Hot Rio nights, nature's grandeur and living history await…
Experience three world-heritage sites -- the "marvelous city" of Rio de Janeiro, the thundering cataracts of Iguazu
Falls and the colonial charm of Salvador da Bahia. From a deluxe beach view room in one of the world's
legendary hotels, the Copacabana Palace, to a deluxe falls' view room in Hotel das Cataratas and a junior suite in the four-century-old Convento do Carmo, our Brazilian Rendezvous will intrigue you at Brazil's iconic destinations. In each, you will enjoy the unsurpassed luxury of a masterly itinerary, private guides with chauffeurs, regal accommodations and gourmet cuisine. On this romantic getaway, hot Rio nights, nature's grandeur and living history await.
The land price includes escorted
transfers, private excursions (except boating excursions on Day 5 and Day 7), professional guides and chauffeurs,
entrance fees, selected category of accommodations, gourmet cuisine (except drinks), all land
and water transportation (except boating excursions on Day 5 and Day 7), and travel insurance for
guests through the age of 59 years (over that age, there is a
supplementary fee). All prices are per person based on two people
sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services,
see Opulent
Itineraries. Visitors from the United
States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a visa to enter Brazil. We recommend arrival on a Thursday or a Friday to avoid changes in the itinerary due to museum or restaurant closures.
Intra-Tour Flights
& Fares
Air fares are in addition
to the land price.
Rio - Iguazu Falls, Iguazu Falls - Salvador da Bahia & Salvador da Bahia - Rio
Day 1: International arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Arrival in Rio, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner at Cipriani. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.
Day 2: Rio de Janeiro (Sugarloaf & Botanical Garden). The morning tour proceeds through the old Urca neighborhood towards
the Sugarloaf, where a cable-car starts the steep, exhilarating
215-meter climb up Morro da Urca. From here, the cable-car
travels high above the rugged, vegetated terrain to the Sugarloaf's
395-meter summit. Visitors can enjoy wonderful panoramic views
over Rio de Janeiro from the top. Lunch at
the Confeitaria Colombo, the oldest coffee shop in Rio
de Janeiro, opened as a meeting point for intellectuals and aristocrats. Afternoon tour of the most impressive
of Latin America's botanical gardens and one of the finest in the world, the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Laid out during the 19th century in the heart of the
city, these lush, spacious gardens are an oasis of calm in the
middle of a buzzing metropolis. Visitors are met with an astounding
array of native and foreign plant species (about 6,200
in all), some of which grow to gigantic proportions in this ecological
paradise. Tonight, dinner and music at Rio Scenarium. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.
Day 3: Rio de Janeiro (Old Rio & Corcovado). Rio
is one of the world's most historically and culturally
significant cities, its rich heritage being reflected in the
countless monuments within the metropolitan area. Among those included in the afternoon tour of Old Rio is the Mosteiro de São Bento, a World Heritage
Monument and probably the most beautiful example of Brazilian
Baroque and Rococo architecture. After lunch at Riso, Galería de Arte e Bistrô, the tour continues on to Corcovado. Perched atop the mountain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the world's best-known and most-visited monuments, one that offers breathtaking views of the city. In the evening, gourmet French cuisine at Chef Claude Troisgros' Olympe. After dinner, a taste of Carnival, with Samba school drummers and dancers in lavish costume, presenting
the best of Brazil in an alluring, glittering show at Plataforma. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.
Iguazu Falls
Intra-tour flight Rio de Janeiro - Foz do Iguaçu, Day 4, 10:10 am - 12:10 am, G31460
Day 4: Rio - Iguazu Falls (Bird Park). Transfer to the airport. Flight to Iguazu Falls, reception and drive to La Rueda for lunch before continuing to the Parque das Aves (Bird Park), where rare and colorful birds fly in huge aviaries. Guests are able to enter these aviaries and view the birds at close quarters as well as see alligators, anacondas, pythons, marmosets and butterflies. Arrival at Iguazu Falls, considered by many the most spectacular waterfall in the world, perhaps because of the more than 200 streams that
suddenly appear from the rainforest to form a myriad of cataracts, large
and small, which mingle and blend so graciously with the surrounding
vegetation. For this reason, the falls have been declared a World Heritage
Site. Just a short stroll away is your hotel, the beautiful Portuguese-colonial style Hotel das Cataratas by Orient-Express. Dinner on the veranda of the hotel's Itaipu Restaurant or adjacent to the pool in the Ipê Grill. Overnight in Hotel das Cataratas by Orient-Express -- De Luxe Room with Falls View -- King Bed.
