Planning a trip to Brazil isn’t an easy task, right?
Dealing with seasonality is tricky, being a large country there are many different cultures, ecosystems and destinations that offer amazing nature and beach landscapes, but how to choose among so many options?
We are very proud to announce our Amazon Guide with helpful information and curiosities for a truly unique immersion.
Downloading our guide you’ll capture the insider knowledge on how to plan such a complex trip, where to go, what time of year to visit and the most exclusive destinations and activities.
It also has full resources you’ll also find intel on climate, cuisine, health & safety, travelling with kids and much more.
Chartering a private yacht is certainly the best way to escape the areas that are visited all too frequently by hotel guests and fixed departure cruises.
Contact us to check our renewed yachts portfolio that can be chartered exclusively for your party, which means we can tailor the itinerary and staff on board according to your interests, style and the composition of your group.
Imagine being able to combine culture and history, with a beautiful bay filled with island and virgin beaches?
This is what Paraty can offer, and chartering a sail boat is the perfect way to enjoy this to the fullest.
Set in one of the most stunning stretches of the Brazilian coastline, backed by rainforest clad mountains on one side and locked-in by the sea on another.
Paraty’s colourful colonial architecture references back to its important role as a main port for gold export from Brazil to Europe. It has a vibrant culture and nightlife, great local shopping, waterfalls and a bay filled with islands and virgin beaches which are best explored by chartering a sailing boat.
Can you imagine gather some of your best friends or family and sail around pristine beaches with all comfort and the liberty to do the trip as you please?
One of our favorites is a Lipari 41, a modern catamaran, with wide open decks, excellent panoramic visibility and a cockpit with seating for eight at the table.
Contact us to know more about our sailing charter suggestions.
As we are sure you have heard, the Zika virus is spreading rapidly across South America. Zika is a mosquito-borne viral infection which is transmitted by the same type of mosquito linked to dengue and chikungunya.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of emergency this week and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel alert for those traveling to affected regions.
However, please be sure to advise your clients of the following facts, to help them make their travel decisions:
Symptoms can include mild fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle or joint pain and general feeling of illness that begins 2-7 days after infection.
Four out of five people who are infected have no symptoms at all.
Recent studies show there is a correlation between the disease and increased number of cases of microcephaly (reduced brain size) in unborn babies.
If you are not a woman of childbearing age who is pregnant or trying to get pregnant, the Zika virus is unlikely to cause you any serious trouble.
Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not affect a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood.
Zika cannot be transmitted through the air, food or water.
There have been no deaths so far attributed to the Zika virus.
Infected persons are advised to drink water and rest. Hospitalization as a result of Zika is extremely uncommon. In Brazil the current spread of Zika virus is mostly concentrated in the Northeastern states, especially Pernambuco state.
Areas to the south such as Rio and Sao Paulo are currently much less affected. Very few cases have been reported in the Amazon and Foz do Iguaçu.
Nevertheless the precautions for travelling to a region with mosquitoes are important:
Use plenty of mosquito repellant.
Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
Sleep under a mosquito bed net.
On a personal note, very little has changed in the routine of our families and of the travel patterns of Brazilians within the country.
People remain travelling, with the exception of pregnant woman who have doubled their precautions against mosquitoes.
We remain at your disposal for any further information and are keeping close tabs on the situation and will send another email should the conditions or knowledge about the disease change over the coming months.
Today we have a special guest appearance in our social medias.
Elder Key Tateishi is part of our Operations team and a real expert when it comes to exploring Chapada dos Veadeiros, one of our country’s most amazing landscapes!
Thanks Key, we loved your destination tips. 🙂
“It’s not a secret that Brazil has rich biodiversity, unexplored caves, surreal waterfalls… but can you imagine reaching them all in the same place?
Trust us: at Chapada dos Veadeiros everything is possible!
Very close to the Brazilian capital (Brasília), the picturesque village of São Jorge is the gateway to the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.
The natural beauty of the place is already worth the visit in itsel, but combined with the instantaneous sense of well being, lots of inspiration and a twist of mysticism, makes the atmosphere even more interesting.
The scenery is so breathtaking that you’ll find yourself in the middle of a savannah or even stepping into a rocky formation that looks exactly like the ground of the Moon.
With over 80 catalogued waterfalls in the region, there are many trail options, allowing people of all ages and physical conditions to enjoy it.
And the best part is that Matueté offers an unique experience over there: the possibility of staying in a beautiful Villla with all the perks and privacy, as well as full activities program, such as yoga classes, massage, meditation and many more adventures.”
To have all the details and access to Key’s coolest tips in Chapada dos Veadeiros, just contact us.
This Thursday morning we had the dear presence of Rosana Takahashi, account manager of the Belmond group, for a cheerful breakfast here in the office. She shared with us the latest news about the Cataratas Hotel, in Foz do Iguaçu, a true national icon.
Even though Foz do Iguaçu is one of the most popular destinations in the country and the falls one of the 7 wonders of the world, there are still a lot of people who haven’t been to this natural paradise, with its majestic falls, exuberant landscapes, the largest bird park in Brazil and the impressive hydroelectric plant of Itaipu.
But the best part is to enjoy all of this as a guest at the Hotel das Cataratas, the only property located inside the National Park which allows exclusive access for the Brazilian walkways outside of the park hours. This makes an incredible difference in a location visited by tourists all year round.
The Hotel is delightful, with Portuguese colonial style rooms, spacious and rustic, stunning views and also a number of must-see activities such as the boat ride at the full moon, where you’ll be able to see (if lucky) a bright rainbow in the middle of the night!
