MY BEAUTIFUL BRAZIL - A COUNTRY THAT YOU NEVER IMAGINE

Imagine an adventure of a life time.

Now imagine a trip to Brazil that you can never realize how grand it will be....

Think about a place where nature rules and simplicity will be the only rule that you will have to obbey.

Start to make plans that you will see places way beyond Rio de Janeiro...you will be the witness of lands that our conquerors once came...A land so virgin like the colonization times....

Just start thinking of yourself as part of a fantastic NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION or having as a trip partner the famous british traveller Michael Palin...Not the one you saw at Monty Python, that famous surreal comedy group...but exploring with him unusual indigenous villages and incredilble wild rivers and exotic waterfalls full of absolutely fascinating animals.

Or just diving deep in your thoughts like part of the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition, when they explore the fantastic River of Doubt in the most pitoresque middle of Amazon Forest, more details about that you can really find in the famous book RIVER OF DOUBT: THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S DARKEST JOURNEY written by Candice Millard or the fascinating book written by Roosevelt himself called THROUGH THE BRAZILIAN WILDERNESS.

But this time you will be the character of a bewildering adventure or you will be the author of the most fantastic journey of your life!!!!!



THIS AMAZON JOURNEY WILL BE FOR ADVENTURERS OR PEOPLE WITH AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT. I am an enthusiast fan of the endless brazilian natural diversity and I have always travelled the country searching for places that you and I can discover together. I am paid to make Brazil such a fascinating, marvelous, informal and easy destination for you and more than a Tour Guide I am a real passionate traveller that will be always ready to show you real stuff not only in Rio but all over Brazil. And I want to help my country to be one of the most incredible destinations in the World.

AND BE TOTALLY SURE THAT I DO MY BEST TO ACCOMPLISH!!!!

Roraima is one of the gateway for such a dreamt voyage....When you think about an Amazon Trip you will think about MANAUS or the name of its State which is Amazonas...BUT WHAT ON EARTH THIS PLACE CALLED RORAIMA WILL GIVE YOU THE TRIP OF A LIFE TIME....

Well, I am here to make the difficult easy for you....And Roraima will be your very uncommon but absolutely UNIQUE destination.


We will take care of your comfort, that's for sure...we will find farms in the jungle, but there will be places where you will see a hammock as a FIVE STAR HOTEL BED!!! There will be time for you to relax and mingle with the local population. You will be seen as part of the environment, not a gringo celebrity in a exotic place...Life will be simple but it will give you great thoughts about your own life, it will give new values to realize that protecting our resources is the only way to save our World. You will see that you can be the happiest person in the World with so many simple things. It will be a journey of a new way of thinking....

Am I being so thoughtful????? Maybe yes...the nature inspires me...Brazil makes me very full of imagination...but I am here to make our imagination real and thanks to all my friends in the country, my friends, these dreams ARE POSSIBLE!!!!


A place where NATURE RULES...a place that a meeting with unlikely situations will be quite a routine. But for sure everywhere you go will be a chance to spot with wonderful creatures. Of course with the help and protection of very expertise staff. Roraima has still Jaguars in the wilderness and seeing one can be possible, but very difficult I should say.

In my whole travels in the country and I know Brazil quite well, I just see one once and it was in the Iguazu Falls Area.

Darwin would have multiple orgasm if he had heard about Roraima when he came here more than 200 years ago, the diversity of the Amazon amazes you and the monkeys will make an extra show...I am sorry for the colorful vocabulary but there is nothing like ONE ORGASM to describe so many beauty and so many gorgeous experiences that wait for you in those Amazon Days.

Macows have the color of the Brazilian Flag and perrots of all kind can be seen...it is an explosion of colors provided by a diverse number of birds. The whole place is a paradise for birders or simply Nature Lovers like us....

Meeting people from many different cultures for sure gives you a super extra flavor in your journeys...And this trip will allow you to visit very well hidden indigenous communities not only in Brazil but in the neighboring Venezuela which wilderness is equally fabulous and access not so difficult as it seems. My staff has open doors in both country and there will be always guides and authorized people to guarantee safety in this journey.

A smile of a child will be priceless and maybe the highlight of your Amazon Travels....

