Argentina & Brazil

Arrival at Buenos Aires airport. Transfer to the hotel where we’ll meet our guide. After check-in, we will visit this amazing city with more than 10 million residents. We’ll admire the wide boulevards decorated with trees and flowers, the magnificent squares with the presidential palace, the congress palace, the impressive synagogue, the opera building, the Law Courts, the football stadium and of course the Jewish quarter where many families live, along with Jewish schools and dozens of synagogues.

After breakfast, we’ll continue to visit Buenos Aires. We’ll arrive in the district of Palermo, with it beautiful homes. We will visit the picturesque “La Boca” neighborhood of Italian immigrants and the magnificent” Riccoleto” cemetery. After dinner, we’ll go out to watch a spectacular tango show.

After breakfast, we’ll fly to Bariloche or its official name San Carlos de Bariloche, the “Chocolate City” with its magical Andean landscapes. Bariloche is a mountain resort located in the Nahuel Huapi National Nature Reserve, with its amazing views, snow-capped mountains, lakes and chocolate centers, making this place attractive to over a million tourists a year. It is the leading ski resort in Argentina and is considered the informal capital of the Argentine Lakes region. The city and its surroundings are filled with countless stunning lakes surrounded by snowy peaks and lush forests. Upon landing we will embark on what is known as the short circuit, Circuito Chico. We will take a cable car to Campanario, located 2500 meters above sea level and take in the panoramic view. We will hike in the Llao Llao (pronounced Yao Yao) Forest, located on the edge of the great Nahuel Huapi Lake.

Today we’ll drive Along the famous Route of the Seven Lakes, which connects San Martín de los Andes with the charming village of Villa La Angostura, near Bariloche. This route earned its name because it passes by seven large lakes (and several smaller ones), all renowned for their beauty, the unique color of their waters, and the stunning natural surroundings. The road winds between the lakes, offering breathtaking viewpoints, as well as sights of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, and incredible vegetation. This combination makes it, in the eyes of many, one of the most beautiful routes in Argentina — and in South America as a whole. We’ll return to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat.

After Shabbat services, kiddush and lunch, we’ll take a walking tour in the area around our hotel.

Today we will fly to the Pampas in Patagonia. We’ll land in the town of Calafate, located on the banks of Lake Argentina, bordered by the “land of fire”. It considered to be the “cultural end of the world” in the southern hemisphere. After landing, we will tour the area of Lake Argentina, to visit the “exploding glacier” “Perito Moreno” which rises 70 m above the lake. It’s 5 km wide! Often, huge blocks of ice break off the glacier and fall into the lake. We’ll stroll through the various scenic views and learn about this world’s wonder that attracts visitors from all over the world. Every now and again, as the ice breaks off the glacier, it causes a massive thunderous explosion, lending the name “exploding glacier” to Perito Moreno.

After breakfast we’ll take a cruise to see 2 amazing glaciers. The Upsala Glacier is one of the largest glaciers in South America. It stretches for about 50 kilometers and flows into Lake Argentino. The glacier is famous for its vast icebergs that break off and float in the lake, creating a breathtaking view. The Spegazzini Glacier is the tallest glacier in Los Glaciates National Park. Its ice wall reaches up to 135 meters (about 440 feet) in height. We’ll admire it during our boat excursion, which allows close-up views of the immense ice cliffs surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation. After the cruise, we’ll visit the Glaciarium museum. It is a modern interpretive center dedicated to glaciers and Patagonia’s ice fields. We’ll learn how glaciers form, move, and change over time, as well as their importance to the global ecosystem. One of the highlights is the Glaciobar, an ice bar built entirely of ice, from the walls to the glasses, offering a unique &chilly experience.

After breakfast we’ll head to the airport for our flight (via Buenos Aires) to Iguacu Falls Nature Reserve, one of the largest in the world. The falls are located on the border between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. After the long journey we’ll drive to our hotel.

Today will start the Argentinian side of the falls. The visit on this side enables us to get very close to the cascading falls. After the visit, we will cross the border to visit the Brazilian side of the falls. We’ll be presented with the most amazing panorama of multiple waterfalls gushing over cataracts as far as the eye can see. Once we’ve seen both sides, we’ll take a vote as to which side is better. In the evening we’ll go out to a folklore show.

Today we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s best-known city, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world due to its topography, its beaches, coves and luxurious neighborhoods, as well as the imposing mountains that lie within the city (including the famous Sugarloaf). After landing, we’ll start our tour of the city with an exploration of its famous beaches, including the famous Copacabana – renowned throughout the world.

Today We’ll continue to visit Rio. We’ll start at the old city, after which we’ll see the Samba Stadium (Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí), which every year hosts the largest carnival in the world. We’ll also view the Maracana Stadium, the world’s best-known soccer stadium with its 128,000 seats (!). After the tour ends, we’ll return to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat.

After Shabbat services, kiddush and lunch, we’ll take a walking tour in the area around our hotel.

Today, we’ll enjoy a jeep tour to the unusual reserve on Mount Corcovado for a spectacular panoramic view over the city. The sight from up there is remarkable in its beauty and explains why Rio is such a special city. We’ll continue to the Tijuca Rain Forest, the world’s largest urban rain forest which is located in the heart of the city. The forest is home to thousands of plant species and animals which exist only in Atlantic rain forests. The forest is full of delightful niches with flowing waterfalls. We’ll end the day at with tour of the Favelas of Rio, the shanty towns that almost surround the city (dependent upon receiving permits from the city authorities). Our tour is coming to an end. After dinner, transfer to the airport for our flights to our home gateways.