Southern Highlights: Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Paraty & Rio
8 days · Argentina & Brazil
G Adventures charges £2,350
No-markup version: ~£880 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 8-day "Southern Highlights" trip: tango-fuelled Buenos Aires, two days on both sides of Iguassu Falls, the cobbled colonial streets and island beaches of Paraty, and a Copacabana base for Rio's samba and beaches. You swap private vans and a tour leader for long-distance buses, cheap domestic flights and self-booked tours — all doable solo, with realistic backpacker-level costs in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Buenos Aires — settle into San Telmo or Palermo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Land at Ezeiza (EZE), take the Tienda León shuttle bus to the city centre (~£9) or an official taxi (~£30–35). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in San Telmo (cheap, tango-soaked, central) or Palermo (leafier, more food and nightlife). Skip the included airport transfer — the shuttle is easy and cheap. Wander for an evening empanada and a walk down Av. de Mayo, and book your tango show and city tour online tonight.
🚌Tienda León airport shuttle ~£9 (or official taxi ~£30–35)
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget guesthouse, San Telmo/Palermo (£18–30/night)
- →Arrival shuttle into central Buenos Aires
- →Evening stroll along Av. de Mayo
- →Book tango show and city tour online
Buenos Aires city tour & tango night
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Do a free walking tour of the centre (tip-based, ~£5–8 tip) or book a small-group half-day city tour via GetYourGuide (~£15–20) covering Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, La Boca and Recoleta. In the afternoon, visit the Eva Perón Museum (~£4 entry) or Recoleta Cemetery (free). In the evening, catch a tango class + milonga or a dinner-and-show package — a decent tango dinner show booked direct runs ~£35–60, far cheaper than through a tour operator. Budget extra for a steak dinner in Palermo.
🚌Subte (metro) card ~£0.35 per ride; walkable centre
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget guesthouse, San Telmo/Palermo (£18–30/night)
- →Free walking tour of central Buenos Aires
- →Plaza de Mayo & Casa Rosada
- →Recoleta Cemetery / Eva Perón Museum
- →Tango class or milonga
- →Tango dinner show (optional)
Fly to Foz do Iguaçu — Brazilian side of the falls
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Fly Aerolíneas Argentinas or LATAM from Buenos Aires (AEP) to Puerto Iguazú or Foz do Iguaçu — book early for ~£60–110 one-way. Note the 15kg hold luggage limit on cheap internal fares; pay a little extra if needed. Drop bags at a hostel in Foz, then visit the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls — the panoramic walkway and the famous photo spots. Entry ~£14. Buses run from the terminal to the park gate every 20–30 min (~£0.80). Evening caipirinhas in town.
🚌Flight Buenos Aires → Foz/Puerto Iguazú ~£60–110; local bus to park ~£0.80
🛏Hostel or budget pousada in Foz do Iguaçu (£10–18/night)
- →Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls (panoramic walkway)
- →Três Fronteiras viewpoint
- →Evening in Foz do Iguaçu
Argentine side of Iguassu Falls — trails and boat ride
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Cross to the Argentine side early (bus or shared taxi ~£2–4) — this is the bigger park with the Devil's Throat catwalks and upper/lower trails. Entry ~£22. Add the Great Adventure boat ride under the falls (~£30–40) or a helicopter flight (~£95–110) booked direct at the park. Realistically you'll spend 5–6 hours here. Return to Foz for the night (simplest for a morning flight onward) or stay in Puerto Iguazú if you'd rather.
🚌Border crossing bus/shared taxi ~£2–4
🛏Hostel or budget pousada in Foz do Iguaçu (£10–18/night)
- →Argentine side of Iguassu Falls trails & Devil's Throat
- →Optional boat ride under the falls
- →Optional helicopter flight over the falls
Fly to São Paulo, bus to Paraty
Paraty, Brazil
Fly Foz do Iguaçu → São Paulo (Guarulhos) ~£50–90, then take the airport bus to Rodoviária Tietê and a long-distance bus to Paraty (~6 hours, ~£18–25, booked via Buser or the local rodoviária). This is a long travel day — stock up on snacks. Arrive in Paraty, a gorgeous cobbled colonial town, and settle into a pousada or hostel. Evening stroll and a caipirinha on the waterfront.
🚌Flight Foz → São Paulo ~£50–90; airport transfer bus ~£4; long-distance bus to Paraty ~£18–25
🛏Hostel or small pousada in Paraty centro (£14–24/night)
- →Colonial streets of Paraty at dusk
- →Waterfront caipirinha
Afro-Brazilian community visit & Paraty Bay boat trip
Paraty, Brazil
Book a locally-run visit to a nearby quilombola (Afro-Brazilian) community — ask your pousada or book through a local guide; expect ~£25–40 including a home-cooked lunch and fruit juice, similar in spirit to the included community visit on the original tour but booked direct so money stays local. In the afternoon, do the classic Paraty schooner trip around the bay's islands and beaches (~£18–25) or hike to a waterfall. Evening: cachaça tasting (~£12) and a seafood dinner.
🚌Local buses or walked to meeting points ~£1–2
🛏Hostel or small pousada in Paraty centro (£14–24/night)
- →Quilombola (Afro-Brazilian) community visit with lunch
- →Paraty Bay schooner boat trip
- →Waterfall hike (optional)
- →Cachaça tasting (optional)
Bus to Rio de Janeiro — Copacabana afternoon
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Take the direct Costa Verde bus from Paraty to Rio's Novo Rio terminal (~5 hours, ~£15–20) — a scenic coastal road. Then metro or taxi to a hostel in Copacabana, Ipanema or Botafogo. Spend the afternoon on Copacabana beach and catch sunset from Arpoador. Evening: Lapa for live samba and street food, or book a samba show (~£25–30 direct). Book a Sugarloaf/Christ the Redeemer visit for the morning if you have time before departure.
🚌Costa Verde long-distance bus Paraty → Rio ~£15–20; metro ~£1
🛏Hostel in Copacabana/Ipanema/Botafogo (£16–28/night)
- →Copacabana beach
- →Arpoador sunset
- →Lapa samba night
- →Samba show (optional)
Rio farewell — Sugarloaf or Christ the Redeemer, then depart
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Squeeze in a morning visit — Christ the Redeemer by Corcovado train (~£22 return) or Sugarloaf cable car (~£18) — ideally pre-booked to beat queues. Then take the Frescão airport bus or a taxi/Uber to Galeão (GIG) for your flight home. If you're staying on, Rio is a brilliant place to add a few extra beach days.
🚌Frescão airport bus ~£3 or Uber to GIG ~£10–15
🛏—
- →Christ the Redeemer / Corcovado (optional)
- →Sugarloaf cable car (optional)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£880 | £2,350 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,470 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£880
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Southern Highlights: Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Paraty & Rio cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £880 per person for 8 days in Argentina & Brazil. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,350 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £880 — a saving of roughly £1,470 (63%) per person.
How long is the Argentina & Brazil trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Argentina & Brazil.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, beaches trip through Argentina & Brazil, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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