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Locally Hosted Independent Tour Suggested Departure Day: Friday

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Day 1 - Friday - Depart USA:  Depart Miami on evening flight.

Day 2 - Saturday - Arrive Asuncion: Morning arrival and transfer to the Hotel Granados in the heart of the city. Afternoon visit to the main points of interest in modern and colonial Asuncion including the Independence House, the National Cathedral, Government Palace, the National Heroes' Pantheon and the Railroad station with the oldest continuously running wood-burning locomotive, among other places of interest. (B)

Day 3 - Sunday - Asuncion: Today you’ll enjoy the Golden Circuit, a trip through the Central Department, surrounding Asuncion, visiting historical places and national monuments. Baroque Franciscan churches, Basilica de Caacupe, Ypacarai Lake, San Bernardino, Paraguari and Piribebuy are some of the interesting points linked to the history of Paraguay, especially the church of Yaguaron, a true jewel of the baroque. Lunch is included en route and time for handicraft shopping. (L)

Day 4 - Monday - Asuncion – Encarnacion: Morning departure from Asuncion heading southeast towards Encarnacion, a total drive of around 230 miles. En route visit San Ignacio Guazu, a Jesuit mission founded in 1609, with a preserved cloister, excellent museum and clay portico walls with wooden beams. Continue to Santa Maria de Fe, founded in 1647 but destroyed by fire in 1889. There is an excellent museum of several rooms each dedicated to a particular theme, such as Saint Ignacio and Saint Peter, filled with paintings and artifacts of those themes. En route today, you’ll also visit handicraft and handmade ceramics factories. Have lunch en route and afternoon arrival at Hotel Papillon located 28 miles from the town of Encarnacion near the Trinidad ruins for overnight. (B/L)

Day 5 - Tuesday - Encarnacion - Iguassu Falls: This morning you will visit Trinidad, founded by Indians coming from a Jesuit Mission located in Argentina. While never totally completed, it might have been one of the largest and most beautiful churches of all the missions. Trinidad was declared a World Heritage Site in 1993 nu UNESCO. Then drive through Encarnacion and cross over into Argentina at Posadas for short drive to San Ignacio Mini, one of the most prosperous of Jesuit Missions and partly restored by the Argentine government. Visit San Ignacio Mini and then drive north some 180 miles to Iguassu Falls, changing to your Brasilian vehicle and guide at 3 Frontiers Handicraft House before continuing on to your hotel, the Hotel Das Cataratas for a  three night stay. (B/L)

Day 6 - Wednesday - Iguassu Falls: Morning transfer to the Argentine side of the falls for a full day visiting the falls from the vantage point of "up close and personal". Situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina, they lie 19 km upriver from the confluence of the Rio Iguazu and the Rio Alto Parana. The Iguazu river basin extends over some 62,000 sq km. The river rises up in the hills near Curitiba and flows 1,300 km across the Parana Plateau en route receiving the waters from about 30 rivers before reaching the falls. You'll have time to walk the boardwalks that skirt the edge of the top of the falls and one that explores the bottom of the falls. Lunch is included today and return to your hotel on the Brasilian side.

Day 7 - Thursday - Iguassu Falls: Today you will spend the day exploring the Brasilian side of these awesome falls. Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed upon viewing them: "Poor Niagara! This makes Niagara look like a kitchen faucet!". Here are 275 falls spanning a 2 mile wide precipice plunging an average of 300 feet to the river below. Plenty of time to take the walkways for changing multi-vistas of the falls. Then enjoy the Macuco Safari and motorlaunch excursion where large motorized zodiacs take you close to the Macuco Falls, a thrilling experience. Also visit the Parque de Aves, a collection of huge walk-through aviaries with birds from Brazil and around the world.  Lunch included en route. (B/L)

Day 8 - Friday - Iguassu Falls – Rio de Janeiro: Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Marivilhosa. Meeting upon arrival and transfer to your hotel, the venerable Copacabana Palace on famed Copacabana beach for three night stay. Afternoon at leisure to relax, walk Copacabana Beach or while away time at a sidewalk cafe. (B)

Day 9 – Saturday - Rio de Janeiro: Full day excursion discovering the highlights of the "Cidade Maravilhosa". Drive through lush Tijuca Forest and take the modern cogwheel train for 20-minute ascent up famed Corcovado Mountain. Then 220 steps take you to the base of the statue of Christ the Redeemer for a spectacular 360 degree panorama of Rio. Time for photographing Rio from this vantage point. Then continue with two stage cable-car ascent to the summit of Sugar Loaf for yet another panoramic vista of Rio. En route enjoy lunch at one of the popular "churrascarias", Brazil's barbeque restaurant with a never ending array of food! (B/L)

Day10 – Sunday - Rio de Janeiro:  Day at leisure to explore at your own pace. Sunday is the day for the Hippi Market on Ipanema Beach and street fairs along the beachfront. This evening you might want to arrange an optional dinner at one of Rio's popular seafood restaurants and then take in a two hour samba extravaganza with costumes, music and dance from Rio's famed Carnival. (B)

Day 11 – Monday - Depart Rio de Janeiro: Day at leisure to explore Rio at your own pace, arrange optional tours or just relax on the beach or poolside. No need to hurry through the day as your room is paid for late check-out.  Evening transfer to the airport for your overnight departure flight. (B)

Day 12 - Tuesday - Arrive U.S.A.: Morning arrival in your USA gateway city. Clear immigrations and customs and make connections to your home city.

PLEASE NOTE - IMPORTANT:
The following Payment, Change and Cancellation Policies are for general information only.
This is a sample program which will be customized to fit your Trip Wishes, Travel Style and Parameters.
Your personal customized program will carry Terms & Conditions specifically applicable to your program's inclusions
and will be the governing Terms & Conditions.