Day 1 London to Rio de Janeiro
Fly overnight from London with British Airways to Rio de Janeiro.

Day 2 Arrive Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in the morning where you will be met and escorted to the Hotel Copacabana Palace. In the afternoon take the cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain, from where the sunset views over Rio are breathtaking. Rio de Janeiro is an awe-inspiring city of contrasts from steep granite mountains and verdant forests to the deep blue ocean, glorious beaches, grand colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers, all pulsating to the rhythm of the samba.

Day 3 Rio de Janeiro
Spend the day sightseeing with your guide. Visit Corcovado Mountain to see the immense statue of Christ the Redeemer and nearby Tijuca Forest. Continue to Santa Teresa a charming bohemian district noted for its colonial and 19th century buildings. After lunch visit the historical area of the city, stopping at Cinelandia Square with its historical buildings including the beautiful Municipal Theatre, the National Library and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

Day 4 Rio de Janeiro
At leisure to relax and enjoy this vibrant city.

Day 5 Rio de Janeiro to Iguazú – by air
Fly to Iguazú Falls, four times wider than Niagara, they are undoubtedly the most dramatic in the world. On arrival proceed to the Hotel Tropical das Cataratas overlooking the falls – the only hotel situated inside the national park.

Day 6 Iguazú
This morning you may wish to take a boat safari up the river to the falls where the thunder of the water and the brilliance of the rainbow crowning the fury of the torrent is a breathtaking sight. For a different experience visit the Argentine side of the falls and go via a cat walk for a close up view of the ‘Devil’s Throat’ and the lush tropical basin of the Devil’s Gorge.

Day 7 Iguazú to Brasilia – by air
Spend the morning (when the light is best) on the Brazilian side of the falls which offers wonderful panoramic views. In the afternoon fly to Brasilia the modern capital of Brazil. Transfer to the Naoum Plaza Hotel to stay overnight.

Day 8 Brasilia to Belo Horizonte – by air
This morning tour the city. Designed by the architects Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, Brasilia is a remarkable testament to modern architecture and city planning. In the afternoon fly via Sao Paulo to Belo Horizonte and upon arrival proceed by car to the colonial town of Ouro Prêto which nestles in the hills of Minas Gerais. Stay for three nights at the Pousada do Mondego or Hotel Nossa Senhora do Rosário.

Day 9 to Day 10 Ouro Prêto
Two full days to enjoy and explore this charming town with your local guide. Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Prêto, which means black gold, was the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil’s golden age in the 18th century. With the exhaustion of the gold mines in the 19th century, the city’s influence declined but many churches, bridges and fountains remain as a testimony to its past prosperity. Today this picturesque town, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, offers one of the finest examples of Baroque art and architecture in South America. The steep cobblestone streets with colonial houses and Baroque churches adorned in gold are best explored on foot.

Day 11 Belo Horizonte to Salvador – by air
This morning return by car to Belo Horizonte and fly to Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia. With its kaleidoscope of cultures and peoples from Portugal, Africa and native Brazil this is one of the most unique and interesting cities in the country. For over 300 years Salvador was the centre of a thriving slave trade which fuelled the many sugar and tobacco plantations in Bahia. The created wealth is reflected in the Baroque colonial architecture, but the people and culture of Salvador are predominantly African. Stay for three nights at the Casa das Portas Velhas.

Day 12 Salvador
Spend the day sightseeing with your guide in the historic old town recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and noted for its colonial architecture. It was in this old town that the Portuguese built their fortified city and their influence is still clear today. Visit the heart of the old town and walk through the narrow, cobbled streets lined with ornate churches and houses painted in pastel colours.

Day 13 Salvador
Leave the city behind and with your guide drive through some of the oldest farmland in Brazil to visit Cachoeira, 116kms from Salvador. This is the land of sugar cane and tobacco plantations, peaceful colonial towns and busy country markets. Cachoeira is a charming colonial town on the banks of the Paraguassu River. After lunch take a walking tour of the town and visit the Sisterhood of the Boa Morte, a sorority which traces its origins back to the time of slavery.

Day 14 Salvador to Praia do Forte – 80kms
This morning transfer by car to the Praia do Forte Eco Resort (please see page 61) to stay for three nights on the palm fringed beaches of the Bahian coast.

Day 15 to Day 16 Praia do Forte
At leisure.

Day 17 Salvador to Sao Paulo – by air
Transfer by car to Salvador airport for your flight to Sao Paulo. On arrival stay up to departure at the Sao Paulo Airport Marriott Hotel. In the evening depart with British Airways non-stop to London.

Day 18 Arrive London
Arrive London in the morning.