Rio de Janeiro Explorer

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro. We meet you whenever your flight or cruise arrives. A member of our specialist meet and greet team will be waiting with a sign displaying your name – once you connect, they will escort you to your guide waiting just outside the terminal. We transfer you to your hotel and, en route, our knowledgeable guide will give a short introduction to Rio and the surrounding neighbourhood. After you settle in, the rest of the day is free – you could take a relaxed stroll nearby or head out to explore beaches such as Copacabana or Ipanema.

After breakfast we meet you at your hotel at around 10:00 and drive along Rio’s beaches and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon to Cosme Velho. From there we board the Swiss cogwheel train up Corcovado, then take the final steps to Christ the Redeemer for sweeping views over the Tijuca National Forest and Guanabara Bay. After time for photos, we descend and continue to Santa Teresa – a bohemian hillside neighbourhood of independent boutiques and galleries – where you can browse or pause for a snack if you wish. We then make our way via the colourful Selaron Steps to Lapa, known for its vibrant bohemian scene, before walking through the historic centre to Maua Square. This waterfront hub brings together culture, bars and restaurants, with the striking Tomorrow Museum as a backdrop. Throughout, our guide shares the city’s history and everyday culture in an engaging, accessible way. The daytime tour lasts around 8 hours.

This evening we head out for an all you can eat steakhouse dinner – included – with a generous buffet of salads and sides and a steady flow of grilled cuts served at your table. Before the show, you join a 30–minute samba workshop to learn the first steps with professional dancers, then we take our seats close to the stage for a high‑energy live music and dance performance featuring Brazilian rhythms, samba, carnival numbers and capoeira. Our expert bilingual guide accompanies you throughout for interpreting and a smooth, safe experience.

We meet you at your hotel around 10:00 am and set off for Sugarloaf Mountain. Two cable cars carry us to the summit for panoramic views over Rio – a different vantage point to Corcovado. If you wish, you can stop for lunch at a nearby all you can eat buffet steakhouse (not included). Later we continue to the Rio Botanical Garden, home to more than 6,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including about 900 varieties of palm. Birdlife is abundant – toucans are often seen in the treetops. Along the way we pass Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and the exterior of Maracana Stadium – Brazil’s most celebrated football venue and the scene of Pele’s 1,000th goal in 1969 – as well as other city sights. After the excursion we return to your hotel and you have the afternoon free – you can relax on Copacabana, one of the world’s most famous beaches, or wander Ipanema, which inspired the song The Girl from Ipanema.

We set off from Rio with our private guide for an approximately 3–hour drive to Angra dos Reis along a winding mountain road with sweeping views of the ocean, valleys and escarpments. On arrival at the marina, we board a motorboat and join a small–group island–hopping tour to explore the main offshore islands, including Ilha Grande. Throughout the day we stop to swim and snorkel in clear, turquoise waters, visit a mix of wild and livelier beaches and enjoy time for photos. Ilha Grande is renowned for its excellent diving, clean waters and numerous shipwrecks – a legacy of historic maritime clashes involving pirates and corsairs – though today’s tour focuses on boating, swimming and snorkelling.

Highlights typically include the Blue Lagoon, a prime spot for snorkelling among colourful fish, and Lagoa Verde, known for its calm, green waters. We usually pause at Japariz Beach, a small community of fishers and traders, where you can have lunch and pick up a few souvenirs. You can also take a short visit to nearby Funil Beach, set between forested hills and the sea with exceptionally calm, clear water. Other picturesque stops may include Praia da Feiticeira for its lush Atlantic Forest setting and Praia do Amor, where local tradition says couples who kiss on the sand will never be apart. Return to Rio de Janeiro.

After breakfast at the hotel, there are no scheduled activities. We will arrange your transfer from your hotel to any address in Rio de Janeiro – timed to suit your flight. For international flights, we recommend arriving at the airport at least two hours before departure – three hours for big groups. If you are staying longer and do not need an airport transfer today, we will still provide your transfer out when you depart.