The Best of Brazil — Self-Launched (Rio, Ilha Grande, Paraty & Iguassu Falls)
9 days · Brazil
G Adventures charges £2,900
No-markup version: ~£620 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "The Best of Brazil", running Rio de Janeiro → Ilha Grande → Paraty → Iguassu Falls → Rio. Same destinations and the same headline experiences (Afro-Brazilian community visit, Paraty schooner cruise, both sides of Iguassu Falls) but DIY: local buses/coaches and shared shuttles instead of a private van, budget pousadas/hostels instead of comfort hotels, and independently bookable tours. Costs are rough budget-backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights to/from Rio.
Day-by-day
Arrive Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Land at Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU) and make your own way in — the BRT bus or the Frescão airport bus to the Zona Sul costs R$6–8 (about £1), or a metered taxi/ride-app is R$80–120 (£12–18). Check into a hostel or budget pousada in Copacabana, Ipanema or Botafogo. Spend the afternoon walking Copacabana beach and grab dinner at a kilo restaurant or a boteco. A pre-booked private arrival transfer equivalent is £5–8 by app.
🚌Airport BRT/Frescão bus (~£1) or ride-app (£12–18)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget pousada, Copacabana/Ipanema/Botafogo
- →Copacabana & Ipanema beach walk
- →Sugarloaf Mountain cable car (optional, ~£15–18)
- →Evening at a local boteco
Rio de Janeiro → Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande
Travel overland to Conceição de Jacareí or Angra dos Reis by Costa Verde coach from Rio's Novo Rio bus station (R$40–60, £6–9, ~2.5h), then continue by ferry or shared boat to Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande (ferry R$20–35, £3–5). Cars are banned on the island — everything is on foot. Afternoon free to swim, or walk to nearby Praia Preta and Praia do Lopes Mendes trailhead.
🚌Coach (~£7) + ferry/shared boat (~£4)
🛏Hostel or pousada in Vila do Abraão
- →Costa Verde coach Rio → Conceição de Jacareí
- →Ferry/shared boat to Vila do Abraão
- →Beach time at Praia Preta
Ilha Grande free day
Ilha Grande
Full free day on the island. Best-value plan: hike the T10 trail to Lopes Mendes beach (~2h each way, no entrance fee) — regularly ranked among Brazil's best beaches. Alternatively join a full-day schooner (escuna) island-hopping boat tour from Abraão quay (R$120–180, £18–26, book direct at the pier or via GetYourGuide), or do a shorter jungle hike to Praia de Feiticeira. Book any boat trip the evening before.
🚌On foot on the island
🛏Hostel or pousada in Vila do Abraão
- →Hike to Lopes Mendes beach (free)
- →Optional schooner island-hopping tour (~£18–26)
- →Waterfall walk to Cachoeira da Feiticeira
Ilha Grande → Paraty + Afro-Brazilian community visit
Paraty
The route is identical to the operator's version, just DIY: ferry out to the mainland, then a local bus or shared van from Conceição de Jacareí/Angra to Paraty (Costa Verde bus, R$30–45, £5–7, ~1.5–2h). Once checked in, arrange a visit to a quilombo (Afro-Brazilian community founded by escaped slaves) — frequently used ones near Paraty include the Cunha and Caboclo communities. Operators in town (GetYourGuide / local agents) sell guided community visits with a home-cooked lunch and fresh fruit juice for roughly R$150–250 (£22–35). Evening: optional cachaça distillery tasting in Paraty's historic centre (£8–12).
🚌Ferry + local bus/shared van to Paraty (~£6)
🛏Pousada or hostel in Paraty historic centre
- →Quilombo (Afro-Brazilian community) visit with traditional lunch (~£22–35)
- →Walk Paraty UNESCO colonial centre
- →Optional cachaça distillery tasting (~£8–12)
Paraty schooner tour
Paraty
Do G Adventures' included schooner tour independently: escuna cruises from Paraty pier run all day, stopping at 3–4 islands and beaches with snorkel/kayak stops, from about R$130–200 (£19–29), including lunch on some boats. Book the night before at the pier or in advance online. Afternoon back on land, wander the cobbled streets, then a seafood dinner — the operator notes eating seafood here is the whole point.
🚌Walking within Paraty
🛏Pousada or hostel in Paraty historic centre
- →Schooner (escuna) day cruise to Paraty's islands & beaches
- →Snorkelling at Lula beach
- →Paraty old town evening
Paraty → Iguassu Falls (Brazil side)
Foz do Iguaçu
Bus from Paraty to São Paulo (Flixbus/Cometa, R$70–110, £10–16, ~5–6h) or to Rio, then a domestic flight to Foz do Iguaçu (GOL/LATAM/Azul, book early — roughly £70–130 one-way). On arrival, use the cheap local 'Parque Nacional' bus (R$5–7) to the Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls; entry fee ~R$100 (£15). Walk the panoramic Trilha das Cataratas trail — this is the best overview of the 275 falls.
🚌Long-distance bus (~£13) + domestic flight (~£70–130) + local park bus (~£1)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Foz do Iguaçu
- →Domestic flight to Foz do Iguaçu
- →Brazilian side of Iguassu Falls (Trilha das Cataratas)
- →Panoramic falls viewpoints
Iguassu Falls (Argentina side)
Puerto Iguazú / Foz do Iguaçu
Cross the border to Puerto Iguazú by local bus or shared shuttle (R$10–15, £1.50–2.50). Argentina's side has the walkways over the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) and the lower/upper circuits — arguably the more dramatic half. Argentine entry is about AR$45,000 (£25–30 depending on exchange rate; check current rates). Optional splurge: the Gran Aventura boat safari below the falls (~£45–55, book via GetYourGuide at the park entrance). Return to Foz for the night — border-crossing shuttles run until early evening.
🚌Border bus / shared shuttle (~£4), Argentina park entrance (~£25–30)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Foz do Iguaçu
- →Argentinian side of Iguassu Falls
- →Garganta del Diablo walkway
- →Optional Gran Aventura boat tour (~£45–55)
Iguassu Falls → Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Fly back to Rio (domestic flight £70–130, book ahead for the cheap fares) and settle into a hostel or budget hotel in Copacabana — same neighbourhood the operator uses, just without the comfort-hotel price tag. Afternoon on the beach or up to Christ the Redeemer if you haven't been (Corcovado entry ~£15–18). Evening option: a samba show in Lapa — Lapa's live bars are free/cheap versus the touristy gala shows (£15–25).
🚌Domestic flight (~£70–130)
🛏Hostel or budget pousada, Copacabana
- →Flight back to Rio
- →Copacabana sunset
- →Optional Corcovado/Christ the Redeemer (~£15–18)
- →Lapa samba bars (£15–25)
Depart Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Check out and head to the airport whenever suits — BRT or app ride to GIG/SDU. If you have a late flight, store bags at the hostel (free/cheap) and squeeze in a last beach morning or the Selarón Steps and Santa Teresa tram.
🚌BRT/Frescão bus (~£1) or ride-app (£12–18)
🛏—
- →Optional Selarón Steps & Santa Teresa
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£620 | £2,900 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,280 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£620
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 The Best of Brazil — Self-Launched (Rio, Ilha Grande, Paraty & Iguassu Falls) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £620 per person for 9 days in 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 £2,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £620 — a saving of roughly £2,280 (79%) per person.
How long is the Brazil trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through 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 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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