Day 5: Iguazu Falls (Argentine Side). Full-day
visit of the Argentine side of Iguazu National Park. Walking with a naturalist guide on the Yacaratia Trail, guests will observe the incredible diversity of plants and animals as well as the
many beautiful cataracts. Lunch at Garganta del Diablo. In addition to the walk, there
will be a shared navigation to reach the falls. Dinner and overnight in Hotel das Cataratas by Orient-Express -- De Luxe Room with Falls View -- King Bed.
Salvador da Bahia
Intra-tour flight Foz do Iguaçu - São Paolo, Day 6, 3:40 pm - 4:40 pm, JJ3886
Intra tour flight São Paolo - Salvador da Bahia, Day 6, 5:22 pm - 8:04 pm, JJ3858
Day 6: Iguazu Falls (Brazilian Side) - Salvador da Bahia. Morning walking excursion on the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Lunch at Cuisine du Ciel before your flight to Salvador da Bahia. Reception and transfer to the Convento do Carmo, a former convent that dates back to 1586. Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo -- Junior Suite-- King Bed.
Day 7: Salvador da Bahia (Colonial Quarter & Folkloric Show). Full-day historical and panoramic tour of Salvador. By far the most significant site visited during the excursion is the cobblestoned Pelourinho district -- the heart of Salvador’s Old Town. This World Heritage Site is considered by Unesco a highlight of XVII and XVIII century colonial architecture. Lunch at Amado. In the afternoon, the excursion proceeds to offer to guests various beautiful panoramic views of the city. Visitors then go to the Mercado Modelo, Bahia's largest arts and crafts center. Tonight, an impressive folkloric show by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia. In Salvador, the dances and musical styles are more traditional, religious, mystical and African, in contrast to the show in Rio, which is focused on the Samba. After the show, a dinner at María Mata Mouro. Overnight in the Convento do Carmo -- Junior Suite-- King Bed.
Day 8: Salvador da Bahia (Island Schooner Excursion). At the harbor, depart with other passengers on a schooner for an all-day tropical island excursion. At Ilha dos Frades, we drop anchor at Praia de Ponta de Nossa Senhora and spend two hours relaxing and swimming. Afterward, we arrive at Ponta de Areia on Ilha de Itaparica, the largest island in the bay, to taste delicious Bahian cuisine at the Kirymuré restaurant, watch a Capoeira show and enjoy the beach. As the sun sets, passengers return to the schooner for the trip back to the port of Salvador. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo -- Junior Suite-- King Bed.
Rio de Janeiro
Intra-tour flight Salvador da Bahia - Rio de Janeiro, Day 9, 12:09 pm - 2:24 pm, O66213
International departure from Rio de Janeiro, Day 9, approximately 6:00 pm
Day 9: Salvador da Bahia - Rio de Janeiro. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro and connection home.
Home
Day 10: Rio de Janeiro - Home. Overnight flight and arrival home.
Breakfast. Arrival in Rio, reception and transfer to the country's (and
South America's) finest and most famous hotel: Orient-Express'
Copacabana Palace,
overlooking Copacabana Beach. Dinner of Northern Italian
cuisine at Chef Franceso Carli's Cipriani Restaurant.
Carli previously worked in Orient-Express' Hotel Cipriani in
Venice. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.
