Here’s what a lot of you are looking for: the full lineup for the Salvador da Bahia Carnival 2026:

Salvador Carnival 2026 Schedule

(turn on your Goggol auto-translate 😁)

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years now 😆🇧🇷

Hi, We’re considering a discovery trip to Brazil in summer 2025 for a maximum of 3 weeks, transport included. Since the must-see sites are very far apart, we’ve selected the ones that seemed the most spectacular and have little or no equivalent elsewhere in the world. Here’s what we’re thinking: Outbound: 1 day Paris → São Paulo Iguaçu: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via São Paulo or Rio and São Luís Lençóis National Park: 3 days Transfer: 1 day via São Luís Salvador de Bahia: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via Rio Rio: 4 days Return: 1 day What do you think? I was thinking of adding a stop that’s easily accessible without flying from one of the places above. Ilha Grande? Tinharé Island? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for your tips! Virginie

Bonjour, je souhaite faire un voyage en mode sac a dos low cost, et si possible sans devoir réserver mes auberges de jeunesse en avance. Ma seule certitude est de faire un itinéraire qui passe par Rio et les chutes igaçu. Croyez-vous le tout possible et quel sont les meilleurs mois pour entreprendre ce genre de voyage sans aucune réservation d'avance? Je compte partir un mois et demi.

Merci d'avance!

Bonjour à tous,

Je suis très attiré par les chutes d'Iguaçu, alors j'envisage de m'y rendre lors d'un voyage mixant le Brésil et l'Argentine. Est-ce une bonne idée ? La période septembre-octobre est-elle une bonne saison ? Faut-il mieux commencer par le Brésil puis se rendre en Argentine, ou l'inverse ?

Ce serait pour 4 semaines maximum, et je n'ai pas d'a priori sur le fait de passer 2 semaines dans chaque pays, ou davantage dans l'un que dans l'autre...

Idéalement, je voudrais arriver à Rio, me rendre aux chutes d'Iguaçu, puis dans la région de Salta, et finir à Buenos Aires. Que me conseillez-vous entre ces différentes étapes ?

Merci de l'aide que vous pourrez m'apporter pour l'élaboration de mon voyage.

Bonjour tout le monde, Nous voila repartis pour une nouvelle aventure. Nous nous attaquons cette fois au continent sud américain. Une première pour madame, comme pour moi.

Les billets sont déjà achetés (prix canons sur Lufthansa). Du 24/05 au 11/06/20 soit 18 jours sur place. Arrivée RIO => départ Sao Paulo.

Les conseils sont les bienvenus, nous sommes un jeune couple dans la trentaine. Nous sommes intéressés par la nature, les découvertes mais sans pour autant mettre de côté les villes. Bref nous ne sommes pas trop difficiles.

Voici notre ébauche d'itinéraire :

Dimanche 24/05 : départ Bruxelles Lundi 25/05 : arrivée Rio 05.30 hrs / nuit Rio Mardi 26/05 : Rio / nuit Rio Mercredi 27/05 : Rio / nuit Rio Jeudi 28/05 : Rio / nuit Rio Vendredi 29/05 : route en bus + ferry => ilha grande / nuit Ihla grande Samedi 30/05 : Ihla grande / nuit Ihla grande Dimanche 31/05 : Ihla grande / nuit Ihla grande Lundi 01/06 : => ferry + bus paraty / nuit paraty Mardi 02/06 : Paraty / nuit paraty Mercredi 03/06 : => SP vol => Pantanal / nuit Pantanal Jeudi 04/06 : Pantanal / nuit Pantanal Vendredi 05/06 : Pantanal / nuit Pantanal Samedi 06/06 : vol => Salvador / nuit Salvador Dimanche 07/06 : Salvador / nuit Salvador Lundi 08/06 : Salvador / nuit Salvador Mardi 09/06 : Salvador / nuit Salvador Mercredi 10/06 : Sao Paulo / nuit SP Jeudi 11/06 : Sao Paulo => 18.10 hrs vol Bruxelles Vendredi 12/06 : retour Bruxelles

Seuls les billets internationaux sont achetés, ni les vols internes ni les logements ne sont réservés.

Merci à ceux qui me liront... et encore plus à ceux qui me conseilleront

Quentin

Hello, How good it feels to be back on this forum!!!!

Today, we started looking into traveling in April 2026, either to Chile or Argentina. It’s our first trip to South America. I’ve only been to French Guiana once, about ten years ago, for the space center. In recent years, we’ve usually gone to Asia during the spring holidays.

