Tour info

Transport

The holiday includes internal air and ground transport starting at Foz do Iguacu airport on day 1 and ending at Manaus airport on day 15. 6 nights are spent on board the Amazon cruise.

Accommodation

On this tour we use good quality mid to upper mid-range hotels with well-equipped rooms, private bathroom and air-conditioning. Our Pantanal lodge has attractive white, red-roofed chalets with en suite facilities and mosquito screening.

On the Tucano river cruiser, built in the style of a traditional Amazonian river boat, there are just 9 guest cabins, promoting a sociable on-board atmosphere where guests soon get to know one another. Rooms have shelving and hooks making the most of the restricted space. There’s air conditioning keeping you cool at night.

Meals

Breakfast daily, full board days 5-7, 9-14.

Guides

We carefully select our local partners, some of whom we have worked with for over 25 years. Their English-speaking guides understand the expectations of our clients very well, and are consistently singled out for praise by the latter on their return.

Summary Of Nights

15 days, 14 nights: Iguazú Falls 3; Cuiabá 1; Pantanal lodge 3; Manaus 1; Amazon cruise 6.

Currency

The unit of currency in Brazil is the real (plural reais).

How To Take It

Cash machines are available in all major cities and towns, and so taking a debit or credit card with a PIN number is the most convenient way of withdrawing money while on your trip. You can withdraw Brazilian reais at the airport on arrival, and at the airports in Cuiabá and Manaus. In most shops and restaurants you can also pay by card. However, since cards can get lost, damaged, withheld or blocked, you should not rely exclusively on a card to access funds. 

We recommend that additionally you take a reasonable quantity of US dollars cash (no more than is covered by your insurance), which you can exchange into local currency. Dollar bills should be in good condition, soiled or torn bills may be refused. You can take sterling, but the exchange rate is not always competitive or even available, restricting the number of places where you can change money. 

Credit cards are accepted in the Pantanal lodge but you should not depend on their use as there may be problems with connectivity upon attempting the transaction. Credit cards are not accepted on board the Amazon cruise vessel. It is usually advantageous to pay your drinks bill in dollars rather than in reais as the exchange rate on board has been reported to be poor.

Daily Spend

It is very difficult to give a guideline for essential expenses but a budget of around US$50 per person per day should cover the cost of meals not included in the holiday itinerary, tips, drinks and the odd souvenir. Eat at the very best restaurants and you will pay considerably more. Drinks other than local juices, water, coffee and tea are charged in the Pantanal and on the Amazon cruise, though prices are reasonable and not more than in the UK.

Tipping

Tips are expected and local guides often rely on their tip as a significant proportion of their income.

Most service industry workers will expect a tip of some kind and so it is useful to have spare change for hotel porters, taxi drivers and the like. It is common to leave 10 – 12% in restaurants.

Insurance

Travel insurance is essential. 

Details of our recommended policy can be found on our Travel Insurance page.

Airport Taxes

If you have purchased your flights through Journey Latin America, the international departure tax is usually included in the ticket.

Visas

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.

If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

Trip Suitability

There are no long days of travel on this trip. There are two domestic flights by commercial jet and these may include a change of aircraft en route.
In the Pantanal, guides are well-informed and expeditions, which include kayaking on the river at sunrise, as well as nature walks and horse riding, are suitable for most ages and abilities. The Pantanal excursions will include drives down occasionally bumpy unpaved roads, and there are walks and canoe rides in the wetlands, although none of these is compulsory.

The Amazon cruise is comfortable, the cabins are cosy but there is proper bedding, shelves and hooks to store your belongings, private bathroom with shower (hot water restricted hours), and air-conditioning at night. You should be able to climb the quite steep steps leading from deck to deck on the Amazon vessel, and get in and out of the boat to board the motorised launches and canoes which pull up alongside.

The holiday is suitable for all reasonably fit wildlife lovers and older children. If you have a disability or other special requirements, please call us. 

In the summer months (December to March) the weather is particularly hot, wet and humid; you might bear this in mind if travelling with small children or elderly persons.

Climate

At Iguazú and in the Pantanal December to March are the hottest, wettest and most humid months (up to 40°C), but the highest temperatures in the Amazon are reached (also up to 40°C) in August when there is little cloud cover. Otherwise a temperature of around 30-32°C with partial cloud cover and varying amounts of rainfall is the norm there. 

The dry season (April-November) is the most comfortable for visits to the Pantanal and Iguazú although the sun can be strong. It can be cool at Iguazú and in the Pantanal in June and July with temperatures just before dawn dipping on occasion to just above zero, though it will be warm during the day. You may wish to bear in mind the wildlife viewing opportunities before making your decision about when to go.

