Summer with Roteiros de Charme in Santa Catarina

Ask the beach loving Brazilians where they would like to spend their holidays and most often than not you will hear Santa Catarina. With a coastline of over 500km of gorgeous beaches, Santa Catarina has been a favourite summer destination for Brazilians and South Americans for many years. One of the reasons is that you are certain to find a beach to suit your taste.

Santa Catarina Island in Florianopolis, for example, has alone more than 42 official beaches, from party hotspots to unspoiled nature reserves. Add to that local culture, a multitude of outdoor activities and a laid-back atmosphere and it is easy to see why everybody loves Floripa.

Less known, but equally trendy and gorgeous, is the small resort of Praia do Rosa on the Southern Coast of Santa Catarina. Rosa is well known for its top-notch surfing and as a great base for whale watching but it is also frequently ranked  as one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil.  It is the only Brazilian member of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World Club after all! Lots of great eateries and charming rustic-chic accommodation help to make Rosa a unique beach destination. 

Brazil Ecojourneys teamed up with two members of the Roteiros de Charme Association, Pousada da Vigia, in Florianopolis, and Quinta do Bucanero, in Praia do Rosa, to offer you an exclusive early summer package to enjoy the most charming side of Santa Catarina, without the crowds and at lower prices.

One week from US$ 1100.00 per person- a saving of 20% over normal rates. Valid up to 20^th December. Consult us for details.

Visit Pantanal Now with our Special Offers

Contrary to popular belief, the Pantanal, in mid-west Brazil, is THE hotspot for wildlife watching in South America and not the Amazon.

Capped Heron- photo by Heberton Alves

Although the name suggests a swamp area, the Pantanal is, in fact, a vast area of seasonally flooded plains. During rainy season, the local rivers burst their banks, bringing with them millions of fish. When the water recedes, the fish are trapped in small water courses and ponds, to be feasted on by birds and caimans, forming a rich and complex food chain. This seasonal flooding also means that this whole region, roughly half of the size of France, has no vocation for intensive farming, resulting in an area of huge cattle ranches with very few towns and people.

All these unique characteristics make the Pantanal an area teeming with wildlife: birds are the main attraction with almost 650 species documented, making it a must visit destination for birdwatchers. Mammals are also easily spotted in the open areas of savanna. Giant otters, armadillos, anteaters, capybaras and howler monkeys, besides the conspicuous caimans are commonly seen. Jaguars’ sightings are rarer but there is an increased chance in certain areas due to monitoring and conservation projects.

Jaguar in Fazenda San Francisco - photo by Herbeton Alves

Further south, the small town of Bonito is famous for its underwater attractions. Due to the local geology, the rivers have high concentration of calcium carbonate that precipitates all impurities from the water, turning them into natural aquariums.  While floating downriver you can come into close contact with many species of fish, including the great Dourado and the beautiful Pacu. While the rivers are the best known attractions, there other trips, including some great waterfalls and caves, which are worth visiting. For the more adventurous, certainly the most spectacular attraction in the whole of Bonito is the Abyss of Anhumas, a 72 m deep abyss leading to an underground lake with crystal clear water and giant stalactite formations.

To take advantage of the strong dollar , Brazil Ecojourneys is offering very special last minute deals in some of  their tours in this amazing region:

Araras Lodge - one of pioneers of ecotourism in Northern Pantanal, it has professional guides, comfortable accommodation and a good cost/benefit.

5 days/4 nights from US$ 1229.00 per person based on 2 sharing

Embiara Lodge – a family-run, exclusive lodge in the most remote area of Southern Pantanal- Pantanal Nhecolandia. An excellent option even for second timers.

4 days/3 nights from US$ 1659.00 per person based on 2 sharing- including transfer by air taxi one way for an unforgettable flight over the savannah.

Pantanal + Bonito- a great combination for wildlife lovers

5 days/4 nights from US$ 1479.00 per person based on 2 sharing.

Offers valid for travelling in June 2012. Please consult us for more details.

Porto Alegre - a new gateway to Brazil

This week, TAP, the Portuguese airline, operated the first non-stop flight between Europe and South Brazil.

The 4 times a week flights between Lisbon and Porto Alegre , capital of Rio Grande do Sul, open a new entry point to Brazil and to a region that has been largely overlooked by most visitors to the country.

The most southern State in Brazil is well-known for its gaucho culture, the pampas and the Jesuit Missions but it has more to offer.

Porto Alegre, the capital of the State, is the entry point for the attractive wine region- an easy 2 hours drive- and also the best access to the dramatic canyons of the Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks- a 3 hours-drive through a newly built dual carriage way.

From Porto Alegre, there are direct flights to some of Brazil best natural attractions, such as Iguazu Falls, the beautiful beaches of Florianopolis and to Curitiba, starting point of the most scenic train ride in Brazil and the gateway to the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest.

