Iguassu & Beyond: Buenos Aires to Rio, Self-Launched
9 days · Argentina & Brazil
G Adventures charges £1,895
No-markup version: ~£1,090 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 9-day Buenos Aires-to-Rio run: tango city, thundering Iguassu Falls from both sides, colonial Paraty, and beach-and-trail time on car-free Ilha Grande. You book the same flights, buses and ferries yourself, stay in hostels and family-run pousadas, and arrange the falls, boat trips, hikes and distillery visits direct or via GetYourGuide — at roughly half the group-tour price. All figures are approximate GBP per person based on current budget-traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Land in Buenos Aires, tango city
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Arrive and take a taxi or the Tienda León airport bus (about £9) into Palermo or San Telmo. Check into a hostel dorm or private room, then spend the late afternoon walking Plaza de Mayo and the Puerto Madero waterfront. In the evening do the classic budget tango night: a free tango lesson at a milonga in San Telmo (many offer free beginner classes before the dancing) or a £5-8 open-air tango show on the San Telmo plaza. Note G Adventures' tip: bring clean USD cash, since official ATMs and card surcharges in Argentina are painful — the informal exchange in reputable 'cueva' travel agencies is far better value.
🚌Airport bus ~£9 or taxi ~£25; walking in the centre, SUBE card for metro/buses ~£0.50/ride
🛏Hostel dorm in Palermo/San Telmo (~£14)
- →Plaza de Mayo & Casa Rosada walk
- →San Telmo milonga / free tango class
- →Puerto Madero evening stroll
Buenos Aires by day, night flight to the falls
Buenos Aires → Puerto Iguazú / Foz do Iguaçu
Morning at your own pace: join a free walking tour of the centre (tip-based, ~£5) and take a public bus to La Boca's El Caminito for the painted houses and impromptu tango (bus ~£0.40, watch your belongings). Optional bike tour around Palermo's parks can be booked on GetYourGuide for about £25. Late afternoon fly to Puerto Iguazú — book Aerolíneas Argentinas or Flybondi direct two to three months ahead; the 15kg bag limit is real, so pack light. Sleep in Puerto Iguazú town so you're five minutes from the Argentine park gate.
🚌Public city buses ~£1; one-way flight Buenos Aires–Puerto Iguazú £55-95 (booked early)
🛏Hostel in Puerto Iguazú (~£14)
- →Free walking tour of Buenos Aires
- →La Boca / El Caminito
- →Optional Palermo bike tour (~£25)
Iguassu Falls, Argentine side — the full trail network
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Take the local Rio Uruguay bus from the terminal to the park gate (about £1 each way). Buy the park ticket direct at the entrance (approx. £28, card accepted) and walk the whole Argentine circuit yourself: the Upper and Lower circuits, the Devil's Throat train and catwalk, and the San Martín island boat crossing if it's running. Book the Gran Aventura boat safari direct with Iguazú Jungle (about £50) if you want to get soaked under the falls — cheaper booked at the park kiosk than through a tour agency. Pack water, snacks and a poncho; food inside the park is expensive.
🚌Local bus to park ~£2 return; park train included in ticket
🛏Hostel in Puerto Iguazú (~£14)
- →Upper & Lower Circuits self-guided
- →Devil's Throat catwalk
- →Optional Gran Aventura boat safari (~£50)
Brazil side of the falls, then bus toward São Paulo
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil → Paraty
Cross to Brazil (public bus from Puerto Iguazú terminal to Foz, ~£2; bring your passport for the border stamp). Check your bag at the Foz park entrance, then take the double-decker park bus to the Brazilian side for the panoramic walkway out over the river (park entry ~£16). If you want the postcard aerial shot, the heliport next to the park runs 10-minute flights for ~£105 — buy direct at the counter. In the afternoon take a domestic flight from Foz do Iguaçu to São Paulo (book early, £50-90), overnighting near the airport or the rodoviária for an early bus.
🚌Bus to Foz ~£2; Brazilian park bus included; flight Foz–São Paulo £50-90
🛏Budget hotel near São Paulo airport or bus station (~£22)
- →Brazilian side panoramic walkway
- →Optional helicopter flight (~£105)
- →Border crossing on foot/bus
Over the Serra do Mar to colonial Paraty
Paraty, Brazil
Take the comfortable Costa Verde or Reunidas bus from São Paulo (Tietê or Barra Funda) to Paraty — about 5.5-6 hours, roughly £20-25. Drop bags at a pousada in the cobbled centro histórico (UNESCO-listed), then wander the whitewashed streets, the harbour and the churches on foot. In the evening eat at a cheap kilo restaurant or a beach bar on Praia do Pontal and try a caipirinha made with local cachaça.