Clothing And Special Equipment

For day-to-day outdoor wear you should take loose-fitting, breathable clothes including long-sleeved shirts and light, quick-drying trousers for protection on jungle walks. Comfortable shoes or walking boots, a sun hat and sunglasses are essential. You should take a light fleece for cool nights and consider a Gore-Tex layer or rain cape and rain hat, as well as swimwear, insect repellent, sun-block and a torch. You might like to take your own binoculars for observing wildlife; the better the quality, the more rewarding the wildlife observation experience. Similarly you won’t regret taking a camera with a long lens, and plenty of memory (you can recharge your camera battery on board the Tucano). Rubber boots are supplied on the Amazon cruise and you may be given a complimentary straw hat.

Clothing at the lodges and on the Tucano is informal but you might take one smart change of clothes to wear in the hotels.

Vaccinations

Preventative vaccinations are recommended against the following; typhoid; polio; tetanus; hepatitis A. For specific requirements you must consult your GP.

As of 2018, visitors to Brazil travelling on our holidays should be protected with a vaccination against yellow fever, and carry the corresponding certificate. In April 2013, the World Health Organisation Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation concluded that a single primary dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and lifelong protection against yellow fever disease, and that a booster dose is not needed.

You can also find helpful information on the Masta Travel Health website.

Water To Go

We’ve partnered with Water To Go to offer Journey Latin America clients a 30% discount on 50cl filtered, reusable water bottles with every booking. The bottle can be refilled at any water outlet and has a filter that eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, allowing the water to be safe to drink.

Simply use the special Journey Latin America code JLA30 when purchasing the bottle directly on the Water-To-Go website.

Wildlife

Wildlife can be spotted on this holiday all year round. If there are brief cold snaps (e.g. in June in the Pantanal), fauna may hide away. 

Pantanal:
In the dry season, scores of caiman laze on the river beaches, capybara (a type of giant guinea pig) stroll across the roads, and you may come across armadillos, anteaters and howler monkeys. We recommend that you travel at this time when there are fewer mosquitoes and you will spot fauna throughout.

In the rainy season (December to April) roads are muddy and even impassable, excursions may be by boat: but the reflection of the tangerine sunsets on the flooded plains creates a rich and sumptuous tableau. In the months when the wetlands are flooded wildlife congregates on islands marooned above the water’s surface, so you will be able to observe birds and animals more sporadically but in greater numbers.

Amazon:
You will spot birds, reptiles and mammals all year round, albeit frequently only from a distance. The main criteria for deciding when to visit have more to do with the height of the water level in the river than the weather or the life cycle of the wildlife. At the maximum height, the river waters are 14-17m higher than at the lowest. The river floods the surrounding forest.

High water in Amazonia is from April to August. The advantage of travelling on the Tucano at that time is that the water level facilitates movement by boat into small creeks and streams. This is more rewarding than the trips down the main riverbanks which are the only alternative when the water levels are low. You should see a large number of birds along the more intimate banks of the minor creeks. 

The vegetation is especially beautiful between May and June when many exotic plants are in flower.

Country info

When's the best time to visit Brazil?

Brazil is an all-year destination, but it’s a vast country: when you go will depend on your chosen itinerary and interests. Late Dec-Mar are the hottest months – very hot (over 40°C) from Rio northwards – and the local holiday season, so attractions can be very busy. During the Amazon’s wet season (Jan - Jun) it’s easier to get round by boat, the dry season is sunnier and better for wildlife-spotting but very hot. The Pantanal may be best avoided during the wettest months (Nov - Mar) when there are many mosquitoes. However this is the best time to visit the beaches of the south where it’s cool outside this period.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

What's the official language of Brazil?

The official language of Brazil is Brazilian Portuguese; a more languid and musical version of Portugal's mother tongue. You will also find indigenous languages spoken in Amazonia.

How do I get local currency in Brazil?

The local currency in Brazil is the Brazilian Real. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs at airports and in larger towns and cities. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. Banco do Brasil, HSBC accept UK credit or debit cards allowing daily withdrawals of 1,000reais. Bradesco allows a lower limit. Other banks eg Banco 24horas do not accept foreign cards. Most towns have a Banco do Brasil. ATMs close at 10pm. Currency is also obtainable in banks and money exchanges.

What is the time difference between Brazil and UK?

The time difference between the UK and Brazil is GMT -3 hours. There is daylight saving from Oct- end Feb (approx) when clocks are put forward one hour.

Do I need a visa for Brazil?

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

What vaccinations do I need for Brazil?

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Brazil?

Carnival offers 5 days of celebration in Feb/Mar. Live bands, costume balls, over-indulgence and general frivolity will take place in towns and cities all over the country. The best parades are in Rio, Salvador and Olinda.

Which countries combine well with Brazil?

Argentina: The crossing at Iguazú Falls is convenient for many visitors.  

Peru: There is a direct flight from Lima to Rio de Janeiro (5 hours) and to São Paulo (4-5 hours with many connections to other cities).