Brazil Holidays
Brazil
Holidays
The world's most exhilarating country — Carnival in Rio, the Amazon rainforest, Iguazu Falls, Copacabana Beach and the Pantanal wetlands, all in one extraordinary destination
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Flight Time
11–12h direct to São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG) from London
Best Time
April to October (dry season for most regions); December to March for Carnival (Rio, February/March) and the Amazon wet season (spectacular flooding); July to October for Pantanal jaguar sightings
Country
Brazil
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Brazil Holiday Guide
Brazil is a vast country and most visitors focus on one or two regions rather than trying to cover everything. The classic Brazil itinerary combines Rio de Janeiro (3–4 nights) with either the Amazon (3–4 nights from Manaus) or Iguazu Falls (2 nights) — both are accessible by direct domestic flight from Rio. For wildlife enthusiasts, the Pantanal (accessible from Cuiabá or Campo Grande) is the highlight of any Brazil trip.
Getting there: Direct flights from London to São Paulo (GRU) with LATAM, British Airways and TAM (approximately 11–12 hours). Direct flights to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) are also available. From São Paulo or Rio, domestic flights connect to Manaus (Amazon), Foz do Iguaçu (Iguazu Falls), Cuiabá (Pantanal), Salvador and all other Brazilian cities.
Visas: UK citizens do not currently require a visa for Brazil for stays of up to 90 days (check current requirements before travelling as visa rules can change).
Safety: Brazil has a reputation for crime in some areas — the favelas of Rio and São Paulo have high crime rates, and petty theft (bag snatching, phone theft) is common in tourist areas. Take sensible precautions: don't display expensive jewellery or electronics, use Uber rather than street taxis, and follow local advice about which areas to avoid. The tourist areas of Rio (Ipanema, Copacabana, Santa Teresa), São Paulo (Jardins, Vila Madalena), Salvador (Pelourinho) and the Amazon lodges are generally safe for tourists.
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Popular Areas in Brazil
Average Temperatures
Jan
28°C
Feb
29°C
Mar
28°C
Apr
26°C
May
25°C
Jun
24°C
Jul
23°C
Aug
24°C
Sep
24°C
Oct
25°C
Nov
26°C
Dec
27°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Brazil
The carnival, the rainforest, the waterfalls, the beaches and the wildlife that make Brazil one of the most extraordinary destinations on earth.
Rio de Janeiro — The Most Beautiful City on Earth
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most spectacular cities in the world — a metropolis of 13 million people squeezed between jungle-covered mountains and the South Atlantic, with Copacabana and Ipanema beaches stretching along the seafront and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue watching over it all from the summit of Corcovado mountain. The city is the home of Carnival — the world's greatest party, held every February/March, when the Sambadrome fills with samba schools in extraordinary costumes and the streets of the city become one enormous celebration. Beyond Carnival, Rio offers Sugarloaf Mountain (accessible by cable car, with views over the entire city and bay), the Tijuca Forest (the world's largest urban forest), the Lapa arches and the Santa Teresa neighbourhood, and the beach culture of Ipanema and Copacabana that is unlike anything else in the world.
The Amazon Rainforest — The Lungs of the Earth
The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million sq km — an area larger than Western Europe — and contains 10% of all species on earth. A trip into the Amazon is one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences available anywhere: pink river dolphins in the flooded forest, caimans on the riverbanks, macaws and toucans in the canopy, piranhas in the river and (with luck) anacondas, jaguars and giant river otters in the jungle. The main gateway to the Brazilian Amazon is Manaus — a city of 2 million people in the middle of the rainforest, accessible by direct flight from São Paulo and Rio. From Manaus, river boats and jungle lodges give access to the forest — from basic hammock boats on the river to luxury eco-lodges deep in the jungle. The Amazon is best visited in the dry season (June to November) for wildlife, or the wet season (December to May) for the extraordinary flooded forest.
Iguazu Falls — The Most Spectacular Waterfall on Earth
Iguazu Falls is the most spectacular waterfall system on earth — 275 individual falls spread across a 2.7km arc on the border between Brazil and Argentina, with the Devil's Throat (Garganta do Diabo) — a U-shaped chasm 82m high and 150m wide — at its heart. Eleanor Roosevelt, on seeing Iguazu for the first time, reportedly said 'Poor Niagara'. The falls are best seen from both sides — the Brazilian side gives the panoramic view of the full arc of falls; the Argentine side gives the close-up experience of walking along catwalks above and beside the falls. The surrounding Iguazu National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is also excellent for wildlife — coatis, toucans, butterflies and over 400 bird species. The falls are at their most dramatic from November to March when the water volume is highest.
Salvador — The Heart of Afro-Brazilian Culture
Salvador, the capital of Bahia state, is the most culturally distinctive city in Brazil — the first capital of colonial Brazil, the largest port of the Atlantic slave trade, and the city where African culture has most profoundly shaped Brazilian identity. The Pelourinho (the historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, baroque churches and colourful colonial buildings perched on a cliff above the bay. Salvador is the home of candomblé (the Afro-Brazilian religion that blends Yoruba traditions with Catholicism), capoeira (the martial art/dance form developed by enslaved Africans), and the most vibrant street carnival in Brazil — the Carnival of Salvador (held at the same time as Rio's) is a 6-day street party of extraordinary energy, with electric trios (trucks with enormous sound systems) moving through the streets followed by hundreds of thousands of revellers.
The Pantanal — The Best Place in the World to See Jaguars
The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland — a vast floodplain the size of France that straddles the borders of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is the best place in the world to see jaguars in the wild — the Pantanal has the highest density of jaguars on earth, and boat trips on the Cuiabá River (particularly in the dry season, July to October) offer extraordinary close-up sightings of these magnificent cats on the riverbanks. The Pantanal is also home to giant river otters, giant anteaters, tapirs, capybaras, marsh deer, caimans and over 650 bird species including the hyacinth macaw (the world's largest parrot). Unlike the Amazon, the Pantanal's open landscape makes wildlife spotting much easier — the dry season concentrates animals around the remaining water sources, making for some of the best wildlife photography in the world.
São Paulo — South America's Greatest Food City
São Paulo is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere — a metropolis of 22 million people that is the financial, cultural and culinary capital of South America. The city has the best restaurant scene in Latin America — a reflection of the extraordinary diversity of its population (São Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside Japan, the largest Lebanese community outside Lebanon, and significant Italian, German, Korean and African communities, all of which have contributed to the city's food culture). The Mercado Municipal (the Municipal Market) is one of the great food markets of the world — a vast Art Nouveau building filled with stalls selling every conceivable Brazilian ingredient. The Liberdade neighbourhood (the Japanese quarter) is the best place in the world outside Japan to eat Japanese food. The Vila Madalena neighbourhood has the best street art in South America.
Fernando de Noronha — Brazil's Most Beautiful Island
Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands 350km off the northeast coast of Brazil — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary natural beauty with the clearest water in the South Atlantic, pristine coral reefs, spinner dolphins (the largest resident population in the world), sea turtles, sharks and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Access is restricted (a daily environmental tax is charged and visitor numbers are limited) which keeps the islands uncrowded and pristine. The diving and snorkelling at Fernando de Noronha are among the best in the world — the water clarity (visibility of 30–50m) and the variety of marine life (sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, colourful reef fish) are extraordinary. The island is accessible by direct flight from Recife (1.5 hours) or Natal (1 hour).
Lençóis Maranhenses — Dunes, Lagoons and the End of the World
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth — a vast field of white sand dunes (covering 1,500 sq km) dotted with thousands of crystal-clear blue and green freshwater lagoons, formed by rainwater collecting in the valleys between the dunes. The park is in the state of Maranhão in northeast Brazil — remote, rarely visited and utterly unlike anywhere else in the world. The lagoons are at their fullest and most beautiful from June to September (after the rainy season). The park is accessible from the town of Barreirinhas (accessible by road from São Luís, the state capital). Walking through the dunes to the lagoons — the white sand, the blue water, the silence — is one of the most surreal and beautiful experiences in South America.
Explore Brazil on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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