Day 1: Manaus, Brazil
Welcome to Brazil! Upon arrival into Manaus International Airport, please proceed through Immigration and Customs. After claiming your luggage, exit the Customs Hall where a representative from Big Five Tours & Expeditions will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Manaus is located in the heart of Amazon, 1,500 miles up the Amazon River. Its history is as exotic as its location. Founded in 1669, Manaus has a colorful past with its high point during the late 19th century rubber boom. The fabulous wealth of this period led to the construction of the legendary Opera House, where the most famous singers of the era held concerts. During the rubber boom, the Municipal Market was also built, patterned after Les Halles in Paris, as well as the Floating Pier and the Custom House, designed and manufactured in Liverpool, England. Nevertheless, the main attraction in Manaus lies outside the city in the rich rainforest. Villa Amazonia Hotel Boutique Manaus

Day 2: Manaus / Amazon
In the morning, you will be transferred from the hotel to Novo Airão Harbour, about two and a half hours, where you will take a short, 15-minute boat trip to the intimate Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, which is near the Anavilhanas National Park in the margins of Rio Negro in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. The park encompasses about 400 islands and is adjacent to Parque Nacional do Jaú. The lodge, built on suspended wooden structures, encompasses 20 fully serviced cottages, each offering a unique combination of stylish and natural simplicity and wonderful comfort. The restaurant serves a blend of Amazonian flavors and international cuisine. After check in, you enjoy lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, explore by boat some of the uncountable lakes and islands of the Anavilhanas Archipelago, the largest river archipelago in the world. Visit one of the islands to examine its unique ecosystem, observing regional plant and wildlife. You can opt to join in a nighttime alligator spotting excursion that explores the riverbanks by canoe. Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 3: Amazon
This morning, you can go trekking through the undisturbed forest in the company of experienced local guides, who will reveal some of the mysteries of the Amazon Jungle. During your walk, you are introduced to the mainland forest, and learn about trees, wild fruit, herbs and other aspects of this primeval jungle. The trail can be done entirely on foot, but you can also return to the lodge by canoe if you prefer. This afternoon, a fishing expedition in wooden canoes takes you along regional riverbanks, where you will be able to fish for the infamous piranha and other fish. After dinner, you can enjoy a presentation on the Amazon Region and Anavilhanas. Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 4: Amazon
Early risers can set out before dawn to a lake in Anavilhanas to discover some of the indigenous wildlife of the region that includes protected species such as margay, jaguar, giant anteater, giant armadillo, giant otter, Amazonian manatee, and Amazon River dolphin. Note that this excursion can also be done before dusk, if you prefer.

After breakfast, you will visit two regional craft centers to see and learn about the work of local craftsmen. You also meet local boat builders in a shipyard, where the regional wooden watercraft are made. This afternoon, you travel to an isolated community on the Rio Negro to learn about the lifestyle, social structure and customs of the community. During the trip, you cross Anavilhanas and Rio Negro, before returning to the lodge to relax before dinner. Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 5: Amazon
This morning you meet with some of the India decedents, who continue to practice the traditions of their ancestors. You discover some of the skills and materials used to make bows and arrows, and learn how they are made and used, techniques on how to use them. You even have the opportunity to try your hand at using them. After lunch, you will explore the most beautiful riverbanks around the lodge by canoe, which allows you to take in the sounds and serene surroundings of these lush waterways in the woods. Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge (B,L,D) 

Day 6: Amazon / Manaus / Salvador
After breakfast, you visit a Serpentarium to see some of the indigenous snakes that inhabit the Amazon. After lunch, you will be transferred back to Manaus to board your flight to Salvador. Upon your arrival, you are transferred to your hotel. The Aram Yami Hotel is in the San Antonio Quarter in the heart of Salvador de Bahia’s old town. This stately colonial home has been reborn as an exclusive boutique hotel offering high-quality personalized service. It is just a short distance to some of Brazil’s most impressive beaches and exciting hotspots. The hotel is also around the corner from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pelourinho. The setting is authentic as well as contemporary but still in keeping with the building’s original style. The hotel offers six ample suites, two pools, and breathtaking views of Todos os Santos Bay. The Aram Yami Hotel (B)

