Written by Patsy Crisp
Written by: Patsy Crisp
SouthAmerica.travel
Dear Leanne,
I shall give you a brief overview of my impressions of the trip. On the whole it was hectic, interesting, and well-organized. We also saw the best natural sights that Brazil has to offer, completed our business obligations and overall, secured a general overall impression of the country - unfortunately no Brazilian beauties, that I had hoped I would see!! I would like to have visited some indigenous villages and culture - probably in the heart of the Amazon.
CUIABA & ARARAS LODGE: An enjoyable day flight to Sao Paulo. The afternoon visit to the Renosa Coke factory was successful. We arranged to visit (an extra) to the Chapada dos Guimaraes on the Saturday morning, as we were only departing for Araras Lodge (Pantanal) at lunchtime. It was a pleasant morning and we swam at a waterfall. Arrived at Araras Lodge mid-afternoon. Efficient and prompt tour agency to and from our sojourns in Cuiaba. The lodge was really great. Comfortable accommodation, and very friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The daily activities were fun and we had an excellent in-house guide. I really loved the prolific bird life and the new animal species we were introduced to - cayman etc. Our hosts and guide really kept us busy. Transfers to and from all went well. Araras lodge was fantastic. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Roberto our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the birds and animals in the area which enriched our experience. We were fascinated by the beautiful birds and the interesting animals such as the Capybara, which are not found in SA. The Piranha fishing was also a lot of fun!
CRISTALINO LODGE: Enjoyable, relaxing and very comfortable accommodation. Kept busy with activities. Preferred the Pantanal in terms of bird life and general activities. The road drive and boat trip ex Alta Floreste were fun. The rooms at Cristalino were very comfortable! Our two guides kept us busy with several activities. It was great to get out there into the jungle and we did enjoy ourselves. We also met some really nice Dutch couples which added to the experience.
CUIABA TO PUERTO IGUAZU, ARGENTINA: We were up the next morning at 7.00 am. for our visit to the Iguasu Falls on the Argentinian side. The falls were incredible. This was a highlight for us as well as the boat ride!
RIO: HOTEL PRAIA IPANEMA: It was great staying on Ipanema beach as opposed to Copacabana - the latter is far more commercialized and touristy. The hotel - on the beachfront, offered favourable views, and it was centrally situated. As it was rainy the following day, our tour to the Sugar Loaf and Corcovada was postponed. The Jeep Tour Tijuca Forest was enjoyable, with a very informative guide. It was essential having a guide for the Sugar Loaf and Corcovado tour - fabulous and fun - and it was essential having a guide, as there were crowds. She knew the tricks of getting us past the queues, where best to view etc and it was a real bonus - we would have stood in the long lines the whole day!! We loved Rio!! Stunning city, some enjoyable tours, amazing views, and we could maybe have spent more time there exploring on our own, sampling the nightlife etc. Our guide Isabelle was great and entertaining.
RIO TO SAN LUIS: The hotel, the Pousada Portas da Amazonia, had character, and was situated in the Old Quarter. The sojourn to Lencois Marenheses went well. The visit to the Coke factory went well.
SAN LUIS TO SALVADOR: Our guide was very informative and made our visit to the city interesting. Salvador was an interesting city and the guide was really cool. Lots of culture and history there and some nice beaches. The evening show was also very good. The hotel was also very nice! We could have spent a few more days there and the hotel was not situated in a good area. We were advised not to walk anywhere from our hotel.
SALVADOR TO LENCOIS: This was a long bus ride??the village was attractive and interesting and the hotel Cantos da Aguas, was impressive ? really well attended hotel and garden.
SAO PAULO: The hotel - Hotel Blue Tree Paulista - was fine, and our guide was super. He made the tour of the city interesting and fun. The following were the highlights: Pantanal, Iguasu Falls, Rio and Lencois Marranhenses. Thanks so much once again for your professionalism and efficiency, and I hope my comments will be of some assistance to you in the future. Kind regards and I hope we shall be able to keep in contact.
Patsy Crisp
SouthAmerica.travel