Guide

You will have a crew of 1 tour leader and 1 driver on this tour. On some tours we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media. Your tour leader will be in charge of routes, itineraries, food and accommodation and will ensure the smooth running of the tour. Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the excursions that need to be organised by the tour leader in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay. Your driver will drive and maintain the vehicle to a high standard but he/she is not a tour guide and may not know all the facts about the countries we travel through. Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this tour before. They will, however, have detailed notes from previous tours and backup from the office in the UK. Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated if you feel they have done a good job. We recommend you tip your crew a minimum of $75 each at the end of the tour, thank you.

Transport

We will be travelling in a custom-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this tour. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. Our vehicle can accommodate up to 36 travellers and 2 crew. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, tables, etc. Our vehicle is also equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels and campsites we stay at. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Accommodation

You will spend 65% of the time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. The other 35% of the time you will be in your tent camping. Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense. When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean local hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of all genders. There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

Others

Services of your Madventure tour leader and driver Transportation in our custom built Madventure overland truck Use of all equipment on the truck Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Local transportation costs (if required) Ferry tickets (when travelling together as a group) 61 breakfasts and 24 evening meals All accommodation costs (65% hotels, guest houses and hostels, 35% camping) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being. When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal using our kitchen on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas. When staying in hotels (usually in cities) we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the hotel. Lunch and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive. 61 Breakfasts and 24 evening meals are provided during this expedition. When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size). Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

Not included:

Others

International and domestic flights (no domestic flights expected during tour) Airport transfers Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended) Visas (no visas required for most nationalities) Lunch and evening meals when in hotels, guest houses and hostels Lunch when camping Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks Any optional activities and excursions Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow Tips (USD $75 per crew member recommended)

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for people based in the UK seeking a comprehensive and reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, +44 20 7938 1734, http://www.campbellirvine.com/Madventure Campbell Irvine are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company named Allianz offers good cover, +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and if possible make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Flights

No flights included or expected during this tour.

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Prices are shown in USD. BRAZIL Sambadrome budget ticket $50 Sambadrome prime ticket $150 Serra dos Orgaos National Park hike $20 Ouro Preto gold mine tour $20 Kayaking in Itaunas $20 Abrolhos Archipelago boat trip $50 Monte Pascoal National Park guided hike $20 Porto Seguro museum $5 Kayaking in Itacare $20 Salvador museum $5 Chapada Diamantina National Park day hike $50 Taquarucu guided hike $20 FRENCH GUIANA Tresor and Kaw nature reserves day trip $100 Guiana Space Centre $10 Devil’s Island boat trip $70 Saint Laurent du Maroni transportation camp $10 SURINAME Paramaribo sunset boat trip $30 Bigi Pan half day tour $50 GUYANA Kaieteur Falls flight $250 Panorama Nature Trail guided hike $20

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Brazil
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Brazil

This tour starts in Rio de Janeiro during Rio Carnival when the city is absolutely effervescent and the carnival atmosphere is electric! Days can be enjoyed lazing on Copacabana beach and wild nights can be spent dancing at the Sambadrome. Day excursions including Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor offer unparalleled views of what is known locally as the Marvellous City.

Please note that this tour departs Rio de Janeiro on day 1 of the trip so if you would like to see the Rio Carnival we advise you to arrive at least 2 days prior to departure and ensure you have booked your accommodation and Sambadrome ticket well in advance as tickets sell fast and hotels can fill up quickly during carnival. Alternatively speak to us about our 5 day Carnival package which includes hotel accommodation, Sambadrome ticket and guided tour of the city’s highlights.

Winding our way up through forested hills and dramatic peaks we now visit the cool and charming mountain retreat of Teresopolis, a laid-back town with a distinctly German feel about it. From here you also have the option to visit the nearby Serra dos Orgaos National Park where a series of hiking trails lead to gushing waterfalls and views of granite fingers rising skywards.

In Congonhas we visit the Basilica do Bom Jesus Matosinhos, a beautiful church with a stunning Rococo interior and an outdoor stairway displaying sculptures of the prophets lovingly carved out of soapstone.

We continue to Ouro Preto, an historically important colonial city with narrow cobbled streets, Baroque churches, pretty fountains and inviting plazas. Here you also have the option to take an underground cable car into an old gold mine where the town’s original fortune was found.

We now return to the coast visiting some of Brazil’s best and lesser known beaches such as Itaunas where you get the chance to climb the huge sand dunes and sample some of the region’s best seafood.

In Caravelas you have the option to go swimming in the mangroves or take a boat trip out to the Abrolhos Archipelago where you can dive amongst a diverse amount of underwater flora and fauna.

We continue to Monte Pascoal National Park where you have the option to trek to the summit of Monte Pascoal for stupendous views over the Atlantic Forest where King Vultures often treat visitors to a beautiful aerial ballet. You can also take a short hike into the dense forest with a native Pataxo Indian guide in the hope of spotting the elusive jaguar and giant armadillo.

Porto Seguro offers us a fascinating glimpse into the past as it is the place where Portuguese sailors first discovered the New World over 500 years ago. Here you can visit the Cidade Historica with its colourful colonial architecture and take a walk along Passarela do Alcool which will introduce you to the cultural tradition of Capoeira dancing.

The palm-fringed white sand beaches of Itacare are our next destination where you have time to enjoy the surf, kayak up rainforest creeks or just laze on the beach.

