Reaching Boa Vista, Brazil for Our Mount Roraima Expedition
The city of Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil, is the starting point city for our Roraima Expedition in Venezuela. Geographically, the city of Boa Vista is situated in a very remote corner of northern Brazil, and can be challenging to get to, unless booked in advance and with preparation.
NAHUA EXPEDITIONS
Updated on 27 May 2026 ・ 6 min read
Wait. Why Are we starting in Brazil if the expedition is in Venezuela?
Short answer; the specific region of Venezuela we will be visiting, Canaima, is on the border with Brazil, and is much more feasible to access from Brazil.
A First Option
Before diving further into this topic, it’s important to note that reaching Boa Vista, Brazil can also be relatively simple, albeit if timing and cost are of little concern. You may be able to find flights entirely through one single airline, all the way to Boa Vista, through LATAM Airlines. LATAM is a good airline with secure baggage handling—even on long stopovers, and should get you and your luggage all the way to your final destination without much hassle. This option with LATAM can be a bit more pricey, depending on the day you travel, but will be the easiest and simplest option. If that option works for you, then you can save time and skip this article.
This article is mainly intended for people who want to know what stopover options are available, and tips for getting through them smoothly. We’ll also share the most cost-effective way of reaching Boa Vista, and what the different options entail.
Approach
Arriving internationally, you will likely need a connecting flight in one of the following Brazilian cities: São Paulo, Brasília, or Manaus. Sometimes multiple. Whether you’re booking your flights all in one go via third party booking websites, or splitting up your flight purchases to reserve them individually through the official airline’s website, you will notice stopover options in those cities.
Depending on how you go about booking flight tickets, you might at first glance find it quite expensive to reach Boa Vista. Tools like skyscanner.com and Google Flights allow you to quickly view flight options from your point of origin, all the way to your destination. These tools, while useful, can often times display combined purchase options which can be more expensive than if you do a little bit of searching around, or book flights individually.
We initially use skyscanner.com and flightconnections.com to display flight options and routes available. Once we find the optimal route for our needs, we look into purchasing tickets—usually by individual flights, especially if we’re using multiple airlines. We prefer using the official airline app or website, unless it is significantly more expensive than purchasing through third party sellers such as Booking.com and GoToGate.com. Booking and GoToGate have intuitive websites and apps, and provide good customer service.
We choose to purchase our flights to one of the Brazilian cities mentioned above, first, and then afterwords, purchase a direct round-trip ticket to Boa Vista. Splitting up the purchases like this might be necessary if you are having to use multiple airlines to reach Boa Vista. Doing this also gives you more flexibility when it comes to tickets and pricing.
Domestic flights within Brazil are typically quite expensive, and if you’re purchasing flights last-minute, even more so. We recommend booking your all your flights—but especially the domestic flights within Brazil, well in advance to get the best pricing.
Stopover Options
Via São Paulo, Brazil
Depending on your city of origin, you might find it easiest to travel to São Paulo, Brazil—arriving at either one of São Paulo’s airports—and then transfer to the other airport if necessary.
São Paulo, Brazil has two international airports you may need to know of: Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP). Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is amongst the busiest airports in the world, and is relatively easy to get to from most major destinations worldwide. Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP), although not nearly as busy, still receives incoming flights from some major destinations like Lisbon, Paris, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. Viracopos-Campinas airport is located outside the city of São Paulo, and is approximately a 1.5hr drive from the much busier Guarulhos airport. Taxi services, Uber, and Bus options will transport you between these two airports relatively easily. This method of landing at either of São Paulo’s airports can be a great option if you’re looking to take the least number of flights possible to reach Boa Vista (BVB).
Note: If you are landing at Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) via an international flight, be sure to leave several hours (3-4+) of stopover time before your flight to Boa Vista (BVB) as you will likely need to go through Brazilian immigration and pick up your checked luggage—which can take up to a couple hours depending on how busy the airport is.
