Impressions of South America
From CAD $7625
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(10 reviews)
From the vibrant shores of Copacabana to the thundering Iguassu Falls, South America waits! Your nine-day South America tour sees you visiting Rio's most exciting places, watching riveted as dancers perform an unforgettable tango in Buenos Aires, and admiring the vibrant colors and wildlife of UNESCO-listed Iguassu National Park.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 8 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Buenos Aires: Visit a family-run gaucho ranch for an energizing event of food, drink, music, dance and horseback riding demonstrations. Kick off with a lunch of empanadas, salads, asado meat of sausages, chicken and beef and drinks followed by flan with dulce de leche for dessert. You’ll even learn how to grill the asado. Discoveries continue over a demonstration of gaucho´s skill with horses and a lively show. Take time to wander among the historic, 150-year-old building past the cows and horses before taking home your keepsake leather accessory gift typical of this region.
Dive into Culture
- Rio de Janeiro: Head to a relaxed beachside setting for a hands-on introduction to Brazil’s iconic caipirinha. Learn how to muddle lime, sugar and cachaça to perfection as a Local Specialist shows you the ropes. Then step behind the bar and create your own, mastering the balance of flavors that make this refreshing cocktail a national favorite.
- Buenos Aires: Visit a gaucho painter’s studio to view his works, appreciate the diverse subjects of his paintings, learn the history of the gaucho town followed by a fascinating drawing demonstration.
Iconic Experience
- Rio de Janeiro: Ride Brazil’s first cable car to Urca Hill, then on to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, 396 m (1,299 ft) above sea level. With your Travel Director, take in views over Botafogo Cove, Copacabana and Guanabara Bay, and hear how the mountain earned its name during the sugar trade, when molded sugar mirrored its shape.
- Corcovado: Climb into the clouds to the top of Corcovado Mountain to visit the iconic Christ the Redeemer. You’ll ride the Corcovado Railway, the first electrified railroad in Brazil, and an icon itself. The railway is actually older than the monument and even transported the pieces of the monument. The train has taken popes, kings, princes, presidents, artists, scientists - and now you - since its start in 1884. You’ll feel good about your travels too knowing that this electric train doesn’t pollute the surrounding Tijuca National Park. As you ascend 2,379 feet, consider the history of Christ the Redeemer built from 1926-1931, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and one of the most famous Art Déco sculptures. Gaze out the window at the views of the Rio de Janeiro and, at the top, stand beneath the famous statue’s feet looking up to its top of 98 feet high.
- Iguassu Falls: Join a Local Specialist who will guide your exploration of the Brazilian side of the falls in this massive park spanning the border between Argentina and Brazil. The region hosts a variety of wildlife including tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars, caymans and 400 species of birds - so be on the lookout for that special photo-op. Given Iguassu’s support of extreme habitats and diverse species, it’s no wonder it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Iguazú Falls: Join a local specialist for a walk along the long catwalk suspended above the swirling waters of the Iguazú River. View the chaotic crush of water pouring down Devil's throat falls. Then board an open-air ecological jungle train for a different perspective of the mighty cascades.
- Buenos Aires: Experience the beauty of the Tango and learn about it's traditions. Here at El Viejo Almacen in the neighborhood of San Telmo, you’re in the most classic house of tango putting on shows since 1969 and preserving the architecture and atmosphere of Tango culture.
- Buenos Aires: Embark on a Buenos Aires City Tour with a Local Specialist. Walk through the wide boulevards of this beautiful capital admiring the spirit of a city whose European and Latin American influences can be seen around every turn. See the pink palace, the seat of the Argentine national government and president's office whose balcony Juan and “Evita” Perón addressed the people in the 1940s and 1950s. Visit the cathedral and wander through the lively and colorful La Boca neighborhood lined with restaurants, street artists and local art around every corner.
