Overview & Highlights
With excellent well-serviced roads and a peaceful ambiance, Santa Catarina's rugged hills and lovely beaches are perfect for exploring by hire car. This self-drive holiday includes visits to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.
- Guided hike to Naufragados beach with oyster tasting
- Walking tour of Monserrat and San Telmo in Buenos Aires
Begin your Brazilian adventure in Rio de Janeiro, with a whistle-stop visit to the world’s most picturesque city (extend your stay if you wish) then fly south to Florianopolis. Santa Catarina is a prosperous state with sunny vineyards and Alpine-style dairy farms thriving in the valleys between verdant, rugged and little explored mountains. The coast is indented with crescent bays and small, family-friendly resorts. Car hire gives you the freedom to explore at your own stopping to visit places which may interest you en route to your pre- booked accommodation. It’s also an economical way of travelling; fuel is relatively inexpensive. Driving in south Brazil can really be a delight - few people here speak a lot of English, but they are mostly friendly and helpful.
Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil close to Argentina and Uruguay, is not as well known as other perhaps more exotic regions of tropical Brazil, but is no less attractive to visitors for that. It is a prosperous state settled by Europeans attracted to its fertile soils and mellow climate. The influence of Portugal, Italy and Germany can still be seen in the culture and architecture of the pleasant cities and peaceful towns studding the coast and hilly interior.
Vineyards and Alpine-style dairy farms thrive in the valleys between verdant, rugged, little-visited canyons and tableland plateaux. Why little-visited? Most Brazilian holiday-makers are not especially adventurous or energetic and there isn’t a network of walking trails. Public transport is meagre, but the roads are excellent, uncrowded and well-served with amenities, so it is ideal for independent exploration by self drive car hire.
Outline itinerary
Day 1
Transfer to your hotel, 2 nights.
Day 2
At leisure in Rio de Janeiro
Day 3
Fly to Florianopolis, collect hire car, drive to hotel. 2 nights.
Day 4
Guided walk to Naufragados beach; oyster tasting
Day 5
Drive to Serra Geral and your countryside eco-lodge.
Day 6-7
At leisure to explore on foot or in your car.
Day 8
Drive to Aparados da Serra and your eco-lodge.
Day 9
At leisure at the lodge. Hikes, ziplines, biking and horse-riding available.
Day 10
Drive to Praia do Rosa beach.
Day 11-12
At leisure to explore the bays and the beaches of the rugged coastline.
Day 13
Hand back your hire car, fly to Buenos Aires, transfer to hotel.
Day 14
Guided walking tour in Argentina's capital.
Day 15
At leisure in Buenos Aires.
Day 16
Transfer to airport for your international flight home.
Things to do
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Accommodation
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What our clients say
97% of our clients rated their experience with us as Excellent or Good.
Very efficient with the booking process and very helpful with his service throughout. Adam was always prompt and helpful in answering all our questions prior to departure.
IR, London
Tailor made holiday
Our specialists have been expertly crafting award-winning tailor-made holidays to Latin America for 40 years. We would be delighted to create a truly personalised trip which perfectly matches your wishes and requirements.
Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Consultant
Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.
Inspired by this trip
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
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Your edit for Latin American inspiration
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
View Extraordinary Inspiration
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Carrie Gallagher - Travel Consultant
A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Escorted Groups team.
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Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Consultant
Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.
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Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Consultant
Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our Sales team.
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Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Consultant
After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.
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Ben Line - Travel Consultant
Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Manager of the Tailor-made Department.
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Lina Fuller - Travel Consultant
Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.