Based on the flight tickets I’ve found, two arrival and departure options are available: - Arriving in Buenos Aires and departing from Salvador de Bahia. - Arriving in Santiago, Chile, and still departing from Salvador de Bahia.

We’re considering flying business class on the outbound flight so we arrive a bit more rested. The travel class might influence our choice between itinerary A or B.

We’d like to spend two days at Iguazu Falls (both the Argentine and Brazilian sides), which explains the departure from Brazil.

Initially, we thought about arriving in Buenos Aires and staying in Argentina before heading to Iguazu. However, the itinerary forces us to go back through Buenos Aires.

We love nature. The El Calafate region seems to offer beautiful, easily accessible landscapes. Maybe there’s another area we should prioritize.

Here are two itineraries—what do you think? I know it’s short, but we can’t add any more days. We’ll have to make it work.

Option A: D1(Sat): Flight from France to Buenos Aires – arrival at 9:55 PM. D2(Sun): Visit Buenos Aires D3(Mon): Visit Buenos Aires. D4(Tue): Flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate – 3.5-hour flight – arrival around midday. D4(Tue) – until D11(Tue) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D11(Tue): Flight to Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

This itinerary forces us to pass through Buenos Aires twice.

Option B: D0(Fri): Flight from France to Santiago, Chile – departure at 11:20 PM from CDG. D1(Sat): Arrival at 7:45 AM in Santiago, Chile – hotel + city visit. D2(Sun): Visit Santiago, Chile D3(Mon): Departure for Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas, or El Calafate – to be decided. There’s about a 3-hour flight. We need to check the drop-off fees if we pick up the car in Chile and return it in Argentina – see ADEL RENT A CAR. D3(Mon) – until D10(Mon) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D10(Mon): 3.5-hour flight + visit Buenos Aires. D11(Tue): Visit Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

The end of the itinerary is the same. This option avoids passing through Buenos Aires twice. Thanks for your feedback.

Bonjour, Je regarde à aller au Brésil et on voudrait faire Rio-Salvador-Recife en voiture avec des arrêts entre ces villes. Louer une voiture au Brésil vaut t'il le coup pour faire ce trajet ? Le prix du carburant est bon marché ? Conduire au Brésil est comme ici ou dangereux ?

Merci

Tiens, voici un lien super intéressant pour les futurs voyageurs au Brésil, selon Adelaide : Top-15-des-lieux-a-voir-au-bresil-avant-de-mourir Et pour ceux qui sont déjà venus ? Quels était vos lieux préférés au Brésil ? Le bonjour tropical de Salvador da Bahia, Ivan Bahia Guide

IMPORTANT NOTICE for those planning to take a bus to another city, state, or destination from Salvador!

Starting January 20, 2026, the intercity bus station Rodoviária is changing its address! The Rodoviária is leaving the Iguatemi area and will now be located in ÁGUAS CLARAS (about twenty kilometers from downtown Salvador).

A brand-new station (the most modern in Brazil) has just been set up there, accessible by car/taxi/Uber/metro. Allow for much more transfer time (especially during rush hours), so leave early if you're heading to Chapada Diamantina or other Brazilian cities by bus.

Remember, there are also private transfers (even French-speaking ones) that can take you directly from your hotel in Salvador to your hotel in Chapada. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but you’ll save on transfer time and comfort.

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊 🇧🇷

Hi everyone,

I’d love to get your thoughts on the itinerary we’re planning for this summer (August) with our three older teens. We’ve booked our round-trip flight from Lyon to Rio. Originally, we were thinking of heading down to Paraty / Ilha Grande... but after checking, the water temperature seems a bit too cool, so we’d prefer to go to Bahia state for a bit more warmth. Our interests: discovering the people and cities, enjoying the beach and relaxation, a few short hikes, etc.

What do you think of this itinerary? Too much time lost in transit?

Day Stop J1 Flight J2 Early morning arrival in Rio J3 Rio J4 Rio J5 Rio J6 Flight to Foz do Iguaçu J7 Foz do Iguaçu J8 Foz do Iguaçu J9 Flight to Salvador J10 Salvador J11 Salvador J12 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J13 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J14 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J15 Ilha de Boipeba J16 Ilha de Boipeba J17 Ilha de Boipeba J18 Ilha de Boipeba to Salvador J19 Salvador to Rio J20 Flight J21 Arrival in France Thanks so much for your help!!!! Flo

Hello,

We’re thinking about our next destination for June 2026, and northern Brazil seems like a great option for that time of year.

