Brazil Agricultural Tour
SOLD OUT January 24-February 7, 2011
SOLD OUT February 14-28, 2011

See corn, soybeans, rice, cotton, and other crops in various stages of growth - planting to harvesting. Visit Brazil's largest ethanol plants and the world's largest soybean farm. 

Day 1: USA / Manaus / Amazon River

Depart Miami on our flight to Manaus, Brazil. Upon arrival in Manaus, clear immigration and customs and transfer to the Ceasa Docks where we board a vessel for a full day cruise on the largest river in the world, the Amazon. We travel on to see the meeting of the Rio Negro and Amazon rivers, called the Meeting of the Waters. The Rio Negro flows into the Amazon, but for nearly four miles it does not mix with the waters of the Amazon. The Negro flows at half the speed of the mighty Amazon, while the water temperatures are much warmer in the Amazon. After our cruise we check into the Amazon Ecopark Lodge to enjoy dinner and our overnight stay. In-flight Meal Service, L, D

Day 2: Manaus / Amazon Forest

Enjoy breakfast followed by a Nature Hike in the Amazon Forest. After our included lunch, enjoy a short rest and then visit the home of local Amazonian residents (Caboclos) with an opportunity for Piranha fishing. Dinner tonight and our overnight stay is at the Ecopark Lodge. Following dinner tonight, we'll enjoy an evening tour by canoe for Alligator spotting. B, L, D.

Day 3: Amazon / Brazilia

Today we enjoy a very interesting tour of Jungle Monkey, a unique world of monkeys. Some of the species include the Spider Monkey, Wooly Monkey, Squirrel Monkey and the Capuchin Monkey. After our tour we transfer to the airport for our flight to Brazilia. This totally planned city with an all-new skyline is home to this nation's President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Brasilia, with its modern and interesting architecture, is laid out in the shape of a large airplane. You'll enjoy our guided tour of this very clean, attractive capital city built in the late 1950's. After the tour we'll check into our hotel and rest for the night. B, inflight meal service consisting of a sandwich and drink.

Day 4: Brazilia / John Carroll Farm

After breakfast, we travel north about 3 1/2 hours for a visit to the Carroll Family Farms. John Carroll, owner and manager, will be there to answer all your questions regarding farming in Brazil. Carroll Farms is located about 70 miles south of the city of Luis Eduardo. The farm in Brazil consists of 20,000 acres of cotton, 6000 acres of soybeans and 800 acres of experimental corn. We'll spend the balance of the day touring John's farm. You are sure to enjoy a tour of this farm, which is owned by an American farmer, who is now successfully operating in another part of the world. See similarities and great differences in how their land is farmed and managed compared to operations in the U.S. B. L

Day 5: Carroll Farm Area / Brazilia

This morning we travel back south to the capital city of Brazilia for a tour of this very modern city. Our first stop will be a shopping mall for a short visit and lunch on your own. Here you'll have an opportunity to see what Brazilians are exposed to in terms of shopping items as well as prices. Following lunch, we'll continue our tour of this recently developed city. After our tour, we retire for the night at a very nice hotel in Brasilia. B, D

Day 6: Brasilia / Cuiaba / Nova Mutum

After breakfast, we continue our tour of this very modern city and transfer to the airport for our flight to Cuiaba, a stepping stone on our journey to Nova Mutum, a city in Brazil's Mato Grosso, its largest agricultural state. The red soil, along with the generous sun and abundant rainfall of this tropical climate, provide the potential to grow high-yield crops. During the growing season, October through April, they receive 80 - 90 inches of rain, while May through July virtually no rain falls. We'll drive about four hours to our destination, where you'll see some of the best production land in Brazil. We'll stay the night in Nova Mutum, a very young city that was born from the new development of the one time forest turned soybean land. Sky-high soybean prices in the 1970's started the flow of farmers into Mato Grosso. Before that, the flat-to-rolling Savannah had been home to beef producers. Bulldozers cleared small trees and brush from the land, large discs followed and lime spreaders poured in to make the acidic soils sweet. Millions of acres have been cleared in this area to make Brazil America's largest soybean competitor. B, D(B, D)

