1st Day - Arrival

Arrival: We will arrive at the International Airport of Rio de Janeiro where our local guide will await us and transfer us to our hotel in Rio's most famous neighborhood Copacabana. Rest of the day off to rest from our trip and get adjusted to the warm climate, and, of course, take your first dive in the beautiful blue sea.

2nd Day - Visit Corcovado mountain & Christ Statue / Naif Art museum/ Self-Service Lunch/ Workshop Samba-typical Brazilian dances for carnival preparation/ Light dinner

Morning: After our delicious breakfast (included) we will be picked up at our hotel and taken to the Corcovado Mountain with the Christ statue (Cristo Redentor in Portuguese). We will take a little cog train trough a tropical rainforest until arriving on top of one of Rio's highest mountains and most beautiful viewpoints. Christ will await us with open arms and embrace us in the magic of the marvelous city. After enjoying the view and taking our pictures, we will visit the Naif Art museum at the foot of the Corcovado mountain.* Here we will enjoy the joyful art of the naif painters that will give us a feel of how Rio's inhabitants (called cariocas) see the world around them. In this colorful museum we will also see one of the largest wall paintings there are, that tells Brazil's history from the moment of its discovery.

Lunch: We will enjoy a delicious lunch in a first class restaurant with self-service that will give us a chance to try some of the most delicious meals of the Brazilian kitchen. **

Afternoon: 03:00 PM to 07:00 PM (in Copacabana) - We will start our workshop that will prepare us for carnival in three days. We will learn everything we need to know about the local music, dance, styles and rhythms, professional dancers will teach us how to samba in different styles, capoeira, and other typical local dance styles.

-Introduction talks about Brazilian Afro culture and its influence in music, dance, art and food.
  -Technical Information: Theory sounds and functions of used instruments.
  -Brazilian rhythms and its dances (samba de Ylê, samba de roda, samba-reggae, capoeira, Yjexá).
-Snack with typical food
Fruits, cakes, salt/sweet breads, typical foods (made with manioc, corn and coconuts), cold meats, cheeses, juices, soft drinks, water, coffee and teas.
Included: Transfer and Guide

3rd Day - Morning off/ Samba Workshop day 2- Carnival Preparation/ Light Dinner

Morning: free (suggested: beach or shopping).

Lunch: free (not included)

Afternoon: 03:00 PM to 07:00 PM Second day of workshop with our professional dancers and musicians. On today's programme:
- Capoeira and Maculêle performances.
- Carioca Samba rhythms
- Instruments used in Samba rhythms
- Snack with typical food: Fruits, cakes, salt/sweet breads, typical foods (made with manioc, corn and coconuts), cold meats, cheeses, juices, soft drinks, water, coffee and teas.
Included: Transfer and Guide

Night: Free (Suggestion: Lapa district visited). Tonight there is a big party at the Lapa district, the most bohemian quarter of Rio. There are street performances, people dancing and singing in little groups around musicians with guitars, sale of handicrafts, all together a big street party worth your attendance.

4th Day - Samba Workshop /Lunch/ Sugarloaf Tour

Morning: Today will be the last morning of our workshop. After today we will be definitely prepared for tomorrow night's carnival. On today's programme:
- Samba (rhythms and dances). We will practice all samba variations with our teachers so we really get the hang of the rhythm and the movements. We will make a final presentation of what we've learned and be all ready for carnival!

Lunch: in a typical Brazilian Barbecue restaurant (on the Ipanema beach)**

Afternoon: Pão de Açucar Mountain
In the afternoon we will be taken to the Sugarloaf Mountain. We will take the first cable car that will leave us at the Morro de Urca, above the Vermelha beach. A second cable car will bring us up the Pão de Açucar Mountain and we will have a gorgeous view on the sun setting above Rio de Janeiro. When the city's lights go on, Rio looks like a shining collection of precious stones, and leaves an unforgettable impression.
Included: transport and guide

Night: Free (Suggestion: Popular samba shows).

5th Day - Carnival Participation

Day: Free to relax and prepare for the evening.

Night: Transfer Hotel / Parade (Sambódromo). The sambodromo is the samba stadium where the world's most famous carnival takes place. The transfer will stop near by Sambódromo and the group will be guided to the parade start. We will put on our costumes and meet the other members of our samba school. The samba schools in Rio compete every year for the most beautiful costumes, the best music and dancers, the most original theme. We will do our best to help our school win this carnival!
As we get ready and our music sounds we will walk behind the other dancers and our carnival queen dancing along with our school. As we will turn around the sambodromo's corner we will see thousands of spectators that attend our samba school's performance, and we will be a part of it! It will take your breath away and leave an unforgettable impression in our memory! Many people state they have never felt so much adrenaline in their lives! ***