Day 1 to 1 - Arrive Rio de Janeiro

The first day of your tour is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities. In order to allow time to relax and see some of the sights you may wish to add pre tour accommodation. On arrival please ask at the reception for information on when the pre departure meeting will be held.

Rio de Janeiro, or more commonly known as Rio, is the second largest city in Brazil and arguably one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In the late 17th century the Portuguese found gold and diamonds in the nearby state of Minas Gerais and thus Rio became the main port for exporting the new found wealth. During the colonial Portuguese period of 1763-1815, Rio was the capital of Brazil.

The city has so much to offer from its natural sites to its famous landmarks including Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) and Corcovado with its famous ‘Cristo Redentor’ (Christ the Redeemer statue) - both of which offer great views over the city. You of course have to visit the famous beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. And of course, if you are in Rio around February/March time, get ready for the world's biggest party, the Rio Carnival!

Please note that the four nights during Rio Carnival are not included in the tour price and it is essential to pre-book accommodation if you wish to stay on for the Carnival. Please see our brochure or the ‘Useful Information’ section of our website for important booking info and prices.

Day 2 to 9 - Parati – En route – Pantanal (optional excursion)

On the Costa Verde we arrive at Parati, a preserved Portuguese colonial town (1500-1822). The town is renowned for its historic town centre, the coast and mountains in the region. Parati was also a major port for the exportation of gold and coffee during the 17th and 19th centuries respectively and recommended excursions include a sailing schooner cruise around the bays, rainforest treks and walking the gold trail.

We continue our trip making our way towards the Pantanal. During the drive you will some idea of the size of Brazil as it will be two days driving inland from the coast. We will camp en route to break up the journey with travel times determining the locations.

Our next stop is the Pantanal Wildlife Reserve, a massive wetland of 230,000 square kilometres. One of the unusual things about the Pantanal is that there are also many farms in the area and the animals from these farms live quite comfortably with the other wildlife in the region. Wild animals include approximately 650 species of birds, capybara, howler monkeys, pumas, jaguars, ocelots, coatis, yellow anacondas, marsh deer, caiman, tapir and many more. The Pantanal is excellent for wildlife watching as the region is more open and flat than a jungle setting. Please note the Tucan Travel vehicle will go to the Pantanal, if you choose not to do this excursion then Tucan Travel will pay for your transport to the next destination, however accommodation and food will be at your own cost.

Day 10 to 16 - Bonito – En route – Foz do Iguaçu – Puerto Iguazú

Bonito is located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and is renowned for the unbelievable blue of its rivers and cave lakes. The waters are filtered through the enormous quantity of limestone in the ground and the impurities are deposited at the bottom of the river bed making the rivers appear some of the clearest in the world.

We have time here to take in some great optional activities which include cave and river snorkelling, rainforest walks and wildlife spotting. We hit the road making our way south. It is a long drive and we will stop for one night en route to break up the journey.

Next we arrive at the little Brazilian town of Foz do Iguaçu (Iguazu Falls), where some 275 separate waterfalls cascade over a two-and-a-half-kilometre-wide cliff face. We first visit the stunning falls from the Brazilian side which offers panoramic views of the numerous waterfalls on the Argentine side. If you feel like cooling down, take a zodiac boat ride up the river and under the falls – a fun way to get a different perspective of these impressive falls.

For a bird's eye view over the entire falls you can take an optional scenic helicopter ride. There is also an excellent bird park nearby and you can visit the world's largest hydroelectric dam at Itaipu where videos show the environmental planning behind the dam project. If you’re keeping a keen eye on your country tally you can pop into neighbouring Paraguay by public bus (you don't even have to get your passport stamped) for a bit of shopping in Ciudad del Esté.

We then cross over to Argentina to spend time in Puerto Iguazú. Here we visit the falls from the Argentinean side where you can walk through rainforest and along catwalks directly above the falls and you will also find the famous Garganta del Diablo, Spanish for "Devil's Throat", where fourteen waterfalls drop with such force that there is always a massive cloud of spray overhead.

Day 17 to 22 - San Ignacio Miní – En route – Salta – Tupiza

Making our way to San Ignacio Miní where we will find some of the best kept Jesuit ruins in the region.

