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 Latin Heat - Rio, Iguazu Falls & Buenos Aires
Join Hermes Tours as we steam up the sultry beaches of Rio, relax in majestic Iguazu Falls and tango in Buenos Aires. This winter vacation will leave you refreashed and in love with this region of the globe.
Once you've been to Rio de Janeiro, you know what the pulsating city of vibrant nightlife, steamy beaches and dramatic Pao de Acucar Mountain is all about. But Rio is also a city of stunning architecture, marvelous food and a teeming metropolis. For a glimpse of the country's natural beauty, we jet down to Iguazu Falls to immerse ourselves in verdant jungle trails and mist-shrouded cataracts. Once you experience firsthand the sultry sophistication of Buenos Aires, you'll quickly understand how the tango came to be invented here. The city steps quickly, pulses with passion, and shamelessly flirts with travelers. Our accommodations here are sure to seduce you, too the elegant Axel Hotel, the world's only gay hotel chain. And in our Hermes small group, we'll move about with ease and take it all in at a relaxed pace.
 • Rio, Full day Corcovado & Sugar Loaf tour Steamy Dinner show in Rio Plenty of free time to relax on the beaches
• Iguazu Falls, Tour of both Brazilian and Argentinean side of Iguazu Falls, Get up close to the falls on our boat tour
• Buenos Aires, including Plaza de Mayo, Recoleta Cemetery, and San Telmo district
• Evening dinner & tango show
• 4+ star accommodation on Ipanema Beach (the gay beach)
• Services of a Hermes Tours escort
• Services of an expert, local guide in all cities
• $100 per person savings if you reserve 5 months before departure!
 Day 1 - March 18, 2011, Friday
Board your international flight to Rio today. Many flights will depart in the evening with arrival into Rio the following morning.
Overnight: Plane.
Meal: N/A
 Day 2 - March 19, 2011, Saturday
Upon arrival at the airport transfer to our hotel the Ipanema Plaza located on Ipanema beach. The morning is free for you to rest and relax and get acquainted with your surroundings. This evening Hermes Tours will host a welcome dinner & show so that we get better acquainted with our new traveling companions.
Overnight:Ipanema Plaza Hotel, Rio de Janeiro.
Meal: B, D
 Day 3 - March 20, 2011, Sunday
After breakfast we embark on our full day tour of Rio including Corcovado & Sugar Loaf Mountain. You have the opportunity to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue. Upon departure, a 2-mile, 25-minute train ride will take you through the lush Tijuca Forest to the station on the top of the mountain. Afterwards we will make our way to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Before arriving at the mountain we will stop for a delicious Brazilian Barbeque lunch. The sugar loaf tour is done in two parts. You will take a breath-taking cable car ride to the first stop at Urca Mountain which stands at 721 feet. From there you will walk to the other side of the mountain to take the next cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain which stands at 1,295 feet. There will be some leisure time at the top of the mountain before returning to ground level by the cable car. With spectacular views of Rio, the views are unforgettable.
Overnight: Ipanema Plaza Hotel, Rio de Janeiro
Meal: B, L
 Day 4 - March 21, 2011, Monday
Your day is completely free to relax on the beach or perhaps engage in a little retail therapy! Your tour escort will have some ideas for touring options should you desire.
Overnight: Ipanema Plaza Hotel, Rio de Janeiro.
Meal: B
 Day 5 - March 22, 2011, Tuesday
We transfer to the airport today and head to Iguaçu falls. The mighty Iguassu Falls are the widest waterfalls in the world, made up of 275 individual falls that form a semicircle that stretches 1.6 miles. Viewing the amazing Iguassu Falls from the Brazilian side offers unforgettable panoramic views.
Overnight: Cataratas Hotel, Iguazu Falls
Meal: B
 Day 6 - March 23, 2011, Wednesday
After crossing the border into Argentina for this awe-inspiring tour, you will enter the Iguaçu National Park, home to approximately 70% of Iguassu Falls. Walk along raised metal walkways above the water to the Devil's Throat Falls, the largest and most impressive of the 245 total waterfalls. The walkway traverses the waters and ends just before the drop off point for Devil's Throat. A rush of adrenaline pumps through your veins as you not only see the falls up close, but feel the power of the rushing falls, and oftentimes the sprays of the water as well. After we board boats for an exciting adventure to see the falls up close. After the boat ride, you will board open jeeps for a ride through the forest.
Overnight: Cataratas Hotel, Iguazu Falls
Meal: B
 Day 7 - March 24, 2011, Thursday
We transfer to the airport today for our flight to Buenos Aires. Our hotel is the famous Axel Hotel.
This evening we enjoy dinner at a local gay restaurant known for their superb cuisine!