- Buenos Aires: Uncover San Antonio de Areco, the heart of the “gaucho” traditions in the “pampas” region. Walk around the small village’s cobblestoned streets appreciating its quaint historical center. See the main square, the church, and meet some of the locals along the way. Also known as the ‘Cradle of Tradition’ the colonial town was founded over 280 years ago and is filled with old bars (“pulperías”) and artisan shops with over 30 silversmiths. Known as “platería criolla”, the traditional Argentinean silverworks include knives, jewelry and other traditional items.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Iguazú Falls: Visiting the ancestral Guarani community for an immersive MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Join the Guarani for a jungle walk, first greeted by an aboriginal guide who leads you through trails that surround and crisscross the village. Learn about the beliefs, myths, legends and the virtues of medicinal plants and their uses before visiting the temple in the heart of the jungle discovering the initiation and baptism rituals of the tribe. See the plantations, their homes and their hunting traps for different kinds of animals that they used in ancient times. Your visit ends with a display of handicrafts using resources such as wood, lianas and seeds.
- Buenos Aires: Visit a workshop where people with special abilities manufacture in an artisanal way the traditional shoe of the gauchos: "alpargatas", still used in the countryside and by many rural workers. Learn about the production process. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience helps the association to support youth and adults develop their abilities to make these traditional shoes and is the only factory offering disabled people job opportunities.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and the Brazilian and Argentinean side of Iguazú Falls with a Local Specialist
- Visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado Mountain, Iguazú Falls and San Antonio de Areco, the heart of the “gaucho” traditions
- See Copacabana Beach and enjoy a Tango and Dinner Show
Trip Details
Product Code: 28954
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Luxury
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Classic
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 125.490B
Starts: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Finishes: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- A Trafalgar bonus all Intra-Air Flights: Rio de Janeiro to Iguaz� and Iguaz� to Buenos Aires, including porter service at all airports
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $7625 ($847 /day)
Itinerary
Launch your leisurely exploration of South America to the sultry beats of the Bossa Nova and Samba. A local host will take you to your hotel where you’ll enjoy superb ocean views of Copacabana beach and its beautiful people, just minutes from downtown Rio. This evening, we enjoy a festive dinner with our Travel Director and fellow travelers.
Accommodation: Windsor Excelsior Copacabana
Meals: Dinner
Join your Travel Director and ride the historic cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain, pausing at Urca Hill before reaching the summit for sweeping views over Guanabara Bay and Copacabana. Hear how this iconic peak got its name during Brazil’s sugar trade era. After a drive past Ipanema and the Copacabana beaches, your afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps choose an Optional Experience to the Selarón Steps, a colorful mosaic staircase and local landmark. This evening, you could choose an Optional Experience if you wish: enjoy Brazilian flavors and a performance at the city’s famous Roxy Dinner Show.
Accommodation: Windsor Excelsior Copacabana
Meals: Breakfast
Hands outstretched, the iconic Christ the Redeemer welcomes you to the hunched outcrop of Corcovado, sharing his impressive panoramic view of a city that loves to celebrate. This afternoon, soak in the shores of Copacabana and Ipanema. Kick back and watch tanned sun-worshippers playing volleyball and sip a caipirinha or two, which you’ll learn to mix this evening, followed by a sizzling barbecue at a local churrascaria Regional Dinner. Bom proveito!
Accommodation: Windsor Excelsior Copacabana
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Journey into some of South America’s most beautiful natural landscapes taking a flight from Rio to Iguazú Falls, the UNESCO-listed magnificent falls that straddle the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Explore the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls, 'Big Waters', in Iguaçu National Park with a Local Specialist. Hike to the cascading falls through giant clouds and sprays of water feeling refreshed in the humidity. You’ll learn that while hot and humid, this lush micro-climate supports diverse fauna in its subtropical rainforest of over 2,000 species of vascular plants. Conclude your day crossing the border to Argentina to your hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Mercure
Meals: Breakfast
Get a different perspective of grandeur on the Argentinian side of the falls at the Devil's Throat. Your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience finds you paying a visit to the Guarani community of Fortín M'bororé who open their doors to reveal the secrets of the jungle, their natural medicine, culture, songs, dances, crafts, philosophy and beliefs. Discover with the Guarani the "Spirit of the Trees", a walk where you learn to walk through the interior of the Jungle guided by aboriginal experts. This afternoon, join an optional experience on Gran Aventura boat tour or an Argentinean experience learning about Argentine culture, tasting local dishes in a five-course dinner, sampling four Argentinian wines and mingling with travelers from around the world.
