2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

South America Getaway (SB)

9 days from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details »

Want to learn the scintillating samba—or the tantalizing tango? Sip sweet caipirinhas—or dry Argentine wines? Sunbathe on famous beaches—or soak in the beauty of neoclassical architecture? This getaway just south of the usual visits two of South America’s most sizzling cities so you can do it all. With time in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, this sultry tour of South America combines the best of Brazil and Argentina, plus the opportunity to witness the thundering Iguassu Falls from the perspective of both countries. Guided sightseeing to the legendary sights is complemented by numerous opportunities to live like a local. This South America getaway includes an empanada cooking class, a private tango lesson, and a day on an authentic Argentine ranch where you can enjoy authentic cuisine, tap your foot to regional music, and even take the reins of a horse and channel your inner gaucho.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Each Globus South America tour is limited to an average of just 20 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus escorted vacation, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

Touring by private, air-conditioned motorcoach, Free Wi-Fi (where available).

Prices are for all land arrangements including intra-vacation flights and taxes.

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
South America Getaway map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast Daily, 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Welcome to Rio de Janeiro!
At 3:30 pm, meet your Tour Director for a drive along Ipanema and Copacabana beaches to the base of 1,300-foot-high Sugarloaf Mountain. Ascend by cable car to its summit, where you can take in spectacular vistas of the city. Next, toast the start of a memorable vacation with Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite caipirinhas, a traditional Brazilian cocktail, during a cocktail party.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits atop Sugarloaf Mountain overlooking Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Take in the breathtaking panoramic views followed by a private cocktail party with your fellow travel companions. Toast with a traditional caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail, made with fresh lime, cachaça, and sugar. Deliciosa!

Day 2 RIO DE JANEIRO

Heavenly Views
The city’s landmark, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, crowns Corcovado Mountain, a rounded peak rising 2,300 feet from the bay below. A scenic ride by cog railway leads to the top, where a breathtaking 360-degree panorama affords sweeping views. From here, proceed to bustling downtown Rio, where modern office towers stand next to relics of the Portuguese colonial past. View the Sambodromo and visit the Cathedral. The afternoon is at leisure for you to experience this vibrant city on your own. Tonight, it’s a fun outing to a churrascaria for a feast of barbecued meats marinated and roasted over charcoal in true Brazilian style.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Soar to the summit of Corcovado Mountain by cog railway to reach the site of the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer. This crowning jewel of Rio and Brazil was constructed between 1922 and 1933. The statue of Jesus Christ stands 98 feet high (or 124 feet including the pedestal) with an arm span of 92 feet wide. Towering over the city, this piece of art is truly an engineering marvel and was even voted one the New7Wonders of the World.

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 3 RIO DE JANEIRO

Unplug & Recharge
A full day at leisure to enjoy Rio. Relax on one of the world-famous beaches or take advantage of the world-class shopping or fine dining.

FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE Spend free time in Rio de Janeiro with an optional excursion to Petropolis, (mountain resort and former summer palace of Emperor Dom Pedro II). This and more options throughout your tour are available for purchase with MyGlobus. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 RIO DE JANEIRO–IGUASSU FALLS

What a Rush!
A flight from Rio takes you to Iguassu Falls. Experience the clouds of spray, the incessant roar, and the surrounding luxuriant tropical growth that make this an unforgettable natural wonder. Head into Brazil’s Iguassu National Park to enjoy the magnificent panorama of waterfalls from the Brazilian side. Your Local Guide introduces the spectacle of this 2-mile-wide rushing torrent. With some cataracts as high as 250 feet, Iguassu Falls is nothing short of hypnotic!

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Explore incredible Iguassu National Park (Brazilian side) and walk the pathways skirting Iguassu Falls. Watch for amazing wildlife in this protected area, including toucans, agoutis, giant otters, anteaters, tapir, and even jaguars!

