National Congress Palace , Brasília Canoes , Rio Negro dark waters of the Rio Negro . After disembarking , we ’ ll visit the Manaus Opera House . Designed to bring the grandeur of Europe to the heart of the Amazon , no expense was spared during the construction of this elegant , 800-seat opera house , whose first performance in 1897 featured the world-renowned tenor Enrico Caruso . Then , we ’ ll fly to Brasília .
Meals : B | Windsor Brasília Hotel or similar
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Days 6-9 , spend 3 nights cruising the Rio Negro aboard the MV Premium , and take motorized canoes to explore the labyrinth of waterways in the Amazon rainforest , visiting destinations including Anavilhanas National Park , a UNESCO World Heritage Site
DAY 10 • Explore Brasília • Dinner with a local family
Set off on a city tour of Brasília , whose futuristic architecture prompted UNESCO to designate the entire city a World Heritage Site . Later , see what it ’ s like to live in this experiment in urban planning when you join a local family for dinner .
Meals : B , D | Windsor Brasília Hotel or similar
DAY 11 • Fly to the Pantanal Fly to Cuiaba , a city at the edge of the Pantanal , the largest wetland area on Earth . After transferring to our lodge , we ’ ll have a talk on our upcoming discoveries in the Pantanal .
Meals : B , L , D | Pousada do Rio Mutum or similar
DAY 12 • The Pantanal • Horseback ride • Forest walk • Nighttime canoe ride
We rise before dawn today to enjoy the beauty of the sunrise from motorized canoes . Then , we ’ ll take a horseback ride along wetland trails and a boat ride around the Pantanal . We return to our lodge for lunch , then head out by boat later to practice our piranha fishing skills . We ’ ll stay out to watch the sunset , then return to our lodge for dinner .
Meals : B , L , D | Pousada do Rio Mutum or similar
DAY 13 • A Day in the Life of a Pantanal fishing village
After breakfast , we visit a fishing village to share A Day in the Life of this small community in the Pantanal .
We ’ ll meet three generations of village residents , and local fishermen will show us how they catch piranha and make soup from the fish . After returning to our lodge this afternoon , we ’ ll take a boat ride to try our hand at fishing for piranha — and see how close we paid attention to the local fishermen we met earlier .
Meals : B , L , D | Pousada do Rio Mutum
DAY 14 • Fly to Rio de Janeiro After breakfast , transfer to the airport in Cuiabá for our return flight to Rio . This evening , enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant .
Meals : B , D | Porto Bay Rio Internacional Hotel or similar
DAY 15 • Rio • Sugarloaf Mountain • Return to U . S . This morning , take a cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain , one of Rio ’ s most iconic landmarks , where we can take in panoramic views of the city . Later this afternoon , we ’ ll head to the airport for our return flights to the U . S ., or to begin your optional post-trip extension to Iguassu Falls : Thundering Cascades of Argentina & Brazil .
Meals : B
See the full deck plan for the MV Premium on page 297 .
For departure dates & prices , visit www . oattravel . com / brz2024pricing
178 Brazil in Depth : Rio de Janeiro , Amazon Cruise & the Pantanal