Day 7: Salvador
Discover historic Salvador on a half-day tour tracing the development of the city from its simple beginnings to what is now the third largest city in Brazil. You take in the mouth of the immense bay and then via elegant tree-lined avenues and bustling city streets to the Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features the largest complex of colonial architecture in South America. Beginning at the Municipal Square near the towering Lacerda Elevator, stroll through the narrow, busy streets lined with colorful buildings in pastel shades of an age gone by. Soak in the sights and sounds of this vibrant city, visit the church of São Francisco with its exuberant gold-leafed Baroque interior and return to Pelourinho Square. The Aram Yami Hotel (B)

Day 8: Salvador / Praia Do Forte
After lunch, you will be privately transferred north to Praia do Forte and your ecoresort. Located in the heart of an ecological reserve, the Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte offers unique experiences to enjoy nature up close in a luxurious, privileged setting. The warm water of the sea with the Atlantic Rainforest behind you, coral reefs, tropical gardens, coconut trees and tranquil beaches, where sea turtles come to lay their eggs, make for the exceptional Brazilian holiday. The resort is 45 minutes from Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport and is located within Bahia, one of the most exclusive areas on the Brazilian coast. Nearby is the fishing village at Praia do Forte. Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte (B,D)

Days 9 &10: Praia Do Forte
These days are at leisure to use as you wish. You choose your level of activity. Simply relax, enjoy the spa or take in a round of golf. Or you can explore the area on your own. Activities include an average of 22 different recreational and social activities, including activities for kids. You can visit the Tamar Project to learn more about sea turtles, hike on trails through the secondary Atlantic Rainforest, canoeing, birding and scuba diving and snorkeling. Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte (B,D) 

Day 11: Praia Do Forte /Rio de Janeiro
This morning, you will be transferred to the airport in Salvador to board your flight to Rio de Janeiro. Upon arrival into Rio de Janeiro, and after claiming your luggage, our rep will be waiting to greet for you and transfer you to your hotel. Emiliano Hotel Rio de Janeiro (B)

Day 12: Rio de Janeiro
This afternoon, savor your first encounter with one of the most iconic locations in Brazil – Sugar Loaf Mountain, known world over as Rio’s postcard. Sugar Loaf is reached on a two-stage cable car ride. This cable car takes 80 persons per trip on a 2-minute ride to each stage. The first stage is to Morro da Urca at about 170 meters/558 feet high. It has a restaurant, amphitheater, a Heli point and a privileged view of the Yacht Club and Botafogo Bay. From here, a 15-minute helicopter ride offers views of the Maracanã Stadium, the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, Guanabara Bay and Rodrigo de Freitas Lake and the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer ride. You return to the first stage and begin the short ascent to the second stage, which takes you to the Sugar Loaf, named by the Portuguese for the loaves of sugar commonly used at the time of the discovery of the city. Enjoy the unrivaled views from this 270-meter/886-foot high lookout at sunset. Emiliano Hotel Rio de Janeiro (B)

Day 13: Rio de Janeiro / Depart
This morning, you have the chance to take an open Jeep into the Tijuca Forest and Corcovado Mountain, and see the city literally sliced down the middle by this impressive mountain range, which makes it possible to go to the beach in the morning and then enjoy the chill of the rainforest and the refreshment of natural pools and waterfalls in the afternoon. Tijuca Forest’s attractions include the famed Statue of Christ, reached by a flight of steep stairs. The statue is faced with a soapstone mosaic in the finest art nouveau style. You also see the pagoda-style belvedere at Vista Chinesa; and the giant granite picnic table at the Mesa do Imperador. Also inside the Park, the gem-like Mayrink Chapel boasts murals painted by one of Brazil’s best-known 20^th century artists, Cândido Portinari. The view from this vantage point, with the surrounding Tijuca National Park spreading below and a circle of mountains marking the horizon at the very back of Guanabara Bay, is nothing short of breathtaking. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight back home. (B)

Land price, per person, double occupancy:  From US$600 per person per day