At the time of writing this article, LATAM Airlines services two (2) weekly flights from São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Boa Vista (BVB), and back. Azul Airlines services four (4) weekly flights from Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP) to Boa Vista (BVB), and back. Both airlines operate these routes on a seasonal basis, and schedules are known to change frequently, so we recommend doing your flight research for the month you are planning to travel, well in advance.
Here are some excellent resources for viewing São Paulo – Boa Vista monthly route schedules:
Return:
If you are travelling from North America: We do not recommend routing through São Paulo for travellers departing from North America, unless you plan to extend your trip with time in the city before or after your expedition. São Paulo is located in southern Brazil, which is a significant detour when travelling to Boa Vista, which is in Brazil’s far north. Manaus or Brasília are the more practical stopover options, keeping your journey direct and your travel time to a minimum.
If you are looking to travel from Sao Paulo to Boa Vista on a direct (non-stop) flight, we recommend purchasing your final leg (to Boa Vista) flights as a standalone return-trip ticket. As this is a non-daily flight, airlines may assign travellers to inconvenient stopovers (or routes) to accommodate them to airline flight schedule (e.x. You may be routed through Brasilia as opposed to waiting for the direct, non-stop flight). Also worth noting: Even if you are planning to book all of your flights through LATAM, you will may need to purchase your final leg (to Boa Vista) flights as a standalone return ticket. If their website doesn’t show you a direct flight, or only gives you the option of stopovers in Brasilia – it means you are selecting flights on a day that the airline doesn’t service a direct flight on.
Via Brasília
Another option is to travel through Brasília International Airport (BSB).
Brasilia is a destination which is easy to get to via direct flights from several major international airports. Lisbon, Santiago, Lima, Panama City, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Cancun, and Miami all feature direct, non-stop flights to Brasilia.
If a route through Brasília works best for you, and you need to use multiple airlines in order to reach Boa Vista (BVB), we would recommend allocating a lengthy amount of stopover time until your final flight to Boa Vista. This might require purchasing your Brasília (BSB) to Boa Vista (BVB) direct round-trip ticket independently from your other flights.
Leaving adequate stopover time in Brasília when switching airlines is a good idea because in the event of any baggage delays or unforeseeable circumstances, it gives your arriving airline time to sort out the problem and get you or your baggage to Brasília in time for your final flight. Flights from Brasília to Boa Vista can become quite expensive last minute, so its a good idea to have all your ducks in a row in advance for that final stretch.
If you manage to book your entire route through the same airline—LATAM Airlines—there wouldn’t be any need to have long stopovers.
Via Manaus
This is our most recommended stopover option — especially for travellers coming from North America. It also happens to be the most cost-effective stopover option for reaching Boa Vista.
The direct (non-stop) flight route from Manaus (MAO) to Boa Vista (BVB) is serviced every day—some days by two airlines. Azul Airlines services a daily flight around noon, whilst Gol Airlines services bi-weekly flights on Sundays and Fridays in the late evening.
Pro tip: If you are travelling from North America, we recommend flying with Copa Airlines to Manaus—which will likely include a stopover in Panama (PTY). Copa is a great airline with very affordably priced tickets when your route takes you through Panama, their hub. You can get to Manaus within two Copa Airlines flights from most major airports in North America.
The added benefit of going through Manaus is that it is also within bus distance to Boa Vista. You can find comfortable and safe busses through the company “Eucatur” which usually service 4 departures daily, and have the option of choosing “Leito” (bed) seating. The bus ride is 11 hrs and includes (spotty) wifi connectivity. Prices for the bed-seat tickets are usually under $75 USD and have enough room under the leg-rest for a very large backpack.
This bus option is a great budget option—or backup option if you’re flight itinerary takes you through Manaus. We have found that bus tickets with Eucatur can be difficult to purchase online via their website, but can be easily purchased in person at the terminal. We recommend arriving there well in advance to secure an optimal seat if you aren’t able to purchase online. Get in touch with our team if you have any questions about the bus option.
Landing In Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil
Aeroporto Internacional de Boa Vista – Atlas Brasil Cantanhede (BVB) is a short 8 minute drive to downtown Boa Vista, where we’ll be staying at the Hotel Aipana. This is where we will rendezvous and meet on Day 1. Boa Vista International Bus Terminal is also a short 8 minute drive to Hotel Aipana. When you arrive in Boa Vista, our team will arrange an easy airport—or bus terminal—pickup for you when you land.
Arriving At Hotel Aipana
We highly recommend landing at least two full days prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. We can recommend staying at the comfortable Aipana Plaza Hotel in downtown Boa Vista. It’s well situated and will be the hotel we will meet and commence our trip at, so you wouldn’t need to transfer hotels on Day 1. Trip leaders will be happy to coordinate with hotel staff and inform them that you are part of the Nahua Expeditions group, so you ideally won’t need to switch rooms on Day 1 either. Restaurant and transportation recommendations will be included in our Roraima Expedition Guide PDF which you will receive upon joining the group! See you in Boa Vista!
REACHING BOA VISTA, BRAZIL FOR OUR MOUNT RORAIMA EXPEDITION
The city of Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil, is the starting point city for our Roraima Expedition in Venezuela. Geographically, the city of Boa Vista is situated in a very remote corner of northern Brazil, and can be challenging to get to, unless booked in advance and with preparation.
30 DEC 2024 ・ 5 min read
Nahua Expeditions
Wait. Why are we starting in Brazil if the expedition is in Venezuela?
Short answer; the specific region of Venezuela we will be visiting, Canaima, is on the border with Brazil, and is much more feasible to access from Brazil.
A First Option
Before diving further into this topic, it’s important to note that reaching Boa Vista, Brazil can also be relatively simple, albeit if timing and cost are of little concern. You may be able to find flights entirely through one single airline, all the way to Boa Vista, through LATAM Airlines. LATAM is a good airline with secure baggage handling—even on long stopovers, and should get you and your luggage all the way to your final destination without much hassle. This option with LATAM can be a bit more pricey, depending on the day you travel, but will be the easiest and simplest option. If that option works for you, then you can save time and skip this article.
This article is mainly intended for people who want to know what stopover options are available, and tips for getting through them smoothly. We’ll also share the most cost-effective way of reaching Boa Vista, and what the different options entail.
Approach
Arriving internationally, you will likely need a connecting flight in one of the following Brazilian cities: São Paulo, Brasília, or Manaus. Sometimes multiple. Whether you’re booking your flights all in one go via third party booking websites, or splitting up your flight purchases to reserve them individually through the official airline’s website, you will notice stopover options in those cities.
Depending on how you go about booking flight tickets, you might at first glance find it quite expensive to reach Boa Vista. Tools like skyscanner.com and Google Flights allow you to quickly view flight options from your point of origin, all the way to your destination. These tools, while useful, can often times display combined purchase options which can be more expensive than if you do a little bit of searching around, or book flights individually.
We initially use skyscanner.com and flightconnections.com to display flight options and routes available. Once we find the optimal route for our needs, we look into purchasing tickets—usually by individual flights, especially if we’re using multiple airlines. We prefer using the official airline app or website, unless it is significantly more expensive than purchasing through third party sellers such as Booking.com and GoToGate.com. Booking and GoToGate have intuitive websites and apps, and provide good customer service.
We choose to purchase our flights to one of the Brazilian cities mentioned above, first, and then afterwords, purchase a direct round-trip ticket to Boa Vista. Splitting up the purchases like this might be necessary if you are having to use multiple airlines to reach Boa Vista. Doing this also gives you more flexibility when it comes to tickets and pricing.
Domestic flights within Brazil are typically quite expensive, and if you’re purchasing flights last-minute, even more so. We recommend booking your all your flights—but especially the domestic flights within Brazil, well in advance to get the best pricing.
Stopover Options
Via São Paulo, Brazil
Depending on your city of origin, you might find it easiest to travel to São Paulo, Brazil—arriving at either one of São Paulo’s airports—and then transfer to the other airport if necessary.
