Samba in Rio, Paraty’s Colonial & Coastal Heritage and Iguassu Falls

Board the historic cog-wheel train and ascend through the Atlantic Forest to Christ the Redeemer, timed for early morning before the city's crowds gather. Rio unfolds in every direction: Guanabara Bay below, the coastline curving away on both sides, and Sugarloaf Mountain rising ahead. Continue to the Urca neighbourhood and ride the glass-walled cable car to Sugarloaf's summit, nearly 400 metres above sea level, where a 360-degree panorama takes in forested peaks, golden beaches and open sea. Overnight: Janeiro Hotel

Go behind the scenes at a samba school, where percussion workshops and dance lessons pull you into the heartbeat of Carnival. Sip a caipirinha and join local dancers on the floor. From there, wind up through the cobbled streets of Santa Teresa, Rio's hillside neighbourhood of colonial mansions and open studios. Visit Parque das Ruínas for wide views across the city, explore the Chácara do Céu Museum's collection of Brazilian and European masters, and finish at Largo do Guimarães, the cultural heart of the district. Overnight: Janeiro Hotel

Leave Rio behind and travel south along the Costa Verde to Paraty, a colonial town tucked between Atlantic Forest and the sea. Check in to Pousada Literária, a beautifully restored collection of grand mansions arranged around a garden courtyard in the heart of the UNESCO-listed historic centre, and spend the evening wandering the pedestrian cobblestone streets on your doorstep. Overnight: Pousada Literária

Follow a walking trail through Atlantic Forest to Praia do Sono, where life continues much as it has for generations. Spend time with the caiçara community, learning how manioc is processed using ancestral techniques and seeing the craftsmanship behind the fishing canoes and nets at the center of village life. Continue on foot to Ponta Negra, then pause for a homemade lunch prepared by the local community, drawing from the ocean and nearby gardens. Return along the coastline by boat, a different perspective on this rugged, protected shore. Overnight: Pousada Literária

Travel to São Paulo and fly west to Foz do Iguaçu, touching down close to the falls as evening approaches. Check in to Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, the only hotel on the Brazilian side of Iguassu National Park, and explore the grounds or relax beside the pool as the sound of the tumbling water carries through the forest. Overnight: Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel

Walk directly from the hotel into the Brazilian national park and follow the trail through rainforest to the canyon's edge, where more than 250 cascading falls stretch across the horizon. Feel the mist on your face as you reach the upper viewing deck by glass elevator. After lunch, cross into Argentina and board a small ecological train through dense jungle to reach the Argentinian side. From elevated walkways and hidden paths, discover the falls framed by orchids, butterflies and colourful birds. The day ends at the Garganta del Diablo, Devil's Throat, where a suspended platform brings you to the very edge of the park's most powerful waterfall, a thundering curtain of water dropping into the gorge below. Overnight: Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel

Board a private motorboat and head upstream toward the base of the falls, accompanied by your guide. You can opt for a drier approach or ask the captain to steer directly into the spray for a drenching encounter with the crashing water. Either way, the journey takes you into the heart of the falls, surrounded by towering cliffs, tropical mist and the full force of Iguassu from the water. The rest of the day is yours to explore the hotel's grounds, relax by the pool or enjoy a treatment at Cataratas Spa. Overnight: Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel

Close your Brazilian journey with a short transfer to Foz do Iguaçu International Airport for your onward flight.