Intrepid Travel: Best of Argentina & Brazil and Inca Encounter

www.intrepidtravel.com

Why You'll Love It

Ever wonder what that other America’s like? Put your curiosities to rest during 7- and 8-night, grass-roots-style excursions by Intrepid Travel. The past grandeur of the Incan Empire reveals itself on the Inca Encounter tour, while Best of Argentina & Brazil shows you the ins and outs of Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in one trip. Your travel group will be small; your experiences big. ¡Buen viaje! and Boa viagem!

Intrepid Travel—a grass-roots travel company—helps you explore in a small group (average 10 people per tour) led by knowledgeable local guides.

Trains, planes, and automobiles—and one speedy motorboat—transport you from one breathtaking sight to the next. Jungle trek in the Amazon? Check. A new world cosmopole with old world architecture? Check. A city so high it’s shrouded in a cloud forest? Check. This impressive itinerary puts all your past vacations to shame.

– Erika, Bloomspot Staff Writer

Best of Argentina & Brazil

Day 1-2: Buenos Aires

Cosmopolitan, cultured and chic, Buenos Aires has European sensibilities with a fiery Latin heart. Discover colonial architecture, funky neighborhoods, exceptional cuisine and a thriving nightlife.

Day 3-4: Iguazu Falls

An Argentinean town close to the breathtaking Iguazu Falls, Puerto Iguazu is a relaxed, friendly place to rest after a day enjoying the splendor of the falls.

Day 5-6: Paraty

Known as Sampa to locals, Sao Paulo is Brazil's largest city, its most multicultural and has lots of green spaces and endless cultural events. Step back in time in gorgeous Paraty, where Portuguese colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, and horse and cart are set against a verdant backdrop of misty hills.

Days 7-8: Rio de Janeiro

Bigger than life and beautiful to boot, Rio de Janeiro sits resplendent among mountains, rainforest, and sea, and emits an energy that is irresistible to everyone who visits.

See trip notes for detailed daily itinerary, included and optional activities, where to meet on the first day, what time your trip starts, how to arrive at the meeting point hotel, and visa information

Inca Encounter

Day 1: Lima

Lima is a large, fascinating hotchpotch of architectural styles, coastal scenes, world cuisines, impressive museums, traditional culture, and modern arts and nightlife.

Day 2-3: Amazon Jungle

Puerto Maldonado, a small city sitting on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers, is the gateway to trips into Peru's incredible Amazon Jungle.

Day 4-5: Cuzco

Cuzco is the gateway to Machu Picchu and a city with majestic architecture, impressive ruins, a lively town center, and cultural significance around every cobblestone corner.

Day 6: Sacred Valley/Ollantaytambo

The Sacred Valley of the Incas was once the heartland of the Incas and now contains picturesque villages and impressive archeological sites. Located in the Urubamba Valley, the city of Ollantaytambo is an incredible archeological site and the starting point of the classic Inca Trail trek.

Day 7: Aguas Calientes

Sitting at the base of Machu Picchu in a picturesque valley, Aguas Calientes takes its name from the numerous hot springs that are dotted throughout the area.

Day 8-9: Machu Picchu/Cuzco

Built sometime in the 15th century and rediscovered in 1911, the staggering ruins of Machu Picchu were thought to be an estate for the Incan emperor, Pachacuti. A World Heritage site set amongst red-green hills with ruins scattered close by, Cuzco is impressive in every way, be it history, culture, nightlife or architecture.

See trip notes for detailed daily itinerary, included and optional activities, where to meet on the first day, what time your trip starts, how to arrive at the meeting point hotel, and visa information