Highlights of Brazil

Spending your days in the 'Marvelous City', you can explore and enjoy Rio at your leisure. Brazil's second-largest city, it's often mistaken as its capital for the richness of its culture found here. Wander along the colourful streets, which host the famous annual carnival of this exceptionally beautiful city. Witness the breathtaking views from atop the Corcovado Mountain just underneath the shade of Christ the Redeemer, or stroll the famed Copacabana Beach that sets this city apart from any other. With manmade sights of significance, such as the stadium of Maracanã and sites of natural beauty like Sugar Loaf Mountain, there's plenty to fill your time and make your stay in Rio one to remember.

You'll be met at your hotel by your expert, English-speaking Carioca guide and a private vehicle will be waiting to start your city tour of Rio. Your guide will tailor the tour to how you wish, taking into account your pace and preference. Enjoy a tour of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood, often referred to as the Montmartre of Rio, set into the hills close to the centre of town, which still retains a rich cultural atmosphere of art, music and history. Then head over to the historic centre of Rio where your guide will escort you through the narrow 19th-century streets at your required pace, stopping at the magnificent Baroque churches and the ruins of the old port from where most of Brazil’s gold left for its long journey to Europe.

Next, you'll choose between visiting Christ the Redeemer or Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio’s most famous attractions. At 710 metres above the centre on the Corcovado Hill, the statue of Christ is surrounded by wide, open terraces from where you get unbeatable vistas of the city's impressive littoral, the southern neighbourhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema, the lagoon, the Sugar Loaf and the town of Niterói. Sugar Loaf Mountain is a massive granite rock, which sits 396 metres tall and is one of the city’s most emblematic landmarks, adorning many a postcard.

Get ready for an adventurous way to explore one of the famous postcards of Rio, Pedra Bonita, well known as the hill where the hang gliders take off in Rio city. Together with your guide, you'll head towards São Conrado and embark on a nice trail leading to the top of this mountain, which is 696 metres high. From the top of the Pedra Bonita, you can see the whole Barra da Tijuca shoreline, the Gavea Stone and the Tijuca Forest.

Enjoy your days exploring the historic UNESCO Pelourinho Quarter, in what was Brazil's former capital. From private walking tours of the city with your expert guide to strolling through the markets and frequenting its many hotspots, you'll have a full set of recommendations and advice from us on how best to make the most of the city.

Bahia is the percussive heart of Brazil, and Salvador has plenty of famous percussion groups, such as the 'Afro Bloco Filhos de Gandhi', composed exclusively of men and inspired by the principles of non-violence and peace of Mahatma Gandhi. Olodum is the most famous of all Bahian percussion groups, being present in 35 countries around the world and in thousands of cities, bringing joy and high spirits to more than 20 million people throughout his career.

The 'afro blocos' are also an important tool in the fight against prejudice and discrimination. Their example of success values the self-esteem of black people and their communities. This morning, you'll meet with a famous Brazilian percussionist to learn and play some percussion instruments in a musical tour through the rhythms of Bahia.

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music and today you'll visit FICA (the International Federation of Angolan Capoeira) to meet with capoeira group leaders, learning about the history and philosophy of this martial art before trying out some of the basic movements and instruments. The traditional Capoeira Angolan is the slower and subtler of the two forms of the martial art where the hands are often used to support the body as the blows are given by the feet and where merit is given for the craft and skill used in delivering the blows rather than the blow itself. Like all great martial arts, there's a strong philosophy and way of life associated with being a capoeirista and to become a master demands years of dedication to the finer details of the art.

Iguassu Falls is a must-see wonder of the world, spanning 2.5km, with a whopping 250 different cascades, surrounded by the beautiful Iguazu Rainforest and several walking trails. Found on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná, together they're the largest waterfall system on earth. Here, you'll feel totally enveloped in Brazil's natural world, hundreds of miles away from any bustling city.

A stunning tour of Iguassu, where you'll get a chance to really get up close to the falls. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and bring you by private vehicle to the entrance of the park on the Argentinian side. You'll then be taking the rest of the tour mainly on foot. Exploring the various wooden walkways that lead through the national park close up to the many chutes of the falls.

One of the most spectacular sites of the falls is the Devil's Throat, which sees the largest flow of water. In order to visit the Devil’s Throat, you must board the train at the Main Station or at the Cataratas Station, close to the Upper Circuit. For those who love trekking, there's the one-kilometre-long Sendero Verde (Green Trail) that connects the Visitors Centre to the Cataratas Station and to the Upper Circuit.

Once you're at the Devil’s Throat Station, you'll have to walk for 1.100 metres on a flat catwalk built over the Upper Iguassu River. This catwalk crosses several islands. Once you get to the end of the catwalks, you'll be surprised by a strategic lookout point resting on the side of the gorgeous Devil’s Throat.

You'll enjoy some free time to walk along the path to see the spectacular view of Iguassu Falls on the Brazilian side.

Spend your time relaxing and enjoying the beautiful seaside town of Buzios. Famous for being 'discovered' in the 1960s by Bridgette Bardot, Buzios is no longer the sleepy fishing village it once was, with an abundance of restaurants, bars, boutique shops and hotels. Thankfully, development hasn't been too drastic, and the town still retains much of its charm, often being referred to as the Brazilian Saint Tropez. You'll have our guide to the best restaurants and beaches so you can make the most of your time here.