Overnight: Axel Hotel, Buenos Aires
Meal: B, D
 Day 8 - March 25, 2011, Friday
This morning we head out and find out why Buenos Aires is called the Paris of the Americas. This European-style city is a vibrant metropolis full of life. After our guided tour we return to our hotel where the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore Buenos Aires at your own pace. This evening we hit the town for dinner and watch a tango show!
Overnight: Axel Hotel, Buenos Aires
Meal: B, D
 Day 9 - March 26, 2011, Saturday
Today is the end of our Buenos Aires Tour. You are free to make your return flight for anytime today. For those with a late departure we have arranged for late check out from our hotel. Transfer to the airport.
Meal: B
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Located on Ipanema beach. This hotel is the premier hotel for the GLBT traveler. The hotel is the closest hotel to the gay beach. This boutique style hotel has a rooftop swimming pool and fitness centre with some of the best views.
Ipanema Plaza is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro's south zone. The hotel is only 50 meters to Ipanema Beach and a 5 minute drive from Copacabana. All of the 135 guestrooms are decorated and furnished in clean style, with cool tiled floors, silent central air-conditioning, cable TV, 2 telephone lines, electronic safe and a bathtub.  Ipanema Plaza offers all the services of a deluxe hotel including 24-hour room service, 24-hour business center, rooftop swimming pool with panoramic view, fitness center, dry and steam saunas, restaurant with the best in modern cuisine, 3 convention halls and private car parking with valet. Individualized service is a plus that has been mastered by a dedicated staff.
Iguazu Falls, Brazil:
An oasis of luxury is hidden among the leafy tropical jungle of Misiones, just a stone's throw from the peerless Iguazu waterfalls: the Hotel Cataratas (waterfalls). In fact, we love waterfalls so much that we have even built a few of them into our swimming pool! The Cataratas is a five-star hotel designed so that you and your family can brush aside your problems for a few days, forget your routines and surround yourselves in enveloping nature and exclusive comfort.  Hotel Cataratas has a full-service spa, a health club, an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, and a sauna. There is a business center on site. This Iguazu property has a restaurant and a bar/lounge. Guests are served a complimentary breakfast each morning. Additional amenities include tennis courts, a fitness facility, and a concierge desk.
 Hotel Cataratas has 130 guestrooms. Balconies are featured in guestrooms. Televisions are equipped with cable channels. Guestrooms provide phones and complimentary newspapers. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations and hair dryers. Additional amenities include minibars, air conditioning, and in-room safes. Housekeeping is offered.
Ipanema Plaza offers all the services of a deluxe hotel including 24-hour room service, 24-hour business center, rooftop swimming pool with panoramic view, fitness center, dry and steam saunas, restaurant with the best in modern cuisine, 3 convention halls and private car parking with valet. Individualized service is a plus that has been mastered by a dedicated staff.
Buenos Aires:
Axel Hotel Buenos Aires is located in San Telmo, the barrio that has its own story, bohemian-chic atmosphere of Buenos Aires.
With winds of tango, design and comfort, Axel Hotel Buenos Aires seduces with its play of lights and transparencies, the sound of water. The furniture is by Charles & Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe and Eileen Gray. 48 air-conditioned rooms are very comfortable, with king size bed, bathrobes, plasma TV, Wi-Fi, On Stage iPod speakers, safe and room service. A cosmopolitan and inviting space that stimulates the senses.
Rooms with their own personality, corresponding to an exclusive and beautifully produced design. All rooms are sound-proof, have central air and heating, and are bright and comfortable. The Axel also offers non-smoking rooms.
Axel City Rooms - A cosy and comfortable design space with captivating details that overlooks San Telmo. The Axel City Rooms are equipped with: King size bed with four pillows or two single beds, Bathroom: top shower with prism glass, LCD TV, iPod On Stage loudspeakers, Wireless internet connection, Safe, Axel Hotels amenities kit, 2 bathrobes, 2 pairs of slippers, Laundry service, Room service.
 Axel Superior Rooms - Rooms with their own personality, corresponding to an exclusive and beautifully produced design. Overlooking the garden and the swimming pool, the Axel Superior Rooms of Axel Hotel Buenos Aires include:King size bed with four pillows or two single beds, Bathroom: whirlpool bath or shower with prism glass, LCD TV, iPod On Stage loudspeakers, Wireless internet connection, Mini-bar, Safe, Axel Hotels amenities kit, 2 bathrobes, 2 pairs of slippers, Laundry service, Room service.
 Axel Suite - Avant-garde design in a large space divided between the bedroom, the living room and the bathroom. Axel Suite enjoys views of the garden and the swimming pool and has all of the comfort in the heart of Buenos Aires. King size bed with four pillows, Bathroom: whirlpool bathtub and hydromassage shower-head with prism glass, Barcelona "Chair de Mies van der Rohe" armchair, LCD TV in the bedroom and living room, iPod On Stage loudspeakers, Wireless internet connection, Mini-bar, Safe, Axel Hotels amenities kit, 2 bathrobes, 2 pairs of slippers, Laundry service, Room service.
