RIO TO BUENOS AIRES

Day 1
The group flights from London depart this morning and arrive in Rio in the evening. Those on group flights will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel.

Day 2
Today has been left free for exploration of this fascinating city, its forested hills and sweeping sandy bays. You may wish to take an optional tour which visits the highlights of Rio, including the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the incredible statue of Christ on Corcovado Mountain which has recently been named one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Day 3
After breakfast we head along the coast to Paraty. The 4-hour drive offers stunning scenery as the highway is sandwiched between mountains and sea, and on arrival in Paraty we are greeted with atmospheric cobbled streets and colonial buildings. The town was once the major port for transporting Brazilian gold to Europe, but it is now a sleepy fishing village better known for relaxed atmosphere and its fine cachaca (sugar cane alcohol).

Day 4
Today we will have a schooner trip which takes in the beaches and islands of this beautiful stretch of coastline. Lunch is included on the boat, and there will be opportunities to swim and snorkel in the warm Atlantic waters.

Day 5
A 5-hour drive along the coast takes us to Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, for our flight to Campo Grande, the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul state and the closest city to the southern Pantanal.

Day 6
This morning we have a 5-hour drive into the Pantanal. The 300km drive is mainly along paved roads, but the final 30km are on well-maintained dirt roads and, during the wet season, it may be necessary to travel by boat from the main trans-Pantanal road to the lodge. We stay for the next two nights in a small lodge on a working cattle ranch in the heart of the Pantanal with experienced local guides who know the region and its wildlife extremely well, giving us a great insight into the region's flora, fauna and sensitive ecosystems. The grasslands and swamps are home to animals such as jaguar, capybara, caiman, several species of deer and both Howler and Capuchin Monkeys, as well as a huge number of bird species including the endangered Hyacinth Macaw, Jabiru Storks and the instantly recognisable Roseate Spoonbill

Day 7
Today we have a full day of activities to discover the Pantanal's wildlife. The exact programme of activities varies throughout the year, but the lodge offers canoe trips, horse riding, trail walking, catch and release fishing and photographic safaris. In the evening there will be the chance to join a night safari so we can see some of the nocturnal animals and birds, including tapirs, Crab-eating Foxes, Great Horned Owls and Giant Anteaters.

Day 8
After breakfast we drive to Bonito (around 4-5 hours), passing through the Serra do Bodoquena National Park, a beautiful region of limestone mountains and forest. The rest of the day has been left free to relax at our hotel or to explore the bustling town.

Day 9
This morning we head to Rio da Prata where we go for a gentle snorkel in the wonderfully clear spring waters of the this beautiful river. It has large numbers of giant Dourado and Catfish which hang lazily in the water as we drift past, and if we're lucky we may see an anaconda or two. The surrounding forests are home to monkeys, which we will probably glimpse in the treetops as we take time out to enjoy a relaxed packed lunch on the riverbank.

Day 10
A full day at leisure for the many optional excursions on offer in and around Bonito. The more active may want to try abseiling into a cave at Anhumas abyss followed by snorkelling in the subterranean lake, and there are also several cycling circuits in the area . The many rivers lend themselves to kayaking and rafting, and horses are available for hire in town. Due to the region's limestone bedrock, a popular option is to take a tour visiting one of more of the numerous caves, many of which have underground lakes for snorkelling or swimming. In the evening, we take an overnight bus to Foz do Iguacu.

Day 11
We arrive in Foz do Iguacu early this morning, and after breakfast we have a tour of the Brazilian side of the Iguassu Falls. In the park there is a 2km long walkway which offers fantastic panoramic views of the falls, culminating in a viewpoint close to the thundering 'Devil's Throat'. We will stop for lunch at a small restaurant close to the park entrance, and there will be opportunities for a thrilling optional helicopter ride over the falls or to visit the nearby Parque das Aves, which contains many examples of the subtropical birds of Brazil as well as mammals and reptiles. In the afternoon there is an optional visit to the massive Itaipu Dam, which spans the border between Brazil and Paraguay and is second in size only to the Three Gorges Dam in China.

Day 12
We spend the morning visiting the Argentinean side of the falls. Within the national park there is a raised walkway leading almost to the top of the Devil's Throat, where you can see the incredible contrast between the calm waters upstream and the bubbling cauldron of water below. There are also two other walkways on this side of the falls which allow us to get up close to some of the other falls. In the afternoon, we fly to Buenos Aires.

Day 13
This morning we have a walking tour of Buenos Aires, covering the main sights of the city centre including the presidential palace, the Plaza de Mayo, Congress Square and the bohemian neighbourhood of San Telmo. The afternoon has been left for free for us to further explore the city - you may wish to visit the colourful Italian district of La Boca with its vividly painted houses, search for Eva Peron's grave in the spectacularly ornate Recoleta Cemetery, or perhaps stroll through the city's many hectares of parkland. In the evening, we can take in some amazing dancing at an optional tango dinner show in one of Buenos Aires' many dance halls.

Day 14
Those on the group flights will be transferred to the airport this afternoon to catch the overnight flight to London.

Day 15
The group flights arrive in London this afternoon.