Brazil Sample Itinerary

This 21-night itinerary will have you traversing the Peruvian Amazon in style, combining some of the world's most iconic and diverse eco-systems with ancient cultural landmarks. You will be visiting the Peruvian end of the Amazon as well as the Pantanal in Brazil, combining it with a visit to iconic Machu Picchu, the zest of Rio, the sophistication and gastronomy of Sao Paolo and Lima, the azure blues of Lake Titicaca, the culture of Bahia ending in a few days in an exquisite resort in the Marau Peninsula, situated in an ecological sanctuary fringed by the Atlantic Rainforest, the latter containing one of the greatest biodiversities on earth.

Day 1: Lima You are met upon arrival in Lima and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon we embark upon a half day guided tour of Lima, visiting the historical center, the Plaza de Armas and the San Francisco Monastery. With the sophisticated cuisine available in Lima, it is quite possible to come to Lima para cocina. Urbane Nomads can arrange for a gastronomic and artisanal tour of Lima upon request, sampling the city's best restaurants and gastronomic fare.

Peruvian Amazon/Lima Day 2: At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport for your direct flight to Iquitos. Upon arrival at Iquitos airport you are met by a representative and assisted onboard an air-conditioned bus for a scenic one-and-a-half hour drive through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta, where the M/V Aqua lies at anchor, awaiting your arrival.
You take a few moments to settle into your suite. Over the next four days, you will sail along several tributaries of the Amazon, as well as on the mighty river itself. You are embarking on a spectacular adventure to a place visited by only a few of even the most experienced world travelers.
Before dinner you will be given a safety drill and briefing on the Top Deck. Afterwards your cruise director and guides will give a brief orientation and talk about life on board, where you will go and what you will see on your Amazon journey.
Tonight you have a welcome dinner and you will discover why Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the world’s best. Here it is presented with a touch of European flair and a vegetarian dish is always available.

Day 3: After a sumptuous breakfast you will board the comfortable skiffs for your first adventure, traveling from the Amazon through the Huaysi short-cut canal to explore the Tahuayo black water river. Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots, and plenty of cold potable water will always be available for you on bard the skiffs. As you float down the Tahuayo, occasional fishermen paddling in their dug-out canoes will give you a cheerful greeting. Keep your binoculars ready to spot a vast variety of wildlife: terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloths share this wonderful environment with us. Upon arrival at Charo Lake, you can bait your hooks to try to catch one of Amazonia’s fearsome piranhas. As you fished, trained guides will also tell you the story of the lake and its inhabitants. In the afternoon you will explore the Yacapana Islands. Locals call the Yacapana Islands the ‘Igauna Islands’ because of the huge population of these reptiles – like tiny dinosaurs - crawling over the ground and resting in the tree tops. You will pass by in the skiff, giving you a chance to snap good photos. As the sun sets, you will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and photograph both gray and pink freshwater dolphins. The people of the Amazon believe that these dolphins turn into humans to steal handsome men or pretty women from their villages during celebrations.

Day 4: IQUITOS JUNGLE Marañon River/Pacaya – Samira National Reserve (Yanayacu Pucate)
This afternoon your naturalist guide will tell you about sustainable resource managements projects in Amazonia. You will visit one of these projects, where villagers are planting palms to obtain oil. Your guide may also show you the artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs. Then you will be taken deep into the jungle, where you will encounter wildlife and learn first-hand about the important medical value of the jungle plants. And you will observe the famous Kapok Trees (Ceiba Pentandra), the tallest tress in the Amazon Basin.
After lunch, you will have another skiff excursion. You are likely to see howler and capuchin monkeys, the squirrel-sized monkeys called tamarins, and a vast variety of birds. You are also apt to see the two different kinds of freshwater dolphins – including the unusual pink ones – found in the Amazon. Later, keep your eyes directed toward the jungle canopy, where you can spot at least several kind of primates – among the 13 species of monkeys resident in the National Park. Perhaps you will catch a glimpse of tamarins and dusky titi monkeys and pigmy marmoset monkeys. Watch for alligators, and keep your binoculars ready, as you are likely to see more than 200 species of birds. As the sun sets and the searchlight comes on, keep your eyes out for caimans, tree boas, tarantulas, and frogs. After this night
adventure, the Aqua will start sailing downstream of the Marañon River, back toward the headwaters of the Amazon.
Today you will rise early and be on your skiff at 6:30 AM. You will travel by skiff along the Ucayali River to Yucuruche Lake, where you will walk a little way into the jungle to see the world’s largest aquatic plant, the giant water lilies or “Victoria Regias”. You will be one of a very small number of people who have ever seen these plants bloom. Afterwards the M/V Aqua skirts the edges of the vast Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. You board the skiffs to view one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the birthplace of the Amazon River. Here—where the union of two major tributaries, the Ucayali and the Marañon, form the world’s greatest waterway—nature is at its most dramatic.

After lunch, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people and fishermen. Biologists will give a presentation about the project and its efforts to help these helpless mammals. You will also see how the manatees are cared for and are prepared for re-introduction into their natural habitat.
Afterwards you will disembark the Aqua yacht and you will be taken to the airport for your return flight to Lima.

Day 5: Tonight is spent at the Costa Ramada el Sol Hotel in Lima.

