Help with itinerary: Rio de Janeiro - Ilha Grande - Paraty - Iguazu Falls

Hi everyone,

Next April, I’m planning a trip (the 1st) to Brazil. I’ll have 12 days there (not counting the 13th day for the return). I’ll arrive on 22/04 in the early evening in Rio de Janeiro. The return flight is from São Paulo on 04/05 in the afternoon. I know 12 days is very little for such a big country, which is why I’ll focus on a relatively small area: the southeast (though "small" is relative!). I’ve started mapping out the main stops for my trip, which would be: - Rio de Janeiro: 4 to 5 days? - Ilha Grande and maybe Paraty: 2 to 3 days - Iguazu Falls: Brazilian and Argentinian sides: 2 days - São Paulo: 1 to 2 days

What do you think? Is this reasonable? There are about 250/260 km between Rio and Paraty. I’d like to make the trip by rental car. What do you think? A car is definitely much more practical and faster than the bus. 12/13 days is short—I can’t afford to lose too much time in transit. To get to Ilha Grande, I understand there’s a ferry that shuttles between the mainland and the island. From which city can you take the ferry? Mangaratiba? Conceição de Jacareí? Angra dos Reis? If I arrive by rental car, where can I park it? I think cars are banned on the island, right? That’s where I’m at with my planning. So many questions! 😕 A big thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my post and shares their valuable tips! 🙂

Hi there,

1 night in São Paulo seems enough to me. I wasn’t won over by this megacity... For the falls, a full day on each side. They’re the most beautiful falls I’ve ever seen! Rio, 3 full days. I really liked Paraty (I don’t know Ilha Grande).

As for renting a car, it’s always much more convenient and faster than the bus. You also get to see the landscapes better.

I rented one in Brazil without any issues (from Salvador de Bahia and in the Pantanal).

Happy planning!

Hello!

My trip to this side of Brazil is a bit dated now, but I can still share my info—it’s up to you to check if it’s still current.

First off, bravo! Finally, someone who doesn’t want to visit all four corners of Brazil in 12 days! 😉

I loved Ilha Grande back then, especially if you’re into hiking—there are tons of walks to do (but it’s also great for chilling). You get there via Angra dos Reis by ferry. At the time, you could also reach it from Paraty by speedboat.

Paraty is really nice to visit too.

Iguazu—I’m like Atilla, I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere else in the world (though I haven’t seen the whole world). That said, the Brazilian side can easily be done in half a day, right after landing at the airport. A full day on the Argentine side, though—that’s a given.

The advantage of leaving the country from São Paulo (a choice or an obligation?) is that you can optimize your travel by avoiding round trips.

This is where my opinion differs on the mode of transport. You don’t need to rent a car—it won’t save you time or money. That said, it depends if you’re traveling solo or with others…

The Rio/Angra bus is direct and drops you right by the ferry (just cross the road). Double-check if you can still go from Ilha Grande to Paraty by boat. Then take the bus from Paraty to São Paulo. And a round-trip flight from São Paulo to Iguazu.

The bus saves you from having to backtrack to Rio or pay drop-off fees in São Paulo. If you’re going to Ilha Grande, a car won’t be useful at all—same in Paraty, which isn’t that big.

For durations, I agree with Atilla: I wasn’t a fan of São Paulo, and 4 days in Rio is the bare minimum. Paraty depends on your bus schedule. Ilha Grande—a week or even a month would be great, but you don’t have that 🤪. Happy planning! !

Thanks Attila for your reply! Yeah, I also think traveling by car is more convenient, plus I like being able to go at my own pace and stop along the way whenever I want... I'm still on the fence a bit, but I think I'll rent a car. For visiting Paraty, I'm still undecided. I might spend more time on Ilha Grande—the landscapes look amazing, right in the middle of nature! Thanks again! 😉

Thanks so much, Montagnard74, for your reply and your invaluable help!

For Ilha Grande, you’ve confirmed what I was feeling—this island looks amazing! I can’t wait to see Iguaçu Falls! It’s sure to be spectacular! I’m planning to spend 2 days there, hopefully. Yes, my return flight to France will be from São Paulo. It was a choice to avoid backtracking to Rio, save time (given my short stay), and try to make the most of my time on the ground. Regarding transportation, I fully understand your opinion/advice. Yes, renting a car would mean leaving it parked during my visit to Ilha Grande… so it’d be useless during that time. I really love having a certain freedom of movement—not being dependent on public transport (schedules, etc.). With a car, I can go at my own pace and soak in the scenery even more. Basically, I can stop wherever and whenever I want. I’ll need the car for the trip from Rio to São Paulo, passing through Ilha Grande and Paraty. I’ll return the car at São Paulo airport, and from there, I’ll take a domestic flight to Foz do Iguaçu. On my travels, I’ve often rented a car, except in big cities. In Rio, for example, I won’t need one. I’ll keep thinking about this. My decision about renting a car isn’t final yet. Time’s running out, though… only three and a half months until the trip!

Thanks again so much! 🙂

Good evening, I’m following this thread because your itinerary sounds just like what I’m planning—Rio, Ilha Grande, and Iguaçu over 12 days with two nieces who want to travel with me but don’t have unlimited time off.

I’d love to explore Rio’s bay thoroughly, inside and out, so I’m thinking 4 days there... But I’m not sure if we need a guide for safety or if it’s doable solo (the girls are in their fifties, and one speaks fluent Portuguese).

4 days on Ilha Grande for hiking and beaches, 3 days in Iguaçu to experience its vastness...

