Brazil - Dry Grad

DAY 1

Touch down in Rio! ✈️ You’ll be met at the airport and whisked off to your hotel, where you can check in, relax and get ready for your Rio adventure. 

DAY 2

Rio: Epic Views, Iconic Sights & Local Vibes

Grab breakfast, meet your guide and get ready for a day that goes way beyond the typical tourist checklist. Today you’re getting the famous Rio AND the real Rio.

📸 Christ the Redeemer & Corcovado | Half Day

First stop: Christ the Redeemer!

Hop on the famous red cogwheel train and cruise through the lush Tijuca rainforest as you make your way up Corcovado Mountain. Then — BOOM — Rio! 🌊🌴

At 710 metres above the city, you’ll have incredible 360° views over Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, the beaches and the Rio skyline.

This is your ultimate “OMG, I’m actually in Rio!” moment. Cameras definitely required. 📸

🎨 Favela República & Tavares Bastos | Half Day

Next, ditch the tourist bubble and see Rio from a whole different perspective.

Explore Tavares Bastos, a colourful and welcoming local community where you’ll discover the stories, culture and everyday life behind the city. Meet locals, wander through the neighbourhood and experience a side of Rio that most visitors never get to see.

Then head to The Maze, a seriously unique mosaic-covered artistic space built into the hillside. Explore its colourful terraces and viewpoints while taking in some next-level views of Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay and Flamengo Park.

Two Sides of Rio. One Epic Day.

DAY 3

🎭 Get Ready to Carnival!

Start with breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide, and get ready to jump into one of the biggest, loudest and most colourful celebrations on the planet — Rio Carnival!

🥁 Behind the Scenes at Grande Rio | 6 Hours

Today, you’re going behind the scenes at Acadêmicos da Grande Rio, one of Rio’s legendary samba schools.

Get an inside look at how Carnival comes together, hear the stories behind the famous parades, check out the incredible costumes and, of course, get your photo in authentic Carnival gear. 📸

Then it’s time to stop watching and join the party!

Learn some of the basics of samba from one of Grande Rio’s own dancers and put your new moves to the test. 💃🕺 Don’t worry if you’ve never danced samba before — this is about having fun, getting into the rhythm and seeing if you can keep up!

Then grab a percussion instrument and feel the beat of Carnival for yourself. 🥁

This Isn’t Just a Tour — It’s Your Turn to Join the Carnival!

Music. Dancing. Costumes. Drums. Culture. And a whole lot of Brazilian energy.

DAY 4

🚌 Road Trip to the Mountains!

After breakfast, we’ll meet up with Eco Caminhos and hit the road toward the beautiful mountains of Nova Friburgo.

It’s about a 3-hour drive, but this is part of the adventure! We’ll make a stop along the way to grab groceries and stock up for our stay.

Your accommodation has a full kitchen, and while breakfast and lunch are provided, part of the fun is pitching in and helping prepare meals for our communal dinners. Think less “hotel buffet” and more cooking, hanging out and getting to know everyone. 

As we leave the city behind, the scenery gets greener, the roads get twistier and the mountains start to appear.

Next stop: Nova Friburgo — fresh mountain air, nature, new experiences and the start of our volunteer adventure! 🌎✨

DAY 5

🌱 What’s happening today?  We are getting our hands dirty!

Forget sitting on the sidelines — this is hands-on, real-world farm life!

Get involved in everything from regenerative farming and agroforestry to natural building projects and everyday farm operations. You’ll learn new skills, work as a team, get outside and actually see the impact of the work you’re doing.

Build it. Grow it. Get dirty. Make a difference. 🌎💪

DAY 6

🌎 Learn, Explore & Pick Up Some Portuguese!

This isn’t your average classroom experience! You’ll spend your days learning by doing, with fun workshops, interactive presentations and hands-on activities that teach you skills you can actually use.

And because you’re in Brazil, it’s time to learn some Portuguese! 🇧🇷Take a Portuguese class, pick up a few local phrases and put them to the test with the people you meet along the way.

DAY 7

Same agenda as Monday.

You’ll work alongside the team on everything from regenerative agriculture and agroforestry to natural building projects and everyday farm tasks. Expect to learn new skills, work together, get a little muddy and see firsthand how your efforts make a difference.

No experience needed — just bring your energy, curiosity and willingness to get stuck in!

DAY 8

Waterfalls, adventure & good vibes!

Lace up your walking shoes and head out on a waterfall hike through the stunning local scenery. Along the way, you’ll explore the area, discover more about the local environment and get involved in some hands-on eco adventures.

And once the exploring is done? It’s time to chill, play some sports, hang out with the group and get involved with the local community. Basically, a day packed with adventure, new experiences and plenty of fun!

DAY 9

Same agenda as Monday and Wednesday 

DAY 10

Last Day of our Eco Caminhos experience.  

Your time, your adventure!

Fancy getting out and exploring? Choose from hikes, eco-adventures and cultural experiences, or take it easy and soak up the scenery.

You can also get involved with the local community, meet new people and experience a side of Brazil you won’t find in a guidebook. Or, if you’re ready for some downtime, simply relax and enjoy the good vibes! 

DAY 11

✈️ Today = Travel Mode!

