Brazil 9 days itinerary

Trip Highlight

• Rio
• Sao Paulo
• Paraty
• Iguazu Falls (Brazil/Argentina)
• Paraguay

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Local transportation

Flight –

We booked local flights from Rio to Iguacu falls and Iguacu Falls to Sao Paulo, there are multiple airlines that run multiple flight per day. We used both GOL and LATAM. Booking the flight using the GOL/LATAM website was challenging as it required CPF number. During booking there was an option to select “do not have CPF number”, however, when getting to the payment page one was required to make payment online. Instead we booked the flight through one of the booking websites (such as booking.com) and had no issue.

Car /Taxi /Uber-

Uber is very convenient and affordable in Brazil.

We used KiwiTaxi to book taxi ride from Sao Paulo to Paraty and from Paraty to Rio. Once booked, the driver’s information (Whatsapp contact) is available 2-3 days before the trip. Both drivers did not speak English but using google translate we were able to communicate with the driver.

Data Plan

Since we are visiting Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, we got the South America eSIM, 3G for 10 days from Maya Mobile for $19USD. Other companies recommended online are Holafly and Airalo.

Money

For Brazil we took money from ATM at the airport.

For Argentina, the hotel we stayed at exchanged money for us using the “blue rate”. The Blue rate/Blue dollar is the unofficial rate for buying/selling physical US dollar bills. The Rate is better than the official rate or exchange through Banks. They do ask for new or like new bills, old or marked bills are not accepted. The hotel gave us the blue rate of 850 Peso for 1 USD, at the time the official rate was 804 peso for 1 USD.

For Paraguay, we did not exchange any local currency while we visited Paraguay. In downtown, most shops/store will take USD, Argentina Peso or Brazilian Real.

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Day0 – Red eye flight to Rio de Janeiro

Day1 – Rio de Janeiro

9:30am	Arrive at GIG airport
9:30 am – 11:00am	custom, store luggage, ATM get money
11:00am – 1:30pm	Uber to Cosme Velho, take Corcovado Train to Christ the Redeemer
1:30pm – 6:00pm	Rio de Janeiro downtown area
6:00pm	Back to GIG airport, wait for evening flight to Iguacu falls (IGU)

Day2 – Iguazu Falls (Brazil)

10:30am – 1:30pm	Iguacu Falls trails
1:30pm – 4:00pm	Iguacu Falls – Macuco Safari boat tour
4:00pm – 4:30pm	Back to hotel, pickup luggage
4:30pm – 5:30pm	Taxi to Argentina Puerto Iguazu

Day3 – Iguacu Falls (Argentina)

10:30am – 11:00am	Bus to Igauzu falls
11:00am – 1:30pm	Igauzu falls lower/upper trails
1:30pm – 2:00pm	Bus back to Puerto Iguazu
2:00pm – 4:00pm	lunch
4:00pm – 5:00pm	walk to Hito Tres Fronteras
5:00pm – 7:00pm	Puerto Igauzu (Av. Brasil area)

Day4 – Paraguay

8:00am – 9:30am	Ferry to Paraguay
9:30am – 10:00am	Monday Falls
10:00am – 10:30am	Drive to Ciudad del Este
10:30am – 12:30pm	Ciudad del Este
12:30pm – 1:45pm	Drive to Brazil
1:45pm – 4:00pm	Parque Das Aves
4:00pm – 9:00pm	IGU airport, flight to Sao Paulo
9:00pm – 10:00pm	Uber to hotel, check in
10:00pm – 11:00pm	Mequi 1000 McDonald’s

Day5 – Sao Paulo

9:30am – 11:00am	Municipal Market
11:00am – 12:15pm	Farol Santander building
12:15pm – 1:30pm	Theater and cathedral
1:30pm – 3:00pm	Ave Paulista
4:00pm – 9:30pm	Drive to Paraty

Day6-7 – Paraty

Day6
11:00am – 5pm	Jeep Tour to waterfalls
5pm – 7pm	dinner and walk around Paraty
Day7
11:00am – 5pm	Boat tour
5pm – 8pm	Dinner and walk around Paraty

Day8-9 – Rio

Day8
7:30am – 11:00am	Drive to Rio de Janeiro
11:00am – 12:00pm	check in to hotel
12:00pm – 2:30pm	Sugar loaf mountain
2:30pm – 4:00pm	Ipanema and Copacabana beach
4pm – 6:00pm	dinner
7:00pm – 8:00pm	walk around copacabana beach
day9
10:30am – 12:00pm	Copacabana beach
12:00pm – 1:00pm	Museum of Tomorrow (closed)
1:00pm – 3:00pm	lunch
3:00pm	Head to GIG airport for flight back home

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Where we stayed

1 night Iguacu falls (brazil side)	pousadas Guata Pora
2 nights Puerto Iguazu (Argentina)	Hotel Amaya
1 night Sao Paulo	RENAISSANCE SAO PAULO HOTEL
3 nights Paraty	Pousada Romã
1 night Rio de Janeiro	Mar Palace Copacabana