The soulful city of Salvador is a real highlight on this part of the expedition and has an Afro-Brazilian vibe all of its own. Once the main slave port for ships arriving from Africa, today Salvador is a vibrant city with friendly locals, exquisite cuisine and street-party atmosphere.

Heading inland we now base ourselves in the quaint old diamond mining town of Lencois from where you have the opportunity to explore the Chapada Diamantina National Park, one of the country’s finest canyon landscapes with plenty of wildlife, waterfalls and caves for you to enjoy.

In Palmas we discover a modern city on the banks of the Tocantins River where you can enjoy the fine sand beaches and sample the local roasted peacock bass, a traditional delicacy of the region.

The eco-tourism boom-town of Taquarucu is a beautiful place where you have the opportunity to explore the region’s waterfalls, caves and pools as well as nearby national parks offering you the chance to spot wildlife such as caiman, dolphins, turtles and even jaguar.

The Amazonian port town of Belem is our next destination where you have a couple of days to explore the town’s historic centre, wander along the banks of the mighty Amazon River and find a bargain at the Ver-o-Peso Market.

From Belem we now catch a passenger ferry across the mighty Amazon Delta. The journey takes 24 hours and we will sleep in hammocks. Our truck takes a separate ferry and we will regroup in the town of Macapa on the north shore.

From Macapa we now head into the rainforest towards the border town of Oiapoque where we cross the Oyapock River and enter the tiny country of French Guiana.
Day 2 French Guiana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

French Guiana

Our first stop in French Guiana is the capital city Cayenne where you have time to enjoy the city’s colonial buildings, botanical gardens and vibrant social scene. From Cayenne you also have the option to visit the Tresor and Kaw nature reserves in search of rare water birds and caiman.

An hour away from Cayenne we now visit Kourou where you have the option to take a tour of the Guiana Space Centre, a busy spaceport from where a large amount of the world’s satellites are launched.

From Kourou you also have the option to take a boat tour to Devil’s Island, one of France’s most notorious former penal colonies made famous by Henri Charriere’s book Papillon.

We continue to Plage Les Hattes, a long stretch of beautiful beach and an important nesting ground for giant leatherback turtles.

Our last stop in French Guiana is at Saint Laurent du Maroni where you can visit the remnants of the prison buildings that processed thousands of unfortunate French criminals.

We now take a ferry across the Marowijne River to Suriname.
Day 3 Suriname
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Suriname

We head straight for the capital city Paramaribo, a curious melting pot of Dutch, African and Caribbean architecture. The historic inner city is best explored on foot where you can learn a lot about the country at the Suriname Museum and marvel at one of the world’s largest wooden buildings, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral. Be sure to take a sunset boat cruise on the Suriname River in search of rare freshwater dolphins.

We now leave our truck behind and travel 190 km into the interior by minibus, board a boat at Pokigron and travel to our own private island on the Suriname River. During our 2 night stay here you can learn all about the Amazon rainforest and the creatures that inhabit it, visit local villages and soak yourself in a natural jacuzzi at the Ferullasi rapids.

After collecting our truck in Paramaribo we now head to Nieuw Nickerie where you have the option to visit Bigi Pan, a massive area of swampland, mangroves and jungle home to caiman, snakes and over 100 species of migratory birds, most notably the Red Ibis.

Taking a ferry across the Courantyne River we now enter Guyana.
Day 4 Guyana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Guyana

Following a coastal route we now reach the capital city Georgetown, an English speaking city with a distinctly Afro-Caribbean feel where you will have time to explore the old canals, visit wooden cathedrals, haggle at the city market and see the manatees at the Guyana National Park.

From Georgetown you also have the option to take a half day trip to Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest single drop waterfall. Accessible only by light aircraft you will get a great aerial view of the falls before landing and taking a short walk through the jungle to get an appreciation of the falls up close.

We now head inland on an undeveloped road to the Iwokrama Forest, a protected area of pristine rainforest with jungle canopy walkways where you will have the opportunity to spot the endemic wildlife such as red howler monkeys, toucans and jaguar.

Further south we reach the open savannah region of Rupununi where you have the option to go horse riding, canoeing or wildlife spotting on the Panorama Nature Trail.

We now cross the border back into Brazil.
Day 5 Brazil
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Brazil

Our first stop back in Brazil is at Boa Vista on the banks of the Branco River, a laid-back town where you can enjoy the evening at a riverside restaurant sampling the locally caught fish.

We continue south through the Waimiri Atroari Indigenous Territory until we reach the city of Manaus on the banks of the mighty Amazon River. Be sure to visit the famous Amazonas Opera House, take a stroll through the botanical gardens and find a bargain at the open air markets selling goods harvested from the river and jungle.

From Manuas we will now take a 3 day/2 night trip into the Amazon jungle where you can meet the indigenous people, fish for piranhas, learn about medicinal plants and go wildlife spotting, a memorable end to a tour from Rio Carnival to the heart of the Amazon!

This tour ends in Manaus after breakfast on the final day of the tour so you can make your onward travel arrangements accordingly.

62 days tour

Rio De Janeiro To Manaus Via The Guianas Overland

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Rio De Janeiro To Manaus Via The Guianas Overland

Brazil

French Guiana

Suriname

Guyana

Brazil

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania