Best of Brazil

At certain times of year temperatures can be high in Brazil, but don’t let the heat keep you from exploring! Just make sure you use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat, and drink plenty of water.

While the crew will do their best to follow the itinerary, variations may occur due to weather or local conditions. A sense of humour and flexibility will ensure you have a fun, relaxing trip through this beautiful part of the world, no matter what happens.

We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible accommodations in line with the Intrepid style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Brazil may differ from standards at home.

1.A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information
2.This trip starts with an Orientation Walk on Day 1 at 1 pm. 
3.Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase tickets to certain sites. Additionally on certain trips it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Delays in providing this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.

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 in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, airlines generally allow a maximum of 20kg for check in luggage.

Other than the items and clothing you always need on a trip, below we have listed packing suggestions specific for this trip:

AMAZON PACKING LIST
We recommend bringing the following items if visiting the Amazon Jungle:
- Long, light coloured, tight-weave cotton pants
- Long, light coloured, tight-weave cotton shirts
- Comfortable shoes or sandles for wearing on boardwalks or around the lodge
- Long, thick socks to wear with the rubber boots provided by the lodge
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Tropical strength insect repellant
- Small denomination bills for incidental purchases (eg drinks)
- Head torch or flashlight (optional, smartphone torch sufficient)
- Binoculars (optional), ESSENTIAL:
- Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
- Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view the following sites for details: https://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm or https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and bandaids.
- Insect repellent
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both
- Swimwear

OPTIONAL:
- Ear plugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
- Phrase book

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo, which is generally inexpensive (about USD 2 per kilo)

Americas Benidorm Hotel (Benidorm Palace Hotel), Rua Barata Ribeiro, 547, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL, Phone: +55 2125488880

Alternate Joining Point

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.

If you have a confirmed arrival transfer into Rio’s Galeao International Airport (GIG), you’ll be met in the arrivals area by a representative holding an Intrepid sign with 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, or unforeseen delays, please contact our local office on the number in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section.

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.

Breakfasts included: 4

Lunches included: 

Dinners included: 

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN
Like much of the continent, Brazilian cuisine is very meat orientated. Most meals include meat, chicken or fish served with rice, beans and salad. Look for "por kilo" restaurants - self service buffet style restaurants where you help yourself and then pay by weight, where you should be able to find simple foods like salads, rice, chips and pasta. We recommend researching suitable places to eat online in each destination you visit and learning some basic Portuguese to help you find meat-free foods.

GLUTEN-FREE
All packaged foods in Brazil that contain gluten must be labelled with a warning that they contain gluten. Common gluten-free foods include white rice, grilled meat, potatoes, salads and fruits, however they may be prepared alongside gluten containing foods.

RAINY SEASON IN BRAZIL
The rainy season runs from November until March in the south and south east (including in Rio de Janeiro). In the north east it runs from April until July. Heavy rains can often disrupt infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. Flash floods and landslides, especially in poorer urban areas, are common during heavy rains.

Heavy rainfall in Rio de Janeiro (particularly between January and March) can lead to landslides and localised flash floods including in tourist areas due to the proximity of the mountains to the coast. Be alert to local authority warnings which are displayed on digital signs in the street and sent to accommodation providers.

RIO CARNIVAL
The biggest party of the year, Carnival is held every year before Lent and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The Carnival integrates Brazil’s European & African traditions, alongside the rich culture of music and samba. Upcoming Carnival dates are:
9 – 17 February 2024
28 February – 8 March 2025

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.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +51 996 055559 Lima, +51 940 512701 Cusco

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.