Highlights
- Take in panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro atop Mount Corcovado
- Travel the winding streets of vibrant Vidigal Favela
- Watch a stunning sunrise over the waterways of Anavilhanas National Park
- Canoe along the Rio Negro and meet the famous pink river dolphins
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, City Tour | Rio de Janeiro |
| Day 2 | Vidigal Favela Tour & Hike, Fly to Manaus | Manaus |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Anavilhanas National Park, Archery & Nocturnal Tour | Anavilhanas National Park |
| Day 4 | Fishing on the Rio Negro, Visit a Caboclo Community | Anavilhanas National Park |
| Day 5 | Sunrise in the Amazon, Dryland Forest Hike & Canoe Tour | Anavilhanas National Park |
| Day 6 | Pink River Dolphin Tour, Transfer to Manaus | Manaus |
| Day 7 | Depart Manaus |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, City Tour
Welcome to Rio de Janeiro! Your driver will pick you up at the airport and take you to your accommodations in town. To get acquainted with this fascinating city, take a full-day tour of some of its most iconic landmarks.
Day 2: Vidigal Favela Tour & Hike, Fly to Manuas
On your last half-day in the city, tour the Vidigal Favela and climb Morro Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers Hill). Vidigal is one of Rio's most-visited favelas, informal urban communities built on the city's outskirts. A van will take you up its winding streets to the Two Brothers trailhead. From there, hike about 45 minutes to the 2,165-foot (660-meter) peak of Morro Dois Irmãos to enjoy stunning views of the city. During the tour, your guide will tell you more about the history and culture of Brazil's favelas.
Day 3: Transfer to Anavilhanas National Park, Archery & Nocturnal Tour
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
A group transfer will take you from Manaus to a jungle lodge, your base to explore the Amazon rainforest. From here, you'll discover the igapós (swamps) and igarapés (waterways) of Anavilhanas National Park, a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans an archipelago of the Rio Negro.
Start your adventure with an archery lesson and learn more about the history, culture, and methods of the Waimiri-Atroari people. Find out how the Amazon has shaped this Indigenous group, whose members call themselves Kinja people, and vice versa through artifacts and stories. Then, as night falls, navigate the waters of the archipelago in canoes, illuminated only by the stars on a nocturnal wildlife tour. Keep a sharp eye out for sloths, birds, snakes, caimans, and other animals that only appear at night.
Day 4: Fishing on the Rio Negro, Visit a Caboclo Community
Today, explore the archipelago's igarapés on a recreational fishing trip in wooden canoes. Enjoy the spectacular scenery of the rainforest while fishing for piranhas and other native fish. The tour is open to people of all levels of experience, so there's no excuse not to give it a try!
Later in the day, take a tour in a motorized canoe down the Rio Negro to a local caboclo community. In Brazilian Portuguese, the term most commonly refers to a person of mixed Indigenous Brazilian and European descent, and this region is home to many caboclo enclaves. Today's tour will introduce you to a nearby town and give you an opportunity to learn about the lifestyle, culture, and agriculture of one group of people who call the Amazon home.Day 5: Sunrise in the Amazon, Dryland Forest Hike & Canoe Tour
At dawn, set off for nearby islands, watch the sun appear over the horizon, and experience the Amazon in a whole new way. Keep a lookout for animals, like native birds, that rise with the sun as you immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of an Amazonian morning.
As the day continues, take a break from the waterways of Anavilhanas National Park and head out on an immersive tour of the dryland forest. The Amazon is home to about 10% of all known species on our planet, and a guide will introduce you to some of the plants and animals that can only be found here. Later on, get back on the water to try your hand at canoeing in a traditional wooden canoe on a tour of the igapós and igarapés. Experience the immersive landscape of the flooded forest as you spot rare and resplendent birdlife and primates in the canopy above.
Day 6: Pink River Dolphin Tour, Transfer to Manaus
For your final excursion in the Amazon, set out on a river boat to search for the famous pink river dolphins and tucuxi, two species of freshwater dolphin that can only be found in the Amazon basin. While tucuxi are bluish-gray and look similar to bottlenose dolphins, pink river dolphins are known for their tell-tale rose color, curious natures, and gymnastic skills! Along the way, you'll have the chance to stop on an island to soak in the sounds of the forest one last time.
This afternoon, you'll be transferred from the lodge back to your hotel in Manaus. Before the sun sets, consider heading out to the Meeting of Waters, where the Rio Negro and Solimões River come together to form the Amazon River in a kaleidoscope of brown and black currents. Or spend the evening visiting the Amazon Theatre, a 120-year-old opera house built during the area's rubber boom featuring a dome covered in ceramic tiles resembling the Brazilian flag.Day 7: Depart Manaus
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