Activities in Brazil
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Corcovado Mountain, Christ Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain Day Tour
10 hours (Departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
by Viator
Combine two of Rio's most popular tours on a full-day shore excursion packed with breathtaking views. Int he morning, you'll enjoy a panoramic city tour and…Not LP reviewed
from USD$167.99 - All activities
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Adrenaline Expeditions
An agency that offers great value tour packages and is particularly good for those into extreme sports. The owner Luis speaks great English and is very helpful.
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Rio da Prata
Within a fazenda, 56km south of Bonito, the marvelous Rio da Prata program includes a short trek through rain forest and some great snorkeling. The latter involves a 3km swim downstream along the Rio Olha d’Agua, amazingly crystal clear and full of 55 species of fish; and Rio da Prata, a little foggier but still fantastic for viewing massive pacu and big, scary dourado fish. This place should be near the top of your list. The afternoon visit to Buraco das Araras (R$25), often tagged on, is forgettable, though.
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Nove Ilhas Tour
From the nearby village of Pontal da Barra, schooners leave at around 09:00 and 13:00 on the Nove Ilhas (Nine Islands) tour. The trip lasts four hours and, in addition to cruising the Lagoa Mundaú, you'll stop at the outlet of the lake into the ocean. Departures are from Pontal da Barra's lakefront restaurants, such as O Peixarão or Alípio. A five-person minimum is required, so call ahead.
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Surfing
Surfboard rental and surf lessons are easily arranged. Zebra & Pepê offer board rentals. The coast south of Itacaré is characterized by rough surf (better for surfing than swimming).
There has been a rash of muggings at and around Itacaré's beaches, so take little money and nothing of value. Avoid the trails through the forests past late afternoon.
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Jangadas
Jangadas sail out 2km at low tide to natural pools formed by the nearby reef. On a busy day, the pools fill up with people (clouding the water for those interested in snorkeling) and waiters run around serving drinks from floating bars. You can arrange trips with any boat captain - stop in early to find out when the boats are sailing. Embark at Praia de Pajuçara.
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Velho Marineiro
Rio’s newest aquatic venture is a small party boat that heads out for a four-hour cruise around Rio. The tour entails music, a barbecue, free drinks, and stops for swimming along the way. Tours run only when there’s enough demand (10 persons or more), which is fairly often in the summer. The tour operator will pick you up on the day of the tour.
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Jaime Rodriguez
An experienced local guide fluent in English, Spanish and Pemón, he leads excellent Roraima tours emphasizing local culture and customs. A vivid and engaging storyteller who breathes life into the landscape and chilly tepui-top evenings, he is in the process of developing a Pemón guide cooperative.
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Brazil Trip Tour
The multilingual Brazil Trip Tour specializes in English-speaking surf lessons and ecological tours. It also arranges volunteer work in the community (English teachers are especially welcome) and 10- to 14-day ‘Cruz the Coast’ tours between Rio and Salvador.
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Jeri Moon
This is a good agency which organizes trips. Apart from buggy day trips you can also take buggy or 4WD trips as far west as Parnaíba and the Lençóis Maranhenses – easier though more expensive than public transport.
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Escolinha de Surf Paulo Dolabella
Although you'll have to ask around to find him, Paulo gives private surfing lessons to those looking to learn. In the past, those who have taken lessons from him have said that Arpoador is a good place to learn.
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Kamadac
A German- and Venezuelan-owned agency, it offers staples (Gran Sabana, Roraima) as well as some more adventurous tours (Auyantepui, Akopán Tepui).
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Associação Centro de Capoeira Angola
A capoeira center in Catete with two-hour classes on weekdays (running from 4pm to 10pm Monday through Thursday and 6pm to 10pm on Friday).
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Sandmar
Tour operators who organize dives in these waters abound - the tourist office keeps a complete list. One good company is Sandmar.
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Scuna Sul
Boat tours of the bay stop at some pretty 18th-century Portuguese forts.
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Associação de Bugeiros
Dune-buggy excursions are offered by a host of would-be Ayrton Senna bugeiros (buggy drivers), mostly in Brazilian-built vehicles with brand names such as Bird, Baby, Praya or Malibuggy.
There are pirate bugeiros and accredited bugeiros; the latter are represented by the Associação de Bugeiros. You can arrange buggy trips through most pousadas, agencies or, if you speak some Portuguese, directly with drivers.
To the north are the dunes of Genipabu, which are the biggest around. You'll be asked if you want the trip com emoção (with emotion), and if you agree you'll be treated to thrills such as Wall of Death and Vertical Descent. It is possible to go as far as you like…
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Jungle Tours
Tour operators in town offer multiday jungle trips from Alter do Chão. Most are on riverboats, where you eat and sleep onboard (in hammocks or small cabins) and stop at different locations for outings. Prices vary, but expect to pay R$120 to R$250 per person per day for most trips, with a minimum of two people.
As anywhere in the Amazon, there is no guarantee you will see wildlife; in fact, this region is better known for its flora, like massive sumauná trees and Vitória Régia water lilies, than its animal life. That said, it is possible to spot dolphins, sloth, monkeys, crocodiles and numerous bird species.