Okay, today is definitely a travel day — we’re talking 2–3 hours of bus rides + a flight

BUT… trust us, the destination makes every minute worth it!

We’re leaving the mountains behind and heading to Bonito, where the scenery gets seriously incredible and the adventure level is about to go WAY up. 🌴

After our volunteer experience, it’s time to switch gears. We’re trading farm boots for swimsuits, sunshine and some seriously epic adventures.

Volunteer experience: COMPLETE. ✅
Bonito paradise: HERE WE COME! 😎

DAY 12

Get ready for an epic day in the wild!

Start with breakfast at the hotel before meeting your guide and heading out for a day packed with hiking, wildlife and crystal-clear water.

🦜 Macaws Sinkhole – Hike & Wildlife Spotting

Get your walking shoes on and hit the trail around South America’s largest sinkhole — an incredible 100m deep and around 500m wide! 😮

As you hike, keep your eyes peeled for Red-and-green Macaws and other amazing birds nesting around the sinkhole. You’ll also get a panoramic view right down into the depths, where a hidden lagoon is home to a few caimans! 

The surrounding plants and wildlife are seriously unique, so have your camera ready. 📸

🤿 Rio da Prata Ecological Refuge – Snorkelling Adventure

Next stop: crystal-clear water! 

Take a scenic hike through the forest before getting ready to snorkel in the headwaters of the Olho D’Água River. Then it’s time to jump in and float your way through a 2.2km natural freshwater aquarium, surrounded by colourful fish and incredible underwater plants. 🐟🌿

All your gear is included — wetsuit, mask, snorkel, life jacket and neoprene shoes — so you just need to bring your sense of adventure!

🍴 And after all that action? A delicious traditional Brazilian lunch will be waiting for you back at the main house. Then you can kick back in the hammocks, relax and enjoy the chilled-out atmosphere before heading back to the lodge.

Basically: hike + macaws + caimans + crystal-clear rivers + snorkelling + Brazilian food = one seriously awesome day!

DAY 13

Get Ready for an Epic Day in the Jungle!

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel, then meet your guide and get ready to explore one of Brazil’s coolest hidden gems!

🥾 Serra da Bodoquena National Park + Eco Serrana Park

Today is all about jungle trails, crystal-clear water, waterfalls, canyon walls, and swimming spots—with a little adventure thrown in!

Your adventure starts at the Eco Serrana Park visitor center, where you can get changed, grab anything you need, and soak up the scenery before hitting the trail.

Then it’s time for the Salobra River Canyon Trail, also known as the Muralha de Jericó (Jericho Wall). You’ll hike through a totally preserved forest alongside the gorgeous Salobra River, surrounded by massive canyon walls soaring more than 80 metres above you.

The trail is about 7 km round trip and is moderately challenging. And here’s where things get really fun: in some sections, you’ll actually walk through the river! Yep—this isn’t just hiking, it’s Aqua Trekking. 

Along the way, you’ll find multiple waterfalls and incredible spots to jump in, cool off, and swim in the crystal-clear water. On parts of the return journey, you’ll even float down the river wearing a life jacket. Talk about a way to finish a hike!

It’s an unforgettable combination of adventure and nature, all set inside the incredible Serra da Bodoquena.

📍 The Details

• Distance: 32 km from Bodoquena / 92 km from Bonito
• Duration: Full day — around 6 hours
• Lunch: Included 🍽️
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Footwear: Sneakers or water shoes are mandatory
• Safety: Life jackets are mandatory
• Facilities: Restaurant, changing rooms, restrooms, hammocks, parking and water-shoe rentals

🎒 Bring Along

• Sunscreen ☀️
• Insect repellent 🦟
• Water 💧
• Your camera 📸
• An adventurous spirit!

Bottom line: expect to get a little wet, see some seriously beautiful scenery, swim in crystal-clear water, and have a pretty epic day beyond Bonito. 🌿💦🥾

DAY 14

🌴 Last Day in Bonito — Chill or Go BIG!

It’s our last day, so today is all about doing whatever feels right. Want to sleep in, relax and soak up the last bit of paradise? Absolutely. 😎

But if you’re looking for one final BIG adventure, we’ve got an optional experience for the thrill-seekers!

🧗‍♀️ OPTIONAL: ANHUMAS ABYSS RAPPEL + SNORKELING

Ready to literally drop into a cave?! 🤯

After breakfast, head out for one of Bonito’s most unforgettable adventures. You’ll rappel 72 metres down through a crack in the rock into an incredible underground cave — where a crystal-clear lagoon is waiting below.

Once you reach the bottom, grab your mask and snorkel and explore the underwater world inside the cave. Expect amazing rock formations, crystal-clear water and a seriously wild experience.

And when it’s time to head back up, you’ll use climbing equipment to ascend — giving you a completely different view of the cave and the surrounding scenery.

🔥 Adventure Level: EPIC
Duration: Half day
Gear included: Mask & snorkel, flashlight, neoprene shoes and wetsuit

This one is totally optional — but if you’re an adrenaline junkie, this could be the adventure you talk about for years!

DAY 15

After Breakfast you will be transfered to the Campo Grande Airport to check in for your flight home