In Roraima also we can plan about a trip to the Brazil's roof...yes the highiest peak of Brazil is there...the misterious MOUNT RORAIMA stands there untouchable watching the changes of nature through the years, giving fantastic challenges for a traveller....

You do not need to be an INDIANA JONES to be part of this fantastic trip...you do not need to reach the top of Roraima Mount, just seeing the mountain in a distance will be a breathless prize for you.

There will be several ways for you to explore the area...by plane, by jeep, by car, using your own legs, by boat. Accomodations of all kind and budgets. Specialized guides of my total trust and approval, sometimes with my own presence. Our guides there are locals and very well known in the communities. You will be always in good hands. We will always have the right people for you in the right places....

Nothing that I said here would never be possible without the incredible help of Roraima Adventures, a very reliable local receptive operator that I know for years. This idea is captained by my friend Magno Souza, the one who believed in his own land to make it one of the most extraordinary places in this planet. Magno always help me when I send my people under his care.

Roraima Adventures and me will take you to see the main wild spots in the State and also we can organize expeditions to Canaima and Angel Falls...

The trip can take at least five nights, a week, 10 days or two weeks...We need minimum five nights to organize the best journey of your life ever....

A LITTLE BIT OF RORAIMA...It is one of the North Region State which capital is Boa Vista, the city lies on the edge of the long and gorgeous Rio Branco River and it is close to the out stunning Tepequem Mountains. The journey will start in Rio de Janeiro where we will tour the city, well, you also need to visit RIO DE JANEIRO, then we take a plane to Boa Vista that takes about 4 hours...

The trip will be best affordable if you organize small groups of friends but we can try to help if you come with less people, we always find a way.

You see??? Brazil can be your travel destination every year...Discover much more than a country...Brazil is a continent that I want to help you to discover...

Count on me and Roraima Adventures to organize your whole Amazon Plans...the company can organize trips outside the State that means you can go out of the borders of Roraima and visit Amazonas, Para and of course Maranhao.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend in Brazil

THE SOUTH AFRICAN (AND KIWI) FAMILY - MY WOW TOUR

Once in a while I have great tours with guests from South Africa and I had the honor to welcome simply NINE PEOPLE plus one SUPER GREAT KIWI FRIEND Katya that join our ZA Group that we fondly named her as KIWI.

I am always a great fan of South Africa, since Mandela's time I was interested about the country and all its beauties.d Cape Town has lots of stories about myself...it is natural copy of RIO DE JANEIRO, but we have much more in common...the fascinating mix of our people and the big variety of so many cultures!!!

It is cool to welcome South Africa people because I have always reasons and facts to compare with their cities. Johannesburg very simular to São Paulo. Cape Town and Rio...Pretoria with its gardens reminds me Curitiba, the Wetlands of Santa Lucia with our marshy land of Pantanal and finally Durban that has something of Rio and something of our Nordeste, specially Maceió or Natal.


Our tour was more cultural than "beach tour", they were concerned about experience the "soul of the city" so nothing better than visiting one character that tells alot about the OPEN HEART OF RIO DE JANEIRO THAT WELCOMES PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

One good example is our chilean artist Selaron that changed the history of two very traditional neighborhoods...Santa Tereza with its fantastic portuguese heritage, lots of incredible barroc architecture, lots of great local restaurants and bars; cobbled stones streets; and LAPA...super bohemian district with a lot of Samba Houses like CARIOCA DA GEMA and RIO SCENARIUM....

Santa Tereza and Lapa altogether tells to every visitor a informal history of Rio.

And my south african family organized by my good friend Nitasha, the one who wrote to me requesting a tour with her friends, and thanks to her I got more friends in the RAINBOW country!!!



Another good way to understand about Rio's reality is to witness how we are all reacting against CRIME provinding a lot of social projects and security to our poorest neighborhood. And now it is possible to visit the various Favelas in Rio de Janeiro where we get to know colorful people, we really see how people from many different backgrounds live in Brazil.

THE REAL THING IN RIO IS GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE and this is what I do everytime I take my people to see so many communities...

Favela is too much connected with crime, unfortunately, but you must remember that FAVELA GIVES US THE SAMBA CULTURE, THE FAVELA GIVES US INCREDIBLE FOOTBALL PLAYERS and the views from our Favelas in the Hills are unique!!!!

