Destinations · South America

Brazil.

Carnival cities, Amazon rivers & endless coastline.

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The country

Few countries arrive with quite the energy of Brazil. It is a continent of a country, big enough to hold the world's greatest rainforest, more than 4,000 miles of Atlantic coast and cities that run on music and movement. In a single trip you can stand beneath the open arms of Christ the Redeemer above Rio, feel the spray of the thundering Iguazu Falls, and glide down a black-water river deep in the Amazon as macaws cross the canopy overhead.

This is a country that lives outdoors and in rhythm. Days begin slow over strong coffee and fresh fruit, drift into long afternoons on the sand or the water, and turn into evenings of samba, seafood and easy conversation that spill late into the night. The mood shifts from region to region, from the sun-and-sea swagger of Rio to the African soul of Salvador and the wild, unhurried pulse of the Pantanal wetlands, and settling into each one is half the pleasure.

We design Brazil itineraries that connect these far-flung worlds with the right flights and the right pace, so the vast distances never feel like a chore. A private cable car up Sugarloaf at golden hour, a dawn boat to look for jaguars on a Pantanal river, a guided wander through the colored lanes of Salvador's old town: however you want to travel this remarkable country, we build the route so each landscape has room to land.

Capital: Brasilia
Currency: Brazilian real (R$)
Ideal trip: 10–14 nights
Best for: Beaches, rainforest & rhythm

When to go

The best time to visit Brazil.

Brazil keeps several calendars at once: the coast, the Amazon and the Pantanal each run on their own rhythm, and Carnival overrides them all. This is how we read the year across the desk before we pick the dates.

Prime season Shoulder Quieter & better value

May–October

Our favorite window for most of the country: the drier, cooler season brings sunny days to Rio and the coast, calmer Amazon waters and, crucially, the dry-season wildlife viewing in the Pantanal, when animals gather along the shrinking rivers.

December–March

The southern summer: hot, lively and the height of beach season, with Carnival in February or early March. Wonderful energy on the coast, though it is the wettest, most humid time in the Amazon and the Pantanal, and prices peak around the holidays.

Carnival (Feb–Mar)

The great spectacle of the Brazilian calendar, above all in Rio and Salvador. Unforgettable, but the cities are at their busiest and most expensive, so the hotels, tickets and transfers need booking many months ahead.

April & November

Quiet shoulder months with fewer crowds and good value. Expect a chance of rain as the seasons turn, but pleasant conditions in the cities and a calmer, more local feel along the coast.

Where to go

The regions of Brazil.

Brazil is best understood as a handful of distinct worlds, each with its own landscape, culture and rhythm. These are the regions we weave together most often, from the iconic beaches of Rio and the thundering falls of the south to the rainforest of the Amazon, the African heart of Bahia and the wildlife-rich wetlands of the Pantanal.

Region

Rio de Janeiro

The marvelous city itself: Christ the Redeemer high on Corcovado, the cable car up Sugarloaf, the long sweep of Copacabana and Ipanema, and a backdrop of green peaks and blue bay that few cities on earth can match.

Region

Iguazu Falls

On the southern border with Argentina, a chain of some 275 waterfalls spread across nearly two miles of rainforest, with the roaring Devil's Throat at its heart, one of the great natural wonders of the world.

Region

The Amazon

The world's greatest rainforest, reached from the river city of Manaus: black-water and white-water rivers, jungle lodges, canopy walkways and a chance to see pink dolphins, caiman, monkeys and a riot of birdlife.

Region

Salvador & Bahia

The African soul of Brazil: the colorful colonial lanes of Salvador's Pelourinho, the drumming and capoeira, the spice-rich cooking and the long palm-fringed beaches of the Bahian coast.

Region

The Pantanal

The vast tropical wetlands of the interior and the best place in the Americas to see wildlife: jaguars, giant otters, capybara, anteaters and clouds of birds, watched from open vehicles and quiet river boats.

Coming soon

More from Brazil on the way.

We're busy writing up our favorite Brazil experiences. There's far more here than we can list, so the fastest way to start is simply to tell us what you're dreaming of.

Plan a Brazil Trip

A sample journey

One way to spend a week in Brazil.