With a dreamlike beauty that exceeds
even the greatest of expectations, Rio is a city that has to
be seen to be believed. Take the train up the Corcovado to see
the breathtaking view beneath Christ's outstretched arms or the
cable car to the top of the famous Sugarloaf to see the spectacular landforms that embrace the sandy beaches,
glittering bays, fine residential districts and towering forest-covered
mountains of the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). The landscape is so dramatic that even the largest
areas of modern high-rises are still dwarfed by the overwhelming
grandeur of numerous peaks and the largest urban tropical forest
in the world, itself a monument to environmental preservation.
From the city center, where the history
of imperial Brazil began, through the classic elegance of Copacabana
and contemporary sophistication of Ipanema and Leblon to the
ultra-modern development of Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro has
many faces that include Rocinha, the world's largest shanty settlement
and Santa Teresa, where streetcars still climb the winding, cobblestone
streets through this mountainside artists' district.
The natives of Rio, or cariocas,
are famous for proudly mirroring the city's qualities in their
daily pursuit of health, beauty and elegance: the seafront, lakeside
and Tijuca Forest Park are always favorite destinations for exercising
or simply enjoying the natural delights that their extraordinary
city has to offer.
The cradle of the Brazilian empire,
independence and republic; Rio de Janeiro's immense historical
wealth of fine buildings, palaces, theaters and museums complements
her natural splendor. The arts, folklore and popular music reflect
Rio's cultural abundance in the form of leading galleries, the
internationally famous Carnival and Samba schools, and Bossa
Nova, immortalized by the most famous cariocas, Tom Jobim and
Vinícius de Moraes.
Day 2: Rio de Janeiro (Sugarloaf & Botanical Garden)
Breakfast. The
first stage of the tour takes in a number of sites of interest
in downtown Rio de Janeiro offering lovely views of Rio and the Sugarloaf. The tour
then proceeds through the old Urca neighborhood toward
the Sugarloaf, where a cable-car starts the steep, exhilarating
215-meter climb up Morro da Urca. From here, the cable-car
travels high above the rugged, vegetated terrain to the Sugarloaf's
395-meter summit. Visitors can enjoy wonderful panoramic views
over Rio de Janeiro from the top, sunsets being particularly
spectacular.
The tour proceeds for lunch at
the Confeitaria Colombo, the oldest coffee shop in Rio
de Janeiro, opened as a meeting point for intellectuals and aristocrats.
Built in 1894 and refurbished in 1914, it is a living portrait
of Rio's Belle Époque, retaining much of its Art
Nouveau charm, with famous Belgian mirrors in hardwood frames
and lovingly-preserved Italian marble benches.
Afternoon tour of the most impressive
of Latin America's botanical gardens and one of the finest in the world, the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Laid out during the 19th century in the heart of the
city, these lush, spacious gardens are an oasis of calm in the
middle of a buzzing metropolis. Visitors are met with an astounding
array of native and foreign plant species (about 6,200
in all), some of which grow to gigantic proportions in this ecological
paradise. Tamarins (small omnivores related to monkeys)
and a myriad of colorful bird species thrive amongst the
flamboyant vegetation. The tour proceeds on foot to appreciate
the sights around the park, revealing some rich historical and
cultural heritage such as the old gunpowder factory and the Solar
da Imperatriz, home to the National School of Tropical
Botany, the first of its kind in Latin America. The tour
ends in the Sao Cristovão district, where the Quinta
da Boa Vista, once the residence of the Portuguese Royal
family, is located. Within its compound, the "Quinta"
houses the National Museum of Natural History, once called
"The Tropical Versailles" because of its architecture.
Although a visit to the museum is not included, one can be arranged
on request.
Tonight, dinner and music at Rio Scenarium. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.
Breakfast. Rio
de Janeiro is one of the world's most historically and culturally
significant cities, its rich heritage being reflected in the
countless monuments within the metropolitan area. This morning,
visit the Mosteiro de São Bento, a World Heritage
Monument and probably the most beautiful example of Brazilian
Baroque and Rococo architecture. With a simple, sober façade
and magnificent carvings and paintings within, the monastery
is still in operation, holding traditional services each Sunday
with monks performing Gregorian chants. Igreja de Nossa Senhora
da Candelária (1775) is the biggest colonial church
in Rio, founded in 1609 by Portuguese immigrants. The interior
of the church is in Neoclassical style, the cupola having
been finished only in 1898. The Centro Cultural do Banco do
Brasil is an imposing domed building that dates back to the
late 19th century. It has a cinema with high-quality art films,
contemporary theatre and a large exhibition of fine arts and
photography.
