Rio, Paraty and Ilha Grande in 7 to 9 days, private trip

At a glance

Paraty and Ilha Grande form one UNESCO World Heritage site, “Paraty and Ilha Grande: Culture and Biodiversity”, inscribed in 2019. One half is a colonial town with stone streets, the other an island of beaches and forest trails with no cars. Together with a few days in Rio they make a trip that starts busy and slows down.

Day by day

Day 1: arrival in Rio

A driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. The afternoon goes to the beach and an easy dinner.

Day 2: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf

Corcovado in the morning by train or official van; the train runs every 20 minutes from 8:00, with check-in at least 40 minutes before your slot. After lunch, Santa Teresa and the Selarón Steps, and the Sugarloaf cable car at the end of the day (last car up at 19:30). Our Rio in 4 days page has the detail.

Day 3: beaches and the Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden, the lagoon and Ipanema, with a spare slot if day 2 was cloudy.

Day 4: road and boat to Ilha Grande

The driver picks you up at the hotel and takes you to the pier. Angra dos Reis is about 155 km from Rio. From Mangaratiba or Angra dos Reis the ferry to Vila do Abraão takes up to 110 minutes, and schooners and speedboats cross from other piers too. We match the boat to your pickup time. Evening in Abraão, the main village.

Day 5: a day on Ilha Grande

A beach and a trail with a guide, or a boat trip around the bays. The Praia do Sul Biological Reserve on the far side is closed to tourism under Brazilian law, so the routes stay in the rest of the island.

Day 6: boat back and on to Paraty

Morning boat to the mainland, where the driver waits and continues down the same coast road to Paraty. Check in near the historic center and walk the stone streets in the evening.

Day 7: Paraty and the bay

A morning walk through the old town with a guide: churches, squares and the story of the Caminho do Ouro, the colonial road that brought gold down to the coast. In the afternoon, a boat on the bay, private or shared.

Day 8: back to Rio or the airport

The driver takes you back to Rio or straight to Galeão for your flight. With a ninth day, spend it at a waterfall outside Paraty or on one more beach day in Rio.

How to adapt it

• Shorter. Seven days work with two nights in Rio, two on the island and one in Paraty.
• Longer. A ninth day goes to the beach in Rio, a waterfall near Paraty or a private boat in Angra dos Reis. Past Paraty the road continues to Ilhabela and Ubatuba.
• With children. Fewer road legs per day and beaches with calm water. Island luggage is easier with one soft bag each. More on our Rio family trip page.
• With older travellers. Abraão has sand streets and Paraty’s stones are uneven, so we choose rooms close to the pier and the center.
• For couples. A sunset boat or a private dinner: see honeymoon in Rio and Brazil.

What we arrange

• Airport transfers and a private car for every road leg.
• The boat to Vila do Abraão and back, timed to the transfers.
• Guides who speak your language for Rio, the island and Paraty, confirmed in the proposal.
• A selection of hotels and pousadas in Rio, Abraão and Paraty.
• Corcovado and Sugarloaf tickets planned for your dates, and the boat trips on the coast.
• One contact on our team for the whole trip.

Our fee is already included in the price. A vetted local provider delivers each service. More in how we work.

Good to know

• Since June 2026 visitors to Angra dos Reis, Ilha Grande included, need a Taxa de Turismo Sustentável (TTS). Children under 12, people aged 60 and over and people with disabilities are exempt but still get a voucher. Foreign visitors issue it in person. Once done, it covers travel between the mainland and the islands for 30 days.
• If you prefer the bus, Costa Verde Transportes lists 12 departures a day from Rodoviária Novo Rio to Paraty.
• The UK FCDO says Rio’s rainy season runs from November to March and advises against road travel in heavy rain. We keep a spare day in the rainy months and move the boats if the weather stops them.

Check entry requirements on official websites before you travel.