Brazil is the largest and most biodiverse country in the Americas. With a landmass of over 3 million square miles, the varied habitats range from tropical lowland forest to tropical alpine areas known as paramo. There are savannas called Cerrado, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, the pantanal, and the mighty Amazon River.

Our tour focuses on four cosmopolitan cities, located in three of Brazil's unique biomes. One can’t go to Brazil without experiencing Rio and its many wonders. We are staying on Copacabana Beach, a great jumping off point for group and independent exploration. While in Rio we will visit the iconic Sugar Loaf and Corcovado. The Jardim Botanico is another highlight of our itinerary. The garden lies at the foot of the Corcovado Mountain adjacent to a beautiful tract of verdant Atlantic Forest, and displays more than 6,000 different species of tropical and subtropical plants, including 900 varieties of palms. The astonishing Avenue of Royal Palms, boasting 134 trees, leads from the entrance into the gardens. Folk and modern art museums are also on the itinerary.

From Rio we fly to Belo Horizonte, where the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest merge. The city boasts the iconic Pampuhla Complex, a modern city created by the foremost modernists of the day around a huge artificial lake. In addition to the Niemeyer/Marx collaborations, we visit Inhotim, an innovative new museum outside the city set within an incredible botanical garden. We have two days here to explore the extensive gardens and to view the remarkable art collection.

Next, we travel to Petropolis, stopping en route for a tour of Ouro Preto, a UNESCO world Heritage Site known for its Baroque Portuguese colonial architecture. We continue on to Petropolis, also known as The Imperial City of Brazil, nestled among the Atlantic Forest. Although it is noted for its mild climate and beautiful surroundings, its main attraction is the former Summer Palace of the second Brazilian emperor, which is now the Imperial Museum. We will visit the palace and also see several iconic private Burle Marx gardens in the hills surrounding the city.

We then make our way cross-country to Fazenda Vargem Grande, arguably the greatest garden created by Burle Marx, before heading towards São Paulo, with visits to Amantikir Gardens and Parque da Cidade Roberto Burle Marx. From São Paul, we catch our international flights back to our home cities.

Please join us for this distinctly unique exploration of the cultural and natural history of the extraordinary country called Brazil.