Compare Best of Argentina & Brazil by Intrepid Travel vs Essence of South America 2019 by Tauck
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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4 | Great
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| Duration | 7 days | 14 days |
| Price From | $ 3,002 | $ 8,490 |
| Price Per Day | $ 429 | $ 606 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
Get a taste of the rhythms of Argentina and Brazil on this southern adventure journeying from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, taking in spectacular Iguazu Falls along the way. From tango to samba, Spanish to Portuguese, and Malbec wine to caipirinhas, these two countries are sure to have you enthralled in their passionate zest for life. Lively Rio de Janeiro is the perfect spot to cap off your South American sojourn, where the beaches of Copacabana or Ipanema beckon and sunset from the top of Sugarloaf Mountain shouldn’t be missed. |
Experience 14 days of the best of Chile, Argentina and Brazil, from multiple nights in Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Santiago to breathtaking Iguazú Falls or the snow-capped peaks and emerald waters of the Andes. |
Day 1 Buenos Aires
Bienvenido! Welcome to Buenos Aires, the ultimate cosmopolitan city, with Latin passion, European elegance, and its own distinctive style. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm. Your leader will leave a note at the hotel reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Argentinians enjoy dining late so there will be plenty of time after the welcome meeting to take up any of your leader’s restaurant suggestions for those wishing to sample Argentina’s world-renowned steak.
Day 2 Buenos Aires
Today explore Buenos Aires on a half-day tour with an expert local guide. Starting in Plaza de Mayo, explore the city’s most famous sights with highlights including San Telmo, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires, and La Boca where you’ll visit iconic Caminito Street, which gives the neighbourhood its distinctive spirit. After lunch, your tour continues towards Retiro and Recoleta, where you’ll learn about the families who sought to build a small‐scale Paris in the heart of Buenos Aires and see the ornate mausoleums at one of the world’s most famous cemeteries. This evening is free to enjoy your way.
Day 3 Foz do Iguazu
Fly to Puerto Iguazu in the northeast corner of Argentina where mighty Iguazu Falls straddles the border of Argentina and Brazil. Iguazu Falls are higher than Niagara Falls, wider than Victoria Falls, and a truly epic sight. Take a trip across the border to Brazil to admire panoramic views of multiple thundering waterfalls. You may like to take an optional helicopter flight over the top of the falls for a more panoramic view. Tonight, spend the night in Foz do Iguazu (Brazil), resting up before a big day exploring the Argentinian side of the falls tomorrow.
Day 4 Iguazu Falls
A visit to the Argentinian side of Iguazu today allows you to get up close to the waterfalls via a series of boardwalks. According to Guarani legend, Iguazu Falls was created when the serpent god M’Boy, enraged by the betrayal of a chieftain’s daughter who was promised to him, split the river in half. For a more exhilarating experience, take an optional Zodiac boat ride to the base of the falls. This afternoon, join your leader for a visit to a Guarani community where you’ll meet some of the region’s few remaining indigenous people. Learn about the Guarani way of life and how they have preserved their traditions on the edge of one of the world’s most popular attractions. Return to your hotel on the Brazilian side of the falls.
Day 5 Rio de Janeiro
Take an early morning flight from Foz do Iguacu to Rio. The locals say that 'if God made the world in six days, he devoted the seventh to Rio'. The day is yours to do what you like. For relaxation and people watching, head to the beaches of Copacabana or Ipanema. If the time of year is right, check out a football game or a Carnival rehearsal. As evening approaches, perhaps take the cable car up to Sugarloaf Mountain to watch the sunset before getting sweaty with the locals in the samba clubs of bohemian Lapa.
Day 6 Rio de Janeiro
It's an early start this morning as we embark on a guided tour of Rio, starting at Corcovado Mountain for sweeping views over Rio from the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue before the crowds arrive. Discover the eclectic architecture, restaurants, and art galleries of the artistic neighbourhood of Santa Teresa. Then continue to the colourful Selaron Steps to see artist Jorge Selaron’s gift to the Brazilian people, a staircase with 215 steps that’s decorated with thousands of tiles collected from over 60 countries around the world. The afternoon is free for you to spend as you wish, before rejoining your group for a farewell dinner. A fun local restaurant, specialising in smoky grilled seafood and meat with fresh, zesty salads, is the ideal place to celebrate your time together.
Day 7 Rio de Janeiro
With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart at any time. That doesn’t mean your adventure has to come to an end. If you would like to continue soaking up the sun in Rio, we’ll be happy to book additional accommodation (subject to availability).
Day 1 Arrive in Santiago, Chile
Tour begins: The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago at 6:00 PM. A transfer from Santiago Airport to The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago is included. Please join us for our welcome cocktail reception and dinner tonight.
MEALS : D
LODGING : The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago
PORTOFCALL : Santiago, Chile
Day 2 Santiago and a Winery Lunch
Get acquainted with Santiago today - the city is a mix of skyscrapers and classical buildings - beginning with a visit to the Plaza de Armas. Head outside of the city to a winery for a tour and a gourmet lunch that celebrates generations of Chilean winemaking traditions. Back in Santiago, the rest of the day is free to explore as you please.
MEALS : B, L
LODGING : The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago
PORTOFCALL : Santiago, Chile
Day 3 Northern Patagonia's Lake District
Fly this morning to the Lake District of southern Chile, renowned as a wonderland of mountain lakes, snowcapped volcanoes, waterfalls and lush forests. Have lunch in Puerto Montt, reflecting the German heritage of the area's original settlers, en route to the Patagonian resort town of Puerto Varas on the shore of Chile's largest man-made lake, Lago Llanquihue. Time at leisure lets you enjoy the flavor of this resort town.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Hotel Cumbres Puerto Varas
PORTOFCALL : Puerto Varas, Chile
Day 4 Crossing the Andes by land and boat
Today, you'll cross the majestic Andes Mountains - a highlight of South America tours - traveling from Chile to Argentina. Following a morning drive from Puerto Varas to the Argentine border, board a boat and cruise to Bariloche, the "Switzerland of South America" on Nahuel Huapi Lake in Nahuel Huapi National Park; have dinner à la carte this evening at your leisure at Llao Llao Resort, your home for the next two nights, where you'll enjoy a Lake Suite in the Moreno Wing.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Llao Llao Hotel & Resort
PORTOFCALL : Bariloche, Argentina
Day 5 A day as you please at your resort in Bariloche
Today... an entire day for you to immerse in the natural splendors of your idyllic lakeside setting. Enjoy the amenities at your award-winning resort (some at an additional charge) including archery, golf, tennis and sailing or spa treatments. Hotel shuttles are available if you wish to explore downtown Bariloche on your own. This afternoon, join us for a private tango lesson for Tauck guests only.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Llao Llao Hotel & Resort
PORTOFCALL : Bariloche, Argentina
Day 6 Fly to Buenos Aires
You've basked in the beauty of Patagonia from the ground up. Today you will experience it from a different perspective when you take a chairlift up Cerro Campanario for stunning views of the surrounding mountains, wide open sky and the lake waters below. Another change of scenery awaits this afternoon on a flight to Buenos Aires for a three-night stay at the Alvear Palace Hotel, a landmark in La Recoleta, one of the city's most elegant and distinguished neighborhoods. Dine as you please tonight at the hotel.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Alvear Palace Hotel
PORTOFCALL : Buenos Aires, Argentina
Day 7 Buenos Aires Sights / Tango as Art
No doubt about it, Buenos Aires defines "sizzle"... and you'll discover why today when a local guide shows you the city. First up is a visit to Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Casa Rosada (government palace) where you'll see the balcony made famous by Evita Perón. Explore the colorful La Boca neighborhood, which is both a working class barrio and artist colony, and then enjoy lunch in the San Telmo District, a mix of colonial-style homes, narrow lanes, artist lofts and hip bars. After dinner, you'll discover the allure and passion of the tango at a premier tango show in Buenos Aires.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Alvear Palace Hotel
PORTOFCALL : Buenos Aires, Argentina
Day 8 Teatro Colon Opera House in Buenos Aires
Today's discoveries begin with a fascinating behind-the-scenes visit to Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires' seven-tiered opera house first opened in 1908. Its opulent stained glass, marble staircases and excellent acoustics recently underwent a three-year refurbishment. The remainder of the day and evening are free for you to explore more of this fascinating city as you wish.
MEALS : B
LODGING : Alvear Palace Hotel
PORTOFCALL : Buenos Aires, Argentina
Day 9 Buenos Aires city treasures and on to Iguazú Falls
Sightseeing continues today when you see the immense Avenida 9 de Julio, a stately avenue traversing Buenos Aires that was modeled after Paris' Champs Élysées in the 1930s, along with the posh Embassy District and the Rose Garden, an oasis of green. On foot, explore La Recoleta Cemetery, the final resting place of many of Argentina's famous and wealthiest families, including the grave of Evita Perón. Have lunch at a popular local restaurant, before taking an afternoon flight to Iguazú, reigning as one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls and set in a wildlife rich subtropical setting. Wherever you look, the views are breathtaking. Your hotel is set in the heart of the national park; dine tonight at the hotel's restaurant, boasting wonderful views of the thundering waters!
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Meliá Iguazú
PORTOFCALL : Iguazú Falls, Argentina
Day 10 The "Great Waters" of Iguazú
Taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide, Iguazú Falls, named a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, claimed another title as one of the "New Seven Wonders of Nature" by the New Seven Wonders of the World Foundation in 2011. You'll have to visit two countries to get a complete look at the falls - its 275 cascades are spread in a horseshoe shape over nearly two miles of the Iguazú River, straddling the borders of Argentina and Brazil. Today you'll experience the Argentinian side, walking along grated walkways of metal and climbing steps as you view the thundering water. Do as many walks as you like; intriguing names like the "Devil's Throat," the "Superior Circuit," and the "Lower Circuit" offer a descriptive hint of what you'll see. Optional activities like boat rides, hikes and other excursions are available at an additional charge and give you the opportunity to experience nature at her finest in South America.
MEALS : B, L
LODGING : Meliá Iguazú
PORTOFCALL : Iguazú Falls, Argentina
Day 11 The Brazilian side of Iguazú Falls and a flight to Rio de Janeiro
Cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge from Argentina to Brazil to view the famous falls (known as Iguaçu here) from a different perspective this morning; you'll never forget your walk along the base of the falls on the Brazilian side - 275 cascades form a 1 1/2 mile-long waterfall. Later, fly to Rio de Janeiro and your iconic Art Deco landmark hotel overlooking Copacabana Beach, the 5-star Belmond Copacabana Palace.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Belmond Copacabana Palace
PORTOFCALL : Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Day 12 Summit of Corcovado, Samba City & more in colorful Rio
Arise in amazing Rio for an unforgettable excursion up Corcovado Hill by train to Tijuca National Park to see the world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. Enjoy a walking tour of Rio's historic downtown, including the Cathedral and other Belle Époque landmarks, and lunch at the famous Colombo Tea Room. Then discover the passionate nature of Rio's beloved Carnaval celebration, which draws visitors from around the world each year, on a visit to Samba City - where a local guide leads you on a behind-the-scenes look at the business of Carnaval and the creation of its dazzling costumes and floats, which includes an exclusive samba performance. Spend the evening as you please on your own in Rio tonight.
MEALS : B, L
LODGING : Belmond Copacabana Palace
PORTOFCALL : Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Day 13 Private cruise, Rio's skyline, Sugarloaf Mountain & more
An incredible day in and around Rio de Janeiro begins with a private boat cruise on Guanabara Bay, to see some of the city's iconic beaches, fortresses and the breathtaking Rio skyline. After lunch at a traditional Brazilian churrascaria, a two-stage cable car ride to the 1,390-foot summit of iconic Sugarloaf Mountain rewards with stunning views. Return to the Belmond Copacabana Palace in the late afternoon, and join us this evening for a farewell cocktail party in one of the hotel's magnificent ballrooms, followed by dinner at a local Rio restaurant. Truly saboroso!
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Belmond Copacabana Palace
PORTOFCALL : Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Day 14 Journey Home
Tour ends: Rio de Janeiro. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Belmond Copacabana Palace to Rio de Janeiro International Airport. Spend your last day in Rio as you wish, browsing in the city's museums and shops or savoring the sights on Rio's beautiful beaches. While hotel check-out time from Belmond Copacabana Palace is 12:00 noon, if you are on a later flight Tauck has reserved a hospitality room to refresh and relax before making your flight; plan to arrive at the airport at least 3 1/2 hours before your flight departs.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