We were considering a 15-day trip from Fortaleza to São Luís (or the other way around), but I’m worried it might not offer enough variety in terms of sights and landscapes. We were thinking of doing a trek in Lençóis Park, visiting Jericoacoara, the Parnaíba Delta, etc.).

The other option would be to take a domestic flight and add the Salvador de Bahia region and Chapada Diamantina, but that would require about 3 weeks.

Do you think exploring the coast between Fortaleza and São Luís is enough for a trip if we don’t kitesurf? Or is it better to combine this part of the country with another region (Salvador? The Amazon?)?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Have a great day

Bonjour à tous avec ma copine nous partons pour 1 mois au Brésil et nous souhaitons visiter le Pantanal. Nous avons contacté 3 agences avec 3 prix différents allant du simple au double. Nous voulons savoir si l’un d’entre vous est allé au Pantanal? Qu’en avez vous pensé et quelle agence avez vous pris. Ce que nous voulons vraiment pas c’est être trimballé dans un 4x4 toute la journée avec des activités sans grandes intérêts montées pour les touristes. Merci d’avance pour vos réponses.

Bonjour à tous, je vais avoir une journée de libre le 8 décembre prochain, pour aller à Sao-polo, depuis Santos où je logerai. Est-ce judicieux pour un temps si court de faire ce déplacement, si oui, quoi voir absolument ? merci d'avance. jean-paul

Hello, We’re planning our first trip to Brazil from October 10 to November 7, 2025. We’re a couple traveling with light backpacks using local transport. Here’s our planned route: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, 5 days, Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, Belo Horizonte, 7 days, Flight from Belo Horizonte to Recife, Recife, Olinda, 4 days, Maceió, Penedo, 3 days, Aracaju, 3 days, Salvador de Bahia and surrounding areas, 5 days Departure from Salvador de Bahia to Paris

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can share!

Of course, everything is flexible except for our arrival in Rio and departure from Salvador de Bahia.

Could you also recommend a neighborhood to stay in Rio? Alod

Hi there, I’m not really into architecture, but I’ve always wanted to visit Brasília to see what a modern city built from scratch looks like, and I thought not many people lived there. After doing some research, I realize the city is actually quite crowded. As I’m planning my trip to Brazil, people keep telling me not to go, that I’ll be disappointed and it’s a waste of time.

For those of you who’ve been to Brasília, what do you think? Thanks for your replies. Anne

Bonjour, jen suis a planifier mon itinéraire pour le Brésil en février 2020. Il se trouve que le carnaval aura lieu pendant ces dates.... mais logistiquement...Je serais ailleurs qu'à rio pendant ces dates. Selon votre opinion, est ce que je devrais ajuster mes déplacements en fonction du festival ou je peux aussi en profiter dans une autre ville?

hi,

We’re planning a trip to Brazil in March 2026, just the two of us, for 10 days without using an agency. Rio, the falls, and Bahia too. How can we get around there? Train? Car rental? Plane? Are the roads easy to drive on? Is Rio safe to explore on our own? We’d love any travel journals with ideas for places to see, as well as books to help us plan the whole trip. Thanks in advance for all your tips! See you soon, cheers

Nous allons passer 1 semaine en mars à Rio, quels sont les quartiers les + agréables pour y loger? J'hésite entre Ipanema (qu'on me conseille, cf plage et sécurité) et Botafogo, voire d'autres, qui seraient plus "carioca"...! Sachant que nous aimons plutôt les quartiers populaires (au bon sens du terme, et je sais qu'Ipanema c'est autre-chose) et gentiment animés!Merci d'avance.

Hi there! I’m putting together my itinerary for Brazil, looking for beautiful natural spots with wildlife, flora, and great hikes... I’ve come across the Cananeia / Super Agui / Ilha do Mel region and the PETAR / Intervales / Alto Ribeira area. Has anyone here been to these places? If so, do you have any recommendations for accommodations and activities? Thanks in advance! Best, Olivier 🌍

hi there I’m thinking of heading to northeastern Brazil in January or February—I don’t really have a choice with the dates. Apparently, it rains a lot during that time. Is it really a big issue for traveling? Are these tropical downpours—heavy but brief—or more of a continuous rain? I’m especially curious about the stops in Lençóis, Atins, and Parnaíba. For Lençóis, I know the lagoons are almost empty at this time of year. I’ll also be passing through São Luís, Jericoacoara, Fortaleza, Olinda/Recife, and Salvador da Bahia, and before heading back to Europe, I’ll visit the Iguaçu Falls. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your reply. Best regards

