Samba in South America - 29 days

Experience the diversity of Bolivia and Brazil in this incredible overland journey from the heart of the Andes to the sunny Brazilian coast! This trip is a unique combination of Andean life, wildlife in the Pantanal, awe inspiring scenery, history and great beaches - a trip of a lifetime!

AT A GLANCE

Starts in: La Paz, Bolivia Ends In: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Departs 2010: June to December

Meals: 29 breakfasts 14 lunches 14 dinners

Tour Leader: Yes

Accommodation: 13 nights simple hotels, 10 nights Camping, 5 nights Basic multi share/hammocks

Transport: Overland truck and walking

Compulsory Single Supplement: No

Average Group Size: 12-16

This trip also runs in reverse click here for more details or to book

	DAY 1: LA PAZ Welcome to La Paz, the highest capital city in the world. Today is an arrival day so you've free time to explore. Highlights include visits to museums, and excursions to Tiahuanaco ruins (cradle of Inca civilisation), the world's highest ski resort and the incredible Valley of the Moon named for its crater like formations. Check out the Mercado de Hechicería (Witches’ Market), where Paceños and visitors may purchase potions and incantations made from all sorts of herbs, seeds, and secret ingredients to remedy any number of illnesses (real or imagined) and protect from evil spirits. There is also a thriving black market and a Carnaval market, where locals purchase carnival costumes. You’ll also find a wealth of shops selling all sorts of handicrafts, mainly alpaca wool products, silver jewellery, woven textiles and leather goods.
	DAYS 2 - 5: UYUNI & THE SALT LAKES We travel to Uyuni and spend the next three days exploring the stunning landscapes between the Salar de Uyuni and Chile’s Atacama Desert by four-wheel-drive vehicle. Piercing blue skies contrast with blinding white salt as you drive across the flat lakebed. The area’s unusual landscape of mountains, active volcanoes, and geysers is like nowhere on earth. Uyuni is the starting point for our 3-night excursion through the spectacular Salar de Uyuni. Twice submerged by a large high-altitude lake, the salt flats now cover a total area of over 12000 square km (7440 square miles) and today serve as one of the country’s main salt mining centres. Absorb stunning views of the salt-encrusted lake-bed surrounded by golden-hued mountains, snow-capped peaks and an endless azure horizon that will forever engrave itself in your memory. The tour takes us through Laguna Colorada (4278 m/14,031 ft), a large red lagoon whose colour is the result of algae & plankton growth in the mineral-rich waters, and Laguna Verde (5000 m/16400 ft), a lake that owes its striking blue-green colour to high concentrations of lead, sulphur, copper and other minerals. The numerous geysers, boiling mud pools, thermal baths and Licancabúr volcano (5960 m/19549 ft), which looms just behind the lagoon, are clear evidence of the region’s volcanic activity. Surprisingly, both wildlife and flora manage to survive and even thrive in the desolate landscape, including vizcachas (of the rodent family), flamingos (3 varieties), and assorted varieties of cacti. We return to Uyuni to spend the night before embarking on our journey to Potosí.
	DAY 6: SILVER MINING TOWN A days travelling takes us to Potosí, declared the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 in recognition of its tragic history as a silver mining centre during the time of Spanish colonization. Working conditions for miners were appalling, and the indigenous population was decimated. African slaves were brought in to replace the native workers, and it is estimated that as many as eight million indigenous people and Africans died in the mines during the first three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. Though sometimes distressing and uncomfortable because of the harsh working conditions, the optional trip underground into the mines of today is an experience that should not be missed.
	DAYS 7 - 9: SUCRE Relatively close by is Bolivia’s White City, the country’s official capital, Sucre. Before the conquest, military, religious and political leaders of the local indigenous population made their homes on the present day city site. Later, the city became the headquarters for the Spanish Royal Court, which by the late 1700s ruled over colonial Paraguay, parts of Peru, Argentina, Chile, and most of Bolivia. In 1825, in the wake of the Latin American independence movement, the city was renamed Sucre after Simon Bolívar’s second-in-command, General Antonio Jose de Sucre. The city’s fine museums, colonial buildings and ties to the independence movement make it a city of great historical interest. Optional activities include visiting an old tin baron’s mansion, a textile cooperative, mountain biking, hiking or we can even visit some ancient dinosaur tracks!
	DAYS 10 - 11: SANTA CRUZ We continue on to Santa Cruz, located close to the Cordillera Oriental foothills. Once a backwater frontier town, it has now grown into Bolivia’s second largest city. Spend a free day here exploring the city's sights, relax by the banks of the Pirai river or chill out with the sloths hanging from their trees in the the Plaza 24 de Setiembre or take an optional excursion outside of the city - maybe opt for a spot of trekking, before getting ready to head east into Brazil.
