Day 1 – Depart the UK.

Day 2 – Arrival in Rio de Janeiro and transfer to the hotel of your choice for a three-night stay. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 3 – Full-day tour visiting Corcovado Mountain with its iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf mountain with lunch at either an excellent seafood restaurant or a typical ‘churrascaria’ (barbecue restaurant). (B, L)

Day 4 – At leisure to enjoy the city and its beaches or to take one of a number of optional tours. (B)

Day 5 – Morning flight to Foz do Iguaçu. Transfer to your hotel - if you choose to stay at Hotel Tropical das Cataratas you will be able to walk straight down to one of the world's great sights, the Iguassu Falls. (B)

Day 6 – Morning tour to the Brazilian side of the falls. In the afternoon, cross the border to the Argentine side to enjoy close-up views of the park's wildlife, including its abundance of beautiful giant blue butterflies, and of the individual falls such as the spectacular Devil's Throat. (B)

Days 7, 8 & 9 – Early departure to Cuiabá in the Pantanal, changing flights in Sao Paulo. Transfer to a lodge for a 3-night stay. The Pantanal seasonal swampland, the size of France, offers wonderful opportunities to see a huge variety of wildlife. The region is home to pumas, caimans, anacondas, capybaras and different species of anteaters and armadillos, to name but a few. Bird-watchers will delight in the 300 species, including ibis, toucans, hyacinth macaws and Jabiru storks. (B, L, D)

Day 10 – After lunch, return transfer to Cuiabá, capital city of the State of Mato Grosso, for overnight. (B, L)

Days 11, 12 & 13 – Early morning flight to Manaus for a three-night stay at the lodge of your choice in the Amazon Jungle. The journey from Manaus to the lodge is a highlight in itself and depending on which lodge you choose, will cross the point where the very different coloured Rio Negro and Rio Solimões rivers come together at the Meeting of the Waters. Daily guided tours, in small groups, will introduce you to the fascinating world of the tropical rainforest with its exciting flora and fauna. (B, L, D)

Day 14 – Return to Manaus and afternoon departure to Brasilia, connecting with the flight to Salvador. Transfer to hotel of your choice. (B)

Day 15 – Salvador is a vibrant and colourful city with many of its religious festivals rooted in the Afro-Brazilian Candomblé religion. Morning tour of the colonial centre to visit the lovingly restored Pelourinho district, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with ornate churches and colourfully painted facades. Afternoon at leisure. (B).

Day 16 – Morning overland transfer to Lençóis, the gateway to the Chapada Diamantina National Park. The lovely colonial town of Lençóis, some 400 km (250 miles) west of Salvador, was a prosperous diamond mining community in the mid-19th century. Chapada Diamantina has beautiful landscapes of table mountains, large caves, waterfalls and rivers with natural pools and water-slides. It is ideal terrain for walking tours.

Three-night stay at the hotel of your choice. Remainder of day at leisure to enjoy the town, go for walks or bathe in nearby streams and waterfalls. (B)

Day 17 – Full-day tour by car or microbus to the caves north of Lençois, includes the Gruta Lapa Doce, Pratinha and the lovely Gruta Azul. A comfortable thirty-minute trek up Pai Inácio for panoramic views over the National Park and a superb sunset. (B, L)

Day 18 – Short walk to the Serrano natural hydro-massage pools and the coloured sand caves nearby at Salão de Areia. The walk continues to the Cachoeirinha, Primavera and Paraiso waterfalls, where you can stop for a swim. After lunch, an easy afternoon trek to the Ribeirão River and Ribeirão do Meio natural water-slide. Overnight in Lençóis.
(B, L)

Day 19 – Return to Salvador and Praia do Forte, north of the city, for relaxation on and by the beach before returning to the UK. (B)

Days 20 & 21 – Relax in Praia do Forte. (B)

Day 22 – Transfer to Salvador’s airport for the return flight via Rio or Sao Paulo. (B)

Day 23 – Arrival in the UK.