Brazil Vacation Package - Brazil Rafting Adventure (4 Nights)

Santa Catarina is made up of a mixture of nationalities that are reflected in the culture and historical heritage of the state and possesses a variety of scenery from white sandy beaches and tropical forests to mountains. The geographic diversity of the state, allied to the rich and preserved vegetation, guarantees fascinating scenery and various outdoor activities. The state is a paradise for those who love sports like diving, surfing, hang-gliding, hiking, mountain climbing, canoeing and white-water rafting. The Itajaí River, located at Vale do Itajaí¬, offers the best rapids in Brazil to enjoy rafting.

Activities included in this package are done in a mountainous region, near the Catarinense coastline. The Mata Atlantica surrounds the area with its lush subtropical rain forest. Rafting is developed inside a deep valley covered by Mata Atlantica Rainforest.

Day 1:

In Florianópolis you will be going to the Caldas da Imperatriz, a small town in the middle of the beautiful Serra do Tabuleiro State Park. This town has one of the best thermal water fountains in the world.

You will lodge in a pousada with thermal water. In the afternoon you will raft in the Cubatão River, (level II and III) for a duration of one and half hours. The tour will conclude in a little charming town called Santo Amaro da Imperatriz.

You will return to the pousada and in the end of the afternoon you will have an opportunity to visit an authentic sugar-cane brandy distillery. During the barbecue at night you will have a briefing about the expedition for the following day.

Day 2:

In the morning we will leave the pousada and drive to the Serra do Mar and Angelina, a small town surrounded by the mountains. Here the Tijucas River disappears from civilization into the deep valley, where the rich vegetation of Mata Atlântica Rainforest -still untouched by the human's hands- covers the hillsides.

You will be surrounded by the most remote landscape in the South of Brazil.

Rafting in this region is unique. Each rapid is a new challenge and none have the same form nor grade. Rapids are level II, and there are numerous level III as well.

In the end of the afternoon we will arrive at our destination- at the top of Grota Funda or "Passo do Fritzgeraldo", a 12 meter waterfall. After the waterfall, there is a canyon where the rapids are level VI (for experienced rafters).

You will camp in a small platform inside the untouched forest with access to the canyon. Enjoy dinner and bonfire.

Day 3:

After the breakfast, you will pack your things and continue your tour in the canyon. You will carry all the equipments and the boats on a 150 meter trail inside the forest. You will then follow the trail until the starting point of your rappelling excursion on a cliff 30 meters high.

Now you will be in the heart of the canyon. You will join the crew and follow the tour to the next several rapids. Some of these rapids are very technical. In the middle of the afternoon you will meet your land support staff next to the suspension bridge at the entrance of the village.

After lunch we will drive three and half hours to the Itajaí­ Valley and you will have dinner there.

You will stay the night at a pousada surrounded by nature.

Day 4:

This day is reserved for a different adventure. You will explore some of the several waterfalls in Itajaí­ Valley.

Depending on the climatic conditions, you can decide to go on an authentic canyoning adventure, surrounded by Mata Atlântica Rainforest, or cascading in several waterfalls that drop 80 meters a cliff.

Day 5:

The Itaj­aí River offers the best rapids in Brazil for rafting. On this day, you will complete the "Cutiativa" part in four hours.

The trip begins in "Cutias Island" and ends at a pousada, after rafting 14 kilometers.

In the beginning of the descent there are thrilling passages like "Free Fall" or "Montanha Russa", followed by other continuing rapids for 2 kilometers - the Caninana (level IV). After that comes calm waters, then increasing rapids of level III followed by the descent of "Labirinto" and "Caldeirão".

Then come some weak rapids and calm parts of the river. In the middle of the trip we will take a break to dive off a 5 meter high stone.

In the last part of the adventure, you will visit the wonderful waterfall of Santa Luzia. The contour of "Morro Pelado" (Bald Hill) forms a canyon with a splendid landscape and offers the best rapids of the trip. "The Pauleira" of (level IV and "the Criancinhas" (level III) form the great finale of this radical rafting .

You will have lunch, and in the afternoon, return to Florianópolis airport.