So either in Santa Marta or Khayelitsha in Cape Town; either in Rocinha or in Soweto near JOBURG we will find wonderful people there.

Right now there is a wonderful project going on in Cape Town, in the so called "townships", and a special one is called YOUTH FOR CHANGE - I am a big fun of this documentary that you can see on YOUTUBE - here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkp5Tjr6G-E

Obama, the US PRESIDENT had the chance to visit Khayelitsha when he was a senator running for the ellections that he won and it is very interesting also to see this video! Here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_YbLKguDqk&feature=related

Also very recently in March, the same Obama visited one FAVELA of Rio, the distant poor community in the West of the city famous for the movie CITY OF GOD but our present time Cidade de Deus is a good example of WORK AND SOCIAL PROJECTS with good results and crime is loosing space in a place that once was the most dangerous place in Rio de Janeiro, please check the video of Obama's visit in our FAVELA - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Euvu1ePUI&feature=related - it is all in portuguese but the images shows how successful and very important this visit mean to us. I am just sorry not to be Obama's Guide in Rio, I would have better ideas for him to visit.

And RAFA will be here to show you the best of Rio to tall my South African Friends and all my good friends all over the World.



Ishshah is my new friend from South Africa that I had pleasure to welcome!!! She has the smile of the magic of Africa and she came to Rio to make the city even more beautiful. And we took this picture thanks to our other Family Members in a very interesting market in Humaitá, near Botafogo, the famous COBAL where we can find excellent food!!! Incredible place to buy food and also to hang out at night, it is one of our night life most famous spots!

Well, NOW YOU KNOW THAT SOUTH AFRICA HAS TO ADD BRAZIL IN THEIR TRAVEL PLANS...OUR BROTHERHOOD IS VERY DEEP AND DIVERSE.

Thank you very much,

Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner
A friend of Africa

LOTS OF WAITING IN THE CHRIST - BIG HOLIDAYS - NO CHRIST!!!

Oh no....do not think I am an anti-Christ...I am not...I am just trying to say that during big holidays when the WHOLE BRAZIL PLUS THE WHOLE WORLD decide to visit the city everything gets chaotic in Rio. Impossible to go to the Christ, impossible to go to the Sugar Loaf. Unless if you want to stay in long lines with me talking about everything for more than 3 hours!!! I can stay!!! HAHAHAHAHA :)






Seriously, in case like that I repeat, I will use my improvisation skill and active PLAN B, and believe me, I have lots of PLAN Bs....

And if you have time, we can always go to the Christ in a second visit or if you have another day available.

That day we spend a long time in a huge queue with my South African Friends which I had such a fabulous time.

Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner
A friend in Rio

LONG QUEUES EVERYWHERE IN EASTER HOLIDAYS

It is sad but it is true...in long holidays we should avoid going to the Christ or Sugar Loaf, the waiting will kill your day and our day. I tried to go to the Christ twice during Easter Holidays and we couldn't...Long line of cars in the road to Christ and insane lines to take the train.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Aq63fGyuvg - Just watch this video and you will see the torture of going to the Christ during a busy holiday - SEE IT PLEASE!!!!

So my best advice...in situation like that, let me use my IMPROVISATION POWER and I will save precious time of your adventure in Rio.

PLACES TO AVOID IN SPECIAL EVENTS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

HOLIDAYS EVE WHEN WE CROSS NITEROI'S BRIDGE
THE CHRIST
THE SUGAR LOAF

Happy Travels,

Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide - Travel Planner
A friend in Rio de Janeiro

You also have to consider coming to Rio together with various cruiseline ships...the famous places will be a chaos, maybe it is better to go one day before or one day after the ships' arrival...

INDIA AND BRAZIL - YOU WILL BE SURPRISED

Brazilians are always fascinated about India and we are very curious about Indian People...in the big cities like São Paulo, Rio, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and some other big cities in the North East of Brazil such as Recife and São Luis, YOGA is very popular. In Rio, Shantalla is a fever, many mothers go to YOGA CENTERS to get their babies deeply relaxed with this incredible indian massage. The costuns, the indian landscape and the deep conexion with Goa, also so many vegetable species that we have in common with India like the Mangoes, the Jack Fruit and the incredibly shady almond trees...

