Help with Brazil 11-day itinerary
 

Hi
We are planning a 11 day trip to Brazil in May 2011. Looking for some advice or suggestions on our itinerary. We love colonial architecture, culture, food, and music. We're not huge beach people so we don't plan to spend any time relaxing on the beaches in Rio or Salvador.

Day 1: Arrive in Rio by flight from the US by 9am
Day 1, 2, 3: Rio
Day 4: Leave Rio for Iguazu (we will only be doing the Brazilian side)
Day 5: Iguazu
Day 6: Leave Iguazu for Manaus for the Rainforest (this might be a full day of travel)
Day 7 & 8: Spend in the Amazon
Day 9: Leave Manuas for Salvador
Day 10: Salvador
Day 11: Leave Salvador early morning to get into Rio to catch 9pm flight back to the US

We know this seems a bit crammed but we are young and we like to do a lot of things on our vacations. Our goal is to see as much as we can and not so much to relax.

Does anyone have any advice on the below? Thanks!

I would definitely rethink flying to Manaus to spend "one day in the rainforest." Manaus is a large unattractive city. Unless you get out of it you're not going to see much rainforest. Consider eliminating either Salvador or Manaus. If you decide to go with the Amazon be sure not to base in Manaus. We liked http://www.anavilhanaslodge.com which is about a four hour drive from Manaus. (They get you at the airport.)

Thanks for your feedback. What airport would you recommend flying into for the rainforest? thanks.

I think you will have to fly into Manaus, we took a second flight from there to Tefé and then a boat to Mamiraua, if you click on my name you will get my trip report. Marija also has a trip report you should consult.

I agree with Marija keep to three locations. Internal flights in Brazil are quite expensive, consider getting a TAM pass for a slight discournt. I'm assuming to get to Manaus you will go via Sao Paulo, but maybe there are direct flights. I'd look at TAM website to find out what flights are doable.

I was in Brazil last year and in the end deleted Manaus from the itinerary due to the long travel times required to reach Manaus from Iguazu and then the onwards travel to Amazon lodges.

Have you thought of Cristalinio Lodge near Alta Floresta which claims to be an Amazon sanctuary, http://www.cristalinolodge.com.br/ I haven't been there as we spent time on the Amazon at Iquitos in Peru. The flight and transfer times would be shorter than those needed for the Amazon at Manaus.

Happy planning,


Pol

Skip Manaus. You will have to go via SP to get to Manaus and it's about a four to five hour flight. By the time you have checked in/ checked out etc you will have killed two full days getting there. Any worthwhile experience out of the city is going to kill a full day. So in essence you will be spending a lot of money to get somewhere just to come straight back again. Manaus itself is a particularly unattractive city.

Much more do in Salvador and much easier to get to, 2 hour flight.

I agree with Carlos... it´s better to spend one more time in some other place (that is in ur schedule) then going to manaus... do you wanna see the forest?? Salvador has some forests... and the beach...

We would really like to see the Amazon and the rain forest (which I'm assuming is worthwhile going to). Is there a better way to do that than going through Manaus? Should we skip the Amazon but do something else that might give us a similar experience?

Yes, see Treepol's response to your question above: Cristalino Lodge in Alta Floresta, Matto Grosso.

nlaul, your itinerary sounds like: 11 days seeing Miami, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon and New Orleans. Does that seem reasonable? ;-) Oh, and the itinerary above is still covering less miles than the one you have for Brazil! If you would be comfortable doing that in the US, then you might be OK.

You can do Rio-Iguazu Falls-Amazon (and leave Salvador out for another trip that includes the colonial cities of Minas Gerais and Chapada Diamantina) or Rio-Amazon-Salvador leaving Iguazu Falls for another trip that includes the Pantanal and Bonito for example.

Don't dismiss Manaus so quickly. There is a 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre), primary rain forest reserve ON the edge of the city. Towering forest. A big surprise. it is about 20 min from the airport. it is the Adolfo Ducke Reserve-a federal biological reserve. Amazing. And taking a float plane overflight (the so-called "seaplane" tours that leave from the Ponta Negra location on the Rio Negro near the Hotel Tropical ) of the meeting of the waters and of the Anavilhanas Archipelago also is extraordinary and unforgettable. And then visit the wild, pink dolphins at Recanto do Boto in Acajatuba bay not too far up the Rio Negro. As far as the Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, it was less interesting by far than all the things I just listed. And how can you miss the main Amazon, where it meets the Rio Negro? And an outing with the superb guys of www.amazontreeclimbing.com also is GREAT. I agree that after the opera house in old Manaus, the modern city is not attractive, but you don't go to Manaus to see the city, but rather to get a taste of the world's largest rainforest. Admittedly, one day there or even two is a bit too short, BUT it is still amazing--do it. Charles Munn, PhD

Salvador (Bahia) has too much going for it for one to spend only one day there. I spent 8 in the city and area and still missed out, esp. in going to small towns that are near. You might desire to reconfigure.

In 2011 October I plan to revisit for my third trip and spend 4 days. I will take in a few of my favorite places and activities (doing a lot of photography); then I hope to partake in new and different experiences.