In recent years, travel has firmly moved towards more meaningful experiences with family and friends. Now more than ever, it’s about finding destinations where you can immerse yourself; places where you can go deeper, explore further and create shared memories.
Enter Brazil: a land of continental dimensions and diverse riches. Sprawling cities burst with colour, natural attractions are of epic proportions and, away from the coast, wild frontiers remain. In this country of contrasts, a special place is reserved for tradition amidst fast-paced innovation.
With Brazil’s borders reopening, there’s no better time to experience the best of what it has to offer. This is why we’ve used our long-established contacts across the country to create an unparalleled journey allowing you to see Brazil’s highlights in just three weeks.
As well as saving you 38 hours of transfer time, our private jet itinerary easily takes you to destinations that can’t be reached with commercial airlines. One moment you’re in a lively city having dinner together at one of the best restaurants in South America; the next you’re in the deep reaches of the Amazon, spending time with Kayapó warriors while keeping an eye out for jaguars.
Our suggested ultra-luxury exploration of Brazil begins in buzzing São Paulo with a stay at Hotel Unique. This architecturally remarkable hotel – complete with a glass-fronted rooftop pool overlooking the high-rise skyline – puts you in a leafy district that’s well placed to explore the city’s food scene. You’ll have time to taste your way around the flavour-packed street food markets and visit a small local coffee shop to see the different ways of brewing Brazil’s famous coffee. São Paolo also has nine Michelin stars, so here you’ll enjoy a mouth-watering fine-dining spin on traditional cuisine by Brazilian chefs.
Next, it’s off to a world wonder: the mighty Iguassu Falls and the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas. As the only hotel inside Brazil’s Iguassu National Park, you’re just a short stroll from the thundering falls, which you can exclusively visit in the evening and at dawn when the park is closed to other visitors. This network of 275 waterfalls is extraordinary from all angles; get up close to feel the spray on your skin and soar above the falls on a helicopter flight for an unforgettable bird’s-eye view.
From Iguassu, fly to the Pantanal – a designated UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and the largest wetland plain on Earth. A stay at the Caiman Ecological Refuge, set on a 53,000-hectare cattle ranch in the heart of the southern Pantanal, showcases ecotourism at its best, combining boutique accommodation with diverse and responsible wildlife experiences. This beautiful refuge’s location offers extraordinary access to the area’s wildlife such as the hyacinth macaw, caiman, giant anteater, capybara and jaguar. Spend your days walking the Pantanal trails and canoeing through calm waters, keeping an eye out for wildlife grazing on the riverbanks, and your evenings stargazing with astronomers under the star-filled night sky.
Your Brazil adventure continues in Kayapó. A treasure trove of strong indigenous culture and unspoilt wilderness, this area has been protected for centuries by the last guardians of the Amazon jungle: the Kayapó warriors. Meet the members of this incredibly resilient jungle-living community and discover their traditions of hunting, body painting and celebratory ceremonies. You can also explore the Iriri River region, looking out for river otter, deer, jaguar and puma. There’s no compromise on luxury in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, either – your base is A&K’s exclusive Kayapó Camp, located on the beautiful sandy banks of the river and open for just two months of the year.
The next journey takes you back to city life in Brazil’s thriving former capital, Salvador, known as the birthplace of Brazilian culture. Stroll around the Baroque churches of the Pelourinho – its UNESCO-listed historic centre – and perfect the rhythm of the beat at a Bahian percussion workshop. Salvador’s local food scene is a feast for the senses, so here you can explore a lively market and head to a local chef’s home to learn the secrets of Bahian cooking. At the entrance to the Upper Town overlooking the Bay of All Saints, your base is the Fasano Salvador hotel. Housed in a striking 1930s’ landmark building that was once the headquarters of daily newspaper A Tarde, it’s easy to imagine the stories once told here.
Journey north to La Ferme de Georges Pousada hotel at the edge of remote Lençóis Maranhenses National Park – a vast tropical oasis of dunes and lagoons hidden away on Brazil’s northeast coast. This wild landscape is seemingly made for exploration and relaxation; enjoy 4x4 adventures across the dunes, sunsets over the ocean and Southern Cross stargazing.
The final stop is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s legendary city of samba, sun-soaked beaches and Sugar Loaf Mountain. To round off this Brazil adventure in opulent Rio style, your hotel is the Belmond Copacabana Palace, playground of the rich and famous since it opened its Art Deco doors in 1923.