In 2009 in the World of Soap Operas which Brazil is the leading capital we decided to show INDIA to all Brazilian, in noble time in our TV...TV GLOBO started with the absolutely luxurious CAMINHO DAS INDIAS production and we invited as a co-work the huge giant movie makers BOLLYWOOD!!!!

Go to youtube and see the opening of the NOVELA, this is what we saw everyday between august and november 2009 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0k5UGDCQuk&feature=fvsr

And also this indian scened performed by brazilian artists - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxo0tS3VrzM - that is the moment when the Dadi of Raj tells the family that his son died and the widow Maya got desperated.

LOTS OF INDIAN DANCE IN BRAZILIAN VERSION - SOOOOO FUNNY - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcCwYIsb3MM&feature=related WHAT THIS VIDEO ENTERILY!!!

We decided to send our actors and actresses to India where they spent months learning the culture, the language, the habits and dress code. It was a great fun time for Brazilians in India, until then a very difficult destination for us, but since the Soap Opera started, India became a very common destination for Brazilians.

Hindi words like the romantic and full of desire sentences like MEN TUNSYE BAHUT PYAR KARTA HUN which means I love you so much (in very intimacy moment); we also learnt that there different kind of love in the Indian culture like the PYAR which is a love full of desire and PREM which is a divine love, something beyond description, a sort of love that you do not care about being loved, you just love!!! :)

Or if you want to put an end in any topic you are discussing...just say SHIVA SHIVA SHIVA or DURGA DURGA DURGA which is evoking a God as powerful as Shiva...

Even funnier is listening from every one in the streets of Brazil words like DJA DJA (which means go go go) or more impressive when a single brazilian says out loud AREBABA!!! (more or less like MY GOD!!!). Also we know that in a more repsectful way there are brazilians that says ARABAGUANDI...Also it was very common to say in Rio TIKE HE...which means ALRIGHT!!!

Also some angry words like saying GANDU to one person, for sure an indian person will be very offended, but it means calling someone as very stupid. Or KUTTA which means DOG, calling someone as KUTTA is not a good idea.

In My Tours I am PRIVILEGED to welcome so many people from India...indian people living in the UK, indian people living in the USA, indian people living in Australia, indian people living in South Africa...I think that the indian community do like me; maybe because they know that I also admire their culture, maybe they know that I am very curious about India and somehow I understand their culture and habits so I make their stay in Rio de Janeiro and in the rest of Brazil very easy and comfortable for them!!!

If you read my old postings you will see that I had great experiences with my indian friends!!! :) I am just not so used with the spicy food, but I love some soft flavors...

Anyway...

My interest for India is something that follows my whole life...I am sure I will go there one day and I will report in this blog my INDIAN ADVENTURES!!! I am a great fan of their culture, I am a great fan of their geography, I would love to learn more about the forests of Kashimir, the coast of Kerala, the joy and excitiment of Goa with their very similar costuns that Brazil and Goa share...the misteries of Jaipur...the majestic HIMALAIA RANGE; one of my dreams is spotting the lions in Gir region. India for me means FASCINATION. It is for sure one of the countries in Asia that I am mad about visiting....

I am so crazy to visit India that I even would love to understand the so complicated rules of CRICKET which I know it is like football here in Brazil.

NAMASTE to all my Indian Friends and NAMASTE to all Indian Readers which I deeply thank you for your attention!!!

Send me wonderful indian families, I am always here ready to show you the best of Rio and the best of my country to you!!!

DHANYABAD or simply CHUKRIA for all your interest, curiosity and friendship!!!

With all my love,

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend in Rio

MY ENGLISH FRIENDS WITH INDIAN TASTE

This is the privilege of making friends almost everyday, and I make REAL good friends!!! And Fecebook helps to keep in touch....YUPIEEEEE VIVA FACEBOOK!!! :) Shohil contacted me first telling that we would come with his wife Arti and another friendly couple Minesh and Varsha!!! ABSOLUTELY VERY SWEET PEOPLE!!! I think it took less than two seconds for us to be GREAT FRIENDS forever!!! We had a blast in Rio and in Niteroi. We focused our tour on many social profiles in Rio, we decided to learn how CARIOCA PEOPLE LIVE!!! These two couples live in London, city where I always have wonderful friends, and they are more friends from this incredible and special country called England. England that now welcomes all people from all over the World. India plays a important part in England's live offering very efficient professional in all areas and also increasing the english gastronomy with their exquisite and hot food. I always welcome indian families in my tours...coming straight from India, from England, Canada and USA and I am proud to hear that the wuality of my work are reaching those families and I WANT MORE!!! IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE BETTER STRUCTURE TO WELCOME INCLUDING THE MOST TRADITIONAL FAMILIES WHERE THEY WILL FIND IN BRAZIL THE FOOD THEY EAT SPECIALLY MADE FOR THEM!!! I just apologyze for not speaking not even one of the more than 400 languages and dialets from this country which I think it is one of the most fascinating countries in the World!!! I wish I could speak Hindi, Urdu, Concani, Kanara, Meithei, Marata, Nepali, Dogri or Kokborok... BUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART IS UNIVERSAL AND THESE WONDEFUL FOUR FRIENDS LIVE IN MINE!!! A VISIT TO LAPA DURING THE DAY GIVES US A CHANCE TO FOLLOW THE BEAUTIFUL WORK OF STREET ARTISTS THAT WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEIR NAMES, BUT WITH THEIR ART THEY EXPLAIN THE CULTURE OF BRAZIL AND THE MAGIC OF SAMBA!!! LIKE THIS MURAL IN ORDER TO MAKE A TRIBUTE TO OUR FAMOUS SAMBA COMPOSER BEZERRA DA SILVA. LAPA IS MUSICAL, LAPA IS PLACE WHERE YOU CAN REALLY EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF OUR LOCAL VIBE. IT IS JUST ONE STREET NAMED JOAQUIM DA SILVA, BUT SOMETIMES IT MEANS A WORLD TO US!

VISITING THE QUIET FISHING VILLAGE OF JURUJUBA IS NOT EXACTLY A TOURIST ATTRACTION, BUT IT IS A GREAT CHANCE FOR YOU TO SEE A COLORFUL NEIGHBORHOOD OF RIO THAT NO TOURISTS GO. AND YOU KNOW ME WELL, I AM NOT SOOOO WORRIED ABOUT "TOURIST ATTRACTIONS" I SHOW YOU INTERESTING PLACES IN RIO THAT WILL MAKE YOUR TRIP THE MOST SPECIAL EVER!!!

SOME SEEDS ARE WONDERFUL TO EAT AND THIS ONE I FELL IN LOVE. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS A DELICIOUS INDIAN WONDER BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT SESAME IS ABSOLUTELY TASTY!!!

THIS WAS OUR ITINERARY:

We stopped by Flamengo's Park to have a privileged view of the Sugar Loaf and Guanabara Bay. Then we drove to Centro to go to Santa Tereza, we strolled around the cobbled stones streets and watched the impressive portuguese colonial architecture and we saw a lot of local life in the neighborhood with an interesting stop at Selaron Stairs. Before reaching the bridge, we stopped in a very old Monastery, São Bento Church and visited the first barroc church in Rio de Janeiro built in 1590. We crossed the bridge of Niteroi and stopped by the Modern Art Museum, impressive modern construction by the famous brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, from there we could see maervelous views of the Bay Coast such as all over Icarai Beach, the island of Boa Viagem and the mountains of Rio altogether. Our next stop was lunch in a local brazilian barbecue restaurant Verdana...What a wonderful stomacal experience there!!! We went to the viewpoint of Parque da Cidade, famous city's paraglyding plataform. The Hill we went is called VIRAÇÃO. Our last stop before going to the Christ was the fishing village of Jurujuba. We took photos of the charming simple way of life in the community. We tried to save a cat which was quite ill and after finding a place where we tried the AÇAI CREAM.

After a quick and wild drive coming back we reached the Christ where they could see all over Rio in the day and in the night.

Thanks folks for your good spirit, thanks for your accurate sense of adventure, thanks alot for your smile and thanks for being part of my work, once you did that you are all part of my life now.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A Friend in Rio

QUE VIVA ESPAÑA

I still have very few guests from my second country, Spain, but every now and then they come and we have such a wonderful FAMILY DAY. This family is from the vibrant capital of España, MADRID.

I have spanish bloods, my descendents are from the south of Spain, Malaga and Sevilla.

Carlos came with his wife, Isabel, lovely and great people, and the infant Daniel. Carlos also brought his SUEGROS (in Laws) Trini and Eusebio...The day passed like a flash, it is always like this when the tour is GORGEOUS...

We saw the Forest, we went to the Christ and I took them to see my homeland NITEROI...

Well, Niteroi I know as the palm of my hand. I was raised there..and they kindly sent me this picture we took in the roof of Niteroi, the majestic Parque da Cidade on the Viração Hill. It is a very unknown spot that you can have a wonderful and unique view right in front of your nose!!!

Just like them you can experience different places!!!

Now allow me to practice my poor spanish to send to my RAMOS FAMILY my words of love...

Queridos...que gusto recibirles...que gusto hacer de Rio vuestra casa...que enorme placer sentir que en mi vida tengo nuevos amigos de nuestra Patria Madre. Ustedes saben muy bien lo cuanto vuestra Tierra late fuerte en mi corazon. Asi que gracias por el cariño y por toda la amistad.

Son gentes de mucho valor y les espero para una visita aun mas larga en mi Tierra que tambien es suya!!!

Tanto en Rio como en Buenos Aires, y tambien como en Madrid, siempre tendran alguien en Rio para hacer de esta ciudad tu hogar!!!

QUE VENGAN LOS ESPAÑOLES!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend in Rio

THE FEBRUARY SUPER TOUR - LOGISTICS

I know that the number of guests coming to my tours are increasing enormously so with great clients and friends I decided to organize groups for February Tours. This is the time of the year when big numbers of cruiseships docks in Rio and this people need something real, genuine and out of the touristt plastic tours. I have a group of incredible tour guides, they are all people that I trust, they are all my close friends, so I know them very well, and I can easily recommend each one from the top of my well lived 12 years of experience in the tour business in Rio de Janeiro. And amazingly lots of people are writing to me requesting tours so I am in a crazy research about excellent and personal guides who will help me in this challenge. But for the Moment, with me, Marcone, Françoise, Suzi and Diana. But more professionals are being observed and they will do their very best to provide you a wonderful adventure in Rio.

We will have an air conditioning van good for 16 people but we will always form a group of max 14 people. A good suggestion, get to know friends in the Ship and write to me telling who is coming and then this will be a small private group where people know each other already.

The prices do not include meals and tickets. The Guides will always find genuine and local places for you to spend your money.

As for tickets, think that you will only pay the Christ, the Sugar Loaf and the boat in the Wetlands...

The tour will cover the traditional places that will make you tell to anyone you know - "I HAVE BEEN IN RIO" but the tour will give you the opportunity to see so many places that for sure no one will have access.

So not not wait too much until you make your decision, write to me and we will find a way for you to have the best time of your life!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend in Rio

THE FEBRUARY SUPER TOUR - ARE YOU COMING????

Whites, blacks, yelllows, reds, greens, grays, blues...All colors will be together in Rio next February...You will be here before, during and after Carnaval Time and to be honest it will be Carnaval all over the month...And as you know sometimes Carnaval starts when Carnaval ends!!! It is crazy but evereywhere we go. Samba will be present. OUR FEBRUARY SUPER TOUR WILL WELCOME INDIVIDUALS, COUPLES, PARTY OF FRIENDS AND GROUPS. We are organizing very exciting tours as you will see in the section...THE FEBRUARY SUPER TOUR. Here you will find information about our itineraries and guides and all the logistics in detail. It will be your chance to experience something that I consider, THE SOUL OF RIO!!!

Life is 24/7 in Rio during this time...in my work and in my private life I am all dedicated to Carnaval. This is the time of the year that being happy is not sufficient, you have to be absolutely overjoyed. It is the time to live your life like it was your last day. It is a time where every single face you look you will be blessed with a large smile!!!

Carnaval in Brazil is fun everywhere...The best way to travel the country and get to know how naturally people get together just to dance, have fun and a wonderful time for you to understand even more our exciting culture!!!

The african traditions gave us the Samba, the Batucada, the Samba da Crioula, the Maracatu, the Coco. They gave us joy and convince us that life can be simple and magnificent with very few stuff, just bring your good will, your curiosity and your happiness then CARNAVAL IS MADE!!!

Best places in Brazil where you can have the best Carnaval ever is for sure Rio de Janeiro, São Luis, Salvador, Olinda and Ouro Preto.

But now it is your time to come to Rio and see what is REAL PARTY!!!!

We will be here to help day and night...Let's organize night tours also...the tours in the day you can read in the postings below.

As for prices, you just have to write to me and I will let you know!!!!

Book your presence as soon as possible!!!

BRAZILIANIZE YOURSELF!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend in Rio

THE FEBRUARY SUPER TOUR - DAY ONE

The tour is specially created for Cruise Line Travellers but it is also a good itinerary if you want to come to Rio now and experience the unique and genuine Rio de Janeiro, where you will have the taste of our soul, the CARIOCA WAY OF LIFE. But in February, LOADS OF CRUISE SHIPS WILL COME, and I want all our travel fellas to know that when they port in Rio they will have people to trust their great and accurate travel wishes!!! With the help of many friends in USA, Canada, England and Australia, I decided to form GROUPS up to 14 people to explore Rio by the EYES OF A LOCAL We have lots of groups being formed, our cruisers write to me and I organize the group... It will be the two days in RIO... You can do the two, or you can just pick up one of the days and joining the club of independent and smart travellers. This is the first day of our tour that will give you a very rich introduction of Rio, you will see a big portion of our Coast including the very unknown western beaches. OUR ITINERARY: Our first day I will do something that you will have a great idea about Rio, you will drive directly to see the Christ, then after the Christ (it can also be BEFORE) we will explore the charming neighborhood of Santa Tereza and the BIGGEST HUMAN MASTER PIECE IN RIO - THE SELARON STAIRS. Then we will explore all over the Tijuca Forest, you will see incredible views and many water springs and water falls, lots of nature. Then you will see our wetlands at Marapendi Channels, you will see more very local ocean beaches like Barra da Tijuca and Joa, you will also see the unknown beaches of our west side like Recreio, Prainha and Grumari. When you get back to the hotel I will take you to see the rocks of Arpoador and the Fort of Copacabana.

VERY IMPORTANT!!! As for the Christ, there is a possibility that the Christ will be absolutely cloudy, so cloudy that it will be impossible to see the Statue, in this condition, can we skip the Christ??? It is pointless visit the statue when everything is White and we hardly see our own noses and it makes nonsense to spend the ticket money when we have such na awful visibility!!!

I have on you tube some videos that you can have an idea about some of the places we will see this day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2KXe6Jg8KQ&feature=related – One of the days that I was touring at the Christ. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_47ppOeRxrk – One of our tours at the Wetlands of Marapendi when we spot a capyvara, the biggest rodent in the world, and there we can see so many birds! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q13Q6JEk_i0 – The wetlands is also a local neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, and I always stop at Cicero’s bar for some drinks and delicious brazilian snacks.

TIJUCA FOREST - THE BACK YARD OF RIO AND WHAT A GREEN YARD!!! The city has a forest in the middle of its territory, an endless water resource with so many springs and waterfalls, thick greenery with beautiful exotic trees and wild animals. Visiting the Forest will be one fantastic stop in our tours!

MARAPENDI WETLANDS - Well, it is not a touristic place, it is just one neighborhood of Rio where you can witness the delicious and quiet pace of life in the west side of the city, also your chance to see interesting birdlife. IMPORTANT - For us to explore the area we will need a boat that the locals call it as CHALANAS, and you will have to pay the boatmen, he will charge 15 reais per person.

Grumari, Ipanema, Arpoador and Copacabana will be part of our first day!!!

Well, the plan is online now...read everything and write to me in order to guarantee your presence in this local experience, travelling to Rio is also feeling the city and this is what we will do.

Like always, when you come to Rio, you will find real friends!!! More than tour guides we are people who are happy to welcome you like old friends!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

donrafainrio@yahoo.es