4* & 5* Agricultural Tour to Parana, Cascavel, Iguassu Falls & Atlantic Rainforest - Brazil Agricultural Travel

Saturday
Depart from home on your Brazil experience!
*Please note: this date has not yet been determined by Coopavel officials, and is expected to be published in April. The fair is usually held in the first or second week of February. A consensus on the date has not yet been reached. We therfore reserve the right to revise the start of date to 4th or 8th of February.

Day 1, Sunday Iguassu Falls
Arrive today for Iguassu. Upon your approach to Iguazu International Airport, your pilot might tip his wings to give you your first view of the magnificent Iguassu Falls and the surrounding natural park of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Your bilingual Tour Director or representative escorts you to the selected hotel. Feast on a Brazilian dinner tonight after a relaxing swim in the pool.

Day 2, Monday Iguassu Falls
Today's full day excursion shows you the Falls from both sides. First, cross into Argentina for a walk above the falls, wider and more powerful than Niagara. A boat guides you to an island to get a close-up view of the Falls from below.The mist of the Falls engulfs you on the Brazilian side, as you walk out onto a platform and into the "garganta do diabo", the 'devil's throat'.

Day 3, Tuesday Iguassu Falls/ Cascavel
After early breakfast we take off for Cascavel, the seat of one of Brazil's most efficient Cooperatives and the city that hosts the "Show Rural" THE Agricultural fair in Brazil. You might want to have a look at http://www.showrural.com.br.After dinner, stay overnight in Cascavel or nearby in Toledo.

Day 4, Wednesday Cascavel
Today we'll travel the soybean landscape of Paraná. We stop at the rail station of Ferropar from where the soybeans and other agricultural products are shipped to the Port of Paranaguá. Tonight we'll stay overnight on a farm in Teixeira Soares, close to Ponta Grossa, which in the 80's was called Brazil's soybean capital.

Day 5, Thursday Cascavel/ Curitiba
After a leisurley breakfast, head through the rolling landscape on today's journey, which is is again interrupted only by mountain chains, rich farmland and patches of original subtropical forest, with the unique Araucária trees. Arrive in Curitiba, named best-organized city in South America, now a model for many Western industrialized nations! The city has grown 10-fold in the past 20 years, using innovative ideas to manage its substantial growth.The capital of the state of Paraná is a melting pot of such diverse cultures as Dutch, Polish, Arabian, German, Ukrainian, Italian and Japanese cultures, amongst many others! Check in to the Curitiba selected Hotel. Tonight's included dinner will give you a taste of the region's mix of cultures.

Day 6, Friday Curitiba
Morning sightseeing gives you a view of the capital, including the glass Opera House, before heading down to the coast for a stroll along the historic promenade of the Port of Paranaguá. After lunch, board the scenic historic railway as it winds its way from sea level up 1200m (3/4 of a mile high!) through the Atlantic Rainforest mountains back to Curitiba.And see the soybean trains in action as they are heading in export direction.

Day 7, Saturday Curitiba/ São Paulo
Head for São Paulo, the world's second largest city south of the Rio Grande & South America's industrial powerhouse! 4000 deadly poisonous snakes welcome you on our sightseeing including the Butantan Institute, the world-famous research lab specializing in anti-venom research. Continue downtown to see the Paulistanos as they work and live in this surprisingly well-organized metropolis. Sightseeing includes the Contemporary Art Museum, Basilica and the Teatro Municipal. São Paulo's selected hotel is located in the heart of the city. Tonight's dinner is included.

Day 8, Sunday São Paulo/ Rio de Janeiro
Arrive in the cidade maravilhosa, Rio de Janeiro and transfer to your hotel on Copacabana beach. The afternoon is free for a stroll, some shopping or relaxing on the beach or at your rooftop pool! Meet your fellow travelers for a complementary caipirinha or other tropical drink at a Rodizio, an All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Barbecue (included).

Day 9, Monday Rio de Janeiro
The panoramic view from the top of the Sugar Loaf Mountain is the highlight of today's sightseeing tour. Board a funicular to reach the summit with its 360º spectrum of golden beaches, green forests and a thriving metropolis that has earned Rio de Janeiro the title of the world's most beautiful city. Sightseeing continues with a tour of Rio's historical past. Learn how Portugal's prince scandalously broke all family ties and declared himself Emperor of Brazil. In the afternoon heat, everything slows down, and the Cariocas (as the people of Rio call themselves) head for the beach!

Day 10, Tuesday Rio de Janeiro
Christ the Redeemer keeps an eye on Rio from an elevation of 710m (2340ft). Board the trenzinho (cogwheel railway) up to the top of Corcovado Mountain for a bird's eye view of the center of the city from the center of the city! This evening, depart for home or your onward journey.