Buenos Aires to Rio: Self-Launched Edition

Fly into Ezequiel Martínez International Airport (EZE) — the budget-friendly 8A 'Tienda León' bus into the centre costs about £7 and drops near Plaza de Mayo / Retiro, or a shared shuttle transfer is around £9. Check into a private room in a San Telmo or Monserrat guesthouse, the budget heartland of the city. Spend the late afternoon walking the streets around Plaza de Mayo and Puerto Madero to shake off the flight, and grab a cheap dinner of empanadas and Malbec at one of San Telmo's corner bodegones (expect £10-14).

🚌Airport bus/shuttle ~£7-9; walking in the city

🛏Private room in a San Telmo guesthouse/hostel (e.g. a hostel with private doubles, ~£18-22/night)

• →Self-guided wander around Plaza de Mayo and Puerto Madero
• →Dinner in San Telmo

Join one of the free 'tip-based' walking tours that run daily from Plaza de Mayo (companies like BA Free Tour — book online or just show up; tip £5-10). You'll cover the Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo with a local guide — the same ground the group tour covers. In the afternoon walk south through San Telmo's antique shops and street art. If it's a Sunday, the San Telmo Market and Plaza Dorrego street fair are unmissable.

🚌Walking; SUBE card for any buses ~£1 per ride (get the card at a kiosk and top up)

🛏Same San Telmo guesthouse

• →Free/tip-based Plaza de Mayo walking tour
• →San Telmo Market and Plaza Dorrego (Sundays)

Take the Subte (metro, ~£0.50 per ride) to Recoleta and wander the famous cemetery (free to enter with a small donation-style ticket, ~£3), then walk up to Palermo's parks and the MALBA or free Museo de Arte Decorativo if it's raining. In the evening, skip the £100+ dinner shows the operator offers — either take a group tango class at a milonga (La Viruta or Salón Canning, class + entry around £10-15) or buy a cheap standing ticket for a tango show. Or just watch locals dance at a neighbourhood milonga for the price of a drink.

🚌Subte ~£1.50 total; walking

🛏Same San Telmo guesthouse

• →Recoleta Cemetery
• →Palermo parks and free/cheap museums
• →Tango class at a local milonga (~£12)

Budget airlines (Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSMART, Flybondi) fly Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazu in about 1h50. Book 3-6 weeks ahead for fares around £55-90 one way including a carry-on bag; the low-cost carriers charge extra for checked bags. Fly from AEP (Aeroparque) rather than EZE if possible — much closer to the city. On arrival, a taxi or remis into Puerto Iguazu town is ~£8-10. The town is small and walkable; check into a guesthouse or the budget-friendly side of town and eat at the cheap parrilla/rotisería spots along Avenida República Argentina. Note: buses from Buenos Aires take 18+ hours and cost £40-60 — only worth it if you have time to spare.

🚌Domestic flight ~£55-90; airport taxi ~£9

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Puerto Iguazu town (~£18-25/night)

• →Afternoon walk to the Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint (free) where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet

Take the local Rio Uruguay bus from town to the park entrance (~£1-2 each way). Buy your Parque Nacional Iguazú ticket online in advance (around £26-30 for foreign visitors) and get there at opening to beat the crowds. The park's own trails and the little jungle train are all included — walk the Upper and Lower Circuits and the walkway out to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), where the spray soaks you. Optional extra: the Nautical Adventure boat into the falls' base, around £35-45 booked direct at the park. Bring your own lunch — park food is pricey.

🚌Local bus to park ~£2 return

🛏Same Puerto Iguazu guesthouse

• →Garganta del Diablo walkway
• →Upper and Lower Circuits
• →Optional boat trip to the falls' base (~£40)

Cross the border independently: take the local bus to the Argentine border post, walk through immigration (most EU/UK/US passports don't need a Brazilian visa — check yours), then re-board the bus to the Brazilian park. The Brazilian side park ticket is around £22-25 direct, and it gives you the classic panoramic view up the falls — plus the walkway out over the river. On the way back, stop at the Tropicana Bird Park next door (~£12 entry) to see toucans, macaws and harpy eagles up close; the operator charges nearly three times that. Overnight in Foz do Iguacu town, where hostels and budget hotels are plentiful and cheap. If you're up for it, a helicopter flight over the falls can be booked directly at the heliport for around £90-110.

🚌Cross-border local buses ~£5 total

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Foz do Iguacu (~£16-22/night)

• →Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls
• →Tropicana Bird Park
• →Optional heliport flight over the falls

Book a cheap flight from Foz do Iguacu (IGU) to Rio Galeão (GIG) — Gol, LATAM and Azul all fly the route, usually £55-105 one way booked a few weeks out; Sao Paulo (GRU) can be cheaper but adds 3-4 hours of travel. From Rio's long-distance bus station (Rodoviária Novo Rio), take the Costa Verde bus direct to Paraty (about 4 hours, £12-16). There are several departures daily — book at the counter or on the Costa Verde website. Arrive in the evening and check into a pousada in or just outside the colonial centre (the historic centre itself is pedestrianised and pricey; a 10-minute walk out gets you a private room for £20-25).