I hope you can share your experiences when you return! Best, Marie

For Rio’s major sites (Corcovado), you don’t need a guide—especially if someone in the group speaks Portuguese. For more "edgy" spots like favelas, it’s a good idea to have a guide who can show you "their" Rio. For safety, the usual rules apply: travel light, avoid flashy items, and steer clear of nighttime outings.

Hello, in my opinion it’s definitely better to do Rio / Paraty / SP by car, especially since the BR-101 highway between Rio and Paraty is pretty scenic. But it’s toll-by-camera, so the rental company will charge your card afterward. Traffic and roads are fine once you leave the big cities, and car rental plus gas aren’t too expensive. Just keep in mind that Paraty is a rather pricey town. A nice beach near Paraty (which isn’t a beach town): Trindade

Thanks Dennis2 for your feedback! In the end, I’m gonna skip Paraty. 12/13 days is too short! I’ll stay 4/5 days in Rio, 2 to 3 days on Ilha Grande, 2 days in Iguaçu, and 1 to 2 days in São Paulo. I’m still really unsure about the rental car route.

After checking the distances on Google Maps, I think I’ll just do a round trip by car between Rio (Copacabana) and Conceição de Jacareí. It’s not that far: 124 km, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road. I’ll leave early in the morning. After visiting Ilha Grande, I’ll head back to Rio and take a domestic flight to Foz do Iguaçu from there. What do you think??

Initially, I’d considered driving from Rio to São Paulo with Ilha Grande as a stop, then continuing to São Paulo to catch a flight to Iguaçu. The catch is that there’s still almost 400 km between Conceição de Jacareí and São Paulo (airport)! Not sure I’d save time with that route.

That’s where I’m at with my planning so far 🙂

Hi there, If you're not going to Paraty and there are only two of you, renting a car becomes less and less worthwhile. Picking it up, the time it takes to get it, parking while you stay on the island, returning it, filling up the tank on the way back... The bus, with the Costa Verde company, will be faster and cheaper. Another option could be the fast shuttle that picks you up from your accommodation and drops you off on the island. On the way back, you can also be dropped off directly at the airport. Many companies offer this service—I found one at random: https://www.easytransferbrazil.com/

Hello,

I’ll be traveling solo for this trip.

I’m well aware of the downsides of renting a car. After thinking it over and weighing the pros and cons, a rental car might not be the most practical option.

Taking the bus with Costa Verde would be the most budget-friendly solution, but ugh... having to drag my suitcase to the bus station isn’t exactly appealing!

The fast shuttle option sounds great, though!! I didn’t know this kind of service existed—picking you up right at your hotel and dropping you off directly at the airport is such a game-changer!! No need to stress about organizing transport. Apparently, the company handles everything. I’ll look into it more closely, but so far, I’m really tempted!! 🙂

For Easytransferbrazil.com, the prices aren’t listed on their website. You have to contact them by phone or email to book. Do you have any idea what the round-trip price might be? Where did you find this company’s contact info? Through a search engine? Are there many companies like this? Should I compare prices and play the competition, or are the rates usually similar? Either way, thank you SO much for your help!! 🙂

Hi there, For the bus with Costa Verde, it would be the cheapest option, but... you have to drag your suitcase to the bus station, meh!

Uber is your friend!!

For Easytransferbrazil.com, the prices aren't listed on the site. You have to contact them by phone or email to book. Any idea how much a round trip would cost?

I used a shuttle service to get back from Ilha Grande, but it was so long ago I don’t remember the prices. From what I recall, it wasn’t cheap, though. But you get what you pay for.

Where did you find this company’s contact info? Through a search engine? Are there many of these companies? Should I compare prices and play the competition, or are the prices all similar?

I found them on Rome2Rio by searching Rio/Paraty—they list the shuttle option. I remember there were several companies to choose from. Try Googling it. In my opinion, the prices are probably all in the same ballpark.

Anyway, a big THANK YOU for your help!! 🙂

That’s what this site is for—it’s alive because of this!

Hi,

Yes, indeed, Uber is really convenient. In fact, it's a mode of transport I use in almost all my trips.

After some research, there’s actually a wide choice of shuttles running between Rio and Ilha Grande, and even to the airport! Prices are affordable, between 35 and 50 €. That’s awesome!! So, I’ve decided—I’m ditching the rental car. Now, I just need to fine-tune things: the return trip to the airport needs to align with my domestic flight between Rio and Iguazu! I haven’t booked the domestic flights yet, but I’ll get on that soon! I’m about to book a boutique hotel halfway between Copacabana and Ipanema—it looks really nice! On Ilha Grande, the accommodation options seem plentiful. My trip is planned for April 22nd, so time’s running out! Now that I’ve settled on the transfer between Rio and Ilha Grande, I can finalize all my accommodation bookings: Rio, Ilha Grande, Iguazu, and I’m thinking one night in São Paulo. Thanks again, Montagnard74!

So glad I could help plan this amazing trip! Brazil is in my top 3 destinations after two month-long stays—what a mix of incredible sites and the kindness of its people! You’re gonna love it! 😊

Hi Carthage (or Carthaginians 😉)

Like Cannelle, I’m following this thread, hoping to chime in later ).

For quite some time, I’ve been trying to fit Iguaçu Falls into a trip. I was initially leaning toward combining it with the NOA in the Salta region, but your route seems like a great alternative (very different vibe)—and maybe even cheaper. Anyway, I’m jotting down all the tips from this thread😉.

Hello,

I’m about to book a boutique hotel halfway between Copacabana and Ipanema—it looks really nice! !

Hey, if it’s in Arpoador, that’s great! If you like walking, you can easily get to both beaches.

And there’s the Jobim statue, plus surfers down below.