Brazil

You are here: Home » Latin America » Brazil »

Wildlife Holidays to Falklands Islands + Flights Sao Paulo Brazil Rio De Janeiro

Falkland Islands + Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ARY12S

12 NIGHTS

FROM £2,995

Per person sharing

International flights quoted separately

Wildlife Holidays To Falklands Islands Flights Sao Paulo Brazil Rio De Janeiro

Our remarkable wildlife holidays to Falklands Islands, combined with flights from Sao Paulo, Brazil allow you to experience the spectacular birds & marine life of these far-flung islands near Antarctica, as well as beautiful Rio De Janeiro. Explore Stanley and Darwin, view sea birds & huge colonies of penguins & sea lions on Bleaker, Pebble, Carcass and Sea Lion islands. All transfers & sightseeing included.

▲

• Wildlife Holidays to Falklands	• Flights Sao Paulo Brazil	• Stanley & Darwin	• Sugarloaf & Corcovado
• Holidays Falklands Islands

▲

• Wildlife Holidays to Falklands	• Flights Sao Paulo Brazil	• Stanley & Darwin
• Sugarloaf & Corcovado	• Holidays Falklands Islands

Day 1

Arrive at Guarulhos Airport, São Paulo and make your own way by free shuttle to your hotel, conveniently situated near the airport.

São Paulo is the financial centre of Brazil and its most populous city.

Day 2

At leisure to explore vibrant Sao Paulo independently.

Brazil's financial center and the largest city in South America, Sao Paulo is situated on the Piratininga Plateau, surrounded by rivers that fan out into the interior. This great city has many cultural institutions and some wonderful architecture, with iconic buildings ranging from the neo-Gothic Metropolitan Cathedral to the Edifício Martinelli skyscraper, and Oscar Niemeyer’s modern curvy Edifício Copan.

Top attractions include the beautiful Ibirapuera Park, Museum of Art, City Theatre, and colonial-style Pátio do Colégio Church that marks where Jesuit priests founded the city in 1554.

Immigrants from all over the world have always been a part of São Paulo, and you'll still see the influence of Portuguese, Spanish, German, African, Jewish, Arab, and Japanese residents on its life and culture. The Metro is the easiest way to get around this vast city, with the observation deck of the 46-story Itália Building on Avenida Ipiranga offering fabulous views of the city.

Day 3

Make your own way by free hotel shuttle to Guarulhas Airport for your onward flight.

Day 4

You will be met at Mount Pleasant Airport in the Falkland Islands and transferred 45-minutes to the settlement of Darwin, situated on Choiseul Sound.

Situated on the Patagonian Shelf in the southern Atlantic Ocean, this archipelago consists of 778 islands and islets, with the two largest being West Falkland and East Falkland. At about 4,700 square miles (12,000 square km), the Falkland Islands (or the 'Malvinas' as they are known by Argentina) are only a little larger than Gibraltar.

They provide a haven for many different species of seabird and you’ll share these remote beaches with elephant seals, penguins, southern sea lions and a huge array of marine birds, including the blackish cinclodes and striated caracara. Check in to your accommodation and enjoy the rugged beauty of this far-flung British Overseas Territory close to Antarctica, where flora and fauna survive at the extremes of nature.

Note: Accommodation is very limited in the Falklands, especially during their summer months, so islands will be substituted according to availability. Will do our best to secure at least one island in the southeast and one island in the northwest, to give you a variety of habitats.

Day 5

Today enjoy a full day guided tour of San Carlos, Goose Green and Darwin.

The picturesque settlement of Darwin was established in 1859, first as a centre for cattle ranching and later for sheep farming. It was named after the famous naturalist, Charles Darwin, who visited the Falklands during his travels. Remnants of gaucho (cowboy) activity can be found in the settlement, including an original stone corral. When the site became too small all the farm buildings, the church and most of the houses were transferred to Goose Green, which is 2 km from Darwin. At Goose Green you can observe the workings of a typical Falkland sheep farm, including shearing in the height of the summer

You can also visit some of the places that became household names during the 74-day Falklands War in 1982. Experienced guides will bring these events to life as you visit both British and Argentinian war cemeteries, as well as some of the battlefields, to gain insight into the fierce fighting that took place here to reinstate the British flag above Goose Green. A visit to Bodie Creek Bridge, the world’s most southerly suspension bridge, is also worthwhile.

Afterwards relax on Darwin's waterfront, which is a great place for birding. Sightings of Night herons, Ruddy-headed geese and Blackish oystercatchers almost certain.

Day 6

This morning transfer to Darwin airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Sea Lion Island, one of the smallest and most southerly inhabited islands in the Falklands.

Designated a RAMSAR birding site of international significance, this island is a nature reserve that is free of introduced predators such as cats and rats, and is home to the largest breeding colony of southern elephant seals in the world.

Note: As you will be flying in a light aircraft you should pack in soft sports bags, as rigid suitcases are difficult to get into the aircraft. The luggage allowance is 14 kg (which includes your hand luggage) and is strictly enforced for safety reason

Day 7

Today enjoy an introductory tour exploring the wildlife of Sea Lion Island, with its enormous colony of southern elephant seals that number almost two thousand at the height of the breeding season in October, as well as southern sea lions and gentoo penguins found on its white sandy beaches.

