Main Attractions - What to See in Brazil

Brazil Holidays and Safaris

Brazil is blessed with having “it all”, from amazing beaches, great wildlife, vibrant cultures, incredible scenery and welcoming people. A holiday to Brazil has so much to offer the traveller and adventurer and below is just a taster of what this diverse country has to offer.

Rio de Janeiro - Nestled between the island dotted Atlantic Ocean and forest clad mountains, Rio de Janeiro has to be one of the most picturesque cities in the world, and a holiday to Brazil is not complete without a visit to this vibrant city. Probably most famous for hosting the annual Carnival, Rio de Janeiro seems to keep this vibrant atmosphere throughout the year. Carnival is an attraction in itself when millions of travellers from around the world as well as from Brazil converge on the city to witness one of the biggest and most spectacular events on the world calendar. Samba Schools from across the country compete in a dance and dress extravaganza along the purpose built Sambadrome. This event lasts a week with the winner’s parade happening on the last weekend of the competition.

A highlight for any holiday in Rio de Janeiro is a trip in the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain giving you great views over the city, surrounding mountains and the bays and islands. Sugarloaf Mountain rises almost 400 meters above Guanabara Bay on a peninsular that sticks into the Atlantic Ocean. A holiday to Brazil or Rio de Janeiro is not complete without a visit to the iconic statue of “Christ the Redeemer” as he looks down over this marvellous city. The statue stands 38 meters from head to toe and stands on the Corcovado Mountains 700 meters above Rio de Janeiro. One of the most famous beaches in the world is the 4 kilometre long Copacabana Beach which is where most of the tourist hotels and restaurants are situated. At either end of this impressive beach are forts built as look out posts back in the 1700s and 1900s. The next beach to the south of Copacabana is Ipanema which is more laid back and tends to attract more locals, and is a perfect place to enjoy the sunset as it dips behinds distant mountains. There is always something happening in Rio de Janeiro and it is not uncommon to find yourself dancing samba with the locals on a street corner in the city...

Iguassu Falls/Iguazu Falls/Iguaçu Falls - The impressive and breathtaking Iguassu Falls straddles the Argentine and Brazilian borders in the south west of Brazil. The views from both countries offers something different, with the Brazilian side giving you a more panoramic view, whereas the Argentinean side gets you closer to the action, with board walks that take you to the edge of the main falls. There are 275 individual falls spread across 2.7 kilometres of the Iguazu River amongst the lush green of the surrounding jungle. A true highlight of any trip!

The Pantanal - The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world spreading across Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. It is home to a large number of reptiles, birds, fish and mammals, and is one of the best areas to see the wildlife of Brazil. During the wet season 80% of the Pantanal area is submerged in water making it ideal for aquatic animals like caimans, anacondas and piranhas. Much of the Pantanal is cattle ranching where traditional cowboys still herd their prized cows through the marshlands. This does cause a conflict between jaguars who prey on the cattle, and the farmers who see them as pests and often persecute them. There is an organisation that has been setup to prevent this conflict, by paying farmers for every cow that is killed by a jaguar. This seems to be working well as jaguar numbers are on the increase in the Pantanal, making it one of the best areas to see this elusive cat. Due to the habitat of the Pantanal, most of the wildlife viewing is done from boats along the many channels of this wetland, but depending on the area you are in you may enjoy horse riding safaris, jeep safaris and walking safaris all in search of the wildlife of the Pantanal.

The Pantanal is also an incredible area for birds, with so many fish, insects, seeds and fruit available it is no wonder there are almost 1000 different species including the endangered hyacinth macaw and the jabiru stork.

Salvador - During the slave trade, Salvador was a major port for bringing in African slaves and this is evident in the music, dance, food and martial arts and has given Salvador the reputation as being the “soul” of Brazil. Capoeira is famous in Salvador and it is not uncommon to see a group of “fighters” participating in this amazing martial art on the streets or beaches of Salvador. Even if it looks dangerous or aggressive it is totally harmless with “fighters” rarely touching each other.

The area of Pelourinho is particularly interesting to visitors with its many churches (almost one for every day of the year) and cobbled streets dating back to the 1500s. Sitting in a street cafe and enjoying locally brewed coffee whilst watching the street performers, is something that we strongly recommend.

Amazon River and Jungle - The Amazon River is the largest river in the world accounting for about one fifth of the world’s total river flow. It starts its long slow journey high in the Andes Mountains of Peru before flowing 6,437 kilometres to the Atlantic Ocean. During the rainy season the Amazon River has an average width of 40 kilometres and with an average depth of 40 metres it is no wonder it needs to use almost 40% of South America as its catchment area.

The Amazon Jungle covers 1.34 billion acres over 9 countries and is the catchment area for the Amazon River. One in ten known species lives in the Amazon region, which constitutes the largest collection of living plant and animal species in the world. Scientists predict that in 20 years, if deforestation remains the same, the Amazon Rainforest will be reduced by 40%. A safari to Brazil is not complete without a visit to one of the eco lodges that are found in the Amazon Jungle. It is from these lodges that you can explore deep into the forest, either on foot or in canoes along the many tributaries of the mighty Amazon!