São Paulo, Rio & Iguazu Falls — Self-Launched
9 days · Brazil & Argentina (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls)
People Travel and Experience charges £2,130
No-markup version: ~£535 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the 9-day São Paulo → Rio → Iguazu Falls tour, hitting the same big-hitters (São Paulo's Liberdade and MASP, Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer, both sides of Iguazu) using hostels and budget guesthouses, public transport and self-booked skip-the-line tickets instead of a private driver-and-guide package. Brazil and Argentina are both excellent value for independent travellers, and the internal flights are short and cheap if booked a few weeks ahead. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP and exclude international flights to/from South America.
Day-by-day
Arrive São Paulo — Guarulhos to Vila Madalena
São Paulo, Brazil
Land at GRU and take the EMTU Airport Bus Service (route 316) to Praça da República or the Airport Bus to Tatuapé metro, then metro to your hostel — roughly £4-5 total, versus £25-35 for a taxi/Uber. Base yourself in Vila Madalena or Pinheiros for the best hostel scene and nightlife. Spend the afternoon easing off jetlag: coffee and pão de queijo, a wander along Rua Aspicuelta, and a supermarket run for breakfast supplies. Note that this itinerary assumes a daytime arrival; if you land late, just take an Uber (£15-20).
🚌EMTU airport bus + metro from GRU (~£5), or Uber (~£18)
🛏Hostel in Vila Madalena/Pinheiros (dorm or private room)
- →Settle into Vila Madalena
- →Evening walk along Rua Aspicuelta
São Paulo highlights on foot and by metro
São Paulo, Brazil
Do the classic city day yourself on a metro day-pass (~£1.50). Start in Liberdade, the Japanese-Brazilian neighbourhood, for the weekend street market if your timing lines up (Sat/Sun) — otherwise just explore the food shops and street art. Walk to Sé Cathedral and Praça da Sé, then the Pátio do Colégio, and ride up to the Banespa (Altino Arantes) tower viewing deck for skyline views (free, bring ID). Continue to Avenida Paulista for MASP — the museum is free on Tuesdays and has the famous red-legged building. Afternoon: Uber (~£4) to Ibirapuera Park, the Oscar Niemeyer-era pavilions and a stroll around the lake. Finish with the Mercado Municipal for mortadella sandwiches and pastel, or skip it if it's mobbed and eat at a per-kilo buffet instead (~£7).
🚌Metro day pass (~£1.50) + one Uber (~£4)
🛏Hostel in Vila Madalena/Pinheiros
- →Liberdade neighbourhood & street food
- →Sé Cathedral & Pátio do Colégio
- →Banespa tower viewing deck (free)
- →MASP museum (free Tuesdays)
- →Ibirapuera Park & Niemeyer pavilions
- →Mercado Municipal snacks
Fly São Paulo → Rio, settle into Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Book a morning Gol/Azul/LATAM flight from Congonhas (CGH — much closer to the city than GRU) to Santos Dumont (SDU), which lands you right by downtown Rio. Flights are commonly £35-55 booked 3-6 weeks out; add ~£4 for the metro/bus to Congonhas. From Santos Dumont take the metro one stop to Botafogo or Glória and check into your hostel. Afternoon: walk Botafogo Beach with Sugarloaf looming across the bay, then ride the metro to Flamengo Park for a sunset stroll. Evening: cheap dinner at a botequim in Botafogo — a plate of picanha or feijoada to share costs about £9-12 with a beer.
🚌Short-haul flight CGH→SDU (~£45) + metro (~£1.50)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Botafogo or Glória
- →Botafogo Beach sunset
- →Flamengo Park walk
Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer and Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Book the Sugarloaf cable car online in advance (~£22 return) and go early — gates open around 8am and the queue is far shorter than midday. Ride both legs: Urca Hill then the summit, with the classic view back over Guanabara Bay. Afterwards take the metro and the Corcovado train from Cosme Velho (~£22 return) up to Christ the Redeemer — buy the train + monument ticket on the official Trem do Corcovado site the day tickets release, as they sell out. Prefer cheaper? The van from Largo do Machado plus monument entry comes in around £15. Finish with a rodízio churrasco lunch away from the tourist strip (expect £12-16 all-you-can-eat in Botafogo or Tijuca) rather than the £35-40 bay-view restaurants, then walk Copacabana Beach at golden hour.
