Venture into the Amazon and Iguassu

Natural wonders are the focus of General Tours World Traveler’s “Into the Amazon and Iguassu” adventure, where the famous Falls and Brazil’s once-mighty Rio Negro are stars of the show – and, for a limited time, couples can save up to US$3,000 on the 11-day May 1 departure. 

With the upscale operator’s signature small group setting of never more than 16 guests, travelers who take advantage of the almost 30 percent discount will enjoy exclusive access to the Iguassu National Park after hours and venture into less-traveled areas of the Amazon aboard the intimate nine-cabin M/Y Tucano. 

The journey begins at the Orient-Express Hotel das Cataratas, the only hotel located in the Brazilian Iguassu National Park. With two days to explore the tropical rainforest, guests will enjoy stunning views of the 275 cascades from both the Brazilian and Argentine sides. Taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide, Iguassu is one of South America’s natural treasures, running almost two miles long. 

Next, following a short flight to Manaus, the small group boards the M/Y Tucano for a seven-night cruise up the Rio Negro into the Amazon River Basin, one of the planet’s richest and most bio-diverse regions. With a shallow five-foot draft, the comfortable nine-cabin vessel is able to navigate remote regions of the Amazon jungle, plying further and deeper into tributaries for true off-the-beaten-path experiences. 

Venturing by launch and by foot with expert naturalists, up to four excursions are on offer each day, from trekking the dense forests of Lago Janauari Ecological Park to see squirrel and howler monkeys, sloths and brightly colored Amazon birds, to visiting an isolated rainforest village to meet the residents and learn how they survive in such a remote part of the world. 

A highlight for many is when the Tucano navigates along the Encontra das Aguas, where the brown waters of the Amazon and the darker waters of the Rio Negro flow side by side for miles without mixing. Pink and grey river dolphins are often seen here cavorting along this stark line of contrasting currents. 

Now priced at US$4,099 per person, including US$1,500 savings, when paid-in-full at time of booking, the 11-day May 1 trip includes 23 meals, all sightseeing and shore excursions, port charges, taxes and fees, luggage handling, and on-tour transportation including two internal flights to/from Manaus. This discount can be combined with all of the company’s other offers including Family & Friends savings of $50 to $200 per person when three or more guests travel together. 

For more information or to book a trip, call General Tours World Traveler at 800-221-2216 or visit www.GeneralTours.com.

Alison Carmichael-Rulten

Hi, I'm Alison Carmichael-Rulten the Publisher of Vacation Goddess, and I want to thank you for visiting Vacation Goddess – the one-stop shop for insider travel news, deals, 'Guest Goddes's stories, and of course our personal travel experiences. Plus, as we love to cruise we also try to find some amazing cruise deals for you too. From luxury, longer escapes right down to weekend breaks we know you love everything travel related. Here at Vacation Goddess, we hope you will find loads of inspiration and of course some amazing travel deals. We love a holiday at a great price and that's why we seek out what we call 'Champagne Experiences, on a Sparkling Wine Budget.' We constantly showcase a variety of special deals and offers and from time to time some very special competitions. Our recent 'Win a Trip to London' competition received over 24,00 entries. We invite you to visit us often, join our mailing list and please tell your friends