Value Iguazu Falls: Buenos Aires to Rio

A guided tour of the giant multi-faceted city can be undertaken by car, on foot or by bike.

If you begin your explorations with a walking tour, you’ll learn your way around at the same time as covering many of the key sights. A stroll along the shaded pavements of chic, sophisticated Buenos Aires is a joy for any city lover.

Buenos Aires’ central districts reveal the city’s distinguishing divide: while some areas feel very European. The Italianate Teatro Colón is a highlight, some tours take you inside to tour its lavish interior.

The San Telmo quarter is the city’s oldest neighbourhood and arguably its most atmospheric. Cobbled streets lined with balconied façades spill over with bric-a-brac shops, tango parlours and pavement cafes, and tango dancers pound the pavements of the Plaza Dorrego.

In contrast, the well-heeled neighbourhood of Recoleta encapsulates the city’s European elegance. Walk along its wide boulevards, lined with mansions and parks, before visiting the Recoleta Cemetery where elaborate mausoleums house the remains of Argentina’s great and good.

Complementing this picture, the bustling district of Retiro contains a number of historic buildings and palaces, and in nearby Plaza de Mayo you will visit the famous Casa Rosada from whose balcony Evita once addressed the nation.

Iguazú Falls is the most impressive waterfall on the planet. Composed of over 300 separate cataracts, all intertwining and gushing together into one awe-inspiring masterpiece of nature, it has the power to render even the most jaded traveller speechless. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a vast array of wildlife to be seen within the lustrous mantle of subtropical foliage that surrounds the falls, and the sky is often arced by multiple rainbows formed in its perpetual mists.

The falls span the border between Argentina and Brazil, and both countries have their own national park with trails showcasing the gushing cascades from a variety of angles. The Argentine side of the falls has the most extensive network of walkways, taking you above, below and even behind the water. All are spectacular but the upper walkways are particularly astounding – there’s even the chance to stand right on the precipice of the Devil’s Throat and watch the falls thunder over the edge into the foaming chasm below. You can easily spend a whole day exploring the park’s many paths, boardwalks and viewpoints.

It will come as no surprise that the home of Carnaval knows how to party. Once the sun goes down, the streets of Rio’s busy nightlife districts overflow with a captivating cocktail of music, dance and joie-de-vivre.

We’ll take you out on the town in the resurgent neighbourhood of Lapa, the place to go for live music, nightlife and dancing. Crowds of locals spill from every bar onto its atmospheric streets, before hitting the lively dance clubs to show off their jaw-dropping samba moves.

Of course the best known and most popular way of ascending the twin peaks of the Sugar Loaf is to take the two-station cable-car from the arty little district of Urca which clings to the mountain's skirts. You can reach the sea-level station by taxi, public bus or with us on a guided tour by minibus or open-top jeep, taking in other city highlights en route.  

You can choose to climb a shady path through woods from sea level to the top of the first mountain and continue by cable car; or do that in reverse.

Alternatively climb the whole way on foot aided by an English-speaking guide and all necessary equipment. The ascent is challenging but doesn’t require technical expertise or climbing experience, so if you’re relatively fit and healthy there’s nothing to stop you.

A rocky path leads most of the way up, but you’ll need to climb 25m of sheer rock face using ropes and a harness. You’ll feel you’ve truly earned the staggering views to be enjoyed from the top.

However you decide to ascend, we recommend the free nature walk through shady woodland around the base of the mountain: it is a guarded,well-prepared path and you will see a plethora of butterflies, tropical birds and maybe even small mammals scuttling through the undergrowth.

Looming over Rio like a watchful guardian, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the most recognisable and evocative icons of Latin America. But it’s really the views that steal the scene: from the statue’s vantage point atop Corcovado mountain, a heavenly panorama stretches out in all directions, revealing the voluptuous contours of the bay’s monolithic granite peaks.

