Brazil: Natural & Cultural Gems

Arrive in Salvador, a port city in northeast Brazilian state of Bahia, where you are met and transferred to your hotel, set in a historic building that boasts fascinating Art Deco design elements. Toast your arrival with a drink on the hotel roof, sitting beside the rooftop pool and taking in the magnificent view of All Saints Bay. So begins a three-night stay that reveals the best of this vibrant city, Brazil’s first capital. Once a hub for the slave trade, today it is a thriving center of Afro-Brazilian culture and traditions that influences the entire country. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Discover the essence of Salvador on a guided walk of the Pelourinho, the city’s historical city center and a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. Here visit Brazilian Baroque churches and century-old manors, stopping at one for lunch accompanied by cachaça, a clear, fruity liquor made from sugar cane that is one of Brazil’s most popular drinks. Then, under the expert guidance of a local professional percussionist, try the various instruments that form Bahia’s percussive tradition, such as the surdo, the caixa, the agogo, and the berimbau, a single-stringed instrument integral to the Afro-Brazilian martial art of capoeira. This evening, immerse yourself in the African traditions that underpin Bahian culture in a show of African ballet at Miguel Santana Theatre.

Begin the day at a bustling market, joined by a local chef, to discover the origins of local flavors, smells and tastes before making your way to your chef ’s private home for a hands-on cooking demonstration of some traditional Bahian dishes. In the evening, visit the Rio Vermelho district, an informal, bohemian quarter where the locals go to meet their friends to drink cold beer or their favorite cachaça, snacking on a variety of tasty petiscos (Brazil’s answer to tapas) and listening to live music.

Head south to experience the majestic beauty and power of Iguazu Falls. Arrive at Iguazu Falls Airport and transfer to the only hotel located within Brazil’s Iguazu National Park, just a short stroll from the sensational waterfalls. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel’s restaurant.

Cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge into Argentina en route to Argentina Iguazu National Park. Upon arrival, board a small train for a ride through the park, making two stops: one to the upper circuit and another to the lower circuit. Take in views of spectacular Iguazu Falls, surrounding by lush natural foliage. Next, step out onto a suspended platform at the edge of the Devil’s Throat, the largest cascade in the park, for an up-close experience that caps off your visit here. Enjoy lunch at the Meliá Iguazu Hotel’s restaurant, which offers you another amazing view of the falls. Continue to the Brazilian side and embark by Zodiac, a heavy-duty rubber power boat, for an adventurous ride to the foot of the falls. Feel their power as you bask in the mist they cast up around you.

Wake up early and gain exclusive park access, entering before regular operating hours and descending on a canyon trail for panoramic views of the more than 240 cascades. Then, board a glass elevator to a platform for yet another perspective on the park, the most significant remaining rainforest in the southern cone of South America, which, along with the waterfalls, has been declared a National Heritage Site by UNESCO. This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities. Visit Bird’s Park, an internationally recognized rescue center where you have the opportunity to get up-close to native Brazilian bird species. Fly over Iguazu Falls in a Helicopter and witness one of the most dramatic and picture-perfect waterfalls in the world. Indulge in a Signature Massage at Belmond Spa to relax. Tonight, gather for a unique and unforgettable Chef ’s Table experience at Casa du Chef, where, over five amazing courses paired with wine from exquisite South American wineries, you discover how the combined heritage of indigenous peoples, Africans and Europeans have forged Brazil’s unique flavors over the past 500 years.

Fly to Rio de Janeiro, which its inhabitants — the Cariocas — call the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City), and check in to your glamorous hotel, set on the golden sands of the famous Copacabana Beach. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Start with a morning at leisure, and then depart for lunch at Assador, a restaurant that takes barbecue to succulent new heights, to savor a true Brazilian taste sensation. Afterward, ascend iconic Sugar Loaf mountain to take in panoramic views of the city and Guanabara Bay. Lift off from the summit for a scenic helicopter flight, admiring Rio’s landmarks, including the soaring Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Land back on Sugar Loaf for a refreshing Scenic Sundowner before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Explore downtown Rio de Janeiro on a guided walk of the historic city center, viewing sites central to local culture. Ride along the way, hopping on and off the Rio VLT electric train, which also carries you to the revitalized port area to view the massive Kobra murals, each a dazzling example of Brazilian graffiti art. Then, get a taste of the city’s Carnival culture, enjoying insider access that takes you backstage to see the construction process of costumes and floats. Take some time at leisure in the Ipanema district for lunch, and then enjoy a scintillating visit to HStern, Latin America’s leading luxury jewelry company. See an impressive exhibit of precious stones and learn how they become finished gems. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner at a Michelin-awarded restaurant, and then get a taste of the samba nightlife at a live music venue located in Lapa, the bohemian neighborhood of the city. Dare a few samba moves or just marvel at the local Cariocas on the dance floor as your amazing journey through Brazil draws to a close.

After breakfast, privately transfer to Rio’s international airport to board your departing flight.