 | See the Rio coastline from Sugarloaf Mountain | | | | | Brazil is a country that occupies a lot of space in my imagination, but planning a trip there feels slightly overwhelming. I want to dance through the streets of Rio with feathers on my head during Carnaval. I want to lounge on a hidden beach and watch whales on their annual migration. I also want to don giant boots and and trek my way through a rainforest. With so much to see and do and what feels like so little time, I've haven't yet had a chance to visit. Until now. After speaking with Elsewhere's Cris Leone, I'm starting to feel a little more prepared to plan a trip to this incredible country. Especially if I can lean on Cris to help me plan my trip. | | | | | Destination Editor, Lonely Planet | | | | | Cris Leone creates tailor-made trips for travelers to Brazil. Here are a few experiences she loves to include. | | Spot a Jaguar in the Pantanal | | | | | | | Search for Jaguars in the Pantanal. These speed boat river safaris explore lakes, river channels and lagoons. You'll search for jaguars and have opportunity to see wildlife roaming the riverbanks and sand dunes. | | | | | Climb trees in the Amazon. Explore the treetops of the Amazon's largest trees and see the forest from a bird's eye perspective. | | | | | Trek barefoot in Lençóis Maranhenses. Ditch your heavy hiking boots in favor of hiking in your socks as you visit isolated lagoons in the national park. | | | | | Get soaked by Iguaçu Falls. Take a specially designed boat up the rapids of the lower Iguaçu River to the majestic Devils Throat. | | | | | Watch the sunet at Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio. Ride a cable-car up Sugar Loaf Mountain and admire the views of Guanabara Bay, Corcovado and Rio-Niteroi Bridge. From the top watch the sun set over Copacabana, Santa Cruz fortress and the Niteroi beaches. | | | | | Spelunk in the Enchanted Lagoon. The best time to explore this majestic cave in Chapada Diamantina is from April to August when sunlight flows through a natural window illuminating the incredibly blue water. | | | Ready to book your trip to Brazil? | Work with Cris to create a custom life-changing adventure in Brazil | | | | Ride a bike through Rio's famed beaches | | | | | How did you start working in the travel industry? | I started working as a translator for an Italian cruise line. I spent 6 years traveling the world onboard cruise ships, and when I came back to Brazil in 2014, I started working for Pure Brasil. We create tailor-made, custom trips for Elsewhere. | | | Why do you enjoy this work? | I like to think I'm helping people build awesome memories. Its rewarding to know I'm part of their most incredible experiences. | | | | | When you're planning a trip to Brazil keep in mind the size. You will need to narrow down what you want to do. | | | How does the trip designing process work? | First, I like to understand them [the client]. What they like, what other trips they've done, hobbies and interests. Then I explain Brazil and present a Power Point so they can have an idea of how big Brazil is. I show all the regions and the highlights. Then depending on feedback, I suggest a first itinerary sketch and from that point on, we meet a few times to adjust the itinerary and make it perfect and unique for the travelers. | | | What is your favorite experience that you offer travelers? | There are a few, but I love to ride a bike along the beaches in Rio de Janeiro. We start in Impanema, pass by Arpoador, stop at Copacabana to drink coconut water and then we arrive in Leme to enjoy the view. I also really like the boat ride in the Pantanal to search for wildlife. The main highlight is seeing jaguars in their natural habitat. | | | | | When people come to Brazil they are constantly surprised by the warmth of the Brazilian people, and the wonderful food. | | | What kind of wildlife can you see on the Pantanal cruise? | 156 species of mammals, 98 reptiles and 53 species of amphibians. Around 1700 plants and 650 bird species. Among them, Jaguars, deer, giant anteaters, caimans, capybaras, giant ocelots, capuchin monkeys, agoutis, coatis, armadillos – the list goes on. | | | Why are these trips into the Pantanal or Amazon so important? | The Amazon is the biggest rainforest in the world. Visiting is an opportunity, not only to see impressive landscapes and wildlife, but it's also a way to reduce deforestation as tourism provides economic alternatives to local people and helps spread awareness, locally and globally. | | | | | Definitely eat moqueca, feijoada, tapioca, Pão de Queijo, Brigadeiro and açaÃ. Definitely drink guarnará, caldo de cana and caipirinha. | | | How to do you help mitigate the impact of travelers to this region? | My trips are all plastic-free, which means no plastic water bottles, utensils etc. Water is served in big reusable gallon jugs. Travelers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles. No plastic bags – snacks are served on craft paper boxes. | | | Where do you always take your friends when they visit you? | I'm from São Paulo so I always take them to Ibirapuera Park for a picnic. Then we go by metro to the city center to check if there are any interesting exhibits at the museums there. I like to take them to lunch at the Municipal Market. Then, in late afternoon I take them to Vila Madalena for live samba and dance. | | | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |
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