Brazil
Brazil itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks
With 7 days, do Rio de Janeiro 5 nights then fly to Foz do Iguaçu for 2 — the one-week answer for a first trip. At 10 days add Paraty and Ilha Grande; at 14 days add Salvador and an Amazon lodge; at 3 weeks add the Pantanal or Lençóis Maranhenses. Fly between regions: Brazil is larger than the contiguous US.
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Key facts
- 7 days
- Rio de Janeiro 5 nights + Foz do Iguaçu 2 nights, fly between them
- 10 days
- Rio 4 + Paraty 2 + Ilha Grande 2 + Foz do Iguaçu 2
- 14 days
- Rio 5 + Salvador 4 + Manaus 1 + Amazon lodge 3 + Manaus 1
- 21 days
- 14-day route plus Pantanal 3–4 (Jun–Oct) or Lençóis Maranhenses 3 (Jun–Sep), with a night near the airport at each end
- Never by bus between regions
- Distances are continental; fly Rio–Iguaçu, Rio–Salvador, Salvador–Manaus
- Best monthscheck
- Apr–Oct for Rio and the south; Jun–Oct for the Pantanal; Jun–Nov for the Amazon
- Book ahead
- Amazon lodges and Pantanal jaguar trips for Jul–Oct, months in advance
- Yellow fevercheck
- Vaccination 10+ days before Amazon or Pantanal trips (check current advice)
Summary by length, month and cost
Pick the route by how many nights you have, then check the month against the region. Cost bands below are 2026 estimates for a mid-range traveller, per person, excluding international flights; treat them as check figures until you price your own dates.
| Length | Route | Best months | Rough cost (2026 estimate, check) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Rio 5 + Foz do Iguaçu 2 | Apr–Oct | R$ 6,000–9,000 |
| 10 days | Rio 4 + Paraty 2 + Ilha Grande 2 + Iguaçu 2 | Apr–Oct | R$ 9,000–13,000 |
| 14 days | Rio 5 + Salvador 4 + Manaus 1 + Amazon lodge 3 + Manaus 1 | Sep–Mar for Salvador; Jun–Nov for the Amazon | R$ 14,000–20,000 |
| 21 days | 14-day route + Pantanal 3–4 or Lençóis Maranhenses 3 | Jun–Oct for the Pantanal; Jun–Sep for Lençóis | R$ 20,000–30,000 |
Domestic flights are the main variable; booking 4–8 weeks out usually costs less (check).
The routes step by step
One week is a city and one natural highlight. Rio rewards 4–5 nights: Corcovado, Sugarloaf, the beaches and a samba night. Then fly to Foz do Iguaçu for 2 nights and see the falls from the Brazilian side, adding the Argentine side if your visa and schedule allow. Fly out of IGU or back through São Paulo.
Ten days adds the Costa Verde between Rio and the falls. Shuttle vans link Rio, Paraty and the Ilha Grande boat pier, so you can do it without a car: Rio 4 nights, Paraty 2, Ilha Grande 2, then back through Rio to fly to Iguaçu for 2.
Two weeks lets you cross the country. Rio 5 nights, fly to Salvador for 4 nights of Pelourinho, capoeira and Bahian food, then fly to Manaus (usually via Brasília or São Paulo) for 1 night, 3–4 nights at an Amazon lodge, and 1 night back in Manaus. In July–October, swap the Amazon for the Pantanal, flying into Cuiabá or Campo Grande.
Three weeks adds a third region rather than more days in the same place. Keep the 14-day spine and add the Pantanal (3–4 nights, Jun–Oct, jaguar boats booked months ahead) or Lençóis Maranhenses (3 nights, Jun–Sep, via São Luís). Both need their own flights, so build in a night near the airport on each end.
- Book domestic flights before lodges; the flight dates decide the route.
- Keep one region per 3–5 nights; day-trip sprawl wastes the trip.
- Leave the last night near your international departure airport.
Notes
Brazil is larger than the contiguous United States, so the parent rule holds: never plan inter-region legs by bus. Fly Rio–Iguaçu, Rio–Salvador and Salvador–Manaus; buses and shuttles are for short hops inside a region, not for crossing the country.
Carnival and New Year move prices and availability in Rio and Salvador; book accommodation months ahead or travel outside those weeks. Domestic fares rise around holidays too. For the Amazon and Pantanal, lodges bundle transfers, meals and guides, so the quoted price is close to the real cost.
Check entry rules and any vaccination requirements before booking the Amazon or Pantanal legs; yellow fever vaccination is commonly advised 10 or more days ahead. This is general information, not medical advice.
- Do not book a same-day connection between an international arrival in São Paulo or Rio and a domestic flight to the Amazon or Pantanal; leave a night.
Questions people ask
What is a good 7-day itinerary for Brazil?
Rio de Janeiro for 5 nights, then fly to Foz do Iguaçu for 2 nights to see the falls. Fly home from IGU or via São Paulo. It is the standard first-trip week: two stops, one short flight between them, no car needed.
How many weeks should I spend in Brazil?
One week covers Rio and Iguaçu. Two weeks adds Salvador and an Amazon lodge. Three weeks adds the Pantanal or Lençóis Maranhenses. More than three weeks suits slow travel or repeat visits, since each extra region costs a flight.
What is the best route through Brazil?
Rio de Janeiro → Foz do Iguaçu for a week; add Paraty and Ilha Grande for ten days; add Salvador and Manaus or the Pantanal for two to three weeks. Fly every inter-region leg and keep one region per 3–5 nights.
Can I do Brazil by bus?
Not between regions. Rio–Salvador, Salvador–Manaus and Rio–Iguaçu are continental distances, so fly them. Buses and shuttle vans are for short hops inside a region, such as the Rio–Paraty–Ilha Grande stretch (check current services).
When should I go?
April–October suits Rio and the south. Salvador is best September–March. The Pantanal is best June–October and the Amazon June–November. Carnival and New Year raise prices and fill hotels in Rio and Salvador.
How much does a Brazil itinerary cost?
A mid-range 7-day trip runs about R$ 6,000–9,000 per person excluding international flights; 14 days about R$ 14,000–20,000 (2026 estimate, check). Domestic flights and Amazon or Pantanal lodges are the biggest line items.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisit Brasil (Embratur)
- officialMinistério do Turismo do Brasil
- secondaryWikivoyage – Brazil