B R A Z I L T O U R July 2019 (12/7 till 31/7/19 ) Day 1 – 12/7/19 – Windhoek – Johannesburg - SP -Recife - Olinda ( Pernambuco ) Flight early morning from Windhoek to Johannesburg and in the afternoon to São Paulo. Arrival late afternoon in SP, flight to Recife and transfer to Olinda (6 km ) situated in the state of Pernambuco. Olinda is a historic city It has a population of 389,494 It is noted as one of the best- preserved colonial cities in Brazil. Accomodation : Hotel 7 Colinas ( Olinda ) Meal included: Dinner Besides its natural beauty, Olinda is also one of Brazil's main cultural centres. Declared in 1982 a Historical and Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO, Olinda relives the magnificence of the past every year during the Rio-style Carnival, on the rhythms of frevo, maracatu and others rhythms. The main economic activities in Olinda are based in tourism, commerce, transportation industry and art craft. The tourist sector has a boom every Carnival when thousands of people are in the old historic town centre. Morning is free to rest from the long trip. After lunch a walk through the historic downtown where there are major tourist attractions like churches and old buildings. As mentioned already this part of the town is considered as World Heritage Site . In the afternoon we travel to Porto de Galinhas Accommodation : Hotel Vivenda dos Arrecifes Convento de São Francisco Included : Breakfast and Dinner Day 2 – 13/7/19 – Olinda - Porto de Galinhas ( Pernambuco) 70 km It is a beach in the state of Pernambuco which is located 60 km from the capital Recife. The beach is famous for its bright – water beaches and the natural pools. The municipality of Ipojuca, where Porto de Galinhas lies, was established in 1895. It has been voted “Best Brazilian Beaches “ For the eighth time in a row by the readers of Voyage Tourism Brazilian Magazine . According to this magazine, the main reasons given are the beauty of the natural pools (the closest to the coast in all of Brazil), the ecological trails, the hotel infrastructure and the proximity to a large city and the airport in Recife. Accomodation – Hotel Vivenda dos Arrecifes, situated 70 m from the beach. Included – Breakfast and dinner Day 3 – 14/7/19 – Porto de Galinhas ( Pernambuco ) Optional activity would be a trip on a “Jangada “ kind of boat used in this region. And free for enjoyoing the beautiful beaches. Accommodation : Hotel Vivenda dos Arrecifes Included : Breakfast and dinner Day 4 – 15/7/19 – Porto de Galinhas - Caruaru ( Pernambuco) 170 km Visit of a big craft market – Feira de Caruaru The most populous city in the interior of the state, Caruaru is located in the microzone of Agreste . The “Agreste” is like the sertão is frequently affected by drought, though generally with less severe effects. Most of the agreste is hilly, its hills becoming higher at south, except near the narrow valley of São Francisco River. This land is mostly used for mixed farming, prevailing fruits, of which melons have especial importance. Caruaru is also called “ Capital do Forró “ Forró is the most popular genre of music and dance in Brazil's Northeast, to the extent that historically "going to the forró" meant simply going to party or going out. The music is based on a combination of three instruments (accordion, zabumba and a metal triangle ) The town is also renowned for its extensive “Festival de São João “ ("Saint John's Festival"), which takes up the whole month of June, sometimes extending into July. The main economic activities are industry ( especially textiles ) tourism, commerce, and handicraft, and the primary sector, especially the raising of goats, chickens, and cattle, and the production of milk. Agricultural activity in the Caruaru area also includes beans, cassava, and corn. Caruaru also hosts one of the biggest open-air traditional handicrafts markets of Brazil, the Feira de Caruaru. Accomodation : Caruaru Park Hotel Included : Breakfast and dinner Day 5 – 16/7/19 – Caruaru to Juazeiro ( Bahia ) 520 km We will have to leave very early as the distance to Juazeiro is 520 km which lies on the margins of the “ Rio São Francisco “ Its name comes from the juazeiro tree which grows in the region. The city is twinned with Petrolina, in the state of Pernambuco. The two cities are connected by a modern bridge crossing the São Francisco River. Together they form the metropolitan region of Petrolina-Juazeiro, an urban conglomerate of close to 500,000 inhabitants. Like its sister city Petrolina, Juazeiro has experienced great growth in the last decade due to the irrigation of the semi-arid soils with water from the São Francisco River. Fruit