| Starts | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
|---|---|
| Ends | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Region | Argentina |
| Duration | 11 days |
| Tour Operator | Intrepid Travel |
Itinerary
Day 1 - Starting: Buenos Aires & Finishing: Buenos Aires
Bienvenido! Welcome to Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is the ultimate cosmopolitan city, with Latin passion, European elegance and its own distinctive style. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6pm. Your leader will leave a note at the hotel reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. If you arrive early, why not visit San Telmo and its weekend antiques market and artists' displays – it's a great chance to acquaint yourself with some portenos (local residents). Alternatively, visit La Boca (home to the world-class football team Boca Juniors), Recoleta (the grand cemetery) or perhaps Casa Rosada (the Pink House).
Day 2 - Starting: Buenos Aires & Finishing: Buenos Aires
Enjoy some breakfast, then embark on an orientation walk through this fantastic city. You'll be introduced to some of Buenos Aires' major sights – the likes of the Colon Theatre, the Obelisc and Plaza de Mayo. Along the way, learn a little more about Argentina's independence from Spain.
Day 3 - Starting: Ituzaingo & Finishing: Ituzaingo
Enjoy one last morning in Buenos Aires before catching a short flight to Posadas, followed by a drive to Ituzaingo (approximately 1 hour). Ituzaingo will serve as your base to explore the beautiful Ibera Wetlands region in the north of Argentina. Spanning more than 15,000 square kilometres, the Ibera wetlands are roughly the size of Belgium, which gives you an idea of how much there is to explore. The biodiversity in incredible, and the swamps, lakes and lagoons are home to such creatures as otters, alligators, deer, wolves and black howler monkeys, just to name a few. Keep a look out too for those oddly noble-looking creatures, the capibaras. These cousins of guinea pigs are the largest rodents in the world.
Day 4 - Starting: Ibera Wetlands/Ituzaingo & Finishing: Ibera Wetlands/Ituzaingo
Take part on a full day (approximately 8-10 hour) walking tour and car safari with a guide, tasty lunch and plenty of snacks. You might see any number of obscure species – maybe caiman or swamp deer, perhaps even an armadillo, or a flock of rhea (which are like a South American equivalent of an emu). Anacondas, though particularly hard to spot at certain times of the year, are also known to inhabit these wetlands. Keep an eye to the sky, as you're bound to catch a glimpse of some of the 350 bird species here, from the sharp-tailed tyrant to the gorgeous and garish yellow robin.
Day 5 - Starting: Iguazu Falls & Finishing: Iguazu Falls
Enjoy some breakfast and prepare for a long travel day. Start with a transfer to the city of Posada (approximately 1 hour). From there, take a comfortable local bus to Puerto Iguazu (approximately 5 hours). As soon as you arrive at Puerto Iguazu bus station, you will take a minivan across the border into Brazil and continue to your hotel in Foz do Iguacu (approximately one hour, depending on traffic at the Argentina–Brazil border).
Day 6 - Starting: Iguazu Falls & Finishing: Iguazu Falls
Here at Iguazu, you'll visit the mighty waterfalls from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. At over 2 kilometreslong, Iguazu Falls are actually a series of cataracts. There are over 270 falls in all, and with some reaching up to 80 metres in height, they are wider than Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara. From the Argentinean side it’s possible to follow a series of boardwalks to get up close to the thundering waters – so close you can almost touch them. Later, visit a Guarani community for the rare opportunity to meet some of the region’s few remaining indigenous people. You might like to take a helicopter ride over the falls while you're here. This optional excursion gives you spectacular views of the falls and the lush green parklands that surround it.
Day 7 - Starting: Iguazu Falls & Finishing: Iguazu Falls
Enjoy the magnificent panoramas on the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls. Seeing the falls from this side has its perks, such as a view of San Martin Island which you don't quite get from the Argentinean side.
Day 8 - Starting: Rio de Janeiro & Finishing: Rio de Janeiro
Travel by plane to Rio de Janeiro, the festive heart of Brazil. Settle into your hotel and then set out on an orientation walk with your leader. Rio is a fascinating and diverse city best known for its contrasting images of favelas (shanty towns) and the glitz and glamour of Carnaval. With free time, you can choose from many optional activities. Perhaps head to a football game, take a cable car ride between Praia Vermelha and the Sugarloaf Mountain for incredible views over town, or explore the favelas with a local guide. Be sure to check out the Christ the Redeemer statue while you're here. For further options, chat to your leader.
Day 9 - Starting: Rio de Janeiro & Finishing: Rio de Janeiro
Today you'll see a different side to Rio, with a visit a local project in Leme. You'll take a nice and easy trek up to a favela in Leme (close to Ipanema) in Morro da Babilonia. It's a project sponsored by a big mall (Rio Sul) and the idea is to reforest the hill. The local guides are from the community and they are very passionate about what they do. It's an inspiring project to witness, and it'll five you very different views of Rio, taking in the back of Pao de Acucar mountain.
Day 10 - Starting: Rio de Janeiro & Finishing: Rio de Janeiro
There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time.
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