Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia. Bahia's strong sense of cultural identity, with African, Native Brazilian and European influences, has made Bahia a mystical land with a rich folk culture. We can offer many options for Salvador tours and can include extensions to nearby areas with exotic beaches and great scenery.

• historic and panoramic city tours
• Afro-Brazilian cultural tours
• capoeira, percussion, samba and Bahia cuisine classes
• extensions to Praia do Forte, Morro da Sao Paulo, Itacare and other exotic beach locations
• hiking tours to Chapada Diamantina

Sample Salvador itinerary

Day 1 - arrive Salvador, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Then enjoy a historical city tour. We start in the modern suburb of Barra at the mouth of the Bay with its famous lighthouse and make our way slowly by car or coach to the old historical section of town, the Pelourinho area with the largest and the best preserved complex colonial architecture in the Americas. We stroll through the narrow, bustling streets lined with buildings in pastel shades of an age gone by. We visit the church of S. Francisco (U$ 1.00 entrance fee not included) with its exuberant gold-leafed Baroque interior and the Pelourinho Square, the heart of the old town. This tour shows two distinct aspects of Salvador, the new and the old, concentrating on the early expansion of the city. It ends at Mercado Modelo, a thriving market of local artifacts.This is Salvador, a perfect example of a harmonious relationship between old and new, preserving the architecture and innovating with new urban planning solutions. The Pelourinho or Pelô, as the colonial city is affectionately known, is one of the most important collections of Baroque colonial architecture in Latin America, appointed in the UNESCO's World Heritage site.

Day 2 - breakfast, then Panoramic "lower city" tour. The lower city tour takes us to the quiet waters of the Itapagipe Peninsula where the first holiday residences were built. Now, a peaceful family district, life moves at a slower pace than the bustling upper city. Fishermen fish from dug out canoes, locals collect shellfish at low tide, schooners are at anchor, all protected by the famous Bonfim church, one of the most important churches of pilgrimage in Brazil. We continue to Monserrat district with its panoramic view of the city. (note that Bonfim church is closed on Mondays)

Day 3 - breakfast, then you will be transferred to the airport or extend your time

Why not add a Bahian show and dinner to get more of a sense of the area?

Please note: Historical group tour: Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays in the afternoon. Panoramic group tour: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday in the morning
Private tours can be at other dates and times. Prices below are quoted with group tours.

2013 Price per person in US$:

These prices include transfer in, standard rooms in hotels with breakfasts, group tours, transfer out with driver. We can price for private tours and upgraded rooms. Prices change for major holidays and special occassions. The hotels have many rate categories and we used prices valid for much of the year in order to simplify the chart. So please just use these prices as examples until we confirm exact price.

Here are some other tour options that can be added:

Full Day Schooner Cruise
Board on a schooner for a cruise in the All Saints Bay from where one can have an unforgettable view of the old part of the city of Salvador. Cruising across the bay, we'll pass by several islands, as the famous Frade island, surrounded by groves of palm trees, warm, crystal clear and calm waters. Views of Loreto, Tobar, da Viração, Costa de Fora e Ponta de Nossa Senhora and Paramana, the most popular among these beaches, before getting to Itaparica, the biggest island of All Saints Bay, with 240 km². The word Itaparica means "around the rocks" and the name comes from the barrier of corals laying 1km from the beaches towards the Atlantic ocean, creating a big natural swimming pool, with transparent warm blue water, excellent for swimming or diving. We will have lunch here. 

Bahia by Night Show and Dinner -
In the evening enjoy a marvelous evening of folk dancing and a traditional Bahian dinner - Passengers will be enchanted by the brilliant bahian night life, where music and folkloric manifest in their full magic spirit. We invite you for a regional dinner, including a variety of delicious typical plates and deserts. During dinner, an amazing folkloric show with be presented, featuring the famous "Capoeira" from African salves, the "Maculelê", an impressive dance performed with pieces of wood and big knifes, and the rhythms of the "Candomblé", the old afro-brazilian dances related to religious divinities, specially cultivated in Bahia. 

Miguel Santana is the name of the Theater where the Bahia Afro Bale performs for the private tour. It is a professional ballet, they've performed all over the world, and it's the only ballet group of its kind in Brazil, and I guess, in the world.... The group show happens in the restaurant called "Coliseu". There is a stage in the middle of the dining area, where the dance group performs. They also do a very good job, improving it every year...last time I saw it, a few months ago, I was very well impressed. So, they do not have the status of the Ballet...but they do a great job....our local operator

Whale Watching at Praia do Forte -
The Humpbacks make an extensive migration from the cold waters around the South Pole until the warm tropical waters in Brazil, where they stay from July to November in order to breed. The Brazilian Humpback Whale Project was created in 1988, aimed to research and to preserve this particular species in Brazil. More than 6000 whales are estimated to occur in Brazilian waters and more than 2000 of these have been photo-identified. Important information has been gathered on the behavior, habitats and conservation needs of the species.