The 15 Best Day Trips from Brazil

1.From Rio: Arraial do Cabo Day Trip with Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 400 reviews · 14 hours · from $65Our pick

Travel from Rio to Arraial do Cabo by air-conditioned vehicle, then sail by schooner to Ilha do Farol, Prainhas do Pontal, Gruta Azul, and Praia do Forno. Guides speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish on the ground. Choose the lunch option, bring cash for the $15 marina fee, and expect a long day.

“Quite a nice day. Long day in the end but worthwhile to see some islands and have a nice swim spot.”

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2.From Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis Day Trip with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 203 reviews · 12 hours · from $48

Travel from Rio into the cool hills of Petrópolis for a full day of imperial sights. Your multilingual guide leads you through the Imperial Museum, Cathedral of Saint Peter, Crystal Palace gardens, Quitandinha Palace, and Santos-Dumont’s former home. Add a buffet lunch and Bohemia Brewery for a fuller outing. Guides such as Rafael, Julio, and Mama Chris have earned special praise for clear three-language explanations.

“It was a great experience, Rafa was brilliant, very instructive, and incredibly kind.”

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3.From Rio de Janeiro: Arraial do Cabo Island Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 192 reviews · 14 hours · from $67

Spend a long but rewarding day from Rio exploring Arraial do Cabo by coach and boat. Guide Marcelo, Lucas, or Talita may lead the trip, with stops at Praia do Forno, Praia do Farol, Blue Grotto, and Fenda de Nossa Senhora. Lunch is included, but drinks, gear, and local fees cost extra.

“Amazing experience, so many stops included and lovely guides!!”

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4.Day Trip to the Argentinian Side of Iguassu Falls from Foz do Iguaçu

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 177 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $58

Travel from Foz do Iguaçu to Argentina with a local guide, cross the border with help, and walk Iguazu National Park’s Lower and Upper Circuits. See Devil’s Throat, San Martin Island, and 275 waterfalls. Hotel pickup is included, but park fees, taxes, meals, and visa costs are extra. A Brazilian-side option extends the day to about 11 hours.

“Our hotel was in the Brazil side of the falls and we were collected from our hotel and brought across the border with the tour guide. This took the stress out of the border for us. Remember to bring your passport! Our guide Roberto was amazing he knew everything about the falls and his enthusiasm brought the trip to life. We did the half day Argentina side of the trip and were dropped back to our hotel after an amazing day at the falls. I definitely recommend doing the full day, Brazil and Argentina side with this tour if you have a limited amount of time in Iguazu. We split…”

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5.From São Paulo: Santos, São Vicente & Guarujá Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 165 reviews · 12 hours · from $110

Spend 12 hours with a bilingual guide such as Mauricio, Maria, or Diogo exploring Santos, São Vicente, and Guarujá. Visit the Coffee Museum, ride the optional Itararé cable car, see coastal viewpoints, and relax at Enseada Beach. Transport, hotel pickup, and insurance are included, while tickets, lunch, and drinks cost extra.

“Mauricío is the best guide, he's got great advices, he'll answer all your questions and he gives great commentary, as well as having done the tour in English, Spanish and Portuguese! We're really happy with the tour and would recommend it 100%!”

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6.Rio de Janeiro: Tijuca Forest Challenge Hike Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 163 reviews · 9 hours · from $86Top rated

Take a demanding 10.4 km hike through Tijuca National Park with guides such as Gustavo, Ricardo, Pietro, or Tito. Climb Taquara Hill, visit Cascatinha Taunay, old coffee-farm ruins, caves, viewpoints, and a waterfall. Hotel pickup is available in Rio’s South Zone. Bring water, snacks, hiking shoes, and a swimsuit.

“Pietro is the best guide, very knowledgeable active and funny! He showed us the best views and was passionate about the hike himself that makes a huge difference! Definitely recommend his hike!”

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7.From Manaus: Presidente Figueiredo Waterfalls Daytrip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 149 reviews · 12 hours · from $90

Spend 12 hours traveling from Manaus to Presidente Figueiredo for two Amazon waterfalls, a forest walk, and Gruta do Refugio cave. You can swim in natural pools and see fish, turtles, bats, and possibly alligators. English and Portuguese guides, hotel transfers, admission, and lunch are included. Guides such as Miguel and Diego have earned strong praise for their care and humor.

“Everything was fine. On time pick-up, english speaking guide, good lunch... Not a tours fault, but the waterfall was disappointing as visited in dry season, so it was much different than on a picture. The second attraction ( a little trek a and cave) after the lunch was much better. Highly recommend to wear eg. sneakers for a trek and have a flip flops in a backpack as you will need to enter and walk in water.”

