CARNIVAL in RIO DE JANEIRO

BRAZIL

FEBRUARY, 2009

Friday - February 20, 2009:

0800pm:      Group departs Atlanta, Georgia!

Your exciting journey begins!!! Depart Atlanta for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!!! This is a 9 hour direct flight to Rio. 

Saturday – February 21, 2009:

                        Welcome to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!!!!

After flying all night, the group will arrive in the morning in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!  Transportation will be provided for transfer to your hotel.

Rio de Janeiro is recognized worldwide as the “Cidade Maravilhosa”, which means, “Marvelous City”.  Group will take the luggage to the hotel and will have the morning free to explore Rio de Janeiro while waiting for the time to check-in.  We recommend having lunch at one of the many wonderful Brazilian restaurants around the hotel, window shopping and walk to the beach to get familiarized with the city.  The group can join the local street samba groups, called “Samba Blocks” and dance down the streets and then return to the hotel for check-in in the afternoon.  

This evening, the group will go to a Samba show at “Plataforma Club”, where they will have dinner and see true samba being danced by the beautiful dancers of Rio de Janeiro. It is definitely a memorable and fun show!

Sunday – February 22, 2009:

This will be a free morning for shopping, go to the beach and dance on the streets again with the local street samba groups.

Afternoon:   Sugar Loaf Sunset Tour:

This afternoon you will go for a Tour of the beautiful Sugar Loaf Mountain and be there during sunset.  It is definitely a beautiful view to experience in Rio.  This is the same mountain where the cable car fight scene between James Bond and “Jaws” in the movie Moonraker was filmed. 

  Monday – February 23, 2009:

Today, after a wonderful Brazilian breakfast at the hotel, the group will go for a City Tour of this beautiful and unique city.  One of the highlights of this tour will be going up to the top of the “Corcovado Mountain” to see the majestic statue of Christ overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro.  The statue of Jesus Christ was a gift from France to the city of Rio de Janeiro.  France also donated the Statue of Liberty to New York City.  These two statues have become a welcome symbol for these two Nations to visitors for many years.

This will be an all day tour where the group will visit:

·         Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado Mountain

·         Favela Rocinha, one of the famous urban ghettos of Rio de Janeiro

·         Inside tour of the famous Maracana Stadium, the largest stadium in South America. Great soccer games have been played there since 1950, with the most famous Brazilian players including the legendary Pelé.

·         The district of Santa Teresa and the district of Lapa - Two old and traditional neighborhoods of Rio

·         The Sambadrome, where the famous samba schools parade during carnival

·         The historic and amazingly beautiful Cathedral of Rio

·         Lunch is included in this tour

Evening:                On your own.

Tuesday – February 24, 2009:

This will be a free day to enjoy the city as you please.  This is the last day of Carnival and the dances in the streets are exciting and happier than ever.  You can join the street dancers, that is, the samba blocks, or go to the beach, the hotel pool, shopping or just explore the many restaurants and great activities of this festive time in Rio.

Wednesday – February 25, 2009:

Check out from hotel at 12:00pm.  The plane does not depart until the evening and the group will leave their luggage secured at the hotel. Enjoy the afternoon for any additional shopping, beach time, another great meal or just plain enjoying this last day in this wonderful city.

In the late afternoon, the bus will come to the hotel to take the group to the airport for departure back to home.

Thursday – February 26, 2009:

Early this morning, after 5 days of fun, dance, music, great food and relaxation the group will arrive back home!  Most likely, your thoughts will already be planning to return to all this fun again the next Carnival in Rio!!!!

Carnival-Rio Package includes:

v  4 night stay at hotel of your choice

v  Full buffet breakfast every morning at hotel

v  Arrival transfer from airport to hotel

v  City Tour “Exotic Day in Rio” with lunch included

v  Sugar Loaf Sunset Tour

v  Plataforma Club Samba Show with dinner included

v  Transfer out from hotel to airport

v  All taxes and gratuities

v  Complete assistance from Excursions for You and Eastern Star Tours

HOTELS

Hotel Copacabana Mar – 4*

http://www.copacabanamar.com.br/

With 96 spacious guestrooms, the hotel is ideally located close to the world famous Copacabana Beach. The Copacabana Mar Hotel is 20kilometers from the Rio de Janeiro International Airport and eight kilometers from the heart of the city. Guests are just three blocks from Copacabana Beach. Also within a short walking distance are many shops, restaurants, nightclubs and entertainment venues. It is also within easy reach of the city’s main tourist attractions. The onsite restaurant features Brazilian and international cuisine. The four-star property is ideal for business and leisure travelers who are seeking modern conveniences and a beachside location.

Package price per person:  

Single occupancy      $1,900.00

Double occupancy    $1,400.00

Triple occupancy      $1,250.00

Quad occupancy       $1,170.00

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Deal on Airfare:  Airfare Current Rate $1,000 (includes taxes) from Atlanta to RIO

Note: Airfare included above  but price based on current rate and could change. Airfare Rate not guaranteed.  You may get hotel without airfare and airfare without hotel.  It is shown above as a package deal.