Axel Wellness - On the rooftop, the spectacular heated swimming pool with translucent bottom is the center of attention, from the foyer to the sky. Regenerate your body and mind in Axel Wellness and enjoy the relaxing water circuit, solarium and fitness center. Regain your strength in our Health Bar or choose from our massages and beauty services.
 Axel Kitchen - If you like the city life, you have your own style, you like to try and discover new things and, if you like them, you do them again, then Kitchen is your kind of restaurant. It΄s a cosmopolitan space with great interior design where your tastes take the lead. Discover the excellent value for money of its delicious dishes and choose between a la carte or the set menu, day or night.
Enjoy its straightforward flavors, the freshness of its breakfasts, lunches and dinners in a personal setting devoid of labels.
 Axel Cosmo Bar - Design, music, sandwiches, cocktails, trends. Cosmo Bar is the meeting point for the most fashionable people in Buenos Aires. During the day and at night, a coffee on the terrace or a drink at the bar. Experience the most cosmopolitan atmosphere with your friends, savour each detail thinking solely on enjoyment.
Axel Sky Bar - To spend the day, to fly at night. Sky Bar, pure feeling amongst subdued lights, greenery, timber and water. A place to enjoy the most suggestive cocktails and find yourself amongst the coolest people in Buenos Aires. Visible from various points of the hotel, the swimming pool invites you to cool down, see and be seen. Seduce and go after your dreams.
Experience the trendiest nights that Buenos Aires has to offer at Sky Bar.
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Brazil & Argentina Tour Itinerary
|
Date |
Destination |
Meals |
| 18 Mar |
Home / Rio de Janeiro |
N/A |
| 19 Mar |
Rio de Janeiro |
B, D |
| 20 Mar |
Rio de Janeiro |
B, L |
| 21 Mar |
Rio de Janeiro |
B |
| 22 Mar |
Rio de Janeiro /
Iguaçu Falls |
B |
| 23 Mar |
Iguazu Falls |
B |
| 24 Mar |
Iguazu Falls /
Buenos Aires |
B, D |
| 25 Mar |
Buenos Aires |
B, D |
| 26 Mar |
Buenos Aires / Home |
B |
|
B-Breakfast, D-Dinner, L-Lunch
Download Complete Itinerary  |
Important Information
Brazil:
Both US and Canadian passport holders require visas for travel to Brazil. To enter Brazil, any foreigner must have a passport, an international vaccination certificate (if applicable) and a visa issued by a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is requested if the applicant traveled within the last 90 days to: Peru, Ecuador, Columbia and many African nations.
Costs for American citizens is: USD$ 140.00. Visit the Brazilian Embassy in the US: Click Here
Costs for Canadian citizens is: CDN$ 81.25. Visit the Brazilian Embassy in Canada: Click Here
No immunizations are required, but the U.S. Center for Disease Control strongly recommends the following inoculations: tetanus, hepatitis A & B, typhoid, and yellow fever as well as anti-malaria pills. Please check out their website for complete details.
The currency in Brazil is the Real. The US dollar is widely accepted. Credit cards are widely accepted in Rio, but less so outside major cities. In small towns, ATMs are readily available throughout Rio. You may exchange travelers checks at your hotel or at currency exchange offices.
The currency Argentina is the peso. Travelers can use their credit cards in most places we will be traveling to. There are also international ATM machines where you can get local currency if needed. Most places in Argentina will take dollars (their currency used to be tied to the dollar). All major currencies can be exchanged however the rate depends on where you change your money. Banks usually offer the best rates and you will need your passport or a copy of it to change money in a bank. The American Express card is less widely accepted. Travelers checks are also accepted however can carry a heavy commission fee.
Hermes Tours requires travelers to have travel medical insurance for this trip. You may verify with your insurance company if they will cover your tour or Hermes Tours can provide you with the necessary coverage if needed.
Please note that the cost includes domestic airfare, accommodation, all meals indicated services of a Hermes Tours Escort throughout the trip, all ground transportation and airport transfers.
International Airfare, international aiport departure taxes, personal travel insurance, any other activities excluded in the itinerary, services of a personal nature like telephone calls, laundry, alcohol...traditional gratuity to Hermes Tour Manager; gratuities to guides, and driver.
What Our Travelers Say
"I will recommend Hermes to everyone I know. The experience turned out to be much richer than I expected. I was impressed by the care that was taken with the itinerary. In addition, David's contagious enthusiasm and steadying influence on a diverse group were key to the tour's success."
Everett K., New Jersey
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