There are various options including visiting rubber tapper…
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Circuito do Abraão
The Circuito do Abraão is a short jaunt 1.7km return hike that leads past two small beaches to the claustrophobic moss-covered stone ruins of Ilha Grande's other former prison, Lazareto, shut down in 1954. This easy hike affords some pretty views of Pico do Papagaio and takes you past an old aqueduct adjoined by a large swimming hole called Poção, perfect for a picnic and a dip. Along the way you can hear all sorts of birds and jungle creatures, and you may run into local kids jumping into the water on their way home from school.
Before hitting the trail, let people at your pousada know where you're going and when you'll be back, stock up on water and bug repellent and…
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Boat Trips
Boat trips leave from the port at Praia de Saco da Ribeira, 12km south of Ubatuba. You can book cruises (four hours, departing around 11:00 Thursday to Tuesday) into the Baía da Enseada and out to the Ilha Anchieta. Ilha Anchieta is a lovely island, now protected by the national government. The island offers rare glimpses of beautiful fish and birds undisturbed in their natural habitats. You can also see the local Tamar Project, which protects native turtles and their eggs.
These minicruises offer enviable views of the coast and its beautiful, deep-green waters. You can make reservations at the tourist office or many hotels and guesthouses. However, you might get a…
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River Trips
The broad Rio Madeira forms the western boundary of Porto Velho. Measurements of the length of the mud-brown river usually include its main tributary, the Rio Mamoré, and its tributaries, which originate in the Bolivian Andes, making the Madeira 3200km long. With an average flow of 1.4 billion liters a minute, the Madeira has the sixth-greatest volume of all the world's rivers. It enters the Rio Amazonas 150km downstream from Manaus.
From about 09:00 to 19:00 daily, riverboats make 45-minute cruises along the Rio Madeira from the dock in front of the Madeira-Mamoré train station While not exactly thrilling, this is a reasonable way to idle away an hour or so - with luck…
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Parque Nacional da Serra Dos Órgãos
The lush greenery of the mountains makes a lovely setting for a scenic drive, but if you’d like to see the greenery from the inside, head to Parque Nacional Da Serra Dos Órgãos. The national park has extensive trails through Mata Atlântica rain forest and has a variety of rich plant and animal life. Dedo de Deus (God’s Finger), Cabeça de Peixe (Fish Head) and Verruga do Frade (Friar’s Wart) are among the more imaginative trail names. Unfortunately, most of the trails are unmarked and off the extents of available maps. Those interested in hiking or climbing one of the peaks should inquire at Rios Brasileiros Rafting in Petrópolis.
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Hiking - Rio Lençóis
There are great hikes leaving from town that the adventurous can undertake without a guide. One is a 3km walk out of town, following the Rio Lençóis upstream through the Parque Municipal da Muritiba.
You first pass a series of rapids known as Cachoeira Serrano. Off to the right is the Salão de Coloridas Areias (Room of Colored Sands), where artisans gather material for bottled sand paintings, so its original 40 colors have been greatly diminished. You then pass Poço Halley (Swimming Hole), before seeing Cachoeirinha (Little Waterfall) on a tributary to your left. Continuing upriver, Cachoeira da Primavera (Spring Waterfall) is on another tributary on your left.
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Abismo de Anhumas
Abismo de Anhumas, 20km west of Bonito, is like a journey to Middle Earth. It’s a 72m abyss culminating in an underground lake, home to incredible stalactite formations. The tour involves rappelling down to the bottom and snorkeling in the lake (visibility is 30m). You can also opt for diving if you have a basic certificate. The whole thing is otherworldly – Bonito’s most unforgettable attraction by a landslide, but it’s limited to 18 visitors per day. The rappelling training center is in town and you must successfully complete your training before 6pm on the day before your visit.
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Hiking the High Country
Climbing and trekking enthusiasts will want to pit themselves against the high country's more challenging peaks, cliffs and trails. The park's diminutive upper entrance station - almost two hours from Itatiaia town - is reached via an extremely rugged unpaved 15km road from a junction called Garganta do Registro, on the border between Rio state and Minas Gerais.
Prominently visible as you enter the park are the dramatic pointy profile of the Agulhas Negras (at 2787m, the highest peak in the area) and a bit further on, the boulders of the Prateleiras.
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Reserva Ecológica Baía Bonita
Seven kilometers southeast of Bonito, the Reserva Ecológica Baía Bonita is home to the Aquário Natural and the Trilha dos Animais. The half-day tour includes snorkeling in a beautiful natural spring with 30 varieties of fish and subaquatic vegetation, and then a short 900m flotation in the Rio Baía Bonita. The price includes wetsuits, snorkels and lunch. You can also tack on an optional visit to the Trilha dos Animais, a zoo of regional animals including an impressive anaconda, a well-trained tapir and a cute little ocelot.
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Jungle Trips
Tabatinga and the Colombian town of Leticia lie side-by-side on the eastern bank of the Amazon, about 1100km west of Manaus, while the far bank belongs to Peru. This area, known as the 'triple frontier', is a logical travel hub and also happens to be good for taking jungle trips, particularly to remote areas up the Rio Javarí (the Brazil-Peru border) and further up the Rio Amazonas in Colombia.
Most travelers base themselves in Leticia, which is more pleasant and better equipped than Tabatinga or the small villages on Peruvian side.
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