Getting to know Brazil

A continent-sized country, planned by someone who knows it

Brazil is our first specialty for a simple reason: Ana Larson, the owner of Cruises Travel and Tours, is Brazilian-American. She speaks the language, knows the regions, and arranges travel to Brazil for everyone from families visiting relatives to university study-abroad programs. That local knowledge is the difference between a trip that looks good on paper and one that works on the ground.

Brazil is larger than the continental United States, and the regions are as different as New England and New Mexico. The southeast holds Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The northeast — Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza — is where Afro-Brazilian culture, music and cooking are strongest. The south runs to Iguaçu Falls on the Argentine border, and the north is the Amazon. Most first visits combine two or three regions with domestic flights between them.

Brazilians speak Portuguese, not Spanish, and a few words of it are warmly received. Seasons are reversed from ours: December to March is summer, which brings the heat, the beach crowds and Carnival. April to June and August to November are the sweet spots for comfortable weather and better availability. U.S. citizens should check current entry requirements before booking — we confirm them for every traveler.

Planning notes

Why book Brazil with Ana

• Native-speaker support. Ana is Brazilian-American — she can speak to hotels, guides and transfer companies in Portuguese on your behalf.
• Study-abroad and group experience. She has arranged travel for university programs in Brazil for years, so groups, students and faculty are familiar territory.
• Visiting family? Flights to Brazil for family visits are some of the most common trips we book — including multi-city tickets and domestic connections.
• Realistic routing. Brazil is huge. We plan domestic flights, time zones and connections so you spend your days there, not in airports.