Complete Carioca Rio — 6 days

Rainforest, samba and islands off Rio. Day-by-day itinerary: Copacabana; Christ the Redeemer & Santa Teresa; Sugarloaf & Ipanema; Tijuca Forest.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Copacabana

• 10:00 — Arrival at Rio Galeão (GIG)
• 11:30 — Taxi → Copacabana
• 13:00 — Hotel check-in — Copacabana
• 15:30 — Copacabana Beach — Copacabana
• 20:00 — Churrasco dinner — Copacabana

Day 2 — Christ the Redeemer & Santa Teresa

• 08:30 — Cog train → Corcovado
• 09:30 — Christ the Redeemer — Corcovado
• Taxi to Santa Teresa — Corcovado → Santa Teresa
• 13:00 — Lunch in Santa Teresa — Santa Teresa
• Walk around Santa Teresa — Santa Teresa → Santa Teresa / Lapa
• 15:00 — Santa Teresa & the Selarón Steps — Santa Teresa / Lapa
• Walk to Lapa — Santa Teresa / Lapa → Lapa
• 20:00 — Dinner in Lapa — Lapa

Day 3 — Sugarloaf & Ipanema

• 09:30 — Sugarloaf cable car — Urca
• 13:00 — Lunch in Urca — Urca
• Taxi to Ipanema — Urca → Ipanema
• 16:00 — Ipanema Beach at sunset — Ipanema
• 20:00 — Dinner in Ipanema — Ipanema

Day 4 — Tijuca Forest

• 08:00 — Excursion to the Tijuca Forest — Floresta da Tijuca
• 09:00 — Hike & Cachoeira dos Primatas waterfall — Floresta da Tijuca
• 12:00 — Vista Chinesa viewpoint — Floresta da Tijuca
• Taxi to Copacabana — Floresta da Tijuca → Copacabana
• 14:00 — Lunch back in Copacabana — Copacabana
• Taxi to Lapa — Copacabana → Lapa
• 21:00 — Samba night in Lapa — Lapa

Day 5 — Ilha Grande

• 07:00 — Bus + boat → Ilha Grande (3h) — Rio → Ilha Grande
• 10:30 — Lopes Mendes Beach — Ilha Grande
• 13:00 — Grilled fish lunch — Ilha Grande
• 15:30 — Swimming & lazing on the beach — Ilha Grande
• 18:00 — Back to Rio

Day 6 — Departure

• 09:30 — Rio Botanical Garden — Jardim Botânico
• Taxi to Leblon — Jardim Botânico → Leblon
• 12:30 — Farewell lunch — Leblon
• 15:00 — Taxi → GIG airport
• 18:30 — Return flight