RIO 5-DAY TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1: Depart USA for Rio with meals served onboard flight
DAY 2: Morning arrival into Rio Airport and clear customs before being transferred to your hotel. In the early evening, have a"Welcome Drink and Dinner" before attending an exciting cabaret show "Rio by Night" where you will have a chance to test your samba skills. Rio is "Brazil's Center of Style".
DAY 3: Ride a cog train as it takes you throught the Tijuca Forest and high to the top of Corcovada Mountain where at the summit you will see the impressive "Christ The Reedemer" statue for a sweeping view of the city below and its beautiful beaches. In the afternoon take a cable car ride to the top of Sugar Loaf, the soaring granite peak that over-looks the city of Rio and its stunning harbor. "Farewell Dinner in the evening. Optional visit to a Samba school available.
DAY 4: Take some free time for the beach, last minute shopping or just some R&R. Transfer mid-afternoon to the airport for your return flight to the USA
DAY 5: Early morning arrival into the USA in time to make connections to home destinations.
BAHIA 6-DAY TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1: Depart USA for Salvador, Bahia with a plane change in either Sao Paulo or Rio before arriving mid-day into Salvador. Clear customs and then transfer to your hotel. In the evening have a "Welcome Drink & Dinner" followed by a folklorico cultural performance "Bahia by Night" and experience the "Soul of Brazil".
DAY 2: Tour the Upper & Lower Cities of Salvador with its many craft markets, churches, and Palohourina area of the city. Experience the culture and the people first hand. You will have a chance to test your shopping skills as well at the shops and in the market.
DAY 3: Get out your bathing suite and get ready for an exciting cruise around some of the islands near Salvador. Have a wonderful beach party with a great lunch. You can even visit some of the islands and learn from the locals how they live and work.
DAY 4: Drive to the village of Cachoiera for a tour of the city and meet the Sisters of Boa Morte, a sorority of women who are the direct descendants of Africans from Nigeria brought to Brazil during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. They practice the culture and have syncretized the traditional African Religion with the worship of the Virgin Mary. This is a rich cultural experience not to be missed. Lunch is included in this tour. Return to Salvador at the end of the day.
DAY 5: Take some free time to go to the beach, do some last minute shopping and packing before transferring to the airport in the afternoon for your return flight to the USA.
DAY 6: Morning arrivals into the USA in time to make connections to home destinations.
CULTURAL BRAZIL TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1: Depart USA for Rio with meals served onboard flight.
DAY 2: Arrival into Rio airport with transfers to hotel after clearing customs. Have a "Welcome Drink & Dinner" in the evening. Sunday arrivals can visit the "Hippie Market" to meet local craftspersons and barter for beautiful handmade gifts and curios. In the evening, attend a cabaret show "Rio by Night" and dance the samba while you enjoy the splendor of "Brazil's City of Style".
DAY 3: Ride a cog train to through the Tijuca Forest to the top of Corcovado Mountain where at the summit you will see the statue of Christ the Reedemer for an inspiring view of Rio below and its beaches. After lunch, take a cable car ride to Sugar Loaf, the peak of which overlooks the beautiful city of Rio and its stunning harbor below.
DAY 4: Take a tour of one of the communities where you will meet with the locals and learn about the culture. Enjoy a cooking class and learn to prepare Feijoada, Brazil's national dish. An an option in the evening, you can attend a samba school and watch the groups as they prepare for Carnival. For the not so faint hearted, you can even try out your samba skills.
DAY 5: Check out of your hotel for tranfers to the airport for your in-country flight to Bahia, "The Soul of Brazil". Arrive into Salvador and then transfer to your hotel. In the evening have a "Welcome Drink & Dinner" and attend a cultural show, "Bahia by Night" where you will see traditional dances as the folkloric group gives honor to the culture and the African traditional religious dieties.
DAY 6: Take a city tour of the Upper & Lower cities where you will see the beautiful colonial architecture, churches, craft markets and the Palhourina area. Visit a cultural community and learn how the people live and work. This is a shop 'till you drop day and you will have plenty of opporunities to test your bartering skills.
DAY 7: Drive to Cachoiera for a tour of the city. Here you will also meet the Sisters of Boa Morte, a sorority of women who are the direct descendants of Africans from Nigeria brought to Brazil during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The Sisters maintain the traditional African culture and customs as well as religion which has been syncretized with the worship of The Virgin Mary. Lunch is inlcuded as part of the tour.
DAY 8: Take some free time today for your personal exploration. Visit to the beach, do some additional shopping or get some R&R. In the evening, attend an authentic Concomble religious ceremony at one of the locval spiritual houses where you will learn about the traditional African religions and its practices in Brazil.
DAY 9: Today take a bay cruise to some of the villages and islands that around Salvador. Get out your bathing suit for a dip in the wondrous water and have a picnic lunch during your day. Visit with the locals in the villages and learn how they live and work. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon. Attend a "Farewell Dinner" in the evening.
DAY 10: This is a free day for last minute shopping and packing or getting in the last rays of sun. Mid-afternoon transfers to the airport for your return flight to the USA.
DAY 11: Morning arrivals into the USA in time for connections to home destinations.
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