Brazil
Rio, the falls, and the wild interior
Photo: The Iguaçu Falls with a rainbow in a sunny day.jpg by Fellipe Toffolo de Souza, CC BY-SA 4.0. All photo credits
Big enough that the distances shape the trip. Most first visits pair Rio with Iguaçu Falls, then add either the Amazon or the Pantanal wetlands for wildlife.
What it's known for
- Rio de Janeiro Sugarloaf, Corcovado and the beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema
- Iguaçu Falls The Brazilian side gives the panorama; the Argentine side gets you closer
- The Amazon Reached from Manaus, with lodges and boat trips into the flooded forest
- The Pantanal Open wetland, and a far better bet than the Amazon for actually seeing wildlife
When to go
Rio is hottest and busiest from December to March, which includes Carnival. The Pantanal's dry season, roughly July to October, concentrates wildlife around water.
Getting there
Direct overnight flights to Rio and São Paulo from several US gateways. A visa may be required — worth checking early.
This page is a starting point, not a packaged trip. Larry builds each itinerary around what you want and quotes it once he has confirmed availability and current pricing.