Notre voyagiste- Marco Vasco- nous propose une excursion intitulée "la route de l'or". Quelqu'un l'a-t-il faite et est ce qu'elle en vaut la peine? est-ce une bonne manière de découvrir l'endroit? Merci d'avance pour tous commentaires. Henri

Bonjour Nous etions a ciudad del este nous nous pas pris le tete pour passer au bresil visiter les chutes d iguazu affretant un taxi cout aller retour 50 dollar us la passage de la frontiere comme de la france a l espagne rien on passes la frontiere tout droit sans aucuns controle pour juste une journée il est vrai. Les pesos argentin sont acceptés sans soucis, les guaranis non pour les autres monnaies etrangeres je ne sais pas. bon voyage quand les frontiéres seront reouvertes.

Hi there, We’re spending 3 weeks in Brazil, arriving in São Paulo—a couple plus a teen—and we’ll have a rental car. We especially love nature: hiking, wildlife watching, birds, etc. We’re planning to wrap up with a week around Paraty and Ilha Grande. We’re not really into visiting big cities like São Paulo or Rio unless you think we’d be missing out big time.

So we’ve got 2 weeks to explore the south/southwest region of São Paulo. What do you recommend? National parks? Off-the-beaten-path nature spots? Iguazu Falls?

Thanks in advance for all your tips!

Hi everyone,

I’d love to see jaguars in the wild in Brazil. I’ve heard it’s possible in the Pantanal. Do you know any local agencies that offer this kind of excursion, or can we go on our own? I’d also like to get an idea of the price, since French tour operators charge a fortune. Could you share any tips or your own experiences? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning my trip to Brazil in March 2025 (finally!) and I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ilha Grande and Paraty. We’ll be arriving from Rio and departing from Paraty (heading to São Paulo). How can we best organize these transfers—can we book the different transports on the spot? How much time is ideal to stay in these two places to enjoy them without doing long hikes? Do you have an estimated budget? Thanks for your feedback! Dominique

Yesterday, President Macron visited Salvador da Bahia. Alongside the obligatory political visit and meeting with all the local bigwigs (the mayor, the governor, and the Minister of Culture, Margarete Menezes), he also took the time to visit museums like the MAM (Museum of Modern Art) and the Museu Afro Brasileiro… for those looking for something to do :/

Local info link: https://atarde.com.br/politica/visita-historica-de-macron-fortalece-lacos-entre-bahia-e-franca-1367267

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

We’re just back from a 2-week tour of the Northeast; we booked our flight tickets ourselves and landed in Fortaleza. From there, we used an agency to handle our circuit all the way to São Luís. It was an incredible adventure—flawless organization, no hiccups, and landscapes that felt like another planet. We rarely use agencies, but we don’t regret it at all. Given all the 4x4s, buggies, and boats we took, it would’ve been impossible to do it on our own, at least for the full route we covered. Our wishes were respected, the accommodations matched our requests, and we had a fantastic French-speaking guide for the last 5 days. If you’d like more details, just ask!

Hi there, we’ll have 15 days total, which means 13 days of travel on the ground. We’re planning to visit Brazil during the second half of July. I’m not naive enough to think we can see a huge chunk of Brazil in such a short time, so I’m focusing on a specific area to make it relaxed and enjoyable.

We’re flying out of Madrid. I was thinking of spending 3 or 4 days in Rio, 3 days in Iguazu (I initially thought one day would be enough, but I’ve read it’s highly recommended to visit the Argentine side as well), 3 or 4 days on Ilha Grande, and 3 days in Paraty. I’m not entirely sure about Ilha Grande in July, but I’m looking for a place to unwind and enjoy the sea (if the water’s good then).

I’ve noticed a lot of people fly into Madrid and return from São Paulo (or vice versa). What’s the advantage of that? It doesn’t seem problematic (based on Google Maps, though I’m no expert) to navigate from Rio. Is there a more efficient order for visits to minimize travel time?

As you can tell, I’m just starting to plan, but I’ll need to book the international flights soon. I’ll probably have more questions for those of you who are patient enough to help! ;)

Thanks!!

Bon, quelques données positives à Salvador da Bahia 😎

Depuis une dizaine de jours maintenant le commerce à été partiellement ouvert dans ce qu'on appelle ici la "fase 1", cad. tout les commerces de vente sont autorisé à ouvrir leur établissement. Sont encore exempt : les bars et restaurants, les transports inter-urbains publics. Les plages sont encore fermé au public. Par contre à Praia do Forte et Imbassai on vient d'ouvrir les restaurants le weekend passé. Tout selon une interminable liste de mesures de sécurité.

