olá brazil destination guide

If you’ve ever wanted to ride an old cogwheel train, here’s your chance. No Rio de Janeiro tour is complete without boarding the Corcovado Train and rolling up Mount Corcovado through the lush rainforest of Tijuca National Park. Once we reach the top, prepare to come face to face with Christ the Redeemer, the towering 37 metre icon of Rio.

Words can’t really describe what it’s like to stand in front of the world’s largest series of waterfalls, but we can say it’s definitely one for the Brazil bucket list. We’ll take you on an adventure through the Iguassu National Park starting with the Brazilian side, where you’ll explore the jungle and see the churning Devil’s Throat, the tallest of Iguassu's waterfalls.

We'll take you out to the Carretão Ipanema Churrascaria in Rio to experience one of the best Brazil highlights - a traditional barbecue, churrasco style. This South American way of grilling meat originated centuries ago from the fireside roasting methods of the gaúchos of southern Brazil, so you'll be sampling a slice of history with every delicious mouthful.

You’ll feel the samba rhythm of Rio as soon as you touch down in this fun city, and we went to a show of music and dance, where the country’s Bohemian culture and mystical rituals were revealed through the powerful drummers, beautiful dancers and dazzling carnival costumes. We even picked up a few moves!

No trip to Rio is complete without a trip by cable car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. The view from the top will provide sweeping views of a city bordered by beaches and broken up by protruding mountain ranges. If you time it right you might even be lucky enough to watch the sun go down over the city making for a truly magical experience.

The Iguassu Falls are a twitcher's paradise and you can't miss checking out the Bird Park of the national park. It's home to more than 900 birds from 150 native species and you can take a self-guided walking tour along a marked trail through the beautiful forests. You can even get up close and personal with the birds at the aviaries!