🇧🇷 Rio · NatalInteractive itinerary
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Rio de Janeiro
Fly Malpensa→São Paulo direct with Latam, then a comfortable 6-hour FlixBus to Rio (bring a sweatshirt — the AC is arctic). Base yourself near Ipanema, Copacabana or Leblon, the safest tourist areas, and get around with Uber (or Uber Moto if solo). Hike down from Christ the Redeemer and catch sunset at Copacabana.
Skipped São Paulo for time. Hostels here are rougher than in Europe — pay a bit more for a hotel. Confeitaria Rio Lisboa in Leblon is a gem. Copacabana turned orange then purple at dusk — a spectacular moment.
Rio centre & Vidigal favela
Morning downtown: the colourful Escadaria Selarón, the Mayan-shaped Cathedral of Saint Sebastian and Calatrava's Museu do Amanhã in the revitalised port. Afternoon: a guided tour of the tourist-friendly Vidigal favela and the Morro Dois Irmãos viewpoint (~55 min hike). Always go with a local guide; asking for a family discount is free.
Visiting a favela may sound dangerous — not really, with guidance by day. Russo showed us rooftops and bars that questioned our European stereotypes. The view over Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana from Dois Irmãos is unreal.
Natal → Genipabu · Emotions Trail begins
Fly to Natal and pick up your rental for the Emotions Trail to São Luís — a 4x4 is strongly recommended and you may need an international licence certificate. Skip crowded Pipa and head north to Genipabu, where white dunes tumble into the sea, then brave the tiny river barge crossing (Travessia de Balsa).
Landed past midnight, got a Jeep Renegade (sadly a 4x2 by mistake). Genipabu's dunes diving into the ocean are wonderful. Crossing a river on a tiny barge was one of the craziest things of the trip.
São Miguel do Gostoso & the trail north
Continue up the Rio Grande do Norte coast toward laid-back São Miguel do Gostoso, a kitesurfing village of empty beaches and great food. From here the Emotions Trail keeps north through dunes with natural pools and river deltas rich in wildlife — the Brazil most travellers never see.
Dunes with natural pools, rural villages serving incredible food, river deltas hiding an astonishing variety of animals. Brazil is so much more than beaches and the Amazon.
Off-roading in Brazil: the Emotions Trail
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