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8.From Rio: Arraial do Cabo – The Brazilian Caribbean Daytrip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 56 reviews · 14 hours · from $65

Spend a full day traveling from Rio to Arraial do Cabo, known for clear water and bright beaches. After a roughly three-hour drive, board a 120-person schooner at Praia dos Anjos for three swimming stops near Praia do Farol and Gruta Azul. Lunch, transport, and a guide are included, but drinks and breakfast cost extra.

“Hermoso lugar, aunque preferiría que la música del barco no fuera tan invasiva. El almuerzo correcto, pero poco variado.”

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9.Salvador: Praia Do Forte and Guarajuba Beach Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 56 reviews · 8 hours · from $43

Travel from Salvador along Bahia’s coconut-lined Camino del Coco to Praia do Forte and Guarajuba Beach. You’ll have time for the fishing village, optional Projeto Tamar visit, swimming, and Bahian lunch. Hotel pickup, return transport, and a Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking guide are included. English support is also noted in the tour details.

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10.From Búzios: Arraial do Cabo and Cabo Frio Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 53 reviews · 7 hours · from $79

You’ll ride from Búzios to Arraial do Cabo, board a coastal boat, and stop at three beautiful swimming spots near Lighthouse Island, Blue Grotto, Pontal do Atalaia, and Forno Beach. A guide speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Buffet lunch is included, but drinks, dessert, and possibly a R$25 boat fee are extra.

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11.Búzios Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 43 reviews · 12 hours · from $94

Travel from Rio to Búzios for a guided walk, schooner cruise past seven beaches, and buffet lunch with meat, fish, chicken, or vegetarian choices. Pickup covers downtown and Rio’s South Zone. The 12-hour trip runs in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, but long road transfers and a crowded boat may affect comfort.

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12.Boa Viagem or Piedade: Olinda and Recife Antigo Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 31 reviews · 7 hours · from $28

From Boa Viagem or Piedade, you’ll visit Olinda’s churches, ateliers, and Alto da Sé, then explore Recife Antigo, Bom Jesus Street, the first synagogue in the Americas, Marco Zero, Brennand’s sculpture park, and local crafts. Portuguese and Spanish guides, including Lionel, lead the day.

“Good value for money, to see the highlights of those two cities with no worries. Our guide Lionel was very helpful.”

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13.From Fortaleza: Day Trip to Jericoacoara

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 28 reviews · 18 hours · from $43

Leave Fortaleza before dawn for a 320-kilometer trip to Jericoacoara. After a 4x4 ride across the dunes, visit the sloth-shaped Árvore da Preguiça, Lagun Beach, the village, and Lagoa do Paraíso. The day lasts about 18 hours, with English, Spanish, and Portuguese support, though language arrangements should be confirmed.

“Bellissima experienza tutto bene ,aparte il pullman che aveva aria condizionata al massimo continuavo a chiedere di abbassare nulla nessuno capisce inglese nessuna lingua aparte portugheze ,înfrăți la prossima gita andiamo dietro di loro con la machina che abbiamo affittato quando siamo arivati in Brasile quomunque molto bell ,prendetevi vestiti qualcosa con manico lungo filar leggere per viso e testa nell auto che va in deserto non puoi senza occhiali da sole obbligatorio per la sabbia e vento ,buone vacanze ❤️🇧🇷”

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14.Fortaleza: Cumbuco Beach Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 23 reviews · 10 hours · from $11Best value

Leave Fortaleza’s seafront hotels for a full day at Cumbuco, 30 kilometers away. You’ll have time for swimming, beach huts, a village lunch, dune rides, buggy trips, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. A multilingual guide and air-conditioned transport are included, while food and optional activities cost extra.

“Pünktliche Abholung vor dem Appartement, sauberer Van. leider hat es so viel geregnet, dass man fast nichts unternehmen konnte im combuco. ich würde die Aktivität eher Familien empfehlen, weil man zu einem kleinen Erlebnispark gefahren wird. Kan kann nämlich schon mit dem Uber für ~80 R$ nach combuco von Fortaleza.”

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15.From Salvador: Praia do Forte & Guarajuba Beach Daytrip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 23 reviews · 8 hours · from $160

Travel from Salvador along Bahia’s Coconut Road to Praia do Forte and Guarajuba in a group of up to six. You’ll visit a turtle sanctuary, see natural pools and local crafts, then enjoy free time and a beachside lunch stop. Guides may speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese, with past guides including Joao Luis, Rodney, Sérgio, Wilson, and Vagner.

“Joao Luis was a terrific guide. He shared relevant information, and happily expanded when we asked follow up questions. He also has a dry wit, which made the conversations more fun. JL was also flexible throughout the day, so we never felt rushed and got to spend as much time as we wanted at each stop. He also made excellent eating recommendations. As a driver, he was careful and safety conscious, without being overly slow. I highly recommend a private tour for maximum flexibility and efficiency, and JL made our visit a pleasure.”

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