Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in Rio de Janeiro and you will be met at the airport by your Tofino Expeditions guide. Transfer to our hotel located in Arpoador the point separating the city’s two great beaches Copacabana and Ipenema, the later made famous by the Bossa Nova hit song, “Girl from Ipanema”.  After freshening up we’ll head out on a walking tour of the beaches and surrounding neighborhoods. As the sun sets we’ll enjoy our first chilled Caipirinha (Brazil’s national drink made from Cachaca, sugar cane rum, and fresh limes) and discuss trip details before heading out to a local restaurant for dinner. (L, D)

Day 2 – Rio de Janeiro
We meet Professora Teresa,  an art history professor, avid paddler, and life long Caricoa, (resident of Rio).  She’ll show us some of the best Rio has to offer starting with an assent of Corcovado mountain to the iconic Cristo Redentor statue and the panoramic views of this sprawling metropolis from the summit. Before lunch we’ll tour the winding streets of the Bohemian hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa.  After dining one of the district’s best restaurants we’ll venture into Tijuca National Park for a walk in this remarkable 32 km² urban forest which is home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife, many threatened by extinction. Dinner this evening is a classic Churrascaria - Brazilian barbeque at a famous restaurant in Ipanema.  (B, L, D)

Day 3 – Rio de Janeiro to Paraty
After breakfast we board an air conditioned minibus for the three and a half hour drive from Rio to Paraty. The road meanders down the lush green coastline and offers views of the sea as well as glimpses of rural life in this part of Brazil. Arriving in Paraty we check into a boutique hotel in the old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Located at the end of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Road) that linked the coast with the mineral wealth of the interior Paraty has an unrivaled range of preserved and restored 18th and 19th century architecture. After settling in we’ll do a walking tour of the old town with a local guide to learn more about Paraty’s unique place in the history of the “New World”. Dinner tonight is at “locals” restaurant in the old town.  (B, L, D)

Day 4 – Paraty to Mamangua
Luggage is loaded onto our support boat and a short drive takes us to our launch beach. After an orientation and safety demo we head out onto warm waters of Bahia Paraty and enjoy views of the town’s white colonial facades  set against a backdrop of green mountains and  lit by the morning sun. We cruise the coastline stopping to survey the view from an old fort and to swim at some of the numerous sandy beaches before entering natural splendor of Saco de Mamangua, Brazil’s tropical Fjord. Tonight we stay at an eco lodge that is set on the edge of the Fjord and offers views of Mamangua’s Sugarloaf peak.  (B, L, D)

Day 5 – Mamangua
Today we continue explore the Mamangua by paddling to the beach at its head and then into an ecologically rich mangrove forest there. Returning back along the opposite shore we stop for lunch at a small village located at the base of the Sugarloaf and visit the workshop of a local canoe builder. The later part of the day affords time to relax in a hammock and contemplate the view. After dark the walls of the Fjord frame a night sky sparkling with the stars of the southern hemisphere.  (B, L, D)

Day 6 – Mamangua to Pouso da Cajaiba
Kayaking out of the mouth of Saco de Mamangua we pass Ilha Zeze and head south into the Bahia Cajaiba defined on the south by Ponta da Joatinga. The waters here are less protected by Ilha Grande and so a light swell spices up the paddling. Our destination is the picturesque fishing village of Pouso da Cajaiba.  Once there our nicely appointed beachfront guest house puts us in the heart of village life and furnishes us with meals of the freshest seafood imaginable.  (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Bahia Cajaiba and Praia Granje
Today’s paddle is to Praia Grande literally Big Beach, a picture perfect arch of sand – the sort of place that dreams are made of. We’ll relax, swim and snorkel before hiking a short ways inland for a dip in a tropical pool at the base of a jungle waterfall.  (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Parati Mirim and return to Paraty
This morning we use our support boat to leapfrog back along our route so we can explore Parati Mirim a lake-like bay of islands and part of the Caicuru Ecological Reserve. The route back to Paraty takes us past an island inhabited by rare golden lion tamarins, a small monkey native to this Atlantic Rainforest it is extremely endangered with a wild population thought to number less than 1500 individuals.

For our final evening in Paraty we have special invitation to dine with Chef Yara Castro Roberts and her photographer husband Richard at their elegantly restored colonial home in old Paraty.   Yara is author of, “The Brazilian Table” and was featured in the  episode ” Yara Robert’s Brazil“, on the PBS series “Gourmet’s Adventures With Ruth”.  An evening with Yara is a lively and memorable blend of cuisine and culture as she relates the unique history of Brazil to each of the evening’s dishes.  (B, L, D)

Day 9 – Caminho do Ouro and return to Rio de Janeiro
After a packing up we’ll board our minibus and drive into the hills behind Paraty for a brief walk along the remnants of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Road) parts of which are remarkably well preserved nearly 200 years after construction. We’ll also visit an Artisan Cachaca distillery but for finally saying goodbye to Paraty and returning to Rio.  Arriving our hotel in the mid to later afternoon there will be time to relax and freshen up before heading out for an evening in the city. (B, L, D)

Day 10 – Final Day in Rio and Outbound Flights
Flights out are typically in the evening so we will arrange for luggage to be stored at the hotel after check out and the day is free for last minute shopping or relaxing on the beach until the late afternoon when transport to the airport will depart.  (B, L)

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