Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - South America Travel
trip to Brazil itinerary
David Stock in Paraty, Brazil

Ultimate BRAZIL Travel Guide

Brazil is a country located in South America. Brasilia is the capital and it is a country known for its natural wonders, culture, architecture, and diversity. Our Brazil travel guide is here to help you see the best it offers.

Brazil eluded us for some time before we finally made a visit. We won’t lie to you, we were a bit put off by the crime and violence that is associated with the country. Having been now, though, we can’t believe we waited so long.

Rio de Janeiro easily made its way onto our list of favorite cities in the world. The way the city combines nature with urbanism is so unique. Taking a favela tour opened our eyes to the class system that haunts the country.

We spent three weeks traveling around Brazil and planned our visit to coincide with the world-famous Carnival.

Destinations

RIO DE JANEIRO
ILHA GRANDE
PARATY
BONITO
PANTANAL
IGUAZU FALLS

BRAZIL TRAVEL: QUICK TIPS

Brazil
  • Do you need a visa? US Citizens get a 60 day eVisa – apply before you travel
  • Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL)
  • Climate: Tropical and humid throughout the country
  • Primary Religion: Catholic
  • Local Languages: Portuguese, English & Spanish is widely spoken. 
  • Etiquette Tips: Do not flash valuables or wear expensive jewelry, do not wander into favelas, do not take photos of the locals, do not give money to begging children
  • WIFI: Available in most, if not all, accommodation throughout the state. Many restaurants and tourist offices offer free WIFI too.
  • SIM Cards: If you have an unlocked phone, it is possible to pick up a local SIM card at most Brazil airports on arrival. This will enable you to have data like you would at home. Another alternative is a universal SIM card that works in multiple countries.
  • Travel Insurance: With all travel, we highly recommend you take out a travel insurance policy when you book your trip. This will cover your trip in case of any unforeseen events happen.

Don’t Visit BRAZIL Without:

UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER

GET A GUIDEBOOK

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO BRAZIL!

ULTIMATE BRAZIL ITINERARY

WHERE TO STAY IN BRAZIL

Below you will find some of the places we have stayed during our travels in Brazil. These are individual properties that we enjoyed and would recommend to other travelers.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN BRAZIL

Anyone looking to travel to Brazil will likely fly into Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo and connect to the other airports across the country. From these major cities, it is possible to use public transportation to see the city or take buses further afield.

Many people choose to engage in group tours or day tours to get around and see things in Brazil. It is also possible to rent a car and plan a road trip that takes you further afield and out of the city.

TOP BRAZIL TOURS

David Stock in Paraty, Brazil
WONDERS OF BRAZIL

15 Days from Rio de Janeiro


Visits: Ilha Grande, Paraty, Iguazu Falls, Bonito & Pantanal

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Lina & David Stock (Divergent Travelers) at Iguazu Falls
EXPLORE BRAZIL – NAT GEO

9 Days from Rio de Janeiro

Visits: Rio de Janeiro, Pantanal & Iguazu Falls

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Ilha Grande Beach, Brazil

HIGHLIGHTS OF BRAZIL

8 Days from Rio de Janeiro

Visits: Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande, Saco do Mamanguá and Paraty

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DON’T MISS OUT ON ANY OF THE GOOD STUFF!

EPIC THINGS TO DO IN BRAZIL

BRAZIL TRAVEL: BOOKING RESOURCES

  • Skyscanner – A fantastic flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. Every single flight search we do starts here.
  • Hotel Seach Engine – Our custom-built hotel search engine allows you to search hotels all over the world and compare prices before booking. It pulls the best prices from all the major online travel agents, such as Expedia, Priceline, Booking, etc. to one place.
  • Discover Car Hire – Allows you to search car rentals across multiple rental agencies worldwide. 
  • Viator – The best trips are made up of multiple smaller tours to really dig in and get to know the places you are visiting. Our preferred place to book day tours, day trips and shorter multi-day tours is Viator.
  • G Adventures – If you want to do a group tour around Brazil, go with G Adventures. They offer great small group tours that use local operators and leave a small environmental footprint. If you go on a tour with anyone, go with them. 
  • World Nomads – We don’t travel without insurance and you shouldn’t either! 
Divergent Travelers- Adventure Travel Blog