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Étaperia

Brazil itineraries, day by day

A continent of a country with contagious energy: Rio and its Christ opening his arms between beaches and sugarloaf peaks, the Iguaçu falls thundering over three kilometres, the endless Amazon, the dunes and lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses, the jaguar country of the Pantanal and the old colonial cities of Salvador and Ouro Preto. Add samba, caipirinhas and the warmest people there are: Brazil is not visited, it is embraced.

Capital
Brasília
Currency
Real (BRL)
Language
Portuguese
Direct flight
≈ 11 hr 30 to Rio or São Paulo
Time difference
-4 hr in winter, -5 hr in summer
Christ the Redeemer on the summit of Corcovado overlooking Rio, the lagoon and the ocean

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in Brazil

Or take it one module at a time

A church in Salvador above the Bay of All Saints, seen from the air

Module

Brazil in 10 days: Olinda, Recife and Salvador, day by day

Ten days from Natal to Salvador: the historic center of Olinda and the Alto da Sé at sunset, Recife Antigo, the natural pools of Porto de Galinhas by jangada, the Rota Ecológica, the Gunga cliffs, then five nights in Salvador, from the Pelourinho to the Senhor do Bonfim.

10 days €39

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A jaguar lying on a riverbank at the edge of the Pantanal forest

Module

Brazil in 10 days: São Paulo, the Pantanal and the jaguar, day by day

Ten days from Avenida Paulista to the banks of the Cuiabá River: MASP, the historic center of São Paulo and Ibirapuera Park, the Véu de Noiva and the Cidade de Pedra, the Caverna Aroe Jari, the 145 km of the Transpantaneira and two jaguar safaris by boat from Porto Jofre.

10 days €39

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A squirrel monkey, a small primate of the Amazon rainforest, seen up close

Module

Brazil in 12 days: Bonito and the Amazon, day by day

Twelve days from the Serra da Bodoquena to the Rio Negro: the Gruta do Lago Azul, the 72 m rappel into the Abismo Anhumas, the river float at the Aquário Natural, the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, the Meeting of the Waters and four days at a lodge in the Anavilhanas archipelago.

12 days €39

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The Sugarloaf cable car above Rio, Botafogo Bay and Corcovado in the distance

Module

Brazil in 17 days: Minas Gerais, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro, day by day

Seventeen days from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro: the Pampulha modern ensemble, Inhotim, Ouro Preto, Congonhas and Tiradentes, the Imperial Museum in Petrópolis, Paraty and the Saco do Mamanguá, then six nights in Rio, from Corcovado to Sugarloaf Mountain.

17 days €39

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The right season

When to go in Brazil?

Brazil can be visited all year round, region by region: Rio and the South shine from December to March (southern summer, beaches and carnival), the Pantanal is best seen in the dry season from June to September, the Lençóis fill with lagoons from June to August and the Amazon alternates high waters and trails with the months. April-May and September-October offer an excellent compromise everywhere.

  • January : Ideal
  • February : Ideal
  • March : Pleasant
  • April : Pleasant
  • May : Pleasant
  • June : Ideal
  • July : Ideal
  • August : Ideal
  • September : Ideal
  • October : Pleasant
  • November : Pleasant
  • December : Ideal
  • Ideal
  • Pleasant
  • In-between
  • Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding Brazil

Getting around

The distances demand flying: LATAM, GOL and Azul criss-cross the country at fair prices when booked early. In town, Uber is everywhere and cheap; the long-distance buses are excellent for medium legs.

Money

The real (BRL). Cards and contactless dominate, including with the beach vendors. Pix, the local instant transfer, has replaced cash at many businesses.

Language

Brazilian Portuguese, lilting and approachable. Spanish helps, English remains limited outside tourist areas: ten words of Portuguese trigger instant smiles.

Useful apps

Uber and 99 for all urban rides, the Cataratas park app for Iguaçu, and Moovit in the megacities. A local eSIM makes everything simpler.

Accommodation

Characterful pousadas in the colonial towns, lodges of the Pantanal and the Amazon, flats facing the beaches of Rio. Carnival and New Year book out six months ahead.

Etiquette

Greet with a kiss on the cheek or a frank hug, share your table gladly and keep valuables discreet in the city: the party yes, carelessness no.

Must-sees

The iconic places

  • Christ the Redeemer

    Rio de Janeiro

    38 m of open arms on the summit of Corcovado, the most beautiful urban view in the world: bay, Sugarloaf and beaches below.

  • Iguaçu Falls

    Paraná

    275 waterfalls over 3 km on the Argentine border, including the Devil's Throat that swallows the river. Walkways skimming the spray.

  • Lençóis Maranhenses

    Maranhão

    A desert of white dunes studded with turquoise lagoons after the rains: one of the most unreal landscapes on the planet.

  • Pelourinho

    Salvador

    The Afro-Brazilian heart: pastel façades, capoeira drums and the gilded churches of the country's first capital, UNESCO.

  • Pantanal

    Mato Grosso

    The largest wetland in the world and the best place on the continent to see jaguars, caimans and macaws in the wild.

  • Ouro Preto

    Minas Gerais

    The baroque pearl of the gold rush: cobbled lanes on the hillsides and the masterpieces of Aleijadinho, UNESCO.

Pick a point on the map, or browse the list below.

Also on the map

  • Sugarloaf : The cable car of Rio's bay
  • Manaus : The gateway to the Amazon
  • Jericoacoara : Dunes, hammocks in the water and kitesurfing
  • Brasília : The capital designed by Niemeyer

Ready to go in Brazil?

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