Beautiful tussac plantations cover one fifth of the island and are alive with Falkland thrushes, black-throated finches, tussac birds and Magellanic penguins. Enjoy the solitude of this remote island that has no steep hills to climb but does have high, rocky cliffs and spectacular wildlife. On lower lying land, magnificent white sandy beaches and large areas of tall tussac grass create alternative habitats and sheltered areas.

There are 47 different species of breeding birds to be viewed on this island, including three species of breeding penguins, five birds of prey species and the endangered striated caracara. Pods of killer whales can also be seen close to the shore, attracted by the many seals and penguins that breed here.

Day 8

This morning transfer to Sea Lion Island airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Saunders Island.

This island is a birders delight as it houses the largest colony of black-browed albatross in the world. It is also a perfect place to watch rockhopper penguins, so elegant in the water but such characters when they hop out onto the rocks..

Day 9

Saunders Island is the fourth largest of the Falkland Islands, lying about three miles off the north west coast of West Falkland and over 31,000 acres in size. It is an active sheep farm that was the site of the first British settlement in 1765.

It is one of the Falklands best wildlife sites with gentoo, rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, as well as rare sighting of macaroni and chinstrap penguins. Since 1980 a small breeding colony of king penguins has become established. Four species of raptors, king and rock cormorants, black-necked swans and many other shorebirds are easily accessible from the settlement or at the many wildlife ‘hotspots’ around the island.

However the main attraction is undoubtedly the black-browed albatross colony, which stretches along the north coast from the Neck, so named because it is a narrow sandy isthmus between two high parts of the island. The northern beach is covered in stunning white sand pounded by majestic surf and is home to all these species. The wildlife colonies continue along the north coast to the Rookery, where the 'shower' formed by fresh water running down the cliff is used by rockhopper penguins to preen their feathers. On rare occasions fin and sei whales have been seen off the island. Tours to the Neck and the Rookery are included today.

Day 10

This morning transfer to Saunders Island airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Stanley.

On arrival enjoy a full day private tour, driving 2.5-hours in a 4x4 vehicle to Volunteer Point, which has the northernmost colonies of king penguins in the world, as well as gentoo and Magellanic penguins. A variety of waders, geese and gulls are also found here. With its 1.2 mile (2 km) white sandy beach and turquoise waters, this are has a Caribbean feel - but its penguins will remind you that you are in the Falklands.

There is a host of other wildlife to be seen here, as the beach is bordered by high grassy banks that lead down to rolling greens and lagoons. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you traverse the north of East Falkland island and superb photographic opportunities, as you watch the penguins entering and leaving the ocean. Afterwards check into your accommodation in the small capital of Stanley.

Note: A packed lunch is included today.

Day 11

Transfer 45-minutes by bus to Mount Pleasant Airport for your onward flight.

You will be met at Rio de Janeiro Airport and transferred to your hotel in this iconic city - famous for its magnificent setting and enormous statue of Christ the Redeemer looking down from Corcovado Mountain - one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Rio is also home to the magnificent Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Barra da Tijuca beaches and known for its samba and bossa nova dancing, carnivals and music festivals.

Day 12

Today enjoy a full day private tour of Rio de Janeiro, known locally as Cidade Maravilhosa (the Marvellous City').

After a tour of the downtown area, we stop at the huge Metropolitan Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Sebastian), built in the form of an ancient Mayan pyramid. We also view the historical buildings around Cinelândia Square - including the Municipal Theatre, the National Library and Museum of Fine Arts.

We then visit the vast Sambadrome exhibition space, where the famous Rio Carnival is held. We also drive past the enormous Maracana, one of the largest football stadiums in the world and the venue for the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Finally we visit the Bohemian area of Lapa, to climb the colourful Selaron Steps.

After lunch (own account) we drive past Flamengo Park, the largest public park in Rio, to one of the most famous symbols of the city - Sugarloaf Mountain. Here we travel all the way to the top, in two cable cars. The first cable car takes us to Urca Hill, a vantage point with beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Corcovado Mountain. The second cable car takes us all the way to the top, with wonderful views over Copacabana beach, Santa Cruz fortress and the beaches of Niterói.

Day 13

Today enjoy a half day private tour to one of the world’s most famous landmarks.

We start by boarding the cog train from Cosme Velho Station to Corcovado Mountain. Enjoy the steep 20-minutes train journey through the dense Atlantic rainforest of Tijuca, with wonderful views of the lush tropical vegetation, and scenic landscapes of the city and its beaches below. Disembark and climb the steps or take the escalators to the base of the towering statue of Christ the Redeemer - one of the 7 wonders of the modern world - and enjoy its spectacular 360 degree panoramas.

After descending by cog train, you will drive past some of Rio's most famous beaches - Leblon, Ipanema & Copacabana - before you are dropped off at your hotel, with afternoon at leisure.

Day 14

Transfer to Rio de Janeiro Airport for your flight home.

ENQUIRE NOW »

<< Return to Brazil holidays