Founded in 1632, San Ignacio Miní was one of the many missions settled by the Jesuits in the Americas during the Spanish colonial period. San Ignacio Miní is one of the five Jesuit missions of the Guaranis that were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The ruins are one of the best preserved among the several built in a territory today belonging to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, and one of the most visited due to its accessibility.

Winding our way along the dusty roads of Bolivia, which are some of the most rugged in South America, we head towards the Argentine border camping en route amidst the vividly coloured rock formations and giant cacti.

We carry on to the north of Argentina and the striking city of Salta in the Lerma Valley at the foothills of the Andes, established in 1582. Salta has many old colonial buildings, a cathedral with ancient statues of the Cristo del Milagro (Miracle of Christ) and the Virgin Mary, which were brought over from Spain in 1592. A variety of excursions await you here including rafting, horse riding and mountain biking.

Next we arrive in Tupiza where we will take a rest before we hit the roads of Bolivia. Legend has it that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid met their end at the hands of the Bolivian army near Tupiza, concluding their notorious string of bank raids.

Day 23 to 27 - Uyuní – Potosí – La Paz

Travelling on we head to the desolate town of Uyuni, in the south of Bolivia, to visit what is claimed to be the largest salt flat in the world, the brilliantly white and vast Salar de Uyuni. We will have an overnight stay here and you will have the opportunity to take an excursion to Fish Island where there are great views of the surrounding lake and giant cacti provide perfect photo opportunities. The fantastic contrast of the brilliant blue sky (weather permitting of course) and the pure white of the salt flats are surreal.

Potosí is the highest city of its size on Earth at 4,070 metres, with a population of 110,000 people. The history of Potosí, its fame and splendour, as well as its tragedy and horror, is closely linked to silver. The city was founded in 1545 soon after the discovery of silver in a nearby hill, the Cerro Rico (or Rich Hill). The veins proved to be so prolific that they quickly became known as the world’s richest source of the precious metal. Silver from Potosí underwrote the Spanish economy, particularly its monarchy's extravagance, for over two centuries. Millions of indigenous people, and later, African slaves, were made to work in the mines where conditions were so appalling and dangerous that miners died in horrific numbers, either in accidents or from silicosis pneumonia. During the three centuries of colonial rule, it is estimated that eight million Africans and locals died in the Potosí mines. Reminders of the grand colonial city are still evident in the narrow streets, formal balconied mansions and ornate churches. We offer you the opportunity to visit one of the mines (optional) where you will learn from first-hand experience some of the hardship that miners still suffer. You soon realise that the mines are worked today in much the same way as they were under Spanish rule.

La Paz is built in the basin of a spectacular ancient crater caused by a meteorite, with the snow-capped Illimani in the background. At an altitude of 3,660 metres, the city is said to host the highest football stadium in the world.

The city has colourful indigenous street markets including the ‘witches market' where women in flared skirts sell, amongst other things, dead cats and llama foetuses which are placed under new buildings in a bid to keep evil spirits away. The main square, Plaza Murillo, is where many years ago a president of the republic was lynched from a lamppost. La Paz is one of the best places to see a traditional peña show of Andean music and dance where local musicians play their time-honoured instruments such as zampoñas (pipes) and charangos (ukulele).

There are plenty of excursions available in La Paz. Check out the Moon Valley with its strange rock formations shaped by the weather or take in the incredible views from Chacaltaya, home to the world's highest ski resort at 5,221 metres. Another fantastic excursion is to Coroico, the gateway to the Bolivian jungle region and a great place to see sub-tropical vegetation and plants. En-route you will cross a 5,000 metre high pass before descending to 1,300 metres on narrow mountain roads bordered by sheer drops. The excursion to Coroico can also be done by mountain bike, as it is downhill nearly all the way and very exhilarating, but beware, colloquially known as ‘Death Road’, it is not at all for the fainthearted and great care must be taken!

Day 28 to 28 - Depart La Paz

Your adventure of a lifetime comes to an end today, please confirm with the reception the check out time. If you have a late flight or have lengthened your stay by adding post tour accommodation you will have more time to explore the sights.