Rio de Janeiro - Ouro Preto. Leaving Rio de Janeiro early and heading inland, we drive towards the gold rush town of Ouro Preto arriving mid to late afternoon. A quarter of a millennium ago, Ouro Preto used to be the richest town in the new world. Today it’s a university town with a scattering of baroque churches, colonial houses and interesting museums across its twisting, cobbled streets. There will be many fantastic photo opportunities. 

We take a trolley down one of the old mines to find out how Brazil became the richest country of South America! We will be travelling on the actual rails that they used to transport the minerals. At the bottom of the mine we visit the galleries where they extracted mountains of gold and we’ll have the opportunity to take a dip in a natural pool with crystal clear water (invigorating!). This pool was discovered by the miners as they began hitting the water table below. After the tour we will head back into town for lunch and a free afternoon.We camp here for two nights.

Caraiva - Itacare - Morro do Sao Paulo. We head north up the coast, an easy drive to Itacare. We’ll aim to arrive in time for sunset and cocktails on the beach! Itacare has always been popular with Brazilians, but the word is only just getting out now internationally. There are only a few places in the world where nature has been so generous offering such a diverse group of attractions concentrated in one single place. Beautiful coconut fringed beaches, tropical rainforest, waterfalls, adventure sports and some of the best surfing and caipoeira in the world – with lessons for both on offer.

In Itacare we will be taken on an excursion to 4 stunning beaches (with chances to surf if keen!) We’ll be dropped off where the road stops and a rainforest trail starts…The forth beach has a lovely bar/restaurant located right at the water’s edge. This is where we’ll be picked up and taken to visit a nearby waterfall for a refreshing fresh-water dip before arriving back to Itacare. You won’t be disappointed in the nightlife here either… they especially love reggae!

Another full day to enjoy all the optional activities on offer. For the adventurous you might want to go on a jungle canopy zip-line tour, whitewater rafting, parasailing or even paintballing! For those who prefer something more relaxing there are nature walks, canoe trips and of course many beautiful beaches to choose from…. or perhaps you’ll just want to swing in a hammock with a good book and while the day away that way!

A short drive north to the small town of Valenca from where we will be leaving the truck and taking a boat over to the island of Morro do Sao Paulo. Upon arriving you will most definitely slip straight into ‘island life’ – a place where there’s not a care in the world, and the only thing you’ll have to think about is what flavor fruit caiparinha to order at the beach cocktail stands… and perhaps what factor sunscreen to use?

Salvador - Maceio - Recife - Olinda. An early start for our drive up the coast to Maceio, a lively port city, often compared to Rio for its beautiful and popular city beaches and wide, palm-tree studded promenade running parallel to the beach. Thatched-roof restaurants and bars buzz in the evenings while the early mornings attract healthy joggers and cyclers!

We will take Jangadas (small traditional sailboats) 2km off the coast where natural pools are formed by the coral reefs at low tide. Not only will you be able to snorkel but you’ll also be served by swimming waiters from floating bars/restaurants offering you all sorts of exotic drinks and seafood dishes - fish fresh from the ocean. Literally fresh!

Siete Cidades - Sao Luis - Belem. Arriving before nightfall into São Luis we´ll check into our hotel and explore the old colonial part of the city on the way to dinner. An old slaving port with heavy African, Portuguese, Dutch and French influence (the only Brazilian city to be founded by the French)  São Luis is located on an island in the bay of St Marcus. The island is known as the island of love or Brazilian Athens, due to its many poets and writers, including Gonçalves Dias (the most famous). The city itself is known as the tile city. Most of the buildings in the historical centre are covered in them!

On offer from Sao Luis are Optional 1 or 2 day tours of Lençois Maranhenses dunes and lagoons. This National Park encompasses more than a thousand square kilometers. Its name Lençois (bed sheets) refers to its immense expanses of dunes which look like sheets strewn across the landscape. The park also includes beaches, mangroves, different colored lagoons and some interesting fauna such as turtles and birds. It’s a spectacular place to visit, an ecological phenomenon like no other place on earth.

If you decide not to do the optional tour, don't worry you won't be short of things to do in this charming, historical city. São Luis has one of the best concentrations of museums, galleries, and cultural centers and craft stores in the whole of the Northeast!

We then drive to Belem, a city built on the banks of the Amazon estuary, located about 100km upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. On arrival we’ll go for a walk along the riverfront, arriving to the old historical centre where one of the principal forts is located alongside the city’s cathedral and municipal palace. We’ll stop and relax in this square and you can try the famous Amazonian Tacaca soup. For those keen we’ll carry on to a funky little bar jetting out over the river and later venture further still to a local reggae club – the place to go on Sundays!

For those interested we’ll take in the famous Ver-o-Peso river markets, where the catch of the day can be enormous. But it’s not all fish. You’ll see bucket loads of Acai berries being unloaded from the boats. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, oils, creams and potions. An array of Amazonian delights. You´ll be intrigued! You might also want to use this opportunity to go shopping for your bed for the next five nights....a hammock!

