Day 1: Welcome to Rio Arrive in Rio de Janeiro and check in to Santa Teresa Hotel MGallery, a 19th-century coffee estate restored into a boutique retreat on a leafy hillside above the city. From the rooftop pool, Guanabara Bay stretches out ahead and the tiled rooftops of Santa Teresa fall away below. Settle in and let the neighbourhood's pace - bohemian, unhurried, creative - set the tone for the days ahead. Overnight: Santa Teresa Hotel RJ – MGallery
Day 2: From the Summit to the Streets Board the historic cog-wheel train and climb through Atlantic Forest to Christ the Redeemer, timed for the first train of the day before crowds gather. From the top, Rio opens in every direction, Guanabara Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, the curve of the coastline and the city spreading between them. Descend for a privately guided walk through downtown Rio, shaped around your own interests. Stroll through Praça XV past colonial and imperial facades, along the grand boulevards of Cinelândia, and into spaces such as the Museum of Tomorrow or the Museu de Arte do Rio. Overnight: Santa Teresa Hotel RJ – MGallery
Day 3: Burle Marx and the Wild West Coast Travel to Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, the former estate of Brazil's most influential landscape architect, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through sculptural gardens of more than 3,500 native and tropical plant species, and explore the preserved modernist residence that houses Burle Marx's personal art collection and design pieces. Continue to Rio's protected western coastline, swim or walk at Macumba Beach, take in wide ocean views from Mirante do Roncador, and spend time at Prainha and Grumari, two of the city's least developed beaches. Overnight: Santa Teresa Hotel RJ – MGallery
Day 4: Arrive at Inhotim Travel inland into the cerrado countryside of Minas Gerais to Clara Arte Resort, a lakeside property set close to Instituto Inhotim, one of Brazil's most significant cultural institutions that combines contemporary art with one of the largest botanical collections in the world. Settle in, explore the grounds, and let the open landscape and quieter pace take hold. Overnight: Clara Arte Resort
Day 5: A Day at Inhotim Spend the day at Instituto Inhotim, where art pavilions dedicated to leading Brazilian and international artists are scattered across lakes, forest paths and tropical gardens. The experience is closer to discovery than a conventional museum visit, scale and greenery shape how and when you encounter each work. Back at the resort, the program may include art workshops developed with O Pequeno Colecionador, archery, a gastronomic tasting or wine pairing, with live music or themed evenings possible after dark. Overnight: Clara Arte Resort
Day 6: Fly to Salvador Fly north to Salvador, the city that was once Brazil's colonial capital, and check in to Fera Palace Hotel, a 1930s art-deco landmark on Rua Chile, steps from the Lacerda Elevator and the waterfront. Spend the evening on the rooftop as the light drops over Baía de Todos os Santos. Overnight: Fera Palace Hotel
Day 7: Salvador - Layers of a City A full day with a private guide through a city built from three converging worlds. Begin at the 17th-century lighthouse in Barra before moving through the Lacerda Elevator and the pastel facades of the Upper City to the Pelourinho district, Salvador's UNESCO-listed historic centre, where the weight of its African, Indigenous and Portuguese history is visible on every corner. Pause for lunch at a local restaurant and try a moqueca: the rich, aromatic seafood stew that is as much a product of this city's history as anything you will see. Visit the 16th-century Cathedral Basilica and finish with time to wander at your own pace. Overnight: Fera Palace Hotel
Day 8: South to Trancoso Fly south to Porto Seguro and travel along the Bahian coast to Trancoso. Check in to Pousada Tutabel, a boutique property sitting directly on Itapororoca Beach, backed by Atlantic Forest and bordered by a 975-hectare private nature reserve. Relax into the afternoon, on the sand or at the pool.
Overnight: Pousada Tutabel Day 9: Into Caraíva Set out by 4x4 along dirt roads through the Vale dos Búfalos and the Indigenous community of Imbiriba, then cross into Caraíva by traditional boat, the only way in. This car-free village of sandy streets, coloured houses and sea breeze moves at its own pace, shaped by the point where the river meets the ocean. Wander the church square, walk the beaches, and absorb the quiet. There is also the option of a speedboat ride along preserved waterways to the Porto do Boi Indigenous Territory, where you can meet with the Pataxó community and learn about their body painting, medicinal practices, dance and cuisine.
Overnight: Pousada Tutabel Day 10: A Day on Itapororoca Beach A Day on Itapororoca Beach, rewards those who slow down, but there is plenty here for those who want it. Swim in the warm Atlantic, follow trails cutting through the 975-hectare private reserve that borders the property, unique access available only to guests, or spend time at the pousada's spa before a long lunch at the restaurant overlooking the ocean.
Overnight: Pousada Tutabel Day 11: Departure Close your Brazilian journey with a private transfer back to Porto Seguro Airport for your onward flight.
