Day 1: USA – Rio de Janeiro
Depart on an overnight flight to Brazil and to Rio de Janeiro, A Cidade Maravilhosa – the marvelous city.

Day 2, Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in Rio and get settled into your hotel room. This afternoon you will visit the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain via a breathtaking cable car ride. (B)

Day 3, Rio de Janeiro
Today you will take the cog railway to the peak of Corcovado Mountain, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer (voted one of the Seven Wonders of the World) overlooks the city from a height of 2,300 feet. Enjoy the panoramic view of Rio including its famous beaches and Guanabara Bay. Your descent will bring you through the lush Tijuca Forest, the world’s largest urban forest. (B)

Day 4, Rio de Janeiro
Enjoy your day at leisure. This evening, a uniquely Brazilian experience – dinner at a local Churrascaria (barbecue) restaurant, followed by a passionate samba show at Plataforma 1. (B, D)

Day 5, Rio de Janeiro – Salvador da Bahia
Embark on an architecturally exciting city tour of Brasília. Points of interest include the legislative buildings (convex and concave domes), the Presidential Palace, the Supreme Court and the Ministries (18 identical buildings). Later this afternoon board your flight to Brazil’s first capital city Salvador da Bahia. Check into your comfortable hotel room and enjoy your private view of the Atlantic Ocean, at the Pestana Bahia Hotel. (B)

Day 6, Salvador da Bahia
Today you will tour the largest and best preserved complex of colonial architecture in the Americas – the famous Pelourinho district. Walk through the narrow, cobbled streets lined with fine colonial houses painted in pastel shades, and visit several churches including the spectacularly ornate Church of São Francisco, the finest example of of Baroque churches in Brazil. (B)

Day 7, Salvador da Bahia
Enjoy today at your leisure. This evening you’ll visit the 18th century oceanside colonial mansion Solar do Unhão, where in the former slaves quarters, you’ll dine on Bahian cuisine, and then see a fabulous show of Capoeira, a deadly acrobatic martial art originating from the Bantus of Angola. (B, D)

Day 8, Salvador da Bahia – USA
Relax this morning, and reflect on your long journey nearing its completion. Your homebound overnight flight departs late–afternoon. (B)

• 3 nights Rio de Janeiro
• Sugarloaf Mountain Tour via cable car
• Rio’s Botanical Gardens
• Corcovado Mountain & Tijuca Forest
• Rio by Night at Plataforma 1, including Churrascaria dinner & show
• 3 nights Salvador da Bahia
• Historic City Tour of Salvador
• Bahia by Night at Solar do Unhão, with Bahian dinner and Capoeira Show
• Meals as indicated (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)