Buenos Aires to Rio Explorer
Trip Code: GGBDC
Why we love it
Spend three days at a working estancia (farm) in Uruguay, where you can spend your time getting involved in farm work, learning about gauchos, riding horses or simply relaxing in the sun., Stop in colourful Colonia del Sacramento, where vintage cars line the streets and an old drawbridge leads to the World Heritage-listed Old Quarter., The mighty Iguazu Falls straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil, and you’ll cross the border to see its incredible cascades from both sides., Let loose and samba the night away in Rio de Janeiro – South America’s party capital. Arriving in this bustling metropolis is the perfect way to continue your South American adventure., You’ll have plenty of time to choose your own adventure at Ilha Grande with two full days on the island. So if hiking, boating, kayaking or lazing on a beach is your thing, we’ve got you covered.
Is this trip right for me?
This trip involves some long travel days, including an overnight bus. This can be tiresome but offers a real sense of adventure. The buses are well equipped with comfortable reclining seats and on-board toilets. Snacks are provided but we recommend you also bring your own food in case you get hungry.
While at the estancia in Uruguay, you can choose to participate in the day-to-day activities of the farm as much or as little as you like. If you do choose to get involved, prepare for some early morning starts and to get your hands dirty when working directly with animals. The accommodation is multi-share and meals are served family style. Please inform your booking agent if you have any dietary requirements.
Important information
1. This trip starts with n Orientation Walk at 1 pm on Day 1 in Buenos Aires. If you are unable to find a suitable flight it is possible to book additional nights at the joining accommodation.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude Days 3,4,5 (Estancia) and Day 6 (Overnight Bus) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. Please note you may require a Brazilian Visa for this trip. Processing can take around 2-5 weeks at the discretion of the embassy or consulate. Please speak with your travel agent well in advance for further advice.
4. Full passport details are required at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for bus tickets, train tickets or flight tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
5.We highly recommend you take US Dollars with you to Argentina and change it locally. While ATMs are widely available, there is a daily limit for withdrawals and the exchange rate does fluctuate.
What to bring/pack
Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take it in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible.
If your trip includes travelling on overnight trains or primarily using public transport, the smaller your luggage, the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful, especially when travelling on public transportation as well.
When you're exploring during the day, you'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera, a jacket and activity-specific items like a swimsuit, a waterproof pouch/bag for your phone, or hiking shoes.
Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.
Physical rating
Joining your group
Two Hotel Buenos Aires, Moreno 785 C1091AAN Cdad, Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, Phone: +54 (11)43489700
Situated in the Montserrat neighbourhood, close to the main points of interest. A 3-minute walk from the nearest subway station, this contemporary hotel is also 2 km from music and opera at Teatro Colón and 5 km from Centro Cultural Recoleta.
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
Intrepid can assist with pre-booking an arrival transfer from the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your departure.
Two international airports service Buenos Aires: Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) and Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP).
Arriving at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE)
If you have a confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met outside the airport by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign. Our drivers are under the McDonald’s sign.
Arriving at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP)
If you have a confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met after exiting the baggage claim area by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign who will know your name.
Please ask them who they’re picking up to confirm you’ve met the correct transfer representative.
In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please call the number listed in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of your Essential Trip Information. Free wifi is available at both airports.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi from the airport to your hotel. We recommend arranging one with the taxi services with desks located inside the airport.
Finishing your trip
Americas Benidorm Hotel (Benidorm Palace Hotel), Rua Barata Ribeiro, 547, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL, Phone: +55 2125488880
Alternate Finish Point
If you have a confirmed departure transfer your leader will advise your pick up time the day before your trip ends.
Alternatively, please ask your leader or hotel staff for assistance in arranging a taxi or instructions to reach the airport by public transport.
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 11
Lunches included: 3
Dinners included: 3
While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.
More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.
For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home.
Climate & seasonal information
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.
BOOKING ENQUIRIES / ISSUES
For general enquiries or questions about your booking, please contact your agent or adventure specialist, or visit us at:
http://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/contact-us
CRISES AND EMERGENCIES
In the case of a genuine crisis or emergency please contact our local ground representative on the number below (remember to drop the +xx country code if you are calling from within the country):
While in Chile and Argentina contact: +54 9 11 5348 8823
Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +51 996 055559 Lima, +51 940 512701 Cusco
Accommodations
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.