peaceful paddle offers a front-row seat to the breathtaking awakening of nature in the Pantanal. Afterward, we’ll return to the lodge for breakfast and proceed with checkout.

Next, we’ll journey to the tablelands of Chapada dos Guimarães National Park for the next chapter of our adventure. The drive takes approximately three hours, passing stunning cliffs as we approach the Geodesic Center of the South American Continent. With a bit of luck, we might spot—or at least hear—the red and green macaws nesting in the sandstone cliffs. We’ll stop here for lunch before continuing.

After lunch, we’ll visit the historical center of Chapada dos Guimarães city. This charming area showcases Baroque-style architecture and is home to the first church built in Mato Grosso.

Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, established in 1989, is renowned for its natural beauty. It features Brazil’s largest sandstone cave, the iconic Bridal Veil waterfall, striking orange-hued cliffs, and pristine rivers. The park is a haven for biodiversity, offering opportunities to admire the unique flora and fauna of the Cerrado biome. Additionally, it plays a vital role in protecting the Upper Paraguay River Basin, including the headwaters of the Cuiabá River—one of the Pantanal’s main tributaries.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Pousada do Parque

The natural grandeur of Chapada dos Guimarães justified the creation, in 1989, of the National Park...

• Board Includes:
• Dinner

Day 8 – Chapada dos Guimarães

Today you will have the day at leisure to explore the surroundings.

Pousada do Parque offers various self-guided trails to allow visitors direct contact with nature. The trails vary from easy and medium difficult level trails. They take you to the observation tower (550m distance), seasonal waterfall from December to July (380m distance), sandstone formations (450m distance), arqueologic site with rock paintings (1,3 Km distance), in addition to the primary woods trails (1,5 Km distance) with old large trees and endemic vegetation. Moreover, the lodge has catalogued local bird species found in the area, a highlight for many visitors.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Pousada do Parque

The natural grandeur of Chapada dos Guimarães justified the creation, in 1989, of the National Park...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 9 – Chapada dos Guimarães → Bom Jardim and visit to Lagoa das Araras

We will start the day with breakfast at Pousada do Parque, followed by a leisurely morning before check-out. A private English-speaking driver-guide will then accompany us to Bom Jardim in Nobres, a journey of approximately two hours. Along the way, we’ll pause for lunch (not included).

Upon arriving in Bom Jardim, we’ll visit Lagoa das Araras, a stunning lagoon surrounded by Buriti palm trees (Mauritia flexuosa), situated at the transition zone between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes. This habitat attracts a variety of regional bird species, including macaws, parrots, parakeets, and herons. The Buriti palms, with their hollow stems formed after losing their crowns, provide ideal nesting sites for these birds. The serene water reflecting the sky adds to the lagoon’s beauty.

In the late afternoon, we’ll witness the mesmerizing sight of flocks of birds returning to their nests in the Buriti trees at sunset. To access the lagoon, we’ll first drive to the center of the Vila of Bom Jardim, then take a short 200-meter walk along a trail leading to a wooden observation deck, where we can enjoy the view and the sunset.

Afterward, we’ll proceed to our accommodations for the night, located in another part of the municipality, just a 15-20 minute drive away.

Superior

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Reino Encantado – Nobres

• Board Includes:
• Dinner

Days 10 – Flotation down the Salobra River and transfer to Cuiabá

After breakfast, we will explore the Salobra River, which originates right on the property of our accommodations and is fed by over 600 springs. Our adventure begins with a short 300-meter walk through the forest to reach the crystal-clear river. Equipped with specialized flotation vests and snorkels, we’ll gently float 1 kilometer downstream, marveling at the vibrant aquatic life and lush vegetation. At the end of the river, we’ll return to the lodge via a trail that winds alongside many of the springs. Along the way, we might encounter wildlife such as agoutis, pacas, monkeys, anteaters, armadillos, ocelots, and more.

After the activity, we’ll enjoy a delicious on-site lunch before checking out and beginning our drive back to Cuiabá, a journey of approximately two hours. Upon arrival, we’ll check into our hotel and have the rest of the evening to relax at our leisure.

Mid-range

Brazil Holidays • Brazil

Deville Prime – Cuiaba

An authentic high-end journey in the heart of Cuiabá and the geodesic center of South America....

• Board Includes:
• Lunch

Day 11 – Cuiabá → Southern Amazon

After breakfast, we will be met by a private transfer and taken to the airport in Cuiabá for our flight to Alta Floresta.

Airport arrival in Alta Floresta, where we will be met by a shared transfer and taken to an exclusive lodge, located in a private reserve in the southern part of the Brazilian Amazon. Here, we will be surrounded by forest and the banks of the Cristalino River as we find ourselves in the best possible space to feel comfortable and calm when we return from our daily adventure activities.

This area and lodge are especially popular among bird lovers and specialized birding guides are available upon request. During these days, we will be invited every morning and evening by the expert guides at the lodge to take part in different activities, such as canoeing, walks on trails, visits to the observation towers, wildlife observation and boat trips. Sometimes it will be possible to combine more than one activity on a single excursion, such as trails and canoeing. Other times, you have to walk on the trails to reach an attraction, such as the observation towers. Many roads are only accessible after a boat ride. The activities that we will carry out will be combined between the guide and the group of adventurers, with the objective of increasing the possibilities of observing the wild life.

Deluxe

Brazil

Cristalino Lodge – An Amazon Sanctuary

Come quickly, before the sun surges above the horizon. Go out in silence, accompanying the melody...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 12 –  Southern Amazon

Today, we will dedicate the entire day to immersing ourselves in the incredibly diverse flora and fauna surrounding the lodge. Among the activities available is a serene canoeing experience along the calm waters of the Cristalino River. As we paddle, we can enjoy the tranquility while observing a variety of bird species, such as the crowned heron, tiger heron, and kingfisher, as well as monkeys like the agile spider monkeys.

We’ll also have the opportunity to explore the lodge’s network of trails. These hikes offer a deeper understanding of the tropical ecosystem, winding through different types of vegetation, including non-flooding evergreen forest, wetland forest, tropical campinarana, and deciduous highland forest. The latter features bare-branched trees and vibrant bromeliads, which bloom beautifully at certain times of the year.

A visit to the observation towers is a must for a unique Amazon experience. Rising above the forest canopy—where trees can exceed 45 meters in height—the towers offer unparalleled views and access to the treetop habitat of the region’s birdlife, including tanagers, macaws, parrots, toucans, and aracaris. The towers have platforms at different heights, allowing us to observe the forest’s distinct layers and enjoy breathtaking vistas of the endless green expanse stretching below.

Deluxe

Brazil

Cristalino Lodge – An Amazon Sanctuary

Come quickly, before the sun surges above the horizon. Go out in silence, accompanying the melody...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 13 – Southern Amazon

Boat trips, with the assistance of our experienced guides, are a fundamental part of the visit. Many of the trails can only be accessed by boat, and on the trip we will have the opportunity to observe the wildlife along the rivers. One of the trips includes a visit to the Teles Pires River to enjoy the sunset. The meeting of the waters of Teles Pires with those of the Cristalino River is a fascinating mixture of their light and dark tones.

Deluxe

Brazil

Cristalino Lodge – An Amazon Sanctuary

Come quickly, before the sun surges above the horizon. Go out in silence, accompanying the melody...

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 14 – Departure

After breakfast at the lodge, you will depart for the airport to embark on your journey home.