1

Days 1–4
Rio de Janeiro

Begin in the marvelous city: Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, the cable car up Sugarloaf at sunset, the sands of Copacabana and Ipanema, and long evenings of seafood and samba in Lapa and Santa Teresa.
2

Days 5–6
Iguazu Falls

Fly south to one of the world's great natural wonders: the panoramic walkways along the Brazilian side, a boat ride into the spray beneath the Devil's Throat, and the surrounding subtropical rainforest and its wildlife.
3

Days 7–9
The Amazon

On to Manaus and a boat upriver to a jungle lodge, for guided canoe trips through flooded forest, night excursions to spot caiman, treks with a naturalist and the chance to see pink river dolphins and tropical birds.
4

Days 10–11
The Pantanal

Cross to the great wetlands of the interior, the finest wildlife-watching in the Americas: dawn and dusk safaris by 4x4 and boat in search of jaguars, giant otters, capybara, caiman and an extraordinary cast of birds.
5

Days 12–14
Salvador & Bahia

Finish in the African heart of Brazil: the colorful colonial lanes of Salvador's Pelourinho, the drumming, capoeira and spice-rich cooking, and a few last unhurried days on the palm-fringed beaches of the Bahian coast.

Every itinerary we build is bespoke: this is a starting point, not a package.

Getting around

By domestic flight: Internal flights are the backbone of any Brazil trip; the highlights are simply too far apart to drive. We build a schedule that keeps the travel days short so the country never feels like a slog between stops.
By river boat: In the Amazon the river is the road. You reach the jungle lodge by boat, and the days run on canoe trips and small craft threading the black-water channels with a naturalist aboard.
By open 4x4 & motorboat: The Pantanal's wildlife is watched from open vehicles and quiet river boats, out at first and last light. Distances on the transpantaneira are slow going, so we plan the days around the animals' rhythm.
In the cities: Rio and Salvador come alive on foot with a guide who knows the neighborhoods and the safe lines between them. We pair walking with a private car for the viewpoints, the beaches and the evenings out.

Where to stay

Rio de Janeiro: We favor stays in Ipanema and Leblon for their relaxed, beachfront elegance, or a classic grande-dame hotel along Copacabana for the iconic setting, all within easy reach of the city's beaches, viewpoints and restaurants.
Iguazu Falls: The standout choice is the one hotel inside the Brazilian national park, with the falls almost on the doorstep and the quiet of the park once the day visitors leave; comfortable modern hotels in Foz do Iguacu are the alternative.
The Amazon: We base you at a jungle lodge reached by boat from Manaus, where expert naturalist guides run canoe trips, night safaris and canopy walks, and the rainforest is right outside your room.
Salvador & the coast: A boutique hotel in the historic Pelourinho puts you in the heart of old Salvador, while the beach towns and resorts of the Bahian coast, such as Trancoso, make a beautiful, laid-back place to finish a trip.

Internal flights, river boats, Pantanal 4x4s, transfers and city driver-guides are all arranged and timed as part of every itinerary, so the distances of a continent-sized country are handled before you arrive.

Good to know

Brazil travel questions.

How many days do you need in Brazil?

Brazil is huge, so we suggest at least ten nights and ideally two weeks. Ten nights comfortably pairs Rio with Iguazu Falls and the Amazon; closer to two weeks lets you add the wildlife of the Pantanal or the beaches and culture of Salvador and Bahia at an unhurried pace, with the internal flights spaced sensibly.

When is the best time to visit Brazil?

For most of the country the drier, cooler months of May to October are ideal: sunny days in Rio and on the coast, calmer Amazon waters and the best wildlife viewing in the Pantanal. The southern summer from December to March is hot, lively beach season and the time of Carnival, but it is also the wettest period in the Amazon and the Pantanal.

Do I need to fly between regions in Brazil?

Yes, for almost any itinerary. Brazil is one of the largest countries on earth, and the highlights are far apart: Rio to Iguazu, the Amazon, the Pantanal or Salvador are each best covered by a short domestic flight rather than long overland journeys. We build a schedule of internal flights into every trip and handle all the bookings and transfers.

Is the Amazon worth visiting, and how do you do it?

Very much so. The Amazon is the world's greatest rainforest and an unforgettable experience. We base you at a comfortable jungle lodge reached by boat from the river city of Manaus, where expert naturalist guides lead canoe trips through flooded forest, night excursions to spot caiman and treks in search of monkeys, pink river dolphins and a wealth of birdlife.

Is it worth visiting the Pantanal for wildlife instead of the Amazon?

They offer very different experiences, and many travelers love combining them. The Amazon is about immersion in dense rainforest, while the open wetlands of the Pantanal are the best place in the Americas to actually see wildlife, above all jaguars, along with giant otters, capybara, caiman and spectacular birds. We can build in one or both depending on your interests and time.

From the journal

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