🚌Domestic flight ~£55-105; long-distance bus Rio–Paraty ~£14

🛏Pousada/guesthouse a short walk from Paraty's historic centre (~£20-25/night)

• →Evening wander around Paraty's cobbled colonial centre

The classic Paraty day is a schooner trip around the bay's islands for swimming and snorkelling — go down to the Cais de Paraty pier and book directly with one of the many boat operators (around £18-28 for a half-day with lunch, versus the package tour add-on). Alternatively, hike a section of the Caminho do Ouro, the old gold-miners' trail, independently (entry to the trail around £5) or hire a bike for the day (~£10). Afternoon: coffee and açaí in the historic centre. Overnight Paraty.

🚌Walking; boats depart from the town pier

🛏Same Paraty pousada

• →Half-day schooner island trip with snorkelling (~£22)
• →or Caminho do Ouro gold trail hike
• →Bike hire

Take the local Costa Verde bus from Paraty to Angra dos Reis (about 2 hours, ~£6-8). From Angra's bus station, a local bus or short taxi ride gets you to the Cais da Lapa pier, where the public ferry to Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande departs (roughly 1h20, around £5-7 one way; check the current Ceci or Barcas schedule — typically 2-3 crossings a day). Note there are no cars, ATMs or banks on the island — bring cash. Check into a simple pousada or hostel in Vila do Abraão (£20-28 private room, cheaper dorms) and spend the evening on the beachfront.

🚌Local bus Paraty–Angra dos Reis ~£7; public ferry ~£6

🛏Pousada or hostel in Vila do Abraão, Ilha Grande (~£22-28/night)

• →Walk Vila do Abraão's beachfront and Praia Preta

Bargain with one of the water-taxi operators at Abraão pier for a shared ride to Manges beach (around £8-12 per person), then walk the 20-30 minute forest trail over to Lopes Mendes — regularly voted one of Brazil's best beaches, with 3km of soft white sand and no development. Alternatively walk the full T10 trail from Abraão (4-5 hours return) for free. Bring water, snacks and cash for the return boat. Back in Abraão, eat at one of the cheap beachfront kilo restaurants (£8-12).

🚌Shared water taxi ~£10

🛏Same Vila do Abraão pousada

• →Taxi boat to Manges
• →Forest walk to Lopes Mendes beach
• →Optional T10 trail hike

Take the morning public ferry back to Angra dos Reis (~£6), then the Costa Verde or Reunidas bus from Angra to Rio's Rodoviária Novo Rio (about 2.5-3 hours, £9-12). From the bus station, take the metro (Line 1/4, ~£1) or an app taxi to Copacabana. Check into a hostel private room or budget hotel a block or two back from the beach (£22-30). Spend the late afternoon walking Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and catching the sunset from Arpoador rock — free and one of Rio's best moments.

🚌Ferry ~£6; long-distance bus ~£11; metro ~£1

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Copacabana/Ipanema (~£24-30/night)

• →Copacabana and Ipanema beach walk
• →Arpoador sunset

Book a Christ the Redeemer timed ticket directly on the official Parque Nacional da Tijuca site (around £15-18 including the Corcovado van up) and go early — 8am is far quieter. Alternatively take the historic Corcovado cog train (~£22). Get the metro to Largo do Machado and the local bus up, or join a small-group half-day tour via GetYourGuide (~£30-40 including entry and hotel pickup) if you want it effortless. In the afternoon, take the metro to Cinelândia and the famous Santa Teresa tram (~£3) up the hill; wander the neighbourhood, pop into Parque das Ruínas (free, great views), then walk down through Lapa past the Escadaria Selarón mosaic steps. Optional evening: Sugar Loaf cable car booked direct (~£20-24, cheaper than the operator's ¥-priced add-on) for sunset, or a samba night in Lapa for the price of a caipirinha.

🚌Metro, bus, tram ~£4 total; Corcovado transport included in ticket

🛏Same Copacabana budget hotel

• →Christ the Redeemer / Corcovado
• →Santa Teresa tram and Parque das Ruínas
• →Escadaria Selarón
• →Optional Sugar Loaf cable car at sunset (~£22)

A final early swim at Copacabana, a cheap açaí breakfast at a beach kiosk, and a last look at the mosaic pavements. Depending on your flight time, take the executive bus or metro-plus-BRT to Galeão (GIG) airport (~£1-4) or an app taxi (~£12-15). If you have a full extra day, the Botanical Garden (~£2) or a favela tour run by a community organisation (~£15-20) are great value.

🚌Metro/BRT to GIG ~£2 or taxi ~£14

🛏N/A — check out

• →Morning beach walk
• →Optional Botanical Garden or community-run favela tour