Exotic Amazon, Beautiful Rio, Dunes And Multi Colored Lagoons Tour

Day 1 – Rio de Janeiro

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro and our guide will be waiting for you to transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day we spend at our discretion. Maybe someone will want to quickly see and feel the lush life of the city and someone wants to be alone, then there is always a corner somewhere between palm trees, sand, and ocean waves to go to.

Planted between lush, forest-covered mountains and breathtaking beaches, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City) has many charms, most notably the Cariocas, its exuberant residents. Discover the many beaches which is free entertainment zone. Watch people chatting, jogging, drinking, or playing football. Copacabana and Ipanema are the best beaches in the City with the famous black and white tiled promenade.

Beautiful panoramic views can be enjoyed from the famous Cristo Redentor statue. The Sugar Loaf's cable car ride up to Sugarloaf also offers a spectacular panorama of Rio’s bays and beaches. In the evening you can dance the night away, with Samba and Forro, in a crazy Lapa.

Day 2 – Rio de Janeiro

Breakfast at the hotel. Our guide picks you up at your hotel in the morning and takes you to the bottom of the Corcovado Mountain. Here you board the little train that takes you through tropical rainforest, passing tropical trees and exotic fruits. A short walk from the final station you find yourself at the foot of impressive Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor). Enjoy the spectacular views over Rio de Janeiro.

After Cristo Redentor, our guide will take you to the red beach (Praia Vermelha) from where we take a cable car up to the Urca mountain. From here an amazing view of Rio opens up before us. We take yet another cable car up the Pao de Acucar Mountain (Sugarloaf). From here we have a wonderful view of the city nestling between the mountains and the sea, and the sight of the sun going down over Copacabana beach is magical. After riding down the cable car, we will discover the historical part of Rio.

Day 3 – Rio de Janeiro

Breakfast at the hotel. A morning or afternoon tour from Rio to the Tijuca Rain Forest, in an open jeep. The four-hour jeep tour includes an easy one-hour hike, giving you the chance to spot monkeys, birds, butterflies, and tropical flora. You'll be amazed by the remarkable contrast of a tropical rainforest right in the middle of a big city. At the Tijuca Rain Forest, you'll take an eco trek lasting approximately one hour, following an easy trail. There's no better way to experience the living rain forest.

You'll have many spectacular photo opportunities on this rain forest jeep tour from Rio de Janeiro. On your tour you'll pass the Cachoeira dos Primates (monkey's waterfall), take photos at Vista Chinesa (Chinese view), hear about the important reforestation program, and learn the importance of the Mata Atlantica (Atlantic Forest) ecosystem. The tour also takes you past the Mesa do Imperador (Emperor's table), Cascatinha (Taunay's waterfall), and Capela Mayrink (Mayrink Chapel).

Day 4 – Rio de Janeiro to São Luis do Maranhão

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for a flight to São Luis do Maranhão. Upon arrival in São Luis do Maranhão you will be meeting your guide and be transferred to your hotel. After check-in at the hotel, you will have a three-hour City Tour of São Luis do Maranhão.

The architectural heritage of San Luis stands beauty of fountains, squares, and buildings, most of which were built by lords who managed cotton plantations. All the facades are made of tiles imported from Portugal, Germany, and France. São Luís (lit. Saint Louis) is the capital of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on São Luís island in the Baía de São Marcos (St Marcus Bay), an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru, and other rivers.

São Luís is the only Brazilian state capital founded by France (see France Équinoxiale) and it is one of the three Brazilian state capitals located on islands (the others are Vitória and Florianópolis). The city has seaports Ponta da Madeira and Porto do Itaqui, through which a substantial part of Brazil's iron ore, originating from the (pre)-Amazon region, is exported.

The city's main industries are metallurgical with Alumar, and Vale do Rio Doce. São Luís is home to the Federal University of Maranhão. São Luís was the home town of famous Brazilian Samba singer Alcione, Brazilian writers Aluísio Azevedo, Ferreira Gullar and Josué Montello, Belgian-naturalised soccer player Luís Oliveira, the musician João do Vale and Zeca Baleiro, a Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) singer.

