Geo Mine Tour: "Wonders of the South" Tour. Adventures for the gem & mineral lover, student, professional or dealer. Fun, educational and professional. Discover, explore and shop.

"Wonders of the South" was a seven-day geological tour of the far south of Brazil, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, held in May 2009. Massive basalt mountains there hold amethyst and citrine geodes, along with agate, amethyst flower, selenite and calcite. The itinerary below is kept as a look at where much of the world's amethyst comes from.

The tour will feature visits to the EXPOSOL Gem, Jewellery and Mineral Show held in Soledade, RS. The largest producers in the country will astonish you with their wide variety of gems, mineral specimens and jewellery, and provide you with the best deals at this show.

Wonders of the South Start Journey

Porto Alegre, Rio Grade do Sul, Brazil
Saturday, May 2, 2009

Day 1 - Arrive Porto Alegre

Arrive Porto Alegre, you will be met at the airport “Salgado Filho”.

Start with a tour of the city of Porto Alegre.

Drive to Soledade.

Enroute visit to interesting geological outcrops and to a stone-cutting center in the city of Lajeado.

Overnight in Soledade.

Stop in Lageado for visiting gemstone manufacturer

Visit to companies in Lajeado and possibly going to Teutonia (nearby town) to visit Itabras (agate beads manufaturer).

Arrive in Soledade

Arrive to overnight in Soledade at Hotel Ágata.

Drive to “Salto do Jacui”

Salto do Jacui, Brazil
Sunday, May 3, 2009

Day - 2

Full day guided visit and visit to two different types of agate mines: open pit and underground mine. Geodes, chalcedony and enhidros, as well as a variety of mineral specimens are featured.

Overnight in Salto do Jacuí.

Visit Agate deposit and Gem Producers in Soledade

Soledade, Brazil
Monday, May 4, 2009

Day 3 ( May 04 - Monday): Salto do Jacuí: visit to an agate deposit.

Drive to Soledade. Soledade: Visits to dealers and warehouses.

Overnight in Soledade.

Visit dealers Soledade; city tour Ametista do Sul

Ametista do Sul, Brazil
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Day 4 ( May 05 - Tuesday): Soledade: visits to more dealers and warehouses.

Afternoon: drive to Ametista do Sul.

In Ametista do Sul, city-tour with a visit to the amethyst-covered church and square meditation pyramid.

Overnight in Ametista do Sul.

Visit to active amethyst underground mine & museum

Ametista do Sul, Brazil
Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Day 5 ( May 06 - Wednesday): Ametista do Sul: visit to the Amethyst Museum & Mine and to an
active amethyst geode mine.

Drive back to Soledade Amethyst flower mine in Getúlio Vargas
optional.

Overnight in Soledade.

Visit EXPOSOL gem & jewellery show Soledade

Soledade, Brazil
Thursday, May 7, 2009

Day 6 ( May 07 - Thursday):

Soledade: full day visit to the EXPOSOL Gem & Mineral show in Soledade.

Overnight in Soledade.

Drive to Porto Alegre. Visit producer in Estrela.

Estrela, Brazil
Friday, May 8, 2009

Day 7 ( May 08 - Friday): Drive back to Porto Alegre.

En route visit to a stone-cutting center in Estrela.

Drive to airport, farewell and fly to São Paulo.

End of the tour. Arrive in Porto Alegre

Arrive in Porto Alegre and trasfer to the airport or hotel.

Farewell.