Welcome to São Paulo: Brazil’s biggest city, cultural epicentre and economic powerhouse. Touching down in this buzzing megalopolis, a private Flash Pack transfer will be waiting to whisk you to your boutique hotel. You’ll be staying right in the heart of the action near Avenida Paulista, an area known for its skyscraper-lined streets, cutting-edge museums and Michelin-star foodie scene. After time to freshen up, get to know your fellow Flashpackers over a lime-spiked caipirinha cocktail, followed by a tasty three-course Brazilian dinner. Clink glasses as you raise a toast to 10 days of adventure to come.

Waking up to the sounds of the city, enjoy your first of many extravagant Brazilian breakfasts to set you up for the day. Today, you’ll take a short flight to Cuiabá, gateway to the northern Pantanal. This vast area of rivers, grasslands and lily-covered lakes make up the world’s biggest wetlands and offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the Americas. For the full immersion, you’ll be staying at a remote riverside eco-lodge with expert local guides. After a private briefing and a taste of piranha broth (a local speciality), you’ll set off on a night-time Jeep safari in search of nocturnal animals. Keep your eyes peeled for alligators, nightjars and crab-eating foxes, as well as the elusive jaguar.  

Start your day with a nature walk, for a chance to discover the diverse ecosystems of the Pantanal on foot. As you make your way through the forests, swamps and open fields, up-close encounters might include monkeys, capybaras, armadillos, tamanduas and an astonishing number of birds. You’ll pay a special visit to the lodge’s rehabilitation centre, not usually open to the public. The owner is a passionate conservationist and works with the government to rescue and release wild animals. Later, you’ll explore the winding Motum River by boat – perhaps spotting giant otters playing on the bank or stingrays darting through the crystalline water – before a relaxing poolside barbecue, exclusively for Flash Pack. 

Buckle up for this morning’s horse riding safari: a tranquil way to travel through the seasonally flooded grassland and riparian woods. Every day in the Pantanal brings a fresh, new experience, with diverse landscapes, wildlife sightings and ever-changing skies. You’ll have some time to kick back this afternoon, sleeping off the heat of the day in a hammock by the shady pool. Later, you’ll set off by boat to explore beautiful Sia Mariana Bay, a popular breeding ground for piranha, which can be found here in abundance. As the sun sinks slowly into the horizon, allow yourself a moment to appreciate the incredible nature all around you and listen to the soundtrack of a million roosting birds. 

You’ll be up at 4:30am this morning, but we promise it’ll be worth it for the chance to experience the dazzling spectacle of the Pantanal waking up with the sun. Paddling through the mirror-still waterways by canoe is a mesmerising experience, the silence broken only by the splash of caiman, the rustle of marsh deer or the squawk of hyacinth macaws. After lunch at the lodge, it’s time to pack your bags and transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Rio. Prepare yourself for a change of pace as you touch down in the ‘Marvelous City’, with its golden beaches, sprawling suburbs and samba-fuelled nightlife. The evening is yours to relax and explore, with feijoadas and beach vibes right on your doorstep.   

According to Cariocas (the residents of Rio), God made the world in six days; the seventh he devoted to Rio. Today, you’ll discover why on a sightseeing tour of the city. Starting early to beat the crowds, you’ll take the first tram up to Corcovado, where Christ the Redeemer surveys the city from his hilltop plinth – a real pinch-me moment. Next, you’ll check out Rio’s oldest and most charming barrio, Santa Teresa, and swing by the rainbow-coloured Ecadaria Selaron, a photogenic mosaic staircase created by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón. Cap off the day with a cable car ride up the Sugarloaf Mountain for sunset. Still got some energy? Why not head to the famous Rio Scenarium to party the night away.  

The legendary Rio carnival is one of the world’s great spectacles. Over five days in February, imaginations run riot and social barriers are broken down as the city reverberates to swirling, joyous parades of dancing, drumming and singing. Throughout the year, samba schools work on their costumes and floats. You’ll have the chance to go behind the scenes at a carnival warehouse. Learn some samba steps, try on the flamboyant outfits and sip caipirinhas as you soak up the community spirit. Then, it’s back on the road and onwards to Paraty, a scenic four-hour journey hugging the Atlantic coast. On arrival at Brazil’s prettiest colonial town, stretch your legs with a walking tour ending at a bakery with some delicious sugar cane cake. 

Backed by steep, forested mountains and fronted by a beautiful island-studded bay, Paraty enjoys a spectacular setting. Hidden in the nearby Serra da Bocaina National Park is a natural playground of rivers, rocks and cascades, where you can jump, cool off and swim in gorgeous freshwater pools. Travelling by Jeep, you’ll barrel down rugged roads to seek out the best spots, such as the shallow Tobogã waterfall whose smooth rock face makes the perfect waterslide. Finish your tour with a visit to a working cachaça distillery to see how the sugar cane liquor is made. A free evening awaits in Paraty, where you’ll find plenty of atmospheric options for dinner, from Brazilian steakhouses to fresh-off-the-boat seafood.

We’ve left today free for you to enjoy your own activities. Perhaps you’ll relax in Paraty and explore its cobblestoned alleys, vibrantly painted townhouses and 18th-century churches that date back to its gold-mining past. Or maybe you’ll hike the Gold Trail, visit Praia do Sono beach or explore the mangrove coast by kayak. We recommend a boat tour to Saco do Mamanguá: an enchanting fjord-shaped inlet lined with white-sand beaches and scattered with castaway islands, where you’ll stop off to snorkel in the clear, shallow water and enjoy lunch in a palm-fringed bay. Whatever you decide, tonight you’ll rejoin your group at a lively local bar for an evening of cachaça tasting, cocktails and local snacks. 

It’s time to get back on the road and return to São Paulo, where your journey began. You’re headed straight for the Municipal Market, a cavernous belle epoque building illuminated by enormous stained-glass windows and crammed with produce from all over Brazil. Behind the vast neoclassical facade, you’ll find an array of street food hawkers selling everything from cod fish pasteles to meat-stuffed mortadella sandwiches. Sample exotic fruits, such as passion fruit, star fruit, guava and cashew, before a celebratory last night together. Starting with happy hour drinks of craft beer and cocktails, you’ll taste typical pesticos (Brazilian tapas) before a night of bar-hopping through the upscale suburb of Itaim.

After a final breakfast, your adventure has come to an end. When you’re ready to fly, your Pack Leader can help you arrange a taxi to the airport. No doubt, this trip will leave you with a taste for South America that’ll tempt you back for more. From ice-hiking in Argentina and cooking classes in Peru to swimming with sharks in the Galápagos Islands, there are plenty of wild experiences to be had. Our Trip Experts are full of inspiration and ready and waiting for your call.