Your Itinerary
Day 1Miami
Board your overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro.
Day 2Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Welcome to Rio. Rooms are ready for immediate check-in.
Day 3Rio de Janeiro
An included city tour takes you to bustling downtown Rio, where modern office towers stand next to relics of the Portuguese colonial past. View the Sambodromo and the Cathedral before visiting 300-foot-high Sugar Loaf Mountain. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can savor spectacular vistas of the city and beaches. The afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B)
Day 4Rio de Janeiro
A day of leisure or you may wish to enjoy a Guanabara Bay cruise, offering spectacular views of Rio and its beaches. This afternoon, you may elect to discover historic Petropolis, a mountain resort and site of the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II. Tonight, opt to join a fun churrascaria for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style, followed by a Samba show, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B)
Day 5Rio de Janeiro–Iguassu Falls
Fly to Iguassu Falls at the crossroads of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. This masterpiece of nature encompasses 275 separate falls and spans almost two miles. The afternoon is dedicated to enjoying the spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour. With some cataracts as high as 250 feet, it’s nothing short of hypnotic. The clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth make this an unforgettable natural wonder. (B)
Day 6Iguassu Falls
Today on the Argentine side of the falls, ride the Ecological Jungle Train and enjoy a closer perspective on a walking tour of this side of the falls. (B)
Day 7Iguassu Falls–Manaus
Head to the airport for your flight to Manaus, gateway to Brazil’s Amazon. Later, guided sightseeing shows you the opulent sites from Manaus’ rubber boom at the turn of last century, like São Sebastião Square and Palácio Rio Negro. Next, proceed to the famous Opera House, built almost entirely of European materials during the rubber boom and inaugurated in 1896. Top off your tour with a stroll through the Municipal Market and learn about the region’s local fish, fruits, and medicinal herbs. (B)
Day 8Manaus (Embarkation)
Transfer to the pier and embark your cruise ship, the Iberostar Grand Amazon, your home for the next three nights. Stops will be made at locations along the Amazon’s Rio Solimões, offering excursions to explore the Amazon jungle and local vegetation, see indigenous animals, and even visit local river communities. This evening, enjoy a Captain’s welcome cocktail party before dinner. (B,D)
Day 9Cruising: Rainforest Walk & Piranha Fishing
This morning, board a panga boat for a ride to the shore and embark on a Naturalist-guided walk through the rainforest in the Manacapurú region. Along the trail, learn how natives subsist off the flora. You’ll also hear about some of the medicinal qualities each plant possesses. Keep an eye open for Capuchin and Howler Monkeys! After a lecture on the region and lunch on board, head back out via Panga and try your hand at piranha fishing. Tonight, under the dark of night, cruise the waterways on a Caiman-spotting expedition. (B,L,D)
Day 10Cruising: Bird Watching & Local Home Visit
Enjoy the sunrise over the Amazon as you depart on a bird-watching safari in search of the many endemic birds of the Janauacá Lake region. Later, visit a local home for an up-close view of how the native communities live and work. This afternoon, a cruise through some of the Amazon tributaries allows you the chance to spot wildlife. Your final evening on board begins with a gala dinner followed by a Brazilian Folkloric Show, the perfect finale to your vacation. (B,L,D)
Day 11Meeting of The Waters–Manaus (Disembarkation)–Miami
En route back to Manaus, cruise the Meeting of the Waters, where the chocolate-colored Rio Negro meets with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões to form the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix! Say goodbye to the Amazon when you disembark in Manaus and transfer to the airport for your homebound flight. (B)