Rio de Janeiro, Bonito, and South Pantanal

DAY 1: WELCOME TO RIO DE JANEIRO

Arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Meet your guide at the airport, take a private transfer, and check in to a luxury sea-view double room at the Hotel Arena Copacabana (Check-in at 3:00 PM).

Briefing on your stay in Rio and customisation of your tours.

Hotel transfer with an Italian-speaking guide

DAY 2: RIO – CIDADE MARAVILHOSA

Guided visit of the first metropolis designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its cultural landscape (a combined work of nature and man), best appreciated from its iconic monuments: Christ the Redeemer, surrounded by the Tijuca Forest, and Sugarloaf Mountain with its stunning view of Guanabara Bay (entrance fees not included).

6-hour city tour with an Italian-speaking guide

DAY 3: EXPERIENCE RIO DE JANEIRO

Free day with our recommendations on how to experience the “Cidade Maravilhosa.” In the evening, we suggest exploring the elegant neighbourhoods of Ipanema and Leblon with their characteristic “butecos.” To listen to live music, head to Lapa; don’t miss Carioca da Gema and Rio Scenarium.

DAY 4: TRANSFER TO CUIABÁ AND TRANSPANTANEIRA SAFARI

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuiabá. Meet your driver and depart for Porto Jofre. The transfer includes 140 km of off-road safari along the Transpantaneira.

Accommodation in a standard room at Pousada Porto Jofre.

Airport transfer with an Italian-speaking guide / Cuiabá-Porto Jofre transfer: 4-6 hours

DAY 5-6: PANTANAL EXPEDITION

Days dedicated to the Jaguar Boat: river safaris on the Cuiabá River in search of jaguars, in close contact with the Pantanal's wildness and rich fauna, including various reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and birds. The activity program also included night safaris and horseback riding (optional).

Two jaguar-boat outings per day with a Portuguese-speaking guide (morning and afternoon), with lunch at the lodge or on the boat.

DAY 7: OFF-ROAD SAFARI AND TRANSFER TO SALVADOR

Transfer with an off-road safari along the Transpantaneira back to Cuiabá for your flight to Salvador. Reception at Salvador airport by your guide. Transfer and check-in to a special room at Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu, located in Rio Vermelho. This is the neighbourhood where locals meet in the squares of the “Baianas do Acarajé” – women in traditional dress who prepare acarajé, a symbol of Afro-Brazilian cuisine.

Porto Jofre-Cuiabá transfer (4-6 hours) with a Portuguese-speaking driver

DAY 7: SALVADOR – LA ROMA NEGRA

Experience Salvador, the “cradle” of Brazil and its former Portuguese capital, where a rich blend of faiths and traditions defines the soul of the country’s largest Afro-Brazilian population. The historic part of the city is divided into the Upper City (Cidade Alta) and Lower City (Cidada Baixa). Highlights include the Pelourinho – the most important colonial architectural complex in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage site – and the Lower City with the iconic Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim and Brazil’s oldest market, Feira de São Joaquim.

8-hour city tour with an Italian-speaking guide

DAY 8: EXPERIENCE SALVADOR

Free day with our tips on how to best experience the “Black Rome.” On Tuesday evenings in Pelourinho, you can experience the Terça da Benção (Blessing Tuesday), a festival where the sacred and the profane meet. Attend a historic Mass in the first church in Brazil built for enslaved people, which uniquely blends Catholic rites with cultural elements of African tradition. After Mass, take a stroll through the alleys of Pelourinho, brought to life by percussion bands.