Day 7: Monday, Nova Mutum / Lucas

Today you can visit with other large farm operators in Matto Grosso, Brazil. Here you'll have an opportunity to discuss everything from input cost and crop choices to land cost and farm profitability. We view the crops firsthand and investigate the huge line of farm equipment, much of it manufactured in Brazil. Farmers owning 80 tractors, 40 combines, a dozen cotton pickers, and several spray planes are not unusual. We'll see large-scale wood-burning grain dryers and visit a cotton gin operation. Learn how some Brazilian farmers have brought in swine breeding stock from Canada and now raise and fatten large numbers of hogs each year. They have also developed cattle feedlots to utilize the cheap corn grown in the area. We overnight in the small city of Lucas. B, L, D

Day 8: Lucas / Tangara da Serra

Today we'll travel southwest to the city of Tangara da Serra, home of our Brazilian guide, Ricardo. The soybean harvest will be underway, and since we are traveling by motor coach, we'll be able to stop for field inspections along the route. Throughout the tour you'll have an opportunity to see crops from the early stages all the way to harvest. You will also see first hand how this nation's main obstacle is transportation - see long truck lines at the local elevators and their very poor road conditions. Upon arrival, we'll visit seed and fertilizer plants, equipment dealers and other Ag-related businesses with a special question and answer period. We will stay the next two nights in Tangara da Serra. B, D

Day 9: Tangara de Serra

Today you'll visit the largest soybean farmer in the world. Mr. A. Maggie, currently the governor of the state of Matto Grosso, has farmland stretching across Matto Grosso. We'll learn about his huge agricultural enterprise, which includes grain farming, seed production, marketing and barge shipping. Be ready - the numbers are mind-boggling. This visit may help you learn how someone can farm 350,000 acres profitably. Most area crops are trucked west to the Madeira River where they are loaded on barges owned by Maggie. The barges carry the crops northeast to the Amazon, where they are loaded on larger vessels for international shipment. Overnight in Tangara da Serra. B, D

Day 10: Tangara da Serra / Cuiaba

Today we'll see one of the largest ethanol plants in Brazil - and you'll learn how they have achieved a positive energy status. Sugar cane is the source of the alcohol, produced by crushing the sugar cane and leaving the stalk fiber as a by-product. This product, after having been run through the crusher twice, looks similar to dry silage. It is piled up and later burned in large steam furnaces. These furnaces produce the steam that provides the energy to run the plant, including electricity. There is more energy produced than needed, so the extra is sold off. Brazil has a mandatory 25% alcohol in every gallon of gas sold. Their late-model "flex fuel" vehicles can burn any percent of alcohol, including 100% fossil fuel or 100% alcohol. Brazil became energy self-sufficient as of March 2006. At the end of the tour, we will drive back to Cuiaba, where we'll stay the night at a very new hotel next to the airport, B, D

Day 11: Cuiaba / Iguassu Falls

Today we'll depart Cuiaba on our flight to Iguassu Falls. We'll arrive early afternoon, leaving the day open for relaxation in our beautiful hotel. Take a swim or just rest up for the tomorrow's busy tours. B in-flight meal service

Day 12: Iguassu Falls

Today's excursion begins with a guided tour of Iguassu Falls on the Brazilian side. Walk along the boardwalk for an up-close and personal view of the mighty Horseshoe Falls. After lunch, we will visit a farmer living about 50 miles from Iguassu Falls. This visit introduces us to farming on a scale similar to that in the U.S. - a nice contrast to the huge farms you visited in Mato Grosso. Corn, soybeans, wheat and grassland makes up most of the farming in the southern region. Here you'll have a chance for crop inspections and also visit a cow-calf operation along with a confinement feedlot. The working chutes and yards to handle cattle will amaze you. He feeds out a portion of his production on rations comprised of milo silage, along with grain and liquid supplement. After the tour we'll drive back to our hotel and prepare for a wonderful dinner and show that features musicians from Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. B, L, D

Day 13: Sunday, Southern Brazil Farm / Sao Paulo / Miami

Today we'll enjoy a visit to the incredible Itaipu Dam, the world's second largest dam, followed by a short trip through the rain forest on our way to the Macuco Boat Safari. Capture the magnificent view of the falls as our boat powers through the sea spray. Afterwards, we'll return to our hotel and prepare for our late-afternoon departure. B

Day 14: Monday, Return to the U.S.A.

Arrive in Miami, pass through immigration, pick up your luggage, go through customs and catch your connecting flight home. In-flight meal service