Accommodation: Hotel Mercure
Meals: Breakfast
Take a flight from Iguazú Falls to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Check into your hotel located in the heart of the cultural center at the historic Plaza San Martin and, with the rest of the day free, perhaps take a stroll around this upscale part of the city. Or venture on a wine tasting trip to “El Querandi,” a big house located in the historical district and considered a living testimony of the city originally founded as a bar in 1920.
Accommodation: Intercontinental
Meals: Breakfast
Take in the sights of Buenos Aires on a City Tour to the pink palace, cathedral and La Boca neighborhood. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax and explore this exciting city on your own. This evening enjoy the passionate fiery and precise steps of some of Buenos Aires most talented tango dancers.
Accommodation: Intercontinental
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Leave Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco, the heart of the gaucho traditions in the pampas region, for a tour along its quaint streets lined with silversmiths. Take part in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience visiting a local project of the Local Association for disabled people who are keeping up the tradition of making the alpargatas shoes. Appreciate more artisans paying a visit to a local artist's studio observing how masterpieces are created. Cap off your day with a Be My Guest Experience, complete with sizzling asado steak, at a family-owned gaucho ranch where your watch cowboys show off the horsemanship accompanied by music and dance.
Accommodation: Intercontinental
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Our South America adventure comes to an end this morning. Say a fond hasta luego to Buenos Aires and newfound friends, transferring to the airport on your included transfer for your flight home or choose to extend your stay.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Karen V. - Traveled, September 2024
Tour director was top notch! Knowledgeable, friendly and overall an awesome person! Very full agenda with just enough free time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/21/2024
Paula Opheim - Traveled, June 2024
This was an AMAZING trip! Excellent hotels and excursions! Our guide, Rodrigo, was fantastic! I have told several people about this trip and everyone I've told has asked me to send them details as they want to go.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/23/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Excellent! Guide was outstanding. Excellent hotels and transportation. Good balance between free time and guided tours.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/28/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Impressions of South America. Great service. Very happy with it. Amazing. Me and my husband were very happy with this tour. All the tour guides and drivers were very helpful and very professional.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/28/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
A perfect Trafalgar offering - Seamless, efficient tour offering - Great, professional, safe, secure and caring service. Good attention to detail and highly skilled and knowledgeable tour guides. For my travel in foreign countries I feel confident using Trafalgar, you take away the burden of the traveler and make the complex look simple. A well- put together itinerary. Rich experience of South America the multi destination offering gives good value for money I was impressed by the seamless service offering . I loved the professionalism and caring spirit of the tour director, Gio.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/29/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Fantastic, fun, interesting. Great scenery. The falls are mind blowing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/26/2024
Daniel Wells - Traveled, April 2024
My Review. Great scenery and food. Guide was great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/20/2024
Monika Rita Martin - Traveled, April 2024
The accommodations, trip planning and execution were superb. I would highly recommend Trafalgar, this is our second trip with them. They are deserving of a 5 star rating. Excellent itinerary and the accommodations were great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/20/2024
Ianthia Lloyd - Traveled, April 2024
I was very appreciative of the care that the trip guide gave me as I was not able to fully participate in the activities. He made adjustments for me. Good sightseeing and participatory activities
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/23/2024
Millie Thomas - Traveled, April 2024
Rodrigo did a fantastic job as a tour director. He cared about his tour members and checked in on each person. Brazil and Argentina are beautiful countries. It was a trip filled with diverse activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2024
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