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 5 IGUASSU FALLS

Taking the Plunge
Today, journey across the Brazilian border by motorcoach to the Argentine side of Iguassu Falls, where you will take the Ecological Jungle Train and enjoy a closer perspective on a walking tour of the falls. Meander along the walkways from atop the falls and enjoy an exhilarating view looking over the precipice of the falls as the water plunges to the rocks below. You will also have the chance to walk through the rainforest on the lower falls trails that will bring you up close to some of the smaller cataracts. Return to the hotel, where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Visit Iguassu National Park (Argentinian side) where, from this side of the falls, you get a bird’s-eye view from the catwalks perched over part of the Devil’s Throat, where 14 waterfalls drop more than 300 feet into the Devil’s Gorge below. From this completely different perspective compared to Brazil’s side, you’ll understand why you must see both sides of the falls!

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 IGUASSU FALLS–BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

The Boulevards of Buenos Aires
This morning, cross the Brazilian border into Argentina by motorcoach to transfer to the Cataratas del Iguazu International Airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. After arriving, acquaint yourself with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CITY SIGHTS Elegant European architecture, epicurean cuisine, and a café culture to rival any rue de Paris, Buenos Aires is a city of leisurely afternoons sipping café con leche or the choicest Argentinian wines.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 BUENOS AIRES

Dining, Dancing, Dazzling
Your sightseeing starts in La Boca, a vibrant district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique enclave and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and a popular gathering spot for artists. At Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the Metropolitan Cathedral, housing San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Teatro Colón opera house before reaching Recoleta Cemetery, burial site of Eva Perón. Next, learn how to make a traditional Argentinean dish with an Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite empanada cooking class. After an afternoon at leisure, top off the evening at a famous Tango club. The Tango and Argentina go hand in hand and tonight you will Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite visit a local milonga (tango house), where professional tango dancers teach the traditional techniques of the Argentine Tango. After your lesson, enjoy a farewell dinner featuring Argentine steaks and other local specialties. Top off the evening when the professionals delight you with a Tango Show featuring the dance as it has evolved through the ages!

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Immerse yourself in Argentina’s culinary culture when you learn how to make empanadas. This hands-on cooking class teaches you the different fillings and the various 'repulga' techniques (how to close the empanada.) After perfecting your creation, enjoy your homemade empanada with a glass of Malbec wine.

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 BUENOS AIRES

Ranch Life
Today, head into the heart of the pampas (grasslands) and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of rural, country life at a working Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Argentina estancia (ranch). After a traditional welcome with empanadas and local beverages, get acquainted with the lifestyle of real gauchos (cowboys) on a carriage ride through the pampas. Later, at lunch, enjoy an authentic feast, complete with world-renowned Argentine beef, salad, desserts, local wine, and live music and dance by the gauchos themselves. Top off the day with a horsemanship show by the gauchos before saying ‘adios’ to the countryside and heading back to the city.

LOCAL FAVORITE
CULTURE & TRADITION Argentinean estancias date back to the 16th century during the era of Spanish colonization when conquistadors where gifted land to raise and breed cattle. Today, these lands and traditions endure, having been passed down from generation to generation. Step into the traditional, local life of a gaucho and embrace Argentinian heritage on a working estancia.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 9 BUENOS AIRES

Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

FERNANDO BORDALLO

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, I speak English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. I became a Tour Director in 1986, and I love my work. It's so great to see guests engage with the diversity of South American countries -their traditions and contrasts. I love sharing the history of these countries, watching the group interact during the trip, and knowing I play a fundamental role in the success of the trip.”

Tour Director - FERNANDO BORDALLO

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Rio de Janeiro
Iguassu Falls

Rio de Janeiro

Petropolis

Petropolis

Visit the 'Imperial City of Petropolis' outside of Rio in the Atlantic Rain Forest to visit the summer palace of former Emperor Pedro II of Brazil.

Price Range: $$$

Iguassu Falls

Bird Park

Bird Park

The Bird Park near Iguassu Falls offers visitors the opportunity to see indigenous birds up close is their native rain forest environment.

Price Range: $$



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.