cultivation is important to such an extent that Juazeiro entitles itself "Capital of Irrigated Fruit", which is exported between the Petrolina Airport to USA and/or Europe. For more detailed information on the development of this fertile valley see the article on Petrolina. Main agricultural products in planted area: bananas, mango, sugarcane and grapes Bridge from Juazeiro to Petrolina Petrolina is situated on the left bank of the São Francisco River across from its twin city of Juazeiro, Bahia. The two cities, making up an urban area of almost 520.000 people, are connected by a modern bridge. Sobradinho Dam, enclosing Sobradinho Reservoir, the 12th largest reservoir (artificial lake) in the world, is located 26 kilometers upriver. The Sobradinho Reservoir Lago de Sobradinho is a large reservoir located in Sobradinho, north of the Brazilian state of Bahia. The reservoir measures approximately 320 km (200 mi) long, 4,214 km2 in surface area, and a storage capacity of 34.1 km3 (8.2 cu mi) at its nominal elevation of 392.5 m , making it the 15th largest reservoir (artificial lake) in the world. The lake encloses the waters of the São Francisco River, one of the largest and most important rivers in Brazil. The reservoir, which represents 60.4% of the hydroelectric power resources of the Northeast of Brazil, has conditions to guarantee the power supply for the region for two years but its water level is highly variable. In some drought years the energy supply is threatened. The main economic activities in Petrolina are based in the irrigated agriculture, related industry and commerce. Main crops in Tons (2007) Mangos - 146,000 , Grapes 112,200, Guava 67,760 , Banana 45,000 and Coconut 36,400.00 • Grapes - 112,200 • Guava - 67,760 • Banana - 45,000 • Coconut - 36,400 in thousands There is also a substantial number of animals such as, in heads (2007): Goats - 99,500, Sheep 57,200 , Cattle 29,200 , Pigs 16,200 , Donkeys 10,400 , Mules 2,100 and horses 1,750 The São Francisco River or Rio São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of 2,914 kilometres, it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil (after the Amazon, the Paraná and the Madeira). The Vale do São Francisco is a river valley in the state of Bahia, eastern Brazil. The most remarkable thing about the valley as a wine region is its equatorial latitude, just 9°S. This places it only 1000 kilometres south of the Equator, and 2400km north of Brazil's core winelands in Rio Grande do Sul. The climate here is classified as semi- arid tropical. It is hot and dry, with just 600 millimetres of rain per year. The grapes grown in this tropical environment are rarely, if ever, of fine- wine quality. But what they lack in quality they make up for in quantity; many vineyards here produce two annual vintages rather than one. Accommodation: Verdes Vales Hotel in Juazeiro Included: Breakfast and dinner Day 6 – 17/7/19 – Juazeiro ( Baiha ) Day trip "Vapor da Ilha " – Vapor means steam and Ilha means Island. In the morning visit of the Agropecuaria Santa Isabella, where wine and other vegetables are planted In the afternoon we will take part at the “ Island Trail “ in the São Francisco Valley which was named after the old steam boats that contributed to the development of the Brazilian Northeast and especially the São Francisco Valley. The Island Voyage starts in the city of Petrolina-PE. On the tour is included a road transfer, navigation on Lake Sobradinho with live music, lunch on board, a swim in the island of Fantasia, visit to the Miolo winery, with wine, brandy and sparkling wine tasting. Accommodation: Verdes Vales Hotel in Juazeiro Included: Breakfast and dinner Day 7 – 18/7/19 – Juazeiro – Maturéia ( Paraίba) – Casarão do Jabre 530 km Again, we have to leave early astoday we have the same distance to drive. We will overnight at the Casarão do Jabre, accomodationon an old farm. It is situated next to the “ Pico do Jabre “ Pico do Jabre is the highest mountain in the Brazilian state of Paraíba, at 1,197 metres . The mountain is protected by the 500 hectares (1,200 acres) Pico do Jabre State Park, created in 1992. After arrival it is free for everyone to rest or walk around Accomodation : Casarão do Jabre Included : Breakfast and dinner Day 8 – 19/7/19 – Day trip to Fazenda Carnaúba ( next to the town of Taperoá ) 70 km Every year the Carnaúba Farm offers its D Day where the doors are open for field visits. Faced with the adversities of the semi-arid, lectures on the use of forage palm and other solutions attract the participants. At the same time, there is an exhibition and sale of animals and a wide cultural program aimed at farmers.