An amazing journey; our leader Marie Lou whose passion for Brazil I’m sure was infectious. Anyone who wants to make the most of this country should book this tour, it has so many highlights in just two weeks - Rio’s fabulous beaches, and the incredible views from Corcavada & Sugar Loaf; seeking out the sounds of samba, and sampling caipirinhas. Iguacu Falls: wow! more stunning than I could ever imagine.  I took a helicopter flight this gave a great perspective of them, do the walks on the Brazilian & Argentina side, truly breath-taking and a bit wet! The Pantanal is a nature lovers paradise – Caiman spotting at night – shinning a torch over the river to see thousands of eyes caught in the light, catching piranha (I caught 16 but 8 got away), The birds: so many -Blue Hyacinth Macaws, Rosetta Spoonbills, Tiger Herons, Black Necked Hawk, we must have seen hundreds of different species, Our accommodation here, with hammocks & pool, delicious food, it was all very laid back in a great location. I loved the stilt huts in The Amazon: right on the river, The rivers trips were a great way to travel and some of these were at night, clear skies and bright stars, fascinating noises of the riverside and forest. Loved it. Oh and they made great Caipirinihas here. Salvador – for the music, the art, capoeira, laid back people and colours of the city, and more beaches! Throughout delicious food – the beef especially.  

I loved Brazil - it has an amazing energy that is still buzzing through me! Rio surprised me - we were able to walk to Copa Cabana from our hotel and although you needed to be street wise I felt much safer than I had expected both alone and with the group. My biggest surprise was going to a football match - I don't like football - but the electric atmosphere in the Maracana Stadium is an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world. Our tour leader Marie Lou was excellent - her energy and enthusiasm for Brazil quickly captivated the whole group. The Iguassu Falls has to be seen to be believed - don't miss the trip to Argentina you must see the falls from both sides and the boat trip into the Devils Throat is well worth doing - take a (disposable) waterproof camera to get those close up shots!   The Pantanal was overflowing with amazing wildlife- my favorite are the Jabiru Storks who were nesting when we were there in August - the lodge is very comfortable and there is time to swim and relax in hammocks in between excellent meals and wild life adventures. Manaus in the centre of the Amazon with its Opera House was fun don't miss the juice bar or wandering round it's colourful streets. The Amazon lodge was far more luxurious than I imagined, with good food and the best caipirinhas! Finally enjoy Salvador with its brightly painted streets and African energy, driven by the music playing everywhere.   Don’t miss – Hot chocolate in Iguassu, swimming in the Amazon, the market in Salvador, the Kilo Ice Cream shops!   Do take – plenty of cash in US dollars, loads of memory for your camera!  This is a trip not to be missed! (BR - 30th July 2010)

This trip just continued to excite every part of my travelling bug, with incredible sights, sounds,colour and amazing wildlife and even a football match in Rio which was a complete experience to all the senses, even before kick off. Rio was explosive, the Iguacu Falls jaw dropping, the Pantanal was every thing a wildlife lover would hope for, Manaus and the Amazon lodges were breath-taking and Salvador was a complete contrast of all that is wonderful about African energy, culture and friendliness, even the flights were good in new planes and on time service. A trip you must do. (BR- 30th July 2010)

Pure Brazil is a fantastic tour, and a great way to experience such a massive country to the full. Our tour guide Marielou was exceptional; submersing us straight into the Brazilian culture on day one, getting us to mix with the locals at secret street samba gigs, visiting wonderful markets, and discovering delicious Açai smoothies. I was amazed by every place we visited. The Pantanal was so packed with Wildlife it was unbelievable, I saw hyacinth macaws, capybara, river otter, agouti, monkeys, caiman, snakes, it was incredible. Then visiting Iguassu Falls was unforgettable, walking along walkways that almost submerge you into the falls themselves and going on a boat trip right under the waterfalls, it was the greatest natural wonder I have ever seen. And experiencing the Amazon rainforest for the first time, living in beautiful stilt huts built into the jungle, visiting the local Amazon villages and swimming in the Amazon river was fantastic. Even the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador turned out to be the most charming cities I have ever visited, which really surprised me as I don’t normally enjoy cities as much as the country. But with beaches stretching along the coastlines, mountains surrounding Rio, artists lining the streets of Salvador, you couldn’t help but fall in love. Brazil really is the journey of a lifetime, and I would recommend it to everyone. (BR- 2nd April 2010)