Voici une liste (de l'association des hoteliers de Bahia) d'hôtels ouvert en ce moment :

- ALAH MAR HOTEL - https://alah-mar-br.book.direct/ - AMERICA TOWER - https://www.americatowers.ammihotels.com.br/pt-br/ - BAHIA SOL E MAR - https://bahiasolemar.com.br/ - BAHIAMAR HOTEL - https://bahiamar.com.br/ - CATUSSABA RESORT - http://www.catussaba.com.br/ - FIESTA BAHIA HOTEL - https://www.fiestahotel.com.br - GRANDE HOTEL DA BARRA - https://www.grandehoteldabarra.com.br/pt-br/ - HIT HOTEL - https://www.hithotel.com.br/pt-br/ - HOTEL BAHIA DO SOL - https://www.bahiadosol.com.br/ - HOTEL BOM GOSTO - https://bom-gosto.hotelsinsalvador.com/pt/ - HOTEL COLONIAL CHILE - https://www.colonialchilehotel.com.br/pt-br/ - HOTEL PRAIA DA SEREIA - https://praiadasereia.com.br/ - HOTEL POUSADA DA MANGUEIRA - https://www.pousadadamangueira.com.br/pt-br - HOTEL SEMPRE OGUNJA - https://www.bahia.hotelsempre.com.br/pt-br/ - IBIS SALVADOR HANGAR PARK - https://all.accor.com/hotel/8181/index.pt-br.shtml - INTERCITY SALVADOR AEROPORTO - https://www.intercityhoteis.com.br/hotel-salvador/hotel-intercity-salvador-aeroporto/44/ - MAIS HOTEL AEROPORTO SALVADOR - https://maishotelbahia.com.br/ - MALIBU PLAZA HOTEL - https://malibuplaza.com.br/ - MAR BRASIL HOTEL - https://www.marbrasilhotel.com.br/ - MARANO HOTEL - http://maranohotel.com.br/ - MERCURE SALVADOR BOULEVARD - https://all.accor.com/hotel/7361/index.pt-br.shtml - MERCURE SALVADOR PITUBA - https://all.accor.com/hotel/8930/index.pt-br.shtml - MERCURE SALVADOR RIO VERMELHO - https://all.accor.com/hotel/5182/index.pt-br.shtml?utm_campaign=seo+maps&utm_medium=seo+maps&utm_source=google+Maps - ONIX PIATÃ - http://onixhoteis.com.br/ - ONIX AEROPORTO - http://onixhoteis.com.br/ - POUSADA SOLAR DAS ARTES – SALVADOR - https://pousadasolardasartes.com.br/ - PISA PLAZA HOTEL - https://pisaplaza.com.br/ - POUSADA SALVADOR - https://www.hotelsone.com/salvador-hotels-br/pousada-salvador.pt.html - SALVADOR MAR HOTEL - http://salvadormarhotel.com.br/ - QUALITY HOTEL SÃO SALVADOR - https://www.atlanticahotels.com.br/hotel/quality-hotel-suites-sao-salvador/ - VERDEMAR HOTEL - http://verdemar.com.br/ - MOTEL DECAMERON - https://www.decameron.com.br/pt-br/nossas-suites - MOTEL DEL REY - http://www.moteldelrey.com.br/ - MOTEL KAMASUTRA - https://motelkamasutra.com.br/

Les hôtels suivant parlent d'une ouverture possible plustard dans l'année : - Wish Hotel da Bahia (Campo Grande à Salvador) vers le 12 octobre - Fera Palace (Rua de Chili à Salvador) vers début décembre - Monte Pascoal Praia Hotel (Barra, Salvador) vers octobre/novembre - Grand Palladium, le 6 aout - Deville Prime, le 1 septembre - Pousada Reino de Aruanda, 1 novembre - Pousada da Mangueira, septembre

Si vous avez des questions spécifiques n'hésitez pas à les poser ici 😉

Le bonjour tropical de Salvador da Bahia

Ivan Bahia Guide

Bonjour, pour voir les chutes, mieux vaut-il prendre un logement à Foz de Iguaçu ou à Puerto Iguaçu ? j'ai réservé à Foz, pensant que c'était le plus simple, mais je me perds dans tout ça... Le plus simple et le plus près des chutes (brésiliennes le 1er jour, et le second je souhaite voir le côté argentin) ? Je pense prendre les bus ! Merci de vos réponses ! Chantal