10 Days in Argentina & Brazil

This area is known for its warm, passionate, and diverse cultures. Argentinians and Brazilians share a love for music, dance, food, and social gatherings, with tango in Buenos Aires and samba in Rio embodying their vibrant spirits.

Buenos Aires is often called the “Paris of South America”, reflecting its rich European influence, while Brazil’s mix of Portuguese, African, and Indigenous heritage creates a unique cultural tapestry. Both countries celebrate art, football, and gastronomy, with lively festivals and welcoming locals.

LGBTQ+ rights are widely recognized, especially in Buenos Aires, a pioneer in equality, and Rio de Janeiro, famous for its Pride celebrations. While urban centers are very LGBTQ+-friendly, attitudes in smaller towns can be more conservative, though tolerance continues to grow across the region.

The cuisine in this region is a feast for the senses, blending bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and rich culinary traditions. In Argentina, we’ll indulge in asado (grilled meats), empanadas, and dulce de leche treats, often paired with a glass of Malbec. Buenos Aires also has a thriving café culture, perfect for enjoying a cortado with medialunas (sweet croissants).

In Brazil, we’ll savor feijoada (a hearty black bean stew), pão de queijo (cheese bread), and the freshest seafood in coastal towns like Paraty. Rio’s vibrant street food scene offers açaí bowls, coxinha (chicken croquettes), and refreshing caipirinhas, Brazil’s national cocktail. From fine dining to lively street markets, the food scene across this region is an adventure in itself.

Packing smart will enhance our experience across different climates and activities. Lightweight, breathable clothing is ideal for warm weather, while a light jacket will come in handy for cooler evenings. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for exploring cities and natural sites. A rain jacket or poncho is useful, especially in Iguazú and coastal areas where showers are common. Sun protection—hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen—is a must for long days outdoors. A power adapter (Argentina and Brazil have different plug types), insect repellent, and a reusable water bottle are also helpful. Swimwear is essential for beaches and waterfalls, and a small daypack makes day trips easier. Most importantly, bring a sense of adventure and curiosity to make the most of this incredible journey!

Don't worry, you don't have to remember all of this! We'll share our suggested packing list as part of our final trip preparation email that we send out 10 days before your trip begins. 

Argentina uses the Argentine peso (ARS), while Brazil uses the Brazilian real (BRL). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in cities, but having some cash is useful for small purchases, taxis, and markets. ATMs are available, though withdrawal fees can be high.

In Argentina, inflation continues to make banking complicated and, overall, US Dollars go a long way here, once exchanged.  As a result, we suggest arriving to Argentina with 300 USD in cash, and be prepared to exchange it to pesos during your stay.

In Brazil, some businesses accept U.S. dollars, but it’s best to use the local currency.  We suggest arriving with approximately 1200 BRL for those items and services that prefer cash payments.

Tipping customs vary slightly between Argentina and Brazil. In Argentina, a 10% tip is customary at restaurants, while rounding up taxi fares and tipping hotel staff a small amount is appreciated. In Brazil, restaurants often include a 10% service charge in the bill, so additional tipping is optional but welcomed for exceptional service. For tour guides and drivers, the equivilent of around 10 USD per day is a good guideline. Hotel staff, such as housekeeping and bellboys, typically receive small tips. While tipping isn’t mandatory, it’s a great way to show appreciation for excellent service throughout the trip.

We have pretty high standards when it comes to choosing our accommodations, and trust us, we’ve done plenty of room-sniffing, pillow-patting, bed-jumping and bathroom inspections to make sure we stay at quality spots. To be approved as a Detours accommodations provider, a hotel/guesthouse must be in an amazing location (close to the beach or other hot spots), AND be gay-owned or gay-friendly.

This trip uses a mix of 4-star and 5-star properties, examples of which can be found on the accommodations tab.  Clean, comfortable, well-located spots that'll put a smile on your face, you can count on that! 

All Detours trips are led by one of our own Detours trip leaders.  They're with you every step of the way, and their job is to help ensure that you have the trip of a lifetime by taking the hassle out of your trip, and enabling you to experience everything you came to Argentina & Brazil for!  Consider them like a friendly concierge that's traveling along with you.  All of our trip leaders are gay and all are well-traveled and experienced in the destination they're leading in, so they'll be a great part of your experience!

We do absolutely everything possible to avoid needing such a mundane awakening. A world without alarm clocks is one we want to be part of, and your “rise and shine” while in Argentina and Brazil should come from the smell of fresh coffee or the sound of crashing waves. Sometimes it's necessary to have an early departure, based on flight schedules, but we certainly try to avoid it if possible.  

Our Detours groups are run with a maximum of 16 travelers. Ages of group members vary but most of our travelers are between 40 and 60 years. Whatever the ages on our trips everyone's already got something in common, an exciting new experience in a couple new countries. Each group is led by a Detours trip leader who is there to ensure everything goes off without a hitch, allowing you to focus on having the time of your life! We welcome both men and women onto our trips although it’s important to know that most groups are 100% gay men.

Traveling solo? Great! Lots of our travelers come solo and our trip will provide plenty of chances to meet great people both inside and outside of our group, including other solo travelers. As far as your accommodations go, you’ve got two choices. We can either pair you up with another solo group member in a room with two beds for no extra charge, or you can have your own room for a reasonable surcharge (the exact cost for this trip is located just under the pricing box). 

Argentina uses a "type I", while Brazil uses "type C" and "type N" (usually "N").  These days, the majority of items that are plugged into an outlet are built to handle varying voltage and frequency levels, but just to be sure, we suggest checking your item for its accetable range.  Given the different plug shapes required for this trip, we suggest getting a universal plug which has several different available plug shapes in one piece.