Tours and Trips in Central and South America

Explore Brazil's diverse plant life on this tour of the Tijuca Rainforest and the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. During this 4-hour activity, visit the city's botanical garden to view a variety of exotic and native plants. Ride in a jeep through the Tijuca Rainforest, stopping for a leisurely hike with picturesque views and chances to see local wildlife. Round-trip transportation from Rio de Janeiro hotels is included.

Get an in-depth, compassionate tour of the Rocinha favela (the Brazilian term for shantytown) during this 3-hour excursion via Jeep. With your in-the-know guide, meet the locals and observe their daily life, including visits to the neighborhood school and a street fair. Transportation from select hotels is provided.

See Rio's most important sights, including Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, during this comprehensive 5-hour guided tour. Visit Sao Conrado beach, a popular landing spot for hang gliders taking off from Pedra Bonita, to watch the gravity-defying adventurers soar high above the beach. Travel through Tijuca National Park's rainforest to the Christ the Redeemer statue, enjoying spectacular views over the city. Descend into the Santa Teresa neighborhood to visit the Escadaria Selaron and have lunch (own expense). Choose to return to your hotel or be dropped off at Sugar Loaf Mountain to view the sunset.

Get to know Rio's beaches, rain forests, and important landmarks on a full-day private tour. With your dedicated guide, ride in a private vehicle to visit Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Mountain and ascend Sugar Loaf Mountain. Explore the Tijuca Rainforest, one of the largest urban forests in the world and home to an array of native flora and fauna. Have lunch (own expense), then journey to some of the city's most famous beaches; Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana. Delight in personal attention from your private guide; round-trip transportation Rio hotels and the cruise port is included.

Inaugurated in 1909, Theatro Municipal is one of the main entertainment venues in Brazil and Latin America. In the last renovation, important areas of Theatro have been restored, highlighting the imposing eagle of 350kg that adorns the top of the building, which received 8,000 sheets of gold 23 carats of gold. Over a little more than a century of history, Theatro Municipal has received great international artists and important names of Brazilian culture.  The design was inspired by the Paris Opera. Since the 1930s, the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro has been concerned with maintaining its own artistic body. Today it is the only Brazilian cultural institution to simultaneously maintain a choir, a symphony orchestra and a ballet company.

Fly over Rio's landmarks in a helicopter during this 1-hour tour from Rio de Janeiro. During the 9-10 minutes of flight time, get aerial views of the Rio skyline, Copacabana Beach and Guanabara Bay. See the spectacular granite peaks of both Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado Mountain, as well as an up-close view of the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue. Round-trip transportation from Rio hotels is included.

Jeep tour to La Rocinha Favela and Tijuca ForestVisit the Tijuca rain forest and gain insider insight into one of Rio de Janeiro's favelas (the local term for shantytowns) during this 4-hour tour. Take an urban hike through the favela's streets and alleys to learn what life is like there, then travel by jeep to the rain forest for a 30-minute nature hike. Pickup and drop-off available from select hotels.Transportation from select hotels is provided. 

Explore the world-famous Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden) in Rio de Janeiro during this 3.5-hour tour. Walk through the UNESCO biosphere reserve while learning about its history and mission from your knowledgeable local guide. See flora and fauna from around the globe, including monkeys, toucans and giant Amazonian water lilies. Walk down the Avenue of the Palms and enter the greenhouse to view the over 500 varieties of orchids before spending some free time discovering the garden's hidden corners on your own. Round-trip transportation from Rio hotels is included.

Explore Rio's scenery, culture and history on this 7-hour private tour. Get spectacular city views from atop both Sugar Loaf and Corcovado mountains, ride a cable car and see the Christ the Redeemer statue. Visit the city's famous white sand beaches and learn about the ins and outs of Rio de Janeiro through your guide's engaging narration. This private tour ensures flexibility and personalized attention. All entrance fees and round-trip hotel transportation are included.

Get a personalized introduction to sprawling Rio de Janeiro on a private, full-day tour that covers the famous beaches, landmarks and cuisine of Brazil's most vibrant city. Skip the stress of getting around on your own and let a private guide whisk you around to highlights like the Christ the Redeemer statue, Tijuca Forest, and the Maracana football stadium. See the famous beaches of Copacabana, ride the Sugar Loaf cable car, dig into lunch at a Brazilian steakhouse, and more.

