RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

We will depart our ship for a journey to the Botanical Gardens of Rio. We will take a guided walk here, at a leisurely pace.

We will depart our ship for a journey to the Botanical Gardens of Rio. We will take a guided walk here, at a leisurely pace. Situated in one of the city’s most beautiful regions, lying between the Corcovado Mountain and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, the gardens were opened in 1808 and feature over 5,000 tropical plants and trees. A wander along the many paths will allow us to admire the Brazil wood, centenarian mango trees, the majestic imperial palms, the cannonball trees, and the colourful clumps of azaleas and bamboo groves offering shade from the sun and the heat. A visit will also be made to the orchid nursery, the insect-eating plant house and the bromeliad garden. After our visit to the Botanical Gardens, we will board an open-top jeep to drive through the mountains of Rio into the dazzling green world of the Tijuca National Park. A stop will be made at the Chinese lookout, which offers views of the Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Mountains, Ipanema and Leblon Baches, and Rodrigo de Fritas Lagoon, before continuing to the Tauney Waterfalls for our last stop. From the entrance of Tijuca national Park we will be transferred by van or bus back to our ship. Please note that passengers on this tour should be prepared to get bumped around; therefore it is unsuitable for those people with limited mobility, neck or back problems, or pregnant ladies. Participants are advised to wear light clothing, good walking shoes and sun protection. There is approximately 1½ hours of walking within the Botanical Gardens, some of which is over uneven ground.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE