Brazil Travel from Canada: The Complete Guide

Since April 10, 2025, Canadian citizens need an electronic visa (e-Visa) to enter Brazil. You apply entirely online, the fee is about US$81 (roughly CAD 110), and the visa stays valid for five years, with stays of up to 90 days. Air Canada flies nonstop from Toronto to São Paulo year-round and from Montréal to São Paulo about four times a week, both in roughly 10 hours; a seasonal Toronto-Rio nonstop operates from December to late March. The best time to visit depends on the region: May to October for Rio and the Southeast, almost year-round for the Northeast beaches. As a guideline, budget CAD 3,000 to 5,500 per person for two weeks, flights included.

The essentials at a glance

Why Brazil

Brazil covers nearly half of South America. In a single trip you can go from the sands of Copacabana to the 275 waterfalls of Iguaçu, then sleep in an Amazon lodge. No other country on the continent packs this much variety, and its domestic flight network is the best in the region: LATAM, GOL and Azul connect the major regions in two to three hours.

It is also a country you live rather than simply visit. Music spills out of neighbourhood bars, Sunday churrasco is a family institution, and every February Carnival turns entire cities into a dance floor. Brazilians have a reputation as some of the warmest hosts in the Americas, and it holds up from your first conversation, even with three words of Portuguese.

The exchange rate works in your favour too. With the real worth about CAD 0.28, a full meal in a good neighbourhood restaurant often costs under CAD 20, and a solid hotel room can be found below CAD 120 a night. For a long-haul destination, day-to-day costs are remarkably gentle.

When to go

Brazil is vast and its seasons vary by region. The southern summer (December to March) is hot, humid and festive; the southern winter (June to September) is dry and mild in the Southeast.

Carnival 2027 runs February 5 to 13. If that is your target, reserve flights and hotels six to nine months ahead.

Getting there from Canada

Air Canada flies nonstop from Toronto to São Paulo's Guarulhos airport year-round, and nonstop from Montréal to São Paulo about four times a week, both on the Boeing 787-9. Departures are in the evening with a morning arrival, after roughly 10 hours in the air. From December to late March, Air Canada also operates a seasonal nonstop between Toronto and Rio de Janeiro, three times a week.

Outside those dates, Rio is reached with one connection: fly to São Paulo and hop on a one-hour domestic flight with LATAM or GOL, or route through Panama City with Copa Airlines from Montréal or Toronto. Count on 12 to 16 hours door to door depending on the routing. Our Rio de Janeiro guide breaks down each option.

Advisor's tip: if your itinerary combines several regions such as Rio, Iguaçu and Salvador, use São Paulo as your hub. It is South America's largest air gateway and domestic fares are frequent and affordable.

Regions to explore

Rio de Janeiro

Guanabara Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado: few cities anywhere enjoy a setting like this. Between beaches, climb to the bohemian streets of Santa Teresa or settle into a botequim in Lapa for dinner. Plan at least four nights. Every neighbourhood is covered in our dedicated Rio de Janeiro page.

São Paulo

The metropolis of 12 million is South America's food capital. Go for the restaurants, the Municipal Market and its mortadella sandwiches, the galleries around Oscar Freire street and the murals of Vila Madalena. Two or three nights work well at the start or end of a circuit, since your flight lands there. See our São Paulo guide to plan the stopover.

Salvador and the Northeast

Salvador is the Afro-Brazilian heart of the country: the colourful facades of the Pelourinho, drum rhythms in the streets and cooking rich with dendê oil. Beyond it, the Northeast coastline unrolls thousands of kilometres of warm beaches year-round, from Praia do Forte and Morro de São Paulo to the dunes and lagoons of Jericoacoara.

Iguaçu Falls

On the Argentine border, 275 waterfalls stretch across nearly 3 km of jungle. The Brazilian side delivers the panoramic views, the Argentine side the walkways right over the water; give each its own day. It is a two-hour flight from São Paulo or Rio.

The Amazon and the Pantanal

From Manaus, river cruises and jungle lodges take you deep into the world's largest rainforest. For wildlife, though, the Pantanal is more generous: caimans, capybaras, macaws and even jaguars during the dry season from July to October. Allow three to five days for each extension.

The budget, in Canadian dollars

As a guideline, a two-week trip comes to about CAD 3,000 per person on a lean budget, CAD 4,500 to 5,500 in mid-range comfort with a few domestic flights, and well beyond that at the high end. Prices move with the season and the exchange rate; your advisor will prepare an up-to-date quote.

Entry requirements and health for Canadian citizens

• Visa: an e-Visa has been mandatory since April 10, 2025. Apply on the official portal brazil.vfsevisa.com; the fee is about US$81 and the visa is valid for 5 years with multiple entries (90 days per stay, 180 days per year). Processing often takes 2 to 3 days, but leave a two- to three-week margin.
• Passport: valid for at least the full length of your stay; six months of validity remains a prudent standard.
• Official advisory: the Government of Canada advises exercising a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high crime rates in urban areas. Certain Rio favelas and border regions carry stricter advisories. Check travel.gc.ca before departure.
• Vaccines: yellow fever vaccination is recommended depending on your itinerary, notably for the Amazon, the Pantanal and the Iguaçu region. Keep hepatitis A and B and routine vaccines up to date. Dengue, Zika and chikungunya circulate: protect yourself against mosquito bites.
• Insurance: comprehensive travel medical insurance is essential; private Brazilian hospitals require a payment guarantee.
• Money: cards are accepted almost everywhere; keep some cash in reais for beach kiosks and markets.

One final piece of advice: do not try to see everything. Brazil is best explored one large region at a time, and a successful first trip usually combines Rio, Iguaçu and a beach region or São Paulo. The rest gives you a reason to come back.

Ready to plan your trip to Brazil? Voyages AquaTerra advisors check your e-Visa, build your flights and stops, and stay with you before and during the trip. 450-628-6241 | 1-866-628-6241 | info@voyagesaquaterra.com

Voyages AquaTerra holds a Québec travel agent permit.