Day 6: Cusco

This morning we fly to Cusco.where we check in to our chosen hotel upon arrival. In the afternoon we explore the city, starting our visit in the Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), whose walls used to be covered with sheets of gold during the Inca Empire, and then became an important convent with the Spanish colonization. We then continue with a visit to the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, which houses some of the most important examples of the famous Cusco school of painting. We finally conclude in the bohemian quarter of San Blas, home to the workshops and stores of the most renowned artisans in Cusco, including Mendivil and Merida. At dinnertime, you may enjoy any of the plenty attractive and delicious gourmet restaurants the city offers.

Sacred Valley Day 7: Early in the morning, we are driven to the Sacred Valley, visiting the archaeological site of Sacsayhuamán on the way. We also stop to learn the ancient weaving techniques used to create Andean clothing at Awanacancha, a breeding center for South American camelids. We visit Pisaq
archaeological site and its colorful market, before we enjoy lunch at Casa Hacienda Orihuela, a private residence with an impressive collection of Inca and colonial art and artifacts, where the Lambarri-Orihuela family will be our hosts. In the afternoon, we visit Ollantaytambo, a still-thriving Inca village set below an ancient Inca fortress and temple with stunning views over the valley that makes us feel as if we have stepped back into the 15th century. Return to Cusco in the evening.

Machu Picchu Day 8:Early this morning we board the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu, the "Lost City of the Incas”. We spend the rest of the morning visiting the Sacred Inca citadel, exploring its main temples and hidden corners. We enjoy a delicious buffet lunch at the famous Machupicchu Sanctuary Lodge Hotel, in its unequaled location at the entrance of the Inca Citadel ruins. In the afternoon, we may choose to continue visiting the main ruins, the fabulous Inca Bridge or climb the Huayna Picchu, offering impressive views over Machupicchu.

Lake Titicaca/Lima Day 9:This morning, we return to Cusco on the Vistadome train, arriving midday.From here, we will flight to Juliaca, where upon arrival you will be transfered to Titilaka. The hotel allow us to indulge and immerse in the splendor and spirit of the lake at Titilaka. Surrounded by stunning scenery and astounding Andean geography, Titilaka’s contemporary design integrates with the natural environment, paying homage to the ancient Titicaca, origin of the great Inca culture.

Day 10:Today you will take a boat tour to the Floating Islands of Uros, home of the ancient inhabitants of Lake Titicaca. This community has endured for hundreds of years, thanks to their continual renovation of the island floor with Totora reeds and mud, and their harmonious relationship with nature. Here, the men perform their daily activities of hunting and fishing from their Totora reed boats, which are designed with the heads of dragons at their prow, for protection. Afterwards, visit the Island of Taquile, whose inhabitants are known for their friendliness as well as for their weavings. They design mantas, chullos (earflap hats), and other articles of clothing and daily life. In Taquile, chullos don’t only serve to protect the head, but also as a way to distinguish married from unmarried men. There, you will enjoy a typical lunch prepared by the residents of Taquile. Return by boat to Puno.

Day 11: Transfer today to Lima, staying at the Miraflores Park Hotel again.

Rio Day 12: Arrive by flight from Lima to Rio today, staying at the Fasano Rio- a chic installation on Ipanema beach. The Sao-Paulo based group having brought high style to Rio, the Fasano has an idyllic location with stylish F&B joints.

Pantanal/Rio Day 13-18:Arrival at Cuiaba, transfer to the eco-lodge which will serve as your base for the rest of the 5 days/4 nights as you explore the Pantanal.

Day 18:Sao Paolo Flight back to Bahia tonight, staying at the Fasano Hotel in Sao Paulo. The chic shopping stretch that the Fasano Sao Paulo is located in is also within walking distance to a restaurant serving the cuisine of Benedictine monks.

Day 19-21: Bahia

Based at the Convento do Carmo, a hotel originally built as a friary, your stay in culturally rich Bahia. Visit the Pelourinho district famous for its distinctive architecture. On the second day, take a day schooner trip to the Recife Fora and some time in the historic quarters of Porto Seguro, understanding the colonisation process and the story according to the native Indians. There is also a reproduction of Cabral's fleet which you can visit. Rest of day at leisure.

Day 21-24: Marau Peninsula/Rio Possibly the best kept secret in the field of chic Brazilian beach getaways, this difficult-to-get-to, 9 villa development  takes its green creds seriously. Built from woods indigenous to the area, this development also hosts a water treatment system to avoid soil contamination to the area with its own fruit anf vegetable organic garden and a delightful outdoor bath. Accommodation here is on full board basis, with 3 delicious organic meals a day. Each villa is identical and is scattered throughout the coconut-tree lined estate- forming a veritable tropical paradise and a perfectly idyllic ending to your trip.

Day 25: Back in Rio. Staying in Mama Ruisa in the neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, spend the day at leisure or visit a community art-installation of a favela miniature (so true to life the police had thought the model to be a plan for an actual gang attack) that debuted at the Venice Biennale!(Optional arrangement and extra costs).

Prices(Indicative Only) Options would include a visit to the Argentinian and Brazilian end of the Iguazu Falls. Urbane Nomads also runs a separate itinerary that covers the Peruvian, Brazilian and Ecuadorian end of the Amazon.

For a pdf version of the itinerary:

Starting with a private charter to Fernando de Noronha for some serious diving followed by a few days of relaxation in Rio.