Sample the unique cultures of South America on this thrilling vacation to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, including stays in Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls, Buenos Aires, Bariloche, and Santiago. Plus, enjoy time in the Amazon Jungle. On this tour, you’ll see some amazing scenery and natural wonders. Imagine how you’ll feel when you see the Amazon with its abundance of wildlife and lush vegetation. On your guided jungle walk, you’ll get a chance to witness this amazing ecosystem. Or how about Iguassu Falls, located on the border of Brazil and Argentina? See the falls from both sides—with their thunderous roar, torrential downpour, and brilliant rainbows. Everywhere you look, there is water pouring down! Words cannot describe the sheer wonder of the falls! But that’s not all…even more beauty awaits you in Bariloche, which boats some of Argentina’s most glorious scenery. Take a chairlift ride to a lookout point at Cerro Campanario, rated one of the top 10 viewing spots by National Geographic. Experience breathtaking panoramic views and breathe fresh mountain air. While in Bariloche, be sure to splurge and enjoy its famous chocolate. In addition to beautiful scenery, you’ll also experience the vibrant cities—Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Santiago—and enjoy a guided sightseeing tour plus plenty of leisure time in each city. From the jungle, lakes, and mountains to the towns and cities, this vacation through South America is sure to leave you with plenty of stories, photos, and memories to last a lifetime.No one brings the world’s stories to life like we do. What story will you discover next?
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Manaus, Brazil. After arriving at your hotel, meet up for guided city sightseeing of Manaus to view the vestiges of its glory days during the rubber boom. Your first stop will be the famous OPERA HOUSE, built in 1896 with materials imported from Europe. Next, visit the MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES before a stroll through a bustling LOCAL MARKET abundant with local foods and wares. (D)
Day #2 Manaus–Amazon Jungle. Today your “Meeting of the Waters” tour passes by the impressive British-built Custom House and the floating port. CRUISE along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers form the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix! After lunch on the river, explore a JUNGLE ISLAND (if the water level is not too low) with fascinating native flora and fauna. Later this afternoon, arrive at the Ecopark Jungle Lodge situated on the banks of the Rio Negro inside the Amazonian rainforest. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Amazon Jungle. Accompanied by a Naturalist, enjoy a guided JUNGLE WALK introducing you to the flora and fauna that thrives in the Amazon. After lunch, depart the lodge and sail up the river to visit a Caboclo’s NATIVE AMAZON VILLAGE to learn about their traditions, costumes, and culture. Also try your hand at piranha fishing! Later, visit the MONKEY JUNGLE RESERVE, where researchers work to rehabilitate captive primates and reintroduce them to the jungle. Here, you have the opportunity to see a feeding of spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, woolly monkeys, and capuchin monkeys. This evening you may wish to venture back out on canoe with your Naturalist into the flooded forest to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, with the possibility to spot small alligators (or other night creatures). (B,L,D)
Day #4 Amazon Jungle–Rio de Janeiro. This morning, depart the Ecopark for a flight to fabulous Rio for an overnight. (B)
Day #5 Rio de Janeiro. Today is a free day in Rio to explore as you please. This evening, meet your fellow traveling companions for caipirinhas at SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN followed by a welcome dinner. (B,D)
Day #6 Rio de Janeiro. Today, visit the statue of Christ the Redeemer crowning CORCOVADO MOUNTAIN, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. Take the scenic cog railway ride to its top, where a 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. Proceed to bustling downtown Rio. View the Sambodromo and visit the CATHEDRAL. This evening, it’s off to a churrascaria for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style. Later, experience a SAMBA SHOW, where the sheer vitality of this country explodes in a colorful extravaganza. (B,D)
Day #7 Rio de Janeiro. A day of leisure or you may wish to enjoy a Guanabara Bay cruise, offering spectacular views of Rio and its beaches. This afternoon, consider an optional trip to historic Petropolis, once the former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II and now a mountain resort. (B)
Day #8 Rio de Janeiro. This morning, try an optional Jeep tour to the Botanical Garden with its orchid exhibit, and Tijuca National Park to view native flora and fauna. Spend an evening at leisure. (B)