🚌Metro + Corcovado train + cable car station buses (~£4 local transit)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Botafogo or Glória
- →Sugarloaf cable car (both stages)
- →Corcovado train & Christ the Redeemer
- →Rodízio churrasco lunch
- →Copacabana Beach walk
Rio free day — Santa Teresa, Lapa or a beach day
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Use the day as you like. Good low-cost options: take the metro to Cinelândia and walk up to Santa Teresa for the Escadaria Selarón steps (free), browse the studios on Rua Bernardo, then ride the historic bonde tram back down to Lapa. Or escape to Ipanema/Leblon for a beach day with a £2 chair and fresh coconut. Adventurous travellers can book a favela walking tour through a community-run operator (~£20-25) rather than a big-group one, or a hang-gliding flight off Pedra Bonita (~£90, book 2-3 days ahead via a local school). Evening: Lapa's street party with caipirinhas for £2-3 each.
🚌Metro + Santa Teresa tram (~£3)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Botafogo or Glória
- →Escadaria Selarón & Santa Teresa
- →Optional community-run favela tour
- →Optional hang-gliding (Pedra Bonita)
- →Lapa nightlife
Fly Rio → Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) / Puerto Iguazú (Argentina)
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil → Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Morning flight from SDU or GIG to Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) — roughly £60-90 booked ahead. From IGU airport, the local bus (#120) runs into Foz town for about £1; cross the border to Argentina by taxi/Uber (roughly £12-18) or take the local bus to the border, walk across, and pick up the bus to Puerto Iguazú on the other side. Base yourself in Puerto Iguazú: it's cheaper than Foz, close to the Argentine park entrance, and puts you in the right place for tomorrow's early start. Afternoon: stroll to the Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet, and eat at a local parrilla (£8-10 for a steak).
🚌Flight SDU/GIG→IGU (~£75) + airport bus/border crossing (~£8)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Iguazú
- →Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint
- →Puerto Iguazú town wander
Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Cross back into Brazil for the day — the Brazilian side gives the panoramic 'big picture' view of all 275 falls. Take the local bus from Puerto Iguazú to the Brazilian park entrance, or a shared taxi (~£6-8), and pay the park entrance (~£18 for foreigners) plus the double-decker panoramic bus inside. Walk the Trilha das Cataratas footbridge out over the water to Floriano Falls, and take the panoramic elevator to the viewing platform at the base. Budget 3-4 hours. Optional add-on: Parque das Aves bird park next to the entrance (~£14) — worth it. Note you'll need your passport for the border both ways. Back in Argentina, treat yourself to the Argentine Experience dinner with empanada-making class (~£35, book via GetYourGuide or direct).
🚌Local bus/shared taxi to Brazilian park and back (~£12)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Iguazú
- →Brazilian side falls walkway & elevator
- →Optional Parque das Aves
- →Optional Argentine Experience dinner
Argentine side of Iguazu Falls — full day
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Go early — take the bus from Puerto Iguazú to the Argentine park (~£3-4) and buy entry online (~£18-20 for foreigners). The park is bigger and feels wilder than the Brazilian side. Walk the Lower Circuit (jungle walkways, close-ups of Salto Bossetti and the Dos Hermanas), then the Upper Circuit for the rim views, then ride the narrow-gauge Ecologico train to the Devil's Throat station and walk the 1.1km catwalk to the thunderous Garganta del Diablo. Add the Gran Aventura boat trip (~£35-45, book at the park or ahead) for the 6km run up the Lower Iguazu gorge to the base of Salto San Martín — you will get soaked. Bring a packed lunch from town (~£4) as park food is overpriced; capuchins and coatis will steal anything unattended.
🚌Local bus to Argentine park (~£4)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Iguazú
- →Argentine Lower & Upper Circuits
- →Ecologico train to Garganta del Diablo
- →Devil's Throat catwalk
- →Optional Gran Aventura boat ride
Depart from Puerto Iguazú
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Take the local bus or a shared taxi/remis (~£5-10) to Puerto Iguazú airport (IGR) for onward flights — Buenos Aires is a cheap 1h45 hop if you're continuing, and Brazilian or Argentine carriers both fly out. If you have a late flight, use the morning for a final swim, souvenir browse on Avenida Brasil, or a slow breakfast with mate. Note that many onward cheap fares leave from Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) on the Brazilian side, so check both airports before booking.
🚌Local bus/remis to IGR (~£8)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final morning in Puerto Iguazú
Self-launched vs. People Travel and Experience
| This itinerary (self-launched) | People Travel and Experience | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£535 | £2,130 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,595 per person (75%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more People Travel and Experience-style trips? Check them out here.~£535
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 São Paulo, Rio & Iguazu Falls — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £535 per person for 9 days in Brazil & Argentina (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls). 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 People Travel and Experience?+
Yes — People Travel and Experience charges around £2,130 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £535 — a saving of roughly £1,595 (75%) per person.
How long is the Brazil & Argentina (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Brazil & Argentina (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls).
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, foodie trip through Brazil & Argentina (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls), 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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