In the next few blogs we will highlight Rio Grande do Sul's attractions and how Europeans can easily combine a visit to South Brazil to an itinerary to Argentina and Chile, places that also have daily direct flights from Porto Alegre.

Five great reasons to visit South Brazil in 2011

South Brazil is home to many of Brazil best natural attractions, from the Southern Pantanal to the canyons of Rio Grande do Sul, from the Iguazu Falls to the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest. Despite these fantastic places, the region has, until recently, been overlooked by most visitors to Brazil. Here we give you just some reasons to visit the South.

Parana State is best known for the magnificent Iguazu Falls. However, just a short flight away from the Falls, you can enjoy a spectacular train journey that links its pleasant capital Curitiba to the Lagamar, the largest remnants of Atlantic Rainforest in the country, making this region also an unmissable part of any Brazilian trip.

One of the smallest States in Brazil, Santa Catarina has a huge natural and cultural diversity. Besides Florianopolis, don’t miss the stunning Serra Geral mountains, an ideal trekking and horse-riding destination, the whales and dolphins on the southern coast, surfing in Praia do Rosa and relaxing in some of the best beaches of Brazil.

The most southern State in Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, is well-known for its gaucho culture, the pampas and the Jesuit Missions but it has more to offer. Porto Alegre , the capital of the State, is the entry point for the attractive wine region and also the best access to the dramatic canyons of the Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks.

Brazil Ecojourneys top reasons to visit South Brazil:

1) Iguazu Falls - the most magnificent in the world!
2) Lagamar Estuary- the most unspoilt natural attraction of the South and the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest
3) Whale watching in Santa Catarina- close encounter with the Southern Right Whales
4) Santa Catarina Island in Florianopolis - great parties, gorgeous beaches and preserved nature make Floripa a favourite destination for Brazilians;
5) Relaxation at the Emerald Coast - one of the most exclusive beach resorts in the country- Ponta dos Ganchos;

New Routes to Iguazu Falls- More Reasons to Visit!

I am asked frequently by our clients that already visited Niagara or Victoria Falls, if it is worthy visiting the Iguazu Falls.

Regarding Victoria I can give a personal view, and I can tell that I was seriously disappointed with it when I visited, having expected to see something similar to "our" Iguazu.


For Niagara, I just tell a story that became a legendary tale in Brazil: when Eleanor Roosevelt visited in 1944, her first words were: "Poor Niagara"! Enough said.

Iguazu Falls IS one of the natural wonders of the world - and it is now more accessible.

More direct flights from Brazil and neighbouring countries are coming into place in 2011, making a visit to the most magnificent waterfalls in the world (and I am NOT biased!) easier to fit into a longer South American tour.

From 16th January LAN starts a new direct flight from Lima to Foz do Iguaçu(IGU), making it even easier to combine Peru and Brazil itineraries.

The Uruguayan PLUNA will offer flights Montevideo-Foz do Iguaçu-Santiago do Chile, making it possible to combine 3 countries of the Cono Sur.

For those already travelling in Brazil, additionally to existing direct flights from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo operated by the main airlines GOL and TAM, WEBJET is now offering direct flights from Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Porto Alegre.

Another regional airline, TRYP , offer flights from Cuiaba, an excellent option for those visiting another unmissable natural highight of Brazil, the Pantanal.

Once there , Brazil Ecojourneys can help you make the most of your stay with our Essential Iguazu package.

And if you are just entering Brazil and do not want to fly all over the country to experience the rainforest or relax on a beautiful beach, we have great Escorted Small Group itineraries in South Brazil that start from Iguazu.

Oscar Niemeyer Museu - Curitiba

Curitiba is one of the greenest and best organized cities in Brazil.

Besides its numerous parks and green areas, the city has a lot of culture to offer.

If you are in town, make sure you reserve an afternoon to visit the Museu Oscar Niemeyer (aka MON), which is for me the current unmissable attraction of the city.

Open in 2002, it houses an interesting permanent collection of local and national artists as well as great seasonal exhibitions, so everytime you visit you can have a great experience.

The building alone is worth the trip. Built in the 50s by the master of Brazilian architecture to house a School of Art, it was transformed into a museum by Niemeyer himself. An outstanding new feature is the grand hall or "the Eye", as it is known locally, inspired on the very Paranaense Araucaria tree.

The museum opens Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6pm.




Brazil Ecojourneys tips:
Curitiba is a great stopover on your way to/from Iguazu Falls and the starting point of the most beautiful train journey in Brazil, and the World Biosphere Reserve of the Lagamar.

Record numbers of visitors in Iguazu Falls

Despite the economical crisis and the heat wave that is hitting South Brazil, the numbers of visitors to the National Park of Iguaçu was the highest in January since counting began in 1980.

Last month over 160,000 people visited the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls.

The Cataratas continues to be one the most popular attractions in Brazil, especially for foreign visitors, as it is undoubtedly one of the natural highlights of South America.

Source: Iguassu Blog

For more information in touring Iguazu Falls check Brazil Ecojourneys website.