You will arrive in Rio de Janeiro and be met at the airport by a private guide who will take you to the elegant oceanfront Miramar Palace Hotel. After checking in you may want to relax and have some lunch. We suggest lunch at Porcão, a Brazilian barbecue buffet restaurant. In the afternoon you might like to take a wander around Copacabana and visit this famous beach near your hotel. .

Today you will be taken on a city tour in your own private air-conditioned Land Rover to visit some of the most famous sites of Rio. Driving on the scenic Castorina Road towards the Corcovado (the Christ statue) you will stop to see the Mesa do Imperador (the Emperor's Table) and the Vista Chinesa (Chinese Lookout point) before entering the Tijuca National Park. In the park you will visit the principal hotspots: the Taunay Waterfall, the Mayrink Chapel and not to mention the view of the beautiful flora and fauna of the forest. Still driving through tranquil scenic roads in the Tijuca National Park, the tour will take you across the top of the mountain in the direction of the Corcovado . After experiencing the panoramic 360º views from the top of the Corcovado, your next stop will be the neighborhood of Santa Tereza, a historical district of old Rio, where artisans and artists live and work. You will be able to visit an authentic local artisan store and have lunch in one of the local restaurants, where you will experience the flavors of Brazilian cuisine. After lunch you will visit the Chacara do Céu Museum, a special place where nature, panoramic views of the Guanabara Bay and art are in total harmony with the landscape. Ending your tour at the Sugar Loaf, where you will be able to watch the magnificent sunset over the city and the bay, you will no doubt have fallen in love with this enchanted city. We suggest dinner at Da Brambini (Italian seafood) in Praia do Leme.

After breakfast you will check out of the Miramar Palace hotel and be driven in an air-conditioned vehicle to Paraty (approximately a 3 hour drive). After checking in and perhaps grabbing a bite to eat, you will be taken on a private city tour by an English-speaking guide. Your tour will take you to the principal churches, museums, old colonial houses and other points of cultural historical interest. Your expert guide will recount stories and legends of centuries past while showing you great opportunities to record this beautiful colonial Portuguese town on film. The city tour has a duration of 2 hours.

On your second day, the Gold Trail awaits you after breakfast. This tour leaves at 11am and begins by taking you to the panoramic points of the town. Followed by a visit to the different cachaca (sugar cane spirits) distilleries of Paraty, with a detailed explanation of the distillation and bottling process. Your tour then leads to the Serra da Bocaina National Park where you will see different waterfalls, including the well known Tabogan and Amizade waterfalls. Arriving at the Murycana Farm you will have the option of a trek to Pedra Branca waterfall, reputedly the most beautiful of the region. This tour takes you along part of the legendary Gold Trail. During your tour, lunch is included at the Restaurant Murycana . (Water and insect repellent are included.) The tour has a duration of 6 hours.

Today your tour will be to some of the islands and beaches in the Bay of Paraty. The beaches here are ideal for swimming and snorkeling, with calm, crystalline waters and Atlantic forest vegetation. Your tour will make 3 stops to visit the beaches of Lulas, Vermelha, Ilha do Algodao, Saco da Velha and some others. Lunch is included during one of the stops. A selection of tropical fruits is also included. Tour duration is 5 hours.

On the last day of your package you will check out of your hotel at midday and say goodbye to Paraty. A private air-conditioned vehicle will take you to the airport in Rio de Janeiro. We are certain that you will have enjoyed your trip and we look forward to seeing you again in Brazil.

• ·If you happen to be in Rio on a Sunday the hippie fair (open-air handcrafts market) at Praça Gen Osório in Ipanema is worth a visit.
• · There is an evening dinner show (Samba show and dinner) available, if you are interested, which is not included in the above package. Please let us know if you would like us to book this for you.