Thanks a lot Rosana, we cannot wait to visit the Cataratas again and breathe the pure and fresh oxygen over there!
Are you in the mood to reactivate your explorer side and spend more time in contact with nature? We bet so!
Since last week, when we received Cristalino’s Lodge staff in our office, to recycle what we already know about this natural sanctuary in the south of Brazilian Amazon, we cannot think of anything else… The result of this Amazon with a little taste of Pantanal? You got all the exuberance of the jungle, with a much better chance for sighting animals! More than 11,000 hectares of ecological reserve in a rich and balanced ecosystem throughout the year.
Access may sound complicated, but it is not! Just fly to Alta Floresta (MT) and upon arrival, a short car shuttle followed by 30 minute boat ride across the river, will take you there.
Worth to mention: the Lodge was named one of the top 25 Eco Lodges in the world, by National Geographic Traveler. We know why: expert guides that give more sense to interaction with nature, a modern sophisticated (yet very cozy) architecture, and impeccable service.
The highlight? Charming accommodations, full of perks and possibilities, like relaxing in a bathtub having the Amazon rainforest and a huge starry sky as a backdrop
There is so much to do there, so it’s worth to stay as many nights as possible! Several types and levels of trails, canoeing and bird watching, monkeys, plants and even large mammals.
How about enjoying sunrise at a high 50 meters tower? Explore biodiversity, embrace an ancient chestnut and end the day chatting around the campfire?
If you need more inspiration, contact us and be sure to take a look through our website!
Hidden in the West side of the Marvelous City, a few desert beaches are worth the hike
If being original is the rule nowadays, these beaches are the hipsters of Rio de Janeiro. Not too far from crowded neighborhoods such as Jacarépaguá and Recreio, lies a hidden treasure, even for many locals; more precisely at Barra de Guaratiba, there are five beaches off Rio de Janeiro’s coast which are considered desert: Buzios, Perigoso, do Meio, Funda and Inferno are only accessible by treks or boats.
Being a desert beach means nothing was modified on the coast lining, that there are no signs of urban life whatsoever, no kiosks, or anything. It´s you, and nature, and hopefully the best company you can think of to help you carry food, water and maybe a beach umbrella.
All treks have the same starting point, at Guaratiba beach. After a 40min mild hike, you´ll reach a fork, one way leading to Perigoso and Búzios, while the other way will take you to Funda, Inferno and do Meio beaches. How long you will take from the fork to each destination depends on the individual’s physical conditions as well as how much weight is being carried. The easiest to get to, and first beach you will cross is Perigoso. Another 45min-walk will lead to Praia do Meio. The furthest is Inferno beach (in English, this would be the Hell beach, but the only Hell here is not bringing sunscreen), and it has an alternative trek back to Guaratiba village, about 2h walk.
For the not-so-active crowd, the boats leave from Guaratiba port, and prices may vary according to number of passengers, luggage and the route desired. But the views you will find during the treks, can’t compare. As they say, best things in life are free – and very well kept.
For some, our tracks around the rainforest or horseback riding in Pantanal isn´t adventurous enough. For these travelers who need a very high level of adrenaline we have great news! Rally dos Sertões has opened registrations for its 20th anniversary commemorative edition that will happen from August 18th to 29th.
The Rally dos Sertões is not just a famous competition – it’s the biggest single country Rally and gives the competitors not only the emotion of the race, but the opportunity to discover an unknown reality and new landscapes around small villages of the dry Northeast hinterlands, places unrevealed for tourism.
This year edition will go throw through 11 cities, two of which are unprecedented in the history of the Rally, across five states. The cities are: São Luís (Maranhão), Barrerinhas (MA), Bacabal (MA), Barra do Corda (MA), Carolina (MA), Palmas (Tocantins), Alto Paranaíba (MA), the unprecedented Bom Jesus (Piauí) , Petrolina (Pernambuco), also unprecedented Iguatu (Cearpa) and Fortaleza (CE).
Interested? You still have a month to register at the the rally’s website. But if you can´t join the competition, you can take a look at the Sertões Series, smaller races that happen all year long. In both cases we will be happy to help you plan your trip!
We do know some indigenous tribes that can do the rain dance to help our travelers have the perfect trip, but unfortunately that doesn´t seems to be working on the last couple of months… This year the abundant rain – or the lack of it – is getting on the way of those whiling to travel to some of the most incredible destinations in Brazil.
At the Amazon, Saint Pedro (for Catholics, the god that controls weather) has been too generous – maybe even too much. It has been raining much more than what it used to, and the Rio Negro River’s level is much higher than usual. The river is still perfectly navigable, in the case you are planning to travel in one of your yachts in the next few months – but what gets on the way is that most of its beaches are submersed, and as you can imagine, lots of riverside communities have been seriously damaged.
On the other hand, if you are planning to visit the pristine dunes and lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses on the next couple of months, we would advise you to take a look at other great places to go in Brazil, since there hasn’t been raining around the region. And if there is no rain, there are only a few of the biggest lagoons remaining. What is still a great view, but definitely not as impressive as it can be. But don´t lose hope! We were told that it rained yesterday, so we will keep you posted in case the situation changes!
But if you like to wait or take this weather risks, why don´t you head to the Southwest region of Brazil and check out the wetlands of the Pantanal and Bonito? Weather is perfect by now and there is a lot adventure and wildlife to be discovered. Liked the idea? Check for more info at http://matuete.com/wpmatuete/places-to-visit/pantanall