You can ascend the jungle-clad mountain on the impossibly steep cog railway or beat the queues by ascending most of the way in a minibus, taxi or open-top jeep. The journey to the top is spectacular from start to finish as you view up close the succulent tropical fruits and flowers which line the railway track and the sinuous road.

As you can imagine, Rio Carnival, with all the parades, bands, dancing and elaborate costumes, doesn't just happen spontaneously overnight. All over the country, and especially in the towns which have the most flamboyant celebrations, preparations and rehearsals take place over up to three months before Mardi Gras, and the creating of the costumes and floats is in process throughout the year.

The samba schools - which identify strongly with the neighbourhood in which they have their base - are organised into leagues, just like football teams. Competition on the days of Carnival is intense, but always good humoured. Most of the samba schools’ warehouses are located in the outskirts of Rio and you can take a guided tour of one of them in a part of the city you otherwise would not discover. Many costumes are on display, and you can even try one on for the ultimate selfie. Your guide will explain all about the history of samba and the structure and competition involved in the carnival parades where each school chooses an annual theme.

The incomparable Iguazú Falls plummet from the jungle-clad precipice of a sheer 60m drop, crashing through a dreamlike subtropical setting that is alive with wildlife and a profusion of butterflies. Adding to the magic, when touched by sunlight the perpetual mist that surrounds the falls is transformed into blazing rainbows.

The falls straddle the border between Brazil and Argentina, with both countries laying claim to one side. The national park on the Brazilian side has a less extensive network of walkways than Argentina’s, but arguably boasts the more spectacular views: laid out before you is the full panorama of Iguazú’s frothing cataracts, framed by luxuriant foliage. Most impressively, the trail culminates in a walkway over the water leading right into the gaping mouth of the spectacular Garganta do Diabo, where you will see (and even feel) Iguazú from its most dramatic aspect. 

Don't miss the opportunity to get fully acquainted with Brazil’s amazing birds at Foz do Iguaçu Bird Park, where huge aviaries mimic the wild conditions of a subtropical jungle. This commendable project is home to well over a thousand birds, including hundreds that have been rescued, in a beautiful natural environment. You'll get up close to a huge variety of birds, including some species you may spot from a distance whilst walking around the nearby national park.        

Strolling along walkways that wind their way between trees and lush foliage, you’ll see many exotic birds you’ll recognise – like parrots, toucans, emus and harpy eagles – as well as others you might not, like the curly-headed mutum and the striking urubu rei or king vulture. Kids will particularly love the bird nursery where baby birds are raised and fledged.

Although known for long lunches and dinners which run into the small hours, the Argentines' love for traditional snacks and sweets runs deep.  Your cookery class in upmarket Palermo Hollywood – bulging with bars and restaurants -  is a sociable occasion hosted by a chef and sommelier. Learn all about the national addiction to empanadas, savoury pastries filled with chicken, beef or vegetables, which can be cooked using different techniques.

Prepare your own from scratch. As an added bonus and to load up the calories, learn to make the national dessert sauce dulce de leche whilst sampling some of Argentina's delectable wines, from Salta, Mendoza and Patagonia.

Alternatively, get to grips with some of the other Argentinian mouth-watering snacks. You'll be introduced to the national bond with street food and prepare your own choripán of homemade bread and fine quality local sausage. It's the nation's most popular filler, delicious when accompanied by chimichurri or salsa criolla.

Shunning smart restaurants and pretentious menus, instead this culinary-themed lunchtime walking tour showcases Buenos Aires' best off-the-beaten-track eats tasting authentic Argentine dishes, including from the city's traditional hole-in-the-wall parrillas. Tours take place in San Telmo or Palermo neighbourhoods and are a great way to get acquainted with what’s on a typical local menu. You’ll visit several venues, sampling traditional street foods choripan, provoleta and empanadas; a variety of classic parrilla cuts of meat; wines; and artisanal 'heladeria' ice creams. Chances are you’d never find these hidden gems by yourself during your short stay in Buenos Aires.