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

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.

You will be met at Mount Pleasant Airport in the Falkland Islands and transferred 45-minutes to the small capital of Stanley.

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 4

This morning transfer to Mount Pleasant airport for your light aircraft flight to Carcass Island, situated in the northwest Falklands.

The tiny settlement is nestled in a sheltered harbour, with wonderful views of the sea and the soft chalky-white outcrops of the Needles. It is one of the most picturesque outer-lying islands and the settlement's garden has an almost tropical feel with its Monterey cypress trees, palms and flax, as well as a colourful array of flowers.

Carcass Island has been a sheep farm for more than a century and is rich in wildlife with songbirds, waterfowl, penguins and elephant seals. Sea lions and dolphins are often seen and fur seals can occasionally be found in the tall tussac grass. The birds are amazingly tame here and include the southern caracara, the endemic Cobb’s wren, long-tailed meadowlark and the tussac bird. Magellanic penguins burrows are found close the settlement and gentoo penguins are found further afield.

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 20 kg (which includes your hand luggage) and is strictly enforced for safety reasons.

Day 5

Today take the boat to West Point Island, which is rich in wildlife and has a beautiful coastline and scenic harbour settlement.

The boat trip to West Point takes approximately 1-hour and you may see dolphins and birds swooping to feed during the trip. Once on West Point we suggest you explore the settlement and its gardens, before making your way to view the 2,000 pairs of black-browed albatross found here, as well as the 500 pairs of breeding rockhopper penguins.

Day 6

This morning transfer to Carcass Island 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.

Day 7

Today is free for you to independently enjoy 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. In November and early December, pods of orca (killer whales) can be seen close to 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 Stanley.

On arrival you can explore on foot this small port with its red phone boxes, fish & chip shops and harbour.

Day 9

Today enjoy a full day private tour, driving 2-hours each way 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 area 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 explore on foot the port of Stanley, with its red phone boxes, fish & chip shops and harbour.

Note: The last part of the drive is over a very bumpy road. A packed lunch is included today.

Day 10

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

Note: You will need to pay an embarkation fee of £32 when you fly out of Stanley.

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 11

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

We start by boarding the cog train from Cosme Velho Station to Corcovado (meaning 'hunchback') 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.

In the evening there is the option of enjoying the Roxy Dinner Show held in an historic Art Deco theatre, showcasing music and dance from different regions of Brazil (advance booking strongly recommended).

Note: Shared day tours have a maximum of 20 people.

Day 12

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

After driving through the downtown area, we stop at the huge Metropolitan Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Sebastian), built in the form of an ancient Mayan pyramid.

We then continue driving 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. There is also the option to take a helicopter ride over Rio (pay locally).

We return by cable car and transfer back to your hotel, with your afternoon free to explore more of Rio independently.

Note: Shared day tours have a maximum of 20 people.

Day 13

Transfer to Rio de Janeiro Airport for your flight home.

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