Family Brazil: Waterfalls, rivers and rainforests

Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, the most romantic, intriguing and beautiful city on the continent, and transfer to your hotel. Your family will be safely accommodated in the upmarket district of Copacabana, right next to the famous beach. Rio has an awesome bay-side location among near-vertical granite mountains. Here, tropical foliage swoops down to white-to-toffee coloured sandy beaches in turn battered by the huge waves of Atlantic surf.

The street life is particularly entertaining here – Cariocas are famous for their good humour, their love for sport, singing and dancing. Volley-ball and football are played on the sands at dusk, families bike up and down the cycle lanes, joggers are out at dawn. There are beach cafés where you can grab a burger and an iced coconut milk while downloading your emails with the free Wifi which is available all along Copacabana’s shoreline promenade.

The family will thrill to the idea of a cable car ride up to the top of Sugar Loaf mountain, actually a two-humped sheer granite rock. Your guided tour takes you up to survey the views over Copacabana, Botafogo Bay with its moored yachts bobbing in an azure sea, and the statue of Christ atop Corcovado mountain across the water. You can spot the renovated Maracana football  stadium from here too. At the top there are snack bars and a gift shop, while and tiny monkeys scurry around in the tress which cling to the slopes.

Instead of heading straight back to your hotel with your guide you might choose to take a look around the safe, arty, villagey district of Urca clinging to the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain. There’s also a lovely, and safe, nature trail around the foot of the mountain: spot monkeys, birds, butterflies and lizards.

Take an exhilarating trip by an open-topped jeep through tropical fruit-laden vegetation up the sheer-sided Corcovado mountain. Drink in the heart-stopping views from beside the famous Christ the Redeemer statue on the peak.

Continue to Santa Teresa, the colonial heart of the city which sits on a hill close to the Cathedral in the busy centre. This is a popular residential area for artists and TV personalities who occupy the stately shaded houses lining its cobbled streets. There are plenty of old-fashioned bars, or bodegas. The streets are lined by high walls sheltering museums, parks, art centres, smart restaurants and one or two luxury hotels.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Foz do Iguaçu in the southeast of the country, on the frontier with Argentina and Paraguay. Transfer from the airport to your hotel. In the afternoon there's a guided visit to the excellent Parque das Aves (Bird Park). More than half of the birds in this impressive project have been rescued and are now living within generously-designed aviaries situated amidst native Atlantic rainforest. You'll have the chance to get close to beautiful, exotic species from Brazil and beyond, including toucans, macaws, flamingos and even harpy eagle.

The Iguazú Falls are unquestionably one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena in the world. A total of 275 falls thunder over a 60m high, rust-coloured cliff surrounded by dense tropical forest. The U-shaped Devil’s Throat is the most dramatic sight, here the frothing water of the Iguazú river crashes over a 1.5km-wide precipice and columns of vapour are thrown skyward. Elsewhere the river flows decorously through the rainforest, breaking up into dozens of smaller cascades. You can usually spot toucans and many other exotic birds perched in the foliage above the tumultuous waters.

On the Brazilian side you have a guided tour to get a broad panoramic view of these colossal falls, and there are some excellent opportunities to photograph the full sweep of the water.

Later, there’s an exhilarating adventure in the national park, the Macuco boat safari. Join an open safari truck for a ride through lush sub-tropical forest full of orchids, tropical birds and lizards.  Next is a guided walk down into the Iguaçú Canyon, formed over millions of years through erosion by the receding waterfalls. Upon reaching the banks of the river, the real fun begins: a ride in open boats up the canyon towards the base of the falls. Ahead and above is the main cataract of the Devil's Throat, and the dozens of smaller falls as they cascade over the precipice. It can be a thrilling ride along the rapids and up-close to some of the more benign waterfalls: prepare to get very wet indeed!

Private guided tour of the Argentine side of the falls. You will be driven across Fraternity Bridge, which links the two countries. Begin with a visit to the National Park Visitor Centre, where there is a display that illustrates the biodiversity of the region’s tropical rainforest, and from here a little natural gas-powered train transfers you to Cataratas Station where the Upper Walk begins.

This sequence of causeways and passarelles links dozens of tiny basalt islands at the top of the sheer rock face, and the walkways cross the myriad of streams as they cascade over the lip of the precipice. The train then continues to Devil’s Throat Station and from here a kilometre-long walkway leads across the river to the thunderous Garganta del Diablo, The Devil’s Throat. From this spectacular vantage point you can feel the incredible power of the water as it plummets into the vortex below.

If you enjoyed the Macuco boat safari, there is also an optional boat trip out to the base of the Argentine falls; it’s an exhilarating ride that takes you within touching distance of these thunderous cascades and your clothes and hair are soaked with the spray; it is a truly invigorating experience. Light clothes and trainers are recommended. A visa may be required if you do not hold a UK passport.

Transfer to the airport and fly to Manaus in the Amazon rainforest. This vast city is on the northern bank of the Rio Negro, just upstream from its confluence with the Amazon. Although it's 1,600km from the Atlantic, ocean-going vessels can sail this far upstream. Towering modern skyscrapers intermingle with the traditional red-tiled roofs of the older buildings, many of which reflect the wealth of Manaus's illustrious past during the rubber boom - notably the magnificent opera house. It’s just a short drive through town and a short boat ride to your jungle lodge.

 

This relatively comfortable property is geared towards both tourism and scientific research. It is more like a jungle-based hotel than an intimate wildlife lodge. The complex is part of its own protected reserve covered with dense forest, creeks, and springs. What makes the Eco-Park different from other eco-tourism projects is the richness of the wildlife, including a small monkey sanctuary and an open aviary - a halfway house for a dozen or so scarlet, blue-and-yellow and green macaws. The large, tended gardens are lovely with plenty of birdlife and there is also a white sand beach (in low water season) with loungers. Facilities include an al fresco restaurant, pavilion with hammocks and a natural swimming pool.

Guided excursions are included and are organised depending on your arrival and departure times from Manaus. They involve two half day excursions or one full day excursion. The half-day excursions include a morning jungle trek where your guide will identify birds, mammals and insects, as well as telling you about the medicinal properties of plants. There’s also a visit to the aviary and the monkey sanctuary, where you can see up close monkeys which are not caged, but free to come and go to feed.

There is a visit to a local settlement and an opportunity to fish piranha. There’s also a boat trip to see the so-called Meeting of the Waters, where the milky coffee Solimões river runs alongside the black Rio Negro before they merge.

Transfer to the airport and fly to Salvador; continue by road to Praia do Forte, which has some of the most beautiful palm-fringed beaches in the north east. The town has a laid-back feel, although it can get busy at weekends and holidays. The coastline is now part of a national preservation programme which helps protect sea turtles which lay eggs along the beach.

Your attractive low-rise resort, Tivoli Eco-resort Praia do Forte, fronts on to a palm-fringed beach, within walking distance of the village and about an hour's drive north of Salvador. The accommodation is rustic-looking but has much more than the basic comforts. It’s a great choice for families as there’s something for everyone here: facilities include four pools, an excellent gym, sauna, tennis court, windsurfing and the use of laser and hobie cats. Furthermore, there is a Thalasso wellness spa.

 

There are daily entertainments, many of which will delight youngsters, adults can join in the fun or recline in a lounger in a quiet part of the property. There are several restaurants (the food is excellent, buffet style with loads of choice) and bars, horse-riding and sea fishing can also be arranged. Near the village is a small marsh that is home to a large number of birds and caiman.

For an unusual and rewarding wildlife experience, we recommend your family visit the headquarters of the national turtle preservation programme, set up to protect the sea turtles that lay eggs in the area.