Day 5 – São Luis do Maranhão to Barreirinhas

After breakfast, we will depart to Barreirinhas and the entire journey is approximately 3.5 hours. Upon arriving, you'll head to the National Park Maranenses with a guide.

Lençois Maranhenses National Park is located in the state of Maranhao (Barrerinhas nearest town) and is considered to be one of the most beautiful places along the Brazilian coastline. It is a sea of sand dunes that covers 70 km of coastline and advances 50 km inland.

This formation provides impressive views comprised of countless lakes with blue and green water, which, during the rainy season, contrast with the white sand of the dunes, which can reach 40m in height. The strong heat is compensated by the refreshing crystal clear ponds and the deserted beaches. The Blue Pond is the most famous and beautiful.

There are two oases inside the Park, the Queimada dos Britos and the Baixa Grand. Crabs and sea turtles can be seen along the beaches. The best time of year to visit the region is during the rainy season – from December to July – when the ponds are fuller and not so hot.

Maranenses is an amazing area of 1,000 square meters; combined with white sand dunes up to 40 meters and framing the multicolored freshwater lakes. At first glance, the landscape in the park is like a desert, but in the rainy season, water is collected between the dunes, creating an amazingly beautiful landscape: a combination of blue-green water and white sand. For its beauty Lençóis Maranenses is also called "The sheets of Maranhão", for its resemblance to white sheets drying in the wind. Ski, stroll or sleigh down the dunes and land up swimming into the crystal clear lagoons or go for a swim in the nearby ocean.

Day 6 – Barreirinhas to São Luis do Maranhão

Breakfast at the hotel. We will have a tour with English speaking guide on a boat on the river Preguica with short stops to observe the monkeys if we’re lucky. Then we disembark the boat at the place called "little Maranhão". Here we climb small dunes that are even more beautiful than the big ones we saw yesterday. Time for a stroll on the dunes before heading back to Barreirinhas and catching our transfer to Sao Luis.

Day 7 – São Luis do Maranhão to Manaus

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for a flight to Manaus. Transfer from Manaus to the pier by car and from the pier by boat to the Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge. Check-in and have a welcome drink and you will be shown to your room.

After having dinner and you will take an evening tour by canoe for Alligator Spotting and the guide will probably risk his life to jump into the water and grab one of the alligators, drag him into the boat so you can take a real good picture. Of course, the alligator will be thrown back after the photo session. Overnight at the lodge. (Dinner included)

Day 8 - Manaus

After breakfast, the following will be a visit to the Monkey Jungle, where little and injured monkeys live in protected areas before being launched back into nature. After a short rest, visit the home of local Amazonian residents (“natives”), visit a local school, the locals have pets like the great sloth, sell their handmade carvings and jewelry from amazonian nuts and plants. After lunch opportunity for Piranha Fishing from the hotel pier or boat.

Piranha soup is considered one of the most nutritious in the world.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included).

Day 9 - Manaus

Breakfast followed by a Nature Hike. Transfer to Manaus in time for your flight.

Included:

- Russian guide in Rio de Janeiro for tours and transfer in.

- Driver only for transfer out in Rio de Janeiro.

- Regular services with English speaking guide in Sao Luis do Maranhao & Barreirinhas.

- Regular services with English speaking guide in Manaus.

- Tickets for Corcovado & Sugarloaf.

- Breakfast at the hotels.

- Excursions as mentioned in the program.

- 20% commission for tour operators.

Not included:

- International flights.

- Domestic Flights (Rio de Janeiro – São Luis do Maranhao – Manaus – Rio de Janeiro)

- Tips.

- Meeting of the waters tour in Manaus.

- Personal Expenses.

- Meals & Beverages are not mentioned in the program.

** Prices subject to change in relation to exchange rate and political economy fluctuations and are only confirmed upon booking.