Built in 1743, the modest Paço
Imperial was the headquarters of the Portuguese government.
It was here that Dom João VI established his court in
1808; Dom Pedro I announced his refusal to join his father back
in Portugal in 1822 and Princess Isabel proclaimed the end of
slavery in Brazil in 1888. The building still retains its original
colonial structure after numerous restorations, the most recent
being its conversion into an arts center. The tour ends
at the marvellous Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (The National
Museum of Fine Arts), where the works of Brazil's greatest artists
are on display.
After lunch at Riso, Galería de Arte e Bistrô, the tour continues on to Corcovado. Perched atop the mountain at an altitude of 710 meters, the statue of Christ
the Redeemer is certainly one of the world's best-known and
most-visited monuments. Clad with a soapstone mosaic, the statue
is also one of Rio's finest Art Nouveau monuments and at night
becomes a shining landmark visible from all over the city. From
the top there are breathtaking views of the city.
A rack railway takes the visitor up
to the foot of the statue, the train leaving the Cosme Velho district and climbing the steep slopes of Tijuca Forest.
Located around the base of Corcovado and with many springs and
waterfalls, this dense forest was proclaimed a national park
in the early sixties.
In the evening, gourmet French cuisine
at Chef Claude Troisgros' Olympe. The all-Brazilian ingredients are a unique
trait of this innovative restaurant that blends native flavors
with nouvelle techniques. Every dish is exceptionally light.
The passion-fruit mousse is a favorite dessert. After dinner, a taste of Carnival, with Samba school drummers and dancers in lavish costume, presenting
the best of Brazil in an alluring, glittering show at Plataforma. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.
Breakfast. Transfer
to the domestic airport for the flight to Foz de Iguaçu.
Reception and transfer to La Rueda for lunch.
Afterward, visit the Parque das Aves (Bird Park), where rare and colorful birds fly in huge aviaries
built to blend in with the humid, subtropical forest. Visitors
are able to enter these aviaries and view the birds at close
quarters. You will also see alligators, anacondas, pythons, marmosets
and butterflies. Arrival at Iguazu Falls, considered by many the most spectacular waterfall in the world, perhaps because of the more than 200 streams that
suddenly appear from the rainforest to form a myriad of cataracts, large
and small, which mingle and blend so graciously with the surrounding
vegetation. For this reason, the falls have been declared a World Heritage
Site. Just a short stroll away is your hotel, the beautiful Portuguese-colonial style Hotel das Cataratas by Orient-Express. Dinner of Brazilian-international fusion cuisine on the veranda of the hotel's Itaipu Restaurant or international dishes adjacent to the pool in the Ipê Grill. Overnight in Hotel das Cataratas
Breakfast. Full-day
visit of the Argentine side of Iguazu National Park. The park, a World Heritage Site, extends over 220,000
acres (67,000 hectares) and protects one of the areas of greatest
biological diversity in the country: the Paranaense subtropical
rainforest, a continuation of the southern Brazilian jungle.
It has more than 2,100 known plant species. The rainforest, with
a canopy exceeding 120 feet in height, is a natural frame for
the spectacular Iguazu Falls, composed of more than 270
individual waterfalls. Surrounding them are jungle paths, where
a variety of wildlife is frequently encountered. Walking with a naturalist guide on the Yacaratia Trail, guests will observe the incredible diversity of plants and animals as well as the
many beautiful cataracts stretching for several miles along the
river. Enjoy
lunch at Garganta del Diablo. In addition to the walk, there
will be a shared navigation to reach the falls and a crossing to San
Martín Island. Dinner and overnight in Hotel das Cataratas.