São Paulo, Brazil has two international airports you may need to know of: Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP). Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is amongst the busiest airports in the world, and is relatively easy to get to from most major destinations worldwide. Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP), although not nearly as busy, still receives incoming flights from some major destinations like Lisbon, Paris, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. Viracopos-Campinas airport is located outside the city of São Paulo, and is approximately a 1.5hr drive from the much busier Guarulhos airport. Taxi services, Uber, and Bus options will transport you between these two airports relatively easily. This method of landing at either of São Paulo’s airports can be a great option if you’re looking to take the least number of flights possibleto reach Boa Vista (BVB).
Note: If you are landing at Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) via an international flight, be sure to leave several hours (3-4+) of stopover time before your flight to Boa Vista (BVB) as you will likely need to go through Brazilian immigration and pick up your checked luggage—which can take up to a couple hours depending on how busy the airport is.
At the time of writing this article, LATAM Airlines services two (2) weekly flights from São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Boa Vista (BVB), and back. Azul Airlines services four (4) weekly flights from Viracopos-Campinas International Airport (VCP) to Boa Vista (BVB), and back. Both airlines operate these routes on a seasonal basis, and schedules are known to change frequently, so we recommend doing your flight research for the month you are planning to travel, well in advance.
Here are some excellent resources for viewing São Paulo – Boa Vista monthly route schedules:
Return:
If you are travelling from North America: We do not recommend routing through São Paulo for travellers departing from North America, unless you plan to extend your trip with time in the city before or after your expedition. São Paulo is located in southern Brazil, which is a significant detour when travelling to Boa Vista, which is in Brazil’s far north. Manaus or Brasília are the more practical stopover options, keeping your journey direct and your travel time to a minimum.
If you are looking to travel from Sao Paulo to Boa Vista on a direct (non-stop) flight, we recommend purchasing your final leg (to Boa Vista) flights as a standalone return-trip ticket. As this is a non-daily flight, airlines may assign travellers to inconvenient stopovers (or routes) to accommodate them to airline flight schedule (e.x. You may be routed through Brasilia as opposed to waiting for the direct, non-stop flight). Also worth noting: Even if you are planning to book all of your flights through LATAM, you will may need to purchase your final leg (to Boa Vista) flights as a standalone return ticket. If their website doesn’t show you a direct flight, or only gives you the option of stopovers in Brasilia – it means you are selecting flights on a day that the airline doesn’t service a direct flight on.
Via Brasília
Another option is to travel through Brasília International Airport (BSB).
Brasilia is a destination which is easy to get to via direct flights from several major international airports. Lisbon, Santiago, Lima, Panama City, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Cancun, and Miami all feature direct, non-stop flights to Brasilia.
If a route through Brasília works best for you, and you need to use multiple airlines in order to reach Boa Vista (BVB), we would recommend allocating a lengthy amount of stopover time until your final flight to Boa Vista. This might require purchasing your Brasília (BSB) to Boa Vista (BVB) direct round-trip ticket independently from your other flights.
Leaving adequate stopover time in Brasília when switching airlines is a good idea because in the event of any baggage delays or unforeseeable circumstances, it gives your arriving airline time to sort out the problem and get you or your baggage to Brasília in time for your final flight. Flights from Brasília to Boa Vista can become quite expensive last minute, so its a good idea to have all your ducks in a row in advance for that final stretch.
If you manage to book your entire route through the same airline—LATAM Airlines—there wouldn’t be any need to have long stopovers.
Via Manaus
This is our most recommended stopover option — especially for travellers coming from North America. It also happens to be the most cost-effective stopover option for reaching Boa Vista.
The direct (non-stop) flight route from Manaus (MAO) to Boa Vista (BVB) is serviced every day—some days by two airlines. Azul Airlines services a daily flight around noon, whilst Gol Airlines services bi-weekly flights on Sundays and Fridays in the late evening.
Pro tip: If you are travelling from North America, we recommend flying with Copa Airlines to Manaus—which will likely include a stopover in Panama (PTY). Copa is a great airline with very affordably priced tickets when your route takes you through Panama, their hub. You can get to Manaus withintwo Copa Airlines flights from most major airports in North America.
The added benefit of going through Manaus is that it is also within bus distance to Boa Vista. You can find comfortable and safe busses through the company “Eucatur” which usually service 4 departures daily, and have the option of choosing “Leito” (bed) seating. The bus ride is 11 hrs and includes (spotty) wifi connectivity. Prices for the bed-seat tickets are usually under $75 USD and have enough room under the leg-rest for a very large backpack.
This bus option is a great budget option—or backup option if you’re flight itinerary takes you through Manaus. We have found that bus tickets with Eucatur can be difficult to purchase online via their website, but can be easily purchased in person at the terminal. We recommend arriving there well in advance to secure an optimal seat if you aren’t able to purchase online. Get in touch with our team if you have any questions about the bus option.
Landing In Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil
Aeroporto Internacional de Boa Vista – Atlas Brasil Cantanhede (BVB) is a short 8 minute drive to downtown Boa Vista, where we’ll be staying at the Hotel Aipana. This is where we will rendezvous and meet on Day 1. Boa Vista International Bus Terminal is also a short 8 minute drive to Hotel Aipana. When you arrive in Boa Vista, our team will arrange an easy airport—or bus terminal—pickup for you when you land.
Arriving At Hotel Aipana
We highly recommend landing at least two full days prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. We can recommend staying at the comfortable Aipana Plaza Hotel in downtown Boa Vista. It’s well situated and will be the hotel we will meet and commence our trip at, so you wouldn’t need to transfer hotels on Day 1. Trip leaders will be happy to coordinate with hotel staff and inform them that you are part of the Nahua Expeditions group, so you ideally won’t need to switch rooms on Day 1 either. Restaurant and transportation recommendations will be included in our Roraima Expedition Guide PDF which you will receive upon joining the group! See you in Boa Vista!
REACHING BOA VISTA, BRAZIL FOR OUR AKAWAYO EXPEDITION
December 30, 2024 | Nahua Expeditions
The city of Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil, is the starting point city for our Akawayo Expedition in Venezuela. Geographically, the city of Boa Vista is situated in a very remote corner of northern Brazil, and can be challenging to get to, unless booked in advance and with preparation.
Wait. Why are we starting in Brazil if the expedition is in Venezuela? Short answer; the specific region of Venezuela we will be visiting is on the border with Brazil, and is much more viable to reach from Brazil.
A First Option
Before diving further into this topic, it’s important to note that reaching Boa Vista, Brazil can also be relatively simple, albeit if timing and cost are of little concern. You may be able to find flights entirely through one single airline, all the way to Boa Vista, through LATAM Airlines. LATAM is a good airline with secure baggage handling—even on long stopovers, and should get your luggage all the way to your final destination. This option with LATAM can be a bit more pricey, depending on the day you travel, but will be the easiest and hassle-free option. If that option works for you, then you can save time and skip this article!
This article is mainly intended for people who want to be in the know of what stopover options are available, and tips for getting through them smoothly. We’ll also share the most cost-effective way of reaching Boa Vista, and what the different options entail.
Approach
Arriving internationally, you will likely need a connecting flight in one of the following Brazilian cities: São Paulo, Brasília, or Manaus. Sometimes multiple. Whether you’re booking your flights all in one go via third party booking websites, or splitting up your flight purchases to reserve them individually through the official airlines website, you will notice stopover options in those cities.
Depending on how you go about booking flight tickets, you might at first glance find it quite expensive to reach Boa Vista. Tools like skyscanner.com and Google Flights allow you to quickly view flight options from your point of origin, all the way to your destination. These tools, while useful, can often times display combined purchase options which can be more expensive than if you do a little bit of searching around, or book flights individually.
We initially use skyscanner.com and flightconnections.com to display flight options and routes available. Once we find the optimal route for our needs, we look into purchasing tickets—usually by individual flights, especially if we’re using multiple airlines. We prefer using the official airline app or website, unless it is significantly more expensive than purchasing through third party sellers such as Booking.com and GoToGate.com. Booking and GoToGate have intuitive websites and apps, and provide good customer service.
We choose to purchase our flights to one of the Brazilian cities mentioned above, first, and then afterwords, purchase a direct round-trip ticket to Boa Vista. Splitting up the purchases like this might be necessary if you are having to use multiple airlines to reach Boa Vista. Doing this also gives you more flexibility when it comes to tickets and pricing.
Domestic flights within Brazil can become very expensive if you’re purchasing flights last-minute. We recommend booking your all your flights, but especially the domestic flights within Brazil, well in advance to get the best pricing.
Stopover Options
Via São Paulo, Brazil (Airport Change)
Depending on your city of origin, you might find it easiest to travel to São Paulo, Brazil—arriving at either one of São Paulo’s airports—and then transfer if necessary, to Viracopos International Airport (VCP) for the Saturday evening flight directly to Boa Vista. This flight is operated by Azul Airline every Saturday at 9:40PM and arrives at 1:05AM on Sunday. Our expedition officially starts on a Monday, and as we recommend to always arrive at least a day prior, this travel option will conveniently get you to Boa Vista early on Sunday morning.
São Paulo, Brazil has two international airports you may need to know of: Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Viracopos International Airport (VCP). Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is amongst the busiest airports in the world, and is relatively easy to get to from most major destinations worldwide. Viracopos International Airport (VCP), although not nearly as busy, still receives incoming flights from some major destinations like Lisbon, Paris, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. Viracopos airport is located outside the city of São Paulo, and is approximately a 1.5hr drive from the much busier Guarulhos airport. Taxi services, Uber, and Bus options will transport you between these two airports relatively easily. This method of landing at São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) and then self-transferring to Viracopos (VCP) can be a good option if you’re looking to take the least number of flights possible.
Via Brasília
Another option is to travel through Brasília International Airport (BSB).
If a route through Brasília works best for you, and you need to use multiple airlines in order to reach Boa Vista, we would recommend using Brasília as a stopover destination with a lengthy amount of time until your final flight to Boa Vista. This might require purchasing your Brasília to Boa Vista direct round-trip ticket independently from your other flights.
Leaving adequate stopover time in Brasília when switching airlines is a good idea because in the event of any baggage delays or unforeseeable circumstances, it gives your arriving airline time to sort out the problem and get you or your baggage to Brasília in time for your final flight. Flights from Brasília to Boa Vista can become quite expensive last minute, so its a good idea to have all your ducks in a row for that final stretch.
If you manage to book your entire route through the same airline—LATAM Airlines—there wouldn’t be any need to have long stopovers.
Via Manaus
If the optimal flight route for you goes through Manaus, we would recommend approaching it in the same way as Brasília. However, the added benefit of going through Manaus is that it is within bus distance to Boa Vista. You can find comfortable and safe busses through the company “Eucatur” which usually service 3 departures daily, and have the option of choosing “Leito” (bed) seating. The bus ride is 12.5hrs and includes (spotty) wifi connectivity. Prices for the bed seat tickets are usually under $58 USD and have enough room under the leg-rest for a large backpack.
Manaus is the capital city of the Amazonas state, and is the gateway for any exploration of the Brazilian Amazon jungle. So we would recommend this option for guests who plan on exploring some of the Amazon whilst visiting Brazil, as it’s fairly close to Boa Vista!
Landing in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil
Aeroporto Internacional de Boa Vista – Atlas Brasil Cantanhede (BVB) is a short 8 minute drive to downtown Boa Vista, where we’ll be staying at the Hotel Aipana. This is where we will rendezvous and meet on Day 1! We’ll arrange an easy airport pickup for you when you land.
Arriving at Hotel Aipana
We highly recommend landing at least a full day or more prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. We can recommend staying at the comfortable Aipana Plaza Hotel in downtown Boa Vista. It’s well situated and will be the hotel we will meet and commence our trip at, so you wouldn’t need to transfer hotels on Day 1. Trip leaders will be happy to coordinate with hotel staff and inform them that you are part of the Nahua Expeditions group, so you ideally won’t need to switch rooms on Day 1 either. Restaurant and transportation recommendations will be included in our Akawayo Expedition Guide PDF which you will receive upon joining the group!