12 Days Discover Uruguay, Argentina & Brazil

Those on the group flight will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the city. Those on land only arrangements should make their own way to the start hotel this afternoon. Our local leader will meet us today for a briefing and take us on a short walking tour of the city, discovering its history and culture.

After breakfast you will discover the historic city centre of Montevideo in depth. The tour will start at the former town gate. From here you will get to know the history of the Palacio Salvo, the President´s office and the mausoleum of Uruguay’s national hero, José Artigas. Afterwards we will stroll along the Sarandi pedestrian area, to get to Matriz Square, where the Cathedral of Montevideo and the town´s Cabildo are located. From here we head to the Port Market, which is nowadays a vibrant market hall, consisting of a huge variety of restaurants and typical Asado Grills - a perfect spot to enjoy lunch (not included). In the afternoon we will transfer (approx. 2-3 hours) to our destination, Estancia San Pedro de Timote.

Today you will be at leisure to take part in any of the ranch’s activities or use any of the facilities. There are many activities to choose from including horseback riding, fishing and there are many hikes around the property. if you prefer a relaxed day, you are also able to use any of the properties’ facilities like going for a splash in one of the two swimming pools available.

After breakfast we transfer (approx. 2-3 hours) to one of the oldest towns in Uruguay, Colonia del Sacramento. In Colonia we will have a walking tour to find out some of the towns rich history and learn why it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a city which was originally founded by the Portuguese but then was disputed for many years by both the Spanish and the Portuguese. After the city tour we will have time to try Uruguay’s national drink of ‘Mate’. Afterwards we will take a short ferry across the River Plate to Buenos Aires.

Today we will have a short walking tour of the city, discovering its wealth of history, culture and exploring the main sites and landmarks Buenos Aires has to offer. The highlights of this tour are the famous Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron (Evita) is buried, the Colon Theatre and San Martin Square. Afterwards you will have some free time before we visit one of the excellent tango shows in the old quarter of San Telmo and enjoy a group meal together.

This is a free day to either spend exploring Buenos Aires, or you can also book an optional tour to spend a day in the countryside. We recommend the full day trip to visit an estancia 'working ranch' in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. At the estancia you will have the opportunity to go horse-riding, watch a game of Polo or even have a Polo lesson. Please ask your tour leader, and they will help you to arrange it.

This morning is free to rest or perhaps spend some more time exploring Buenos Aires. We will depart the hotel at around midday and take a short transfer to the regional airport in Buenos Aires, from here we will catch a flight to Iguazu. On arrival we will transfer to our hotel for the next two nights.

After breakfast we transfer to the Argentine side of the falls. Inside the park, there are many walkways that lead you to different viewing platforms, with fantastic views of the falls. There are approximately 800 metres of walkways on the upper circuit and a further 600 metres on the lower circuit. We recommend you have your waterproofs with you, as there can be so much spray from the falls, that you can get completely soaked. You will also need these should you wish to take part in the optional boat trip, which takes you to the mouth of the falls.

This morning we will say goodbye to Argentina and hello to our third and final country, Brazil! Both sides of Iguazu offer very different experiences of the falls, but the Brazilian side is known for the incredible panoramic views of most of the falls. You can also take a short ride in a glass lift, which takes you to the boardwalk, from where you can walk along the edge of some of the falls. Afterwards we will transfer to the Brazilian airport in Iguazu and catch a short flight to our destination, Rio de Janeiro.

After breakfast we will set off from the hotel for a full day tour of this beautiful and fascinating city. The highlights include a visit to Corcovado Mountain and a visit to one of Rio’s most famous landmarks, the Christ the Redeemer statue. From here you have some of the best views of the city. We will stop for lunch in between stops at a typical Brazilian ‘Rodizio’ barbecue restaurant. Afterwards we will carry on with the tour and ride a cable car to the top of another of Rio’s most popular mountains, the Sugar Loaf. From here you will have a completely different perspective of the city and coastline.

Today has been left free as there are many excursions available to match different interests. We recommend either taking a shared jeep tour of the Tijuca forest or simply take a stroll through the world-famous beaches of Copacabana or Ipanema. Please ask your tour leader and they will help you to arrange it.

Depending on the time of your flight home you may have another chance to see more of this fascinating and vibrant city.