1 Week in Brazil - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Experience Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Manaus & the Amazon

Cover Brazil's top highlights on this seven-day experience. You'll enjoy a guided tour of Rio de Janeiro, which includes iconic Christ the Redeemer, and then split time between the Amazon's capital of Manaus, and explore the wildlife, waterways, and communities of Anavilhanas National Park.

Welcome to Brazil! Your trip will start in Rio de Janeiro, where you'll take in sweeping views of the city from the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue from the top of Mount Corcovado. The next day you'll tour Vidigal, one of Rio's most well-known informal urban communities, also known as favelas. After transferring to the Amazonian capital of Manaus, you'll head to a lodge in the jungle that will serve as your base to explore the Amazon. Your next day will be spent exploring Anavilhanas National Park, including an archery lesson and a nocturnal wildlife tour by canoe. 

On Day 4, you'll explore the nearby archipelago's igarapés on a fishing trip before visiting a caboclo community in the afternoon. Bright and early the next morning, you'll witness the sunrise, followed by a tour of Anavilhanas National Park, with a guide introducing you to plants and animals unique to the forest. On your last full day, you'll spend more time on the water in the morning, keeping an eye out for the pink river dolphins that can only be found in the Amazon basin. Then you'll transfer to Manaus to check out the Meeting of Waters before catching your departing flight in the morning. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Highlights of Rio de Janeiro

Travelers with their sights set on Brazil's colorful Rio de Janeiro will appreciate this city-focused trip. Spend a week exploring the highlights from learning the samba at Pedra do Sol, traveling through lush forest to the base of Christ the Redeemer, riding the waves at Ipanema, and drinking caipirinhas in Copacabana.

Your trip to Rio de Janeiro will start with you exploring the buzzing city by foot, shopping at the Feira de Arte de Ipanema, or visiting the birthplace of samba at Pedra do Sol. Next, you'll check out the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue to take in the sweeping views from its base before exploring the Tijuca National Park, the world's largest urban park. The following day, you'll take in some of Rio's most historical and artistic neighborhoods, like Santa Teresa, and visit the vibrant traditional Brazilian food market of CADEG.

On Day 4, you'll enjoy a day trip to Búzios, a bucolic peninsula with 23 beaches for you to surf, sun, and explore the town's cobblestones streets. During some free time in Rio the following day, you can lay out at Ipanema Beach or see the artworks at the Museu de Arte do Rio before hitting Rio's best bars in the Lapa neighborhood and beyond to get a sense of the city's nightlife. Spend your last full day immersing yourself in samba and Carnival culture and dancing some samba yourself before departing Rio for home the next day. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Diverse Brazil: The Amazon, Salvador & Praia do Forte

Skip Rio altogether and instead discover three alternate areas of Brazil on this weeklong tour of the Amazon, Salvador, and the fishing community of Praia do Forte. Fish for piranhas and canoe in the jungle's wetlands, explore historical Salvador, Bahia's capital, and watch migrating humpback whales off Praia do Forte.

Your journey will begin in Manaus, from which you'll travel into the Amazon and to your jungle lodging. In the Amazon, you can try piranha fishing, jungle trekking, and getting to know the abundant flora and wildlife, including frogs, dolphins, monkeys, and colorful macaws. After two nights in the Amazon, you'll catch a flight to Salvador, the capital city of Bahia. Here you'll visit the city's beaches, like Praia da Barra to swim, snorkel, lie out, and take in old Portuguese architecture and colonial Baroque churches. 

On Day 4, you'll explore Salvador's African roots by touring historic areas like the Pelourinho and its churches, attending a percussion workshop, and checking out the Gastronomy Museum to learn about the intersection of African and Bahian cuisine. Then you'll visit local food markets and participate in a cooking class before taking an art tour of the city with destinations like Porto da Barra's photographic museum. On your last full day, you'll transfer to the fishing village of Praia do Forte to enjoy whale watching along the Bahian coast before heading to Salvador and your connecting flight onward. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Bahia's Beaches & Culture: Salvador & Boipeba

Sticking to the coastal state of Bahia, this seven-day tour is perfect for those looking to combine a little sun and sea with Afro-Brazilian culture. Sightsee the colonial city of Salvador and visit Latin America's largest existing collections of colonial architecture. Relax on the beaches of Boipeba Island and canoe amid the mangroves of the River Piã.

Beginning in Salvador, Bahia's capital, you'll get to know Afro-Brazilian cuisine, music, and architecture immediately as you explore the old colonial city on a food and party tour of the bohemian quarter, Rio Vermelho. Sightseeing the next day has you wandering the colorful and UNESCO-protected streets, and alleys of historic Pelourinho in Upper Town and the Church of Senhor do Bonfim of the coastal Lower Town. Your final day in Salvador will include a percussion workshop to teach you about Bahian rhythms, followed by an art tour of important landmarks that reflect the works of famous writers and other regional artists.

On Day 4, you'll transfer from Salvador to Boipeba, a peaceful island where you'll soak up the sun and relax. The following day, you'll head out to the River Piã, taking a ride through long, narrow mangrove channels by canoe. Finally, enjoy a full-day tour of Boipeba Island, where you'll go scuba diving in the natural pools of Moreré, swim off the sandbank of the Catu River, lunch on eat fresh seafood, and visit towns like Canavieiras for a snack of oysters at sunset. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Best of Brazil: Rio de Janeiro & North Pantanal

Spend equal amounts of time in buzzy Rio de Janeiro and the tropical wetlands of the Pantanal. This weeklong trip to Brazil will allow you to see both its cities and wildlife, with an itinerary featuring everything from some of Rio de Janeiro's most iconic landmarks to the wetlands and wildlife of Pantanal.

Your time in Brazil starts in Rio de Janeiro, settling in with a stroll and dinner along one of the city's famous beaches, like Ipanema or Copacabana. Next, you'll head to one of the New Wonders of the World—the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado, which offers sweeping vistas of the city and Guanabara Bay. Afterward, ride the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain for more striking 360-degree views. On Day 3, you'll tour a favela, perhaps Videgal, with a guide before an afternoon bike tour of Rio that begins in Flamengo District and take you past the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon that connects to the ocean.

On Day 4, you'll head to Pantanal, a 68,000-mile (109,435-km) stretch of wetlands—the world's largest. Although the journey will take all day, you'll be able to see some of the beautiful countryside, as well as delight in a nocturnal wildlife excursion into the Pantanal that night. The following day, saddle up as you horseback ride Panteneiro Bay before embarking on a boat, cruising the Rio Claro to spot monkeys and exotic birds. On your final full day, you'll take a walking, hiking, or driving tour of the Pantanal, to see even more animals on a wildlife safari. On day 7, you'll transfer to nearby Cuiabá for your departing flight. Learn more

More Great 1-Week Brazil Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Brazil? Check out these other seven-day Brazil itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.