BRAZIL - (Page 12)

Itineraries Here are eight suggested itineraries, from eight to 14 days, that will take your clients off the beaten path. For your reference, we’ve color-coded and tracked these itineraries on the map that appears on page B3. Itinerary 1— Manaus, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro (14 days) Day 1. Upon arrival in Manaus—gateway to Brazil’s Amazon—travelers can opt for guided sightseeing, which showcases the opulent sites from Manaus’ rubber boom era at the turn of last century, like São Sebastiao Square and Palacio Rio Negro. Next, it’s off to the famous Opera House, built almost entirely of European materials during the rubber boom and inaugurated in 1896. Top off the tour with a stroll through the Municipal Market and learn about the region’s local fish, fruits, and medicinal herbs. Day 2. Manaus (Embarkation) Transfer to the pier and embark on a cruise ship for the next three nights. Stops will be made at locations along the Amazon’s Rio Solimoes, offering excursions to explore the Amazon jungle and local vegetation, spotting indigenous animals, and even visiting local river communities. This evening, enjoy a Captain’s welcome cocktail party before dinner. Day 3. Cruising: Rainforest Walk & Piranha Fishing This morning, visitors board a panga boat for a ride to the shore and embark on a naturalist-guided walk through the rainforest in the Manacapuru region. Along the trail, they’ll learn how natives subsist off the flora. They’ll also hear about some of the medicinal qualities each plant possesses. Tell them to keep an eye open for capuchin and howler monkeys. After a lecture on the region and lunch on board, travelers will head back out via panga and try their hand at piranha fishing. In the evening, under the dark of night, they’ll cruise the waterways for a caiman-spotting expedition. Day 4. After breakfast, the tour heads for shore for a visit to a local settlement to shop for handicrafts and meet some of the indigenous people living there. They’ll stay for lunch before hiking back toward the ship, looking for wildlife and enjoying the flora. Day 5. Meeting of The Waters–Manaus (Disembarkation) En-route back to Manaus, cruise the Meeting of The Waters, where the chocolate-colored Rio Negro meets with the yellow-gray Rio Solimoes to form Itinerary 1 Itinerary 2 the mighty Amazon. For four miles the differently colored bodies of water flow side by side and never mix. Disembark in Manaus and transfer to the airport for the flight to Brasilia. Day 6. There’s a guided tour of Brazil’s capital city, Brasília. Then an afternoon visiting some of the city’s 30 museums and taking photos of the incredible architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, which dominates the city. Day 7. Next, it’s off to the airport for the flight to Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais. Day 8. After breakfast, it’s a visit to Ouro Preto to see the Casa dos Contos, San Francisco de Assisi Church and the Mine Museum. Later, head to Mariana for a visit to the Se Basilica and the Passagem Mine and overnight. Day 9. Drive to Congonhas and see the Bom Jesus do Matosinho Sanctuary. After lunch, go on to São João del Rey and visit the Railroad Museum, enjoy some shopping and leisure time. Overnight. Day 10. Head back to Belo Horizonte and get ready for the flight to Rio de Janeiro. Day 11. Fly to Rio in the morning and after checking into the hotel, visit the Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. Day 12. Visit the Roberto Burle Marx Cottage, one of Brazil’s most important landscape artists, in the town of Guaratiba where visitors can also enjoy his collection of art works. After lunch, visit the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Corcovado Hill. Have dinner on Copacabana Beach. Day 13. Go to Sugar Loaf Mountain and afterwards, enjoy a typical Brazilian feijoada lunch—a thick stew that’s the national dish. Later visit the Nossa Senhora da Candelaria Church located in the financial center and then the Modern Art Museum. Dinner at the hotel and pack for flight home the next day. Day 14. Fly home. Manaus, Salvador da Bahia, Belo Horizonte (10 days) Days 1-4. Arrive in Manaus from U.S. Take a guided city tour that includes the Opera House and markets. The next day, take a boat into the Amazon for a 2-night stay at an eco-lodge. Highlights include Jungle trekking, piranha fishing, dugout canoeing and visits to native villages. Days 4-7. Take morning flight from Manaus to Salvador and spend the first day touring the historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site reputed to have the largest collection of colonial architecture in Latin America. In the morning, head down to Itacare, a typical Bahian town with friendly people, beautiful beaches and more. Spend the night and head back to Salvador for a visit to the Afro-Brazilian Museum and take the time to attend a Candomblé ritual. Days 7-10. Arrive in Belo Horizonte and take a city tour and don’t miss the Praça da Liberdade, a palm tree-lined square, with a mix of buildings from the 19th century and an Oscar Niemeyer building from the 60s. In the morning, head off to Ouro Preto (which means ‘Black Gold’), a colonial city with great churches and impressive pieces of work for an overnight stay before heading back to Belo Horizonte to get ready for the return flight home. Itinerary 3 Recife, Manaus (8 days) Days 1-4. Arrive in Recife and after checking into the hotel, take a 4-hour guided tour of the city and the next morning, take a morning harbor cruise before heading south to Porto de Galinhas to spend the afternoon on one of its lovely beaches. The next day, head back to Recife for a flight to Fernando de Noronha and spend the next two nights on the archipelago enjoying some boating and diving among the islands before coming back to Recife for a flight to Manaus. Days 5-8. After arrival in Manaus, take a city tour before catching a boat into the interior for a 2- B12 june 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BRAZIL

Sun & Beach
Ecotourism & Adventure
Sports
Culture, Brazilian-Style
Itineraries
Fast Facts/Getting There

BRAZIL