Christ the Redeemer

·        Ride up Sugar Loaf Mountain in a cable car. 

·        Gaze on Rio by the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer 

·        Enjoy the botanical variety of Brazil at the Jardim Botânico

Rio is a city that has always been close to nature, and even today you are never far away from the rainforest. This deluxe tour involves your guide driving you, in a private car, to sites where you can appreciate the city in its full glory. 

The highest you will go is 396m at the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Ascending from sea level by glass-covered cable cars, which have ferried people in one form or another to the summit since 1912, you will be able to appreciate the magnificent scenery of the rainforest on the Morro da Urca on the way to the top. The mountain itself is an immense mass of granite from where you will be able to see all of the city beneath you.

This is not the only high point in Rio you will visit; there is also a trip to the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado. Riding up through the Parque Nacional da Tijuca by the famous rack railway, you will be able to see the Heitor da Silva Costa’s huge statue and get another panoramic view of Rio. Be sure to ask your guide if they can show you the site’s secrets. While the hollow insides of the statue are kept only for workmen, they will be able to take you to the working chapel beneath Christ’s feet. 

In addition to the most emblematic peaks of Rio, the tour includes two important Brazilian gardens. The first, Parque Lage, is compactly nestled at the bottom of Corcovado but is a great place to stop for a bit and appreciate the landscaped gardens away from tourists. You can also, if you wish, go on one of the walking trails through the local rainforest or investigate the cave. The second garden is rather larger: the Jardim Botânico. Founded in 1808, it has some truly beautiful constituent parts like the Jardim dos Beija-Flores, with its brightly-colored plants. It is also worth getting your guide to show you the Orquidarium, where some of the world’s rarest orchids are kept, and the Avenue of Palms.  

·        Start in the historic centre at the Praça XV

·        Take in the view of Rio from the statue of Christ the Redeemer

·        Enjoy the sea and sand at the beautiful Copacabana Beach

·        Go up Sugar Loaf Mountain in a cable car

Rio has a lot of offer the first-time visitor, so much that it can be tricky to fit it into a week; or even a day. Nevertheless, there are certain parts of the city which positively scream they are part of the Rio experience. Join your personal guide as they take you between those attractions, in a private car, on a collection of experiences that will last forever. 

The early history of the Portuguese is one of conflict and loss, as they fought both the indigenous Tupi inhabitants and the French. When they chose to settle though, they chose a site which now bears some of the best colonial architecture in all of Brazil. Walking around the area surrounding Praca XV, your guide will be able to tell you the exciting history of Rio from its days as a far-flung outpost of the Portuguese Empire to those as its capital. Pointing out the Paco Imperial, where King Joao VI chose to live and the abolition of slavery was announced by his great-granddaughter, they will also show you the Old Cathedral where Emperors Pedro I and Pedro II were crowned. 

Taking you inland to the neighbourhood of Cosme Velho, your guide will take you up to the top of Corcovado Mountain by the iconic rack railway. After finishing a journey where you saw the city fall away beneath you, there is only a short walk to the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer. This immense figure, which recalls Leonardo Da Vinci’s studies of the human body, stands over the city and is a symbol of both Rio and Brazil. 

Venturing back down Corcovado, your guide will take you along to the Copacabana Beach. Here the ideal of a relaxed, prosperous Brazil becomes a reality in Rio’s wealthy quarter. After seeing the sights of the neighbourhood – not least the famous Hotel Copacabana – there will be plenty of time to saunter, sunbathe and swim. When you are finished, there will be a scenic drive along the coast to Sugar Loaf Mountain. The location of both Rio’s highest point, you will go up to the top by cable car. Known internationally for its role in the film Moonraker as the site of a fight between James Bond and Jaws, the cable car will take you above the jungle to the mountain’s peak. Once there you will have a superb view of the city from one of its most magnificent spots.