🚌Intercity bus São Paulo–Paraty ~£22 (6 hrs); everything in town on foot
🛏Pousada/hostel private room in Paraty centro (~£22)
- →Centro histórico walk
- →Harbour sunset
- →Kilo restaurant dinner
Boat day in the bay, cachaça and waterfalls
Paraty, Brazil
Book a schooner boat trip out of Paraty harbour direct at the pier (about £22, or £18 online via GetYourGuide) — you'll stop at a handful of islands and beaches for swimming and snorkelling. Cheaper still is the local bus to Trindade (£3) for natural pools and wild beaches. Late afternoon, walk or bus to a cachaça distillery such as Engenho D'Ouro for a free-ish tasting (£3-5), and if you like walking, the Gold Trail (Caminho do Ouro) to Penha is a good half-day. Buy your onward van/bus ticket for Ilha Grande tonight.
🚌Boat trip ~£22; local bus to Trindade ~£3; distillery bus ~£2
🛏Pousada/hostel in Paraty centro (~£22)
- →Schooner island boat trip
- →Cachaça distillery tasting
- →Optional Trindade day trip
- →Optional Gold Trail walk
Van and ferry to car-free Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande, Brazil
Take the Costa Verde bus or a shared van from Paraty to Angra dos Reis or Conceição de Jacareí (about 1.5-2 hrs, £8-12), then the ferry or fast boat across to Vila do Abraão (£4-7). Pay the Angra dos Reis sustainable tourism tax (55 BRL, roughly £8) online at Viva Angra or by QR code at the port before boarding. On the island, book a pousada or hostel in Abraão. In the afternoon walk to Praia Preta and the ruins of the old prison; in the evening the island's bars are all within a five-minute stroll.
🚌Bus/van Paraty–Angra ~£10; ferry ~£6; island tax ~£8
🛏Pousada/hostel in Vila do Abraão (~£25)
- →Abraão village walk
- →Praia Preta and prison ruins
- →Beach sunset
Lopes Mendes beach or Pico do Papagaio
Ilha Grande, Brazil
Two options depending on your legs and the heat. The Lopes Mendes day is the classic: take the shared water taxi or the local bus to Abraãozinho and walk the marked trail over two hours through rainforest to one of Brazil's best beaches, then return by boat (~£8) or on foot. The tougher option is the guided climb to Pico do Papagaio (982 m, 3-4 hrs return, £25 with a local guide booked through your pousada) for a 360-degree view of the bay. Add a snorkelling boat excursion (~£18, book at the pier) if you want a swim stop. Book your onward ferry and bus tickets for tomorrow tonight.
🚌Water taxi ~£8; trail on foot; optional guided hike
🛏Pousada/hostel in Vila do Abraão (~£25)
- →Lopes Mendes hike & beach
- →Optional Pico do Papagaio climb (~£25)
- →Optional snorkelling boat excursion (~£18)
Ferry, coastal road and Rio
Ilha Grande → Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Early ferry back to Angra or Conceição, then the Costa Verde bus along the coast to Rio's rodoviária (about 3-3.5 hrs, £10-14) — sit on the left for the sea views. Drop bags at a hostel in Botafogo or Santa Teresa, then finish the trip properly: sunset on the Sugarloaf cable car (£18) or, much cheaper, the view from Parque das Ruínas and a caipirinha from a Lapa street cart, with samba spilling out of the bars. Depart Rio any time the next day, or stay on to make it a proper Rio long weekend.
🚌Ferry ~£6; bus Angra–Rio ~£12; metro ~£1
🛏Hostel in Botafogo/Santa Teresa (~£18) — extra night if you extend
- →Costa Verde coastal bus
- →Optional Sugarloaf cable car (~£18)
- →Lapa samba night
- →Santa Teresa/Parque das Ruínas viewpoint
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,090 | £1,895 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £805 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,090
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Iguassu & Beyond: Buenos Aires to Rio, Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,090 per person for 9 days in Argentina & Brazil. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,895 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,090 — a saving of roughly £805 (42%) per person.
How long is the Argentina & Brazil trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Argentina & Brazil.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, beaches trip through Argentina & Brazil, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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