Spend an epic day and night exploring all of Rio's attractions during this full-day tour. During the day, follow your guide to attractions like the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue on top of Corcovado Mountain, reached via a cog train ride through the Tijuca Rainforest. Take the cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain for spectacular views of Guanabara Bay and enjoy a downtown tour including Cinelandia Square and the Metropolitan Cathedral. In the evening, attend the Ginga Tropical show, a vibrant dance performance that celebrates the country's cultural roots. Lunch and round-trip port or hotel transportation are included.

Get a comprehensive introduction to Rio de Janeiro's iconic attractions on this full-day city tour with an informative guide. Start your packed itinerary atop Corcovado mountain, site of the Christ the Redeemer statue (Cristo Redentor). Discover World Cup history at Maracana Stadium and imagine Carnival at the Sambodromo. After a ride on the cable car to Sugar Loaf for aerial views, visit the Metropolitan Cathedral and renowned beaches of Rio. Lunch at a 'churrascaria' (Brazilian steakhouse) is included.

Combine the highlights of Rio de Janeiro on a single 12-hour tour, including a cruise on Guanabara Bay, visits to the Selaron Steps, Christ the Redeemer, and Sugar Loaf mountain at sunset. Barbecue lunch and pickup from hotels in Sao Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana included.

Experience the best of Rio - views from Sugar Loaf Mountain, a visit to Christ the Redeemer statue and an authentic Brazilian barbecue lunch - during this two-day sightseeing excursion. The tour includes dedicated airport pickup and one overnight stay in the South Zone in a 3-, 4-, or 5-star hotel. Spend the day sightseeing with an informative guide in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle.

Get a glimpse into the local street art scene in Rio de Janeiro during this 4-hour arts and culture tour. Follow your local guide around the city, stopping to view popular works of art in unlikely places like a tunnel, a schoolyard and on the sides of buildings. Admire graffiti projects, murals and hit up a gallery/microbrewery in Leblon. Learn about the local arts scene and the cultural impact it has on the city through your guide's informative, engaging commentary. Snacks and transportation in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle are included.

Get a comprehensive whirlwind tour of Rio's downtown in just three hours. With your guide, learn about the city's culture and history through visits to landmarks such as the The Sao Bento Monastery, the Sambadromo, Maracana Stadium, and others. Round-trip transportation from Zona Sul hotels included.

Explore the Feira Hippie de Ipanema, a longstanding fair and farmers market in Ipanema, during this tour in Rio. Stroll through the more than 700 stalls containing locally made jewelry, contemporary art and Brazilian folk crafts. Stop by one of the food stalls to try an acaraj e; a croquette, fried in palm oil and filled with spicy shrimp. Practice your bargaining skills with the vendors and engage in friendly conversation with the locals who have flocked to this fair every Sunday since its inception in 1968. Round-trip transportation from central Rio hotels is included.

Soar above the city of Rio de Janeiro aboard a hang glider during this 4-hour adventure. Accompanied by a fully certified instructor, launch from the Tijuca Forest National Park, and glide over the lush, verdant Mata Atlantica (Atlantic Forest). Take in views of some of Rio's most famous landmarks, such as Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Rocinha Favela, and the Christ the Redeemer Statue atop Corcovado Mountain. Touch down for a gentle landing on the white sands of Sao Conrado Beach. Round-trip transportation is available for additional cost, but a video DVD of your hang-gliding experience is included.

Get private transportation, and a flexible itinerary on this 9-hour private sightseeing tour of Rio de Janeiro. With your private group of up to 13 people, visit the city's landmarks and highlights, including the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Christ the Redeemer statue at the top of Corcovado Mountain. Round-trip transportation from accommodations in Rio is included.

Take part in one of the world's largest parties on this 8-hour tour of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Dress up in a gorgeous costume, and take part in the Samba Parade. Plus, get scored alongside locals for an authentic Carnival experience. No experience with samba is necessary to participate.