Day #9 Rio de Janeiro–Iguassu Falls. A flight from Rio takes you to IGUASSU FALLS. Experience the clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth that make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Spend the afternoon enjoying the magnificent panorama of waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Your Local Guide introduces the spectacle of this 2-mile-wide torrential downpour, with some cataracts as high as 250 feet, which is nothing short of hypnotic. (B,D)
Day #10 Iguassu Falls–Buenos Aires, Argentina. Take the ECOLOGICAL JUNGLE TRAIN and enjoy a closer perspective on a walking tour of the Argentine side of the Falls. Then, on to Iguazu International Airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. After arriving, an orientation walk acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. (B)
Day #11 Buenos Aires. Your sightseeing starts in La Boca, a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique neighborhood and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL, housing San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching THE CEMETERY OF THE RECOLETA, the burial site of Eva Peron. Savor the atmosphere of this cosmopolitan capital on the included evening excursion: dinner featuring Argentine steaks and other specialties topped off by a flawless PERFORMANCE of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the Tango! (B,D)
Day #12 Buenos Aires–Uruguay–Buenos Aires. Today, visit another South American country—Uruguay. Travel by CATAMARAN to the World Heritage City of Colonia del Sacramento. Founded by Portuguese settlers from Brazil in 1680, this town held a strategic position as a smuggling outpost for transporting British goods across the Rio de la Plata into the Spanish colonies throughout the 17th century. Today, its charm lies in its narrow streets and colonial buildings. Enjoy a guided tour and lunch. (B,L)
Day #13 Buenos Aires. Enjoy a full day at leisure, with an optional excursion to the Pampas. Experience the atmosphere of Argentine country life as you visit an estancia (ranch). Get acquainted with the lifestyle of the gauchos and enjoy a barbecue lunch and the warm hospitality of your hosts before returning to the city. (B)
Day #14 Buenos Aires–Bariloche. Fly south to Bariloche in Patagonia on the shores of fjord-like Lago Nahuel Huapi in the heart of Argentina’s Lake District. Arrive in the early evening, with time to enjoy a leisurely stroll through the picturesque town center. See the city hall, the clock tower in Municipality Square, and the famous chocolate factories. (B,D)
Day #15 Bariloche. This chic alpine resort boasts some of the most glorious scenery in the country. Cameras should be ready for today’s chairlift ride to a lookout point at CERRO CAMPANARIO. You’ll want to capture the vistas of surrounding lakes and Andes mountain peaks. The tour continues with a leisurely drive around the Llao Llao Peninsula, Lago Moreno, and Lopez Bay. (B,L)
Day #16 Bariloche–Puerto Varas, Chile. Set out today for your ANDES LAKE CROSSING! Board a boat for the CRUISE across Lago Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. Proceed by motorcoach and see emerald lakes, thick pine forests, and the snowcapped peaks of the Andes Mountains. Look out for soaring Osorno Volcano as you cross Lago Todos los Santos by CATAMARAN. Skirt the southern shore of Lago Llanquihue on the way to Puerto Varas. Drive to your hotel along the rosebush-lined streets of this lakeside resort. (B,L,D)
Day #17 Puerto Varas–Puerto Montt–Santiago. Your morning tour of the nearby seaport of Puerto Montt in Chilean Patagonia takes you to the harbor brimming with fishing vessels and along a busy waterfront lined with seafood stalls. Transfer to the airport for your flight north to Santiago. Perched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, Santiago has evolved as the country’s political, commercial, and cultural capital. Tonight, dinner is at the hotel. (B,D)
Day #18 Santiago. Today your Local Guide traces the city’s history and heritage. Start at La Moneda, the official Government Palace, before heading to the Plaza de Armas, the main square, with a visit to the 18th-century CATHEDRAL. This afternoon offers an optional excursion to the Undurraga Winery, where you will learn how some of South America’s wines are produced. This evening, you may opt to join a Chilean Folkloric Dinner Show. (B)
Day #19 Santiago. The day is free for independent activities. You may want to take advantage of an optional excursion to the beautiful coastal region west of Santiago. Drive through the undulating hills of Chile’s wine country to the historic port of Valparaiso, and continue along the coast to nearby Viña del Mar. This chic seaside resort with palm tree-lined avenues and lovely villas truly deserves the sobriquet “Pearl of the Pacific.” Tonight your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner to celebrate a great touring adventure. (B,D)
Day #20 Santiago. Enjoy a free day to catch up on last-minute souvenir shopping. Your holiday ends today. (B)
Hotels:
Manaus Tropical Manaus Resort & Convention Center (MD),
Amazon Reserve Ecopark Jungle Lodge (BA),
Rio de Janeiro Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers (D),
Iguassu Falls Hotel Mabu Thermas (F),
Buenos Aires Panamericano Buenos Aires Hotel (MD),
Bariloche Hotel Edelweiss (SF),
Puerto Varas Hotel Cumbres Patagonicas (SF),
Santiago Sheraton Santiago (D)