Manaus - Amazon Jungle - Manaus. Time to say goodbye to your new Brazilian family. On arrival into Manaus we will check into our hotel for a well-deserved refresh and rest. Manaus has a range of culinary delights from all over Brazil, so we’ll go for a nice dinner tonight!

The next morning we will be taken on a tour around the historical centre of Manaus, which will include a trip to the famous opera house and the bustling port area. How could such a glorious modern city arise in the middle of the Amazon forest you ask? Manaus developed and prospered entirely due to the giant rubber boom of the late 1800s. It was, at that time, the rubber capital of the world. After this tour you will have a free afternoon to do as you please. If shopping takes your fancy the options are endless, from small market stalls to giant air-conditioned shopping malls – complete with cinema and movies in English!

 2 Day Amazon Jungle Excursion. Getting to the lodge is half the adventure. First by road, then by river, then another road and another river! We’ll have an English-speaking guide accompanying us. Along the way we’ll stop to see the meeting of the waters – this is the point where the warm tea-coloured Negro river meets the cooler and faster-flowing muddy Solimao River to become the actual Amazon River. Pink and grey dolphins are often spotted here, jumping between the 2 rivers.

On arrival to the lodge a hearty meal will be waiting for us. After lunch we will hop in canoes and head up the river for a jungle awareness trip, quite likely spotting various different species of monkeys, reptiles and birds along the way. We will also be given a bamboo pole, hook, some string and a few chunks of meat to search for our dinner; piranha! After catching enough piranha, as the sun starts to set we pack up our fishing gear and start our hunt for caimans... with torches ready to spot the red eyed reflection of their beady little eyes!!!

Our second day in the Amazon we will head off early for a three hour jungle hike. Along the way our native guide will teach us some very important jungle survival tips such as finding fresh water, food and lighting fires. We will also learn about the many different types of medicinal plants and discover all sorts of fascinating insects along the way, including tarantulas and bird eating spiders! Upon arriving back to the lodge there will be plenty of time for a refreshing dip in the river before lunch is served.

Then later that afternoon we start our journey back to Manaus, crossing the meeting of the rivers again. This is usually the best time of the day for seeing the dolphins playing.

Included 6 Day Roraima Trek Excursion. Early morning departure. We will be driving to Paraitepuy, our starting point for this trek, in a 4x4 jeep. On arrival we will have a quick lunch before trekking for 5 to 6 hours to our first camping site. On the way there are fantastic views of the surrounding tepuys and the Gran Savannahs. The trek is relatively flat at the start. Prepare for two river crossings; the Rio Tek and the Rio Kukenan.

On the second day we head out after breakfast and start our trek to the Base camp. This is a good day’s walk, with 17 hills and a fair bit of humidity, but with rewarding panoramic views of the tepuys, valleys and Gran Savannahs. Trek time 6-7 hours!

 Day 3 we have an amazing trek to the summit with an abundance of orchids, trees, insects, hummingbirds and bromeliads. Once at the top we assemble our tents in small caves to avoid the wind, rain and humidity. If we have energy to spare, there will be the option to explore the top of the tepuy close to our camp in the afternoon.

Time to explore the summit! We pay a visit to the triple vantage point of El Fozo, the very highest peak. Recommended to also visit the northern side of the tepuy - if you decide to do this exploration you get to visit the Jacuzzis, the Abyss, Salto Pantaleta, Cristal valleys, the Guacharo camp, and the highest peak. We will pass our second night on the summit, at the same camping ground.

On the fifth day After breakfast we will start our descent to the trek camp. This will be the longest trekking day: 9 hours!

Today we trek back to Paraitepuy, where our transport will be waiting for us with lunch, drinks and fresh fruits. End of the trek! Drive back to Santa Elena for one more night

 Cuidad Bolivar - Caracas.  Today we head northwest to the busy capital city of Caracas. As it’s a long drive we´ll set off early, stopping for a nice picnic lunch along the way.

Caracas is set in a valley nestled below rolling hills. At 900m, the climate is pleasant, often described as eternal spring, although it can get a little cool at night! The city itself has a vibrant and cosmopolitan culture. You'll find few Latin American cities with nightlife as energetic as that in Caracas. Caraquenos love to dance - salsa, merengue, reggae, rock 'n' roll, tango - you name it. A popular option is to head for one of the tascas, bars, some with live music that serve hearty Spanish appetizers. Other Caracas specialties include beef steaks and arepas – corn-bread snacks stuffed with fillings of your choice. Delicious.

Caracas is only a short hop from the sun-drenched beaches on the Caribbean coast. Today we´ll be taking a day trip up to visit some of these beaches. Because we´ll be going in our own vehicle we´ll be able to see some of the most beautiful and isolated beaches on the Eastern end of the Central Coast – beaches that are great for swimming and surfing alike. What better way to end the tour than to have a long and leisurely Caribbean-cuisine lunch accompanied by icy cold beers and rum cocktails! After arriving back to our hotel in Caracas there´ll be time to shower and refresh before heading out for one last night on the town!

Tour finishes after breakfast on Day 49. If you´re lucky enough to be able to stay a bit longer, your tour leader will be ready to give you mountains of advice about the many other wonders and attractions of Venezuela!