	DAYS 12 - 14: CHOCHI & CORUMBA We stop for a night of camping near the small town of San José de Chiquitos. A little more than half of the distance between Santa Cruz and the Brazilian border, this popular travel stop is known for its Jesuit Mission and as a gateway to the area's two stunning National Parks. On day 14 we travel to the quiet border town of Corumbá, giving us the chance to rest up before hitting the Pantanal the following day and seeing how many animals we can add to our list.
	DAY 15 - 17: ANIMALS OF THE PANTANAL Venturing further east, we cross the border into Brazil, and later arrive at the world-famous and biologically diverse Pantanal. Less well known outside of Brazil and South America, the Pantanal, a largely flat, wetland area about half the size of France, is still one of the best places in the continent for observing wildlife. This vast alluvial plain, seasonally flooded by the Paraguay River from October to March, is all that remains from an ancient inland sea which began to dry out 65 million years ago. Today it is an area rich in bird life such as bright blue macaws and Jabiru storks. With luck and appropriate weather we may spot cute capivara (capybara), howler monkeys, caiman, giant river otters, anacondas, anteaters and gauchos also known as the Brazilian cowboy. The area is sparsely populated and what few roads exist are in poor condition. Most people use small airplanes, 4-wheel-drive vehicles and motorized canoes to get around, so expect some rough travel and more rustic accommodations while visiting the area.
	DAYS 18 - 19: JUNGLE & BEACHES From the Pantanal, our overland truck takes us south to the town of Bonito, an outdoor lover's dream. Some of the many options here include snorkelling down the Rio de la Prata, swimming in crystal-clear lagoons or visiting macaw nesting spots. Bonito, as the name (“beautiful”) implies, is a great place for nature lovers. Just outside the Pantanal area, this is water and jungle country with abundant colourful fish in the area’s crystalline rivers. Explore nearby underwater caves and waterfalls, go rafting or snorkelling, or simply spend a lazy day by the river.
	DAYS 20 - 22: IGUASSU FALLS A long journey through the vast cattle ranches of Mato Grosso do Sul brings us into the Paraná province, and to the majestic Iguassu Falls area. Spend two full days experiencing the views and splendour of the falls from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. Sit back and soak in the stunning beauty and raw power that is Iguassu, or take a boat tour directly into the spray of the falls. At Iguassu there are 275 individual falls in all, spread over a 3-km (almost 2 mile) area. Some are over 80m (2642 ft) in height, making these cataracts both wider than Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara! UNESCO declared the region an International Heritage Area in 1986. The best time of the year to view the falls is from August to November, as during rainy season flooding often prevents closer viewing from the catwalks.
	DAYS 23 - 27: CURITIBA & BEACHES A young, well-managed and vibrant city, Curitiba is the capital of the State of Paraná. It was once a major thoroughfare for Gauchos (the Brazilian equivalent of the cowboy) and their cattle; today its modern economy is centred on coffee culture. The city has a large university student population, and it is a youthful, energetic place, that retains its historic buildings. A handful of streets have been closed to cars and there are many parks, gardens and wide boulevards . From Curitiba we head east to Paraty an architectural gem famous for its churches. Located in the Bay of Paraty there are endless hidden beaches and an optional boat ride is a great way to explore some of them.
	DAYS 28 - 29: HELLO RIO! A short drive up the coast, Rio de Janeiro awaits and signals the end of our travels. Enjoy the numerous optional activities available, such as visiting one of the many attractions such as the Corcovado (now one of the new 7 wonders of the world), Sugarloaf, and fantastic beaches. "God made the world in six days, the seventh he devoted to Rio," so say the Cariocas, residents of this beautiful city. This is a densely packed city of over 9 million inhabitants, whose economic foundations lie in the cultivation of sugar cane and in gold mining. Referred to as a “cidade maravilhosa” (Marvellous City), few cities enjoy such a dramatic setting as Rio. Brilliant, white beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema, deep blue waters of the Atlantic, the luminescent green of Guanabara Bay, the bare blue slopes of the Sugar Loaf combine to make Rio unique. Standing over it all, atop Corcovado, is the huge statue of Christ the Redeemer, the best place from which to appreciate the city. From the top of the Pao do Açucar (Sugar Loaf), reached by cable car, superb panoramic views of the city and area unfold. Head to some of the famous beaches, and prepare yourself for an experience unlike anything else on Earth. Day 29 heralds the end of our trip of a lifetime - maybe stay a few extra days to make the most of your time in Rio?