Day 6: Iguazu Falls (Brazilian Side) - Salvador da Bahia
Breakfast. Morning walking excursion on the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Lunch at Cuisine du Ciel before a transfer to the airport for the flight to Salvador da Bahia, originally called São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, in English: "Holy Savior of All Saints' Bay"). Reception and transfer to the historic Convento do Carmo. The Convent, initially built in 1586 by the First Order of Carmelite Friars, has been throughout the centuries the stage for many significant events of Brazilian history. Nowadays, after careful restoration, it is the most luxurious hotel in the city. Within the convent’s whitewashed stone walls, tranquility awaits. Graceful cloisters are atwitter with birds. Pitched-beam ceilings and 19th-century antiques evoke Salvador’s past. A small spa offers an impressive range of treatments, and the central courtyard, with its lovely stone fountain transformed into a wading pool, is an ideal place to relax over a caipirinha with lime and maracujá (passion fruit). Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo.
Day 7: Salvador da Bahia (Colonial Quarter & Folkloric Show)
Breakfast. Full-day historical and panoramic tour of Salvador. This charming excursion first takes guests through the historical heart of the city -- the Cidade Alta, revealing some of the first streets laid in Bahia. The excursion begins at Farol da Barra, a lighthouse that now functions as the city's nautical museum. The excursion then proceeds in the direction of Porto da Barra, from where one can see the Santa Maria and São Diogo forts. From here, the tour moves on to Salvador's more traditional neighborhoods, namely Corredor da Vitória, Campo Grande and Piedade. By far the most significant site visited during the excursion is the Pelourinho, the historical center and a World Heritage Site, considered by Unesco to be a highlight of 17th and 18th century colonial architecture. Clinging to the steep terrain, the picturesque colonial houses and churches (such as the Igreja do São Francisco), artistically decorated in a myriad of colors, make this enchanting part of town a must for anyone visiting Bahia. Lunch at Amado. In the afternoon, the excursion proceeds to offer to guests various beautiful panoramic views of the city, plus the famous Bonfim Church, which hosts a range of religious events, the most important, perhaps, being the Lavagem do Bonfim, or washing of the steps. Guests then go to the Mercado Modelo, Bahia's largest arts and crafts center.
Tonight, an impressive folkloric show by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia at the Teatro Miguel Santana. The theater is set in a beautiful 18th century architectural complex comprising a main house (Casa Grande), a chapel and outlying slave quarters. In Salvador, the dances and musical styles are more traditional, religious, mystical and African, in contrast to the show in Rio, which is focused on the Samba. After the show, a dinner at María Mata Mouro. Return to your hotel. Overnight in the Convento do Carmo.
Day 8: Salvador da Bahia (Island Schooner Excursion)
Breakfast. At the harbor, depart with other passengers on a schooner for an all-day tropical island excursion with exotic fruit, live music and a bar on board (drinks not included). Bahia de Todos os Santos (Bay of All Saints) is one of the most beautiful bays in Brazil and certainly the largest. It has many tropical islands with paradisial beaches and vegetation. At Ilha dos Frades, which has the shape of a 15-point star, we drop anchor at Praia de Ponta de Nossa Senhora and spend two hours relaxing and swimming in the warm, clear waters of one of the pristine beaches. On this island, slaves coming from Africa were placed in quarantine to gain weight before being sold in the city. Afterward, we arrive at Ponta de Areia on Ilha de Itaparica, the largest island in the bay, to taste delicious Bahian cuisine at the Kirymuré restaurant, watch a Capoeira show and enjoy the beach. As the sun sets, passengers return to the schooner for the trip back to the port of Salvador. Transfer to the hotel. Tonight, an impressive folkloric show by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia at the Teatro Miguel Santana. The theater is set in a beautiful 18th century architectural complex comprising a main house (Casa Grande), a chapel and outlying slave quarters. In Salvador, the dances and musical styles are more traditional, religious, mystical and African, in contrast to the show in Rio, which is focused on the Samba. After the show, a dinner at María Mata Mouro. Return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo.