Swaggering jaguars seek out their prey and giant anteaters lope through the grasslands. The call of macaws and the roar of monkeys echoes across the vast marshlands of the Pantanal. A rainbow forms above the spray of magnificent Iguaçú Falls and brightly coloured toucans drift through the forests. Tango dancers perform on cobbled streets as dusk falls over Buenos Aires and the sound of samba fills the evening air in Rio de Janeiro. See magnificent wildlife, one of the wonders of the natural world and South Americas’ most exciting cities on this spectacular tour.

• Travelling - 1 to 2
  

  Fly to Buenos Aires arriving on Day 2. Your Tour Guide will be on hand throughout the tour. Overnight Buenos Aires.

• City Sights And Tango Nights - 3
  

  Complex and seductive, Buenos Aires has it all. Sky scrapers cast their slender shadows on 19th century plazas, tango bars fill with the hazy smoke of cigars and the doors of treasure filled antique shops open out onto cobbled streets. Join our included tour of the ‘Paris of the Americas’. Visit Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada (Government House) and step into the cool interior of the Cathedral of Buenos Aires to visit the tomb of General San Martin, the hero and liberator of Argentina. Onto the brightly painted houses of the La Boca District, the birthplace of Tango and now a thriving artists’ colony. At Recoleta Cemetery stroll around the beautiful family tombs, your Tour Guide will show you the burial place of Eva Peron. Explore the city at your own pace this afternoon. Enjoy sensational shopping in stylish boutiques, nibble on sweet churros and sip ‘mate’ tea in pavement cafes and dine on juicy steaks in one of the many fine restaurants. Visit bustling San Telmo District where the sounds of sensuous Tango fill the air. Locals of all ages come here to dance. Sit and watch with a glass of Malbec or maybe join a free class and learn a few steps.

  This evening visit a theatre for a professional performance of Tango, the orchestra is excellent and the dancers mesmerising, your Tour Guide will be on hand to help. Overnight Buenos Aires.

• Magnificent Iguaçú - 4
  

  Nothing can prepare you for the magnificent sight of Iguaçú Falls. Travel by air to this thundering centre-piece of the Iguaçú National Park. The falls are higher than Niagara and wider than Victoria. They consist of 275 separate falls spread into the shape of a horseshoe and pouring up to eight million gallons of water every second into the swirling river below. This is a sight of stunning beauty and magnitude and one of the world’s largest natural wonders. View the falls from the Argentine side. Don waterproofs (provided) and take a series of catwalks over the gushing waters of the Devil’s Gorge, watch out for brightly coloured toucans as they drift from tree to tree. Ride the eco train and follow your Tour Guide along the jungle paths. With every twist and turn of rail and trail another jaw dropping view into the falls is revealed. Overnight Iguaçú.

• A Brazilian View Of Iguazú - 5
  

  Cross the border and change from Spanish to Portuguese. The views of the Iguazú Falls from the Brazilian side are quite different and more panoramic. At the Devil’s Throat, 14 falls drop with such force that a 100 feet cloud of spray is always overhead. Look out for the stunning rainbow that forms above. For a close up view walk through subtropical forest and take the elevator to the top of the falls. You can also view the falls by boat, or from the air on an optional helicopter ride. Overnight Iguaçú.

• To The Wetlands Of The Pantanal - 6
  

  Travel by air to Cuiaba and journey through cerrado trees and galleried forests to the Pantanal, a vast wetland bigger than England. The Trans-Pantanal Highway cuts across the marshy plain and pink piuva trees and red termite mounds dot the flat landscape. Wildlife suddenly seems prolific as the roadside fills with storks and skimming kingfishers and scarcely a fence post or branch is without a heron or cormorant. Slow down at the many bridges and spot countless caiman as they cruise through the water hyacinth. You won’t forget your first sighting of the capybara; this is the world’s largest rodent with the appearance of a giant-sized guinea pig. Watch out for grazing herds of these extraordinary creatures. Listen out for the call of a pair of rare hyacinth macaws, these cobalt blue birds are the largest parrots in the world. As dusk falls across the Pantanal and day turns to night the welcoming lights of the lodge come into view. Overnight Jaguar Ecological Reserve.

• Wildlife Of The Reserve - 7 to 8
  

  Spend two days exploring the reserve on foot and by jeep. Don’t forget binoculars and cameras; whether it be dawn or dusk, day or night your Tour Guide will endeavour to show you South America’s ‘Big Five’. The main attraction is the swaggering jaguar, with a huge head, muscular shoulders and distinctive markings these creatures are a magnificent sight. A splash may disturb your meanderings as whiskery giant otters cavort in the shallow waters and massive pig-like tapirs clamber onto river banks on surprisingly delicate legs. Giant anteaters lope in the grasslands, their long narrow snout and tiny eyes at odds with a large bristly body and bushy tail. The extremely rare maned wolf makes up the ‘five’. Wake early to a dawn chorus and the roaring of black and gold howler monkeys in the distance. Follow your Tour Guide and meet with inquisitive capuchin monkeys; clamber onto wooden viewing platforms to spot the colourful bills of toco toucans. Purplish jay, red-billed scythe and yellow-billed cardinal are just some of the many other species that patrol the skies above the marshlands. Spend the early afternoon relaxing at the lodge, enjoy a cold beer or juice at the bar and compare animal checklists with travelling companions before delving into the reserve again as the sun sets over the Pantanal. Nocturnal safaris reveal different wildlife and the spotlight of your Tour Guide may pick out burrowing owls, crab eating racoons, little-brocket deer and shy ocelot as well as the night time activities of jaguars, tapirs and giant anteaters. Overnight Jaguar Ecological Reserve.

• ‘Fly Down To Rio’ - 9
  

  Enjoy a final morning of wildlife activities. You never know what species of flora and fauna you may spot as you journey back to Cuiaba for the flight to Rio de Janeiro. Overnight Rio.

• City Sights - 10
  

  Rio de Janeiro just bursts with energy and excitement; it is a city of carnival and coffee, soccer and samba. A guided tour will introduce you to all the highlights. Visit the historical centre and see the Opera House and National Theatre. Drive past the Sambadromo, home of the vibrant annual carnival parades and continue to the world famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Take a thrilling cable car ride high above the lush tropical rainforest to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain for superb views. Ask your Tour Guide for recommendations for the rest of the day. Stroll through Ipanema, browse the street markets for jewellery and handbags and sip a freshly squeezed juice as you listen to the cool sounds of bossa nova. Sample typical cuisine in one of the many great restaurants, local fish is excellent and the churrascaria restaurants are the perfect choice for meat lovers. As the sun sets order a ‘caipirinha’ and watch a game of volleyball on the beach, the perfect way to end the day. Overnight Rio.

• Corcovado And The Statue Of Christ - 11 to 12
  

  Wind through the rainforest on a small cog railway to the peak of Corcovado and the iconic Statue of Christ. Stand under his outstretched arms and take a last look at vibrant Rio de Janeiro and the stunning coastline below.

• Travelling - 11 to 12
  

  Later today travel to the airport for the return flight to the UK, arriving on day 12.

Accommodation

• Amerian Buenos Aires Park, Buenos Aires (4-Star) - 2 Nights
• Amerian Portal Del Iguazú Hotel, Iguazú (4-Star) - 2 Nights
• Jaguar Lodge In The Pantanal - 3 Nights
• Mar Palace Hotel, Rio (3-Star) - 2 Nights

• Flights are scheduled services of
• Flights depart at 12:00 am and return at 2:15 pm

Includes

Not Included