Brazil Birding Intervales, Iguazu Falls & Pantanal
- Day 1: Arrive at Sao Paolo
We will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to the Hotel. Overnight in Sao Paolo
- Day 2: Birding drive to Intervales State Park
Today we will start our drive for about five hours with some rest stop on our way to reach our hotel in Intervales State Park. Our place at Intervales provides us a great chance to find around the area Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant, Large-tailed Antshrike, Sharpbill, Maroon-bellied Parakeets, Black-billed Scythebill, White-throated Woodcreeper just to mention some of the good lists of birds. Night in Intervales State Park.
- Days 3-4: Full days of birding at Intervales State Park
We will have two full days to spend enjoin nature and birding seeking the many special birds in these amazing Brazilian mountains. We will explore the lowlands and foothills. Least Pygmy-Owl, Spot-billed Toucanet, White-collared and White-browed foliage-gleaners, Pale-browed and Sharp-billed treehunters, Bay-ringed and Sao Paulo tyrannulets, Brassy-breasted, Gilt-edged and Burnished-buff Tanagers, Star-throated Antwrens, White-shouldered Fire-eyes, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Purple-crowned Plovercrests, Giant Antshrike, Surucua Trogon, Red-breasted Toucan, Ferruginous Antbird, Short-tailed and Such as antthrushes, Slaty Bristlefront, Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Mantled Hawk, Blue-bellied Parrot, Rufous-capped Motmot, Buff-bellied and Crescent-chested puffbirds, Helmeted Woodpecker, Orange-breasted Thornbird (Phacellodomus ferrugineigula, recently split from Red-eyed Thornbird), White-bearded Antshrike, Squamate Antbird, Variegated Antpitta, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Spotted Bamboowren, White-breasted and Mouse-colored tapaculos, Gray-hooded Attila, the little-known Black-legged Dacnis, and Green-chinned Euphonia. During the nights we Will search for Rusty-barred and Tawny-browed owls and Longtufted and Tropical screech owls. Nights in Intervales State Park.
- Day 5: Flight to Iguazu
Morning birding and then back to Sao Paolo and flight to Foz do Iguaçu, landing on the Brazil side of the falls but crossing by bus to the Argentinean side, from where we will base our birding for the next days as there is better access to habitat and more impressive views of the falls than on the Brazilian side. After lunch at our hotel we will bird the hotel grounds, looking for Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Thrush-like Wren, and our first Green-headed Tanagers. We will visit the Jardín de los Picaflores, where Black Jacobin, Versicolored Emerald, Black-throated Mango, Gilded Hummingbird, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, and others will be buzzing around the feeders. Night in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.
- Day 6-7: Full days at Iguazu
One day early departure for the Iguazú National Park. Before visiting the falls themselves, we will bird the first hours of the day in the periphery of the park, looking for Robust Woodpeckers, Spot-backed and Tufted Antshrikes, Creamy-bellied Gnatcatchers, Yellow Tyrannulet, Green-headed Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia.
We will spend the rest of the morning on the trail system looking for Surucua Trogon, Red-breasted Toucan, Ochre-collared Piculet, Large-tailed Antshrike, Bertonis, and Dusky-tailed Antbirds, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Foliage-gleaner, Drab-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Riverbank Warbler, Chestnut-headed Tanager, Black-fronted Piping-Guna and so many more. Nights in Iguazu
- Day 8: Flight to Cuiaba - Chapada do Guimaraes National Park
We will have a couple of early hours of birding before our flight to Cuiaba. We will arrive in Cuiaba for Lunch and after we will head up to our next birding spot. Uniquely located on an inholding within the park boundaries, Pousada do Parque has trails through the woodland as well as a short and stable canopy tower where we’ll watch the sunset before searching for Little Nightjar, Common Pauraque, and Tropical Screech-Owl. Night at Pousada do Parque.
- Day 9-10: Full days at Chapada do Guimaraes
We will have a full day of birding in the Chapada dos Guimarães and surrounding areas. We will spend one morning in a cerrado area of short woodland on red sandy soils searching for target birds such as White-banded and White-rumped Tanagers, Collared Crescentchest, Curl-crested Jay, and Chapada Flycatcher. Another drive will have us looking for Red-legged Seriema, Greater Rhea, Red-winged Tinamou, White-eared and Spot-backed Puffbirds, White Hawk, Gray-headed Kite, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and King Vulture. Another highlight will be our visit to a spectacular waterfall where we hope to see Red-and-green and Blue-winged Macaws, and Great Dusky Swifts, Crested Black-Tyrant. We will spend some time in the habitats reachable on foot from our lodge, where we will look for Large-billed Antwren, Planalto Slaty-Antshrike, Planalto Hermit, and many other species. Nights at Pousada do Parque in Chapada
- Day 11: Birding and head up to Garden of the Amazon
Early birding and then we will head up to Cuiaba and Garden of the Amazon. After lunch, we will spend the rest of the afternoon birding along the trails and lodge surroundings. Night in Garden of the Amazon.
- Day 12-13: Full days birding at Garden of the Amazon
Today we will have a full day of birding along the trails and clearing areas. Nights in Garden of the Amazon
- Day 14: Birding and back to Cuiaba - Pantanal
Today we will do some birding in the morning. And then we will back to Cuiabá. From there we will start our birding drive along the Transpantaneira Highway or the Pantanal Road. We arrive at our lodge late afternoon and have some birding before dinner. Night at Aymara Lodge.
- Day 15-16: Full-day Birding
The Pantanal supports a range of habitat types varying from semideciduous and evergreen forests on well-drained, fertile soils to cerrado/savanna on infertile soils; from tree-palm woodlands on moist soil to permanent marsh and true Pantanal. Where we will find Snail Kites, Black-collared Hawks, Southern Screamers, Limpkin, herons, egrets, storks (three species), ibises (five species), and kingfishers. We’ll also be on the lookout at all times for a variety of mammals, ranging from Capybara and Crab-eating Fox and Giant Anteater. Add to these highlights the fabulous Hyacinth Macaws, Bare-faced Curassow, Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Golden-collared Macaw, Monk and Nanday parakeets, Spot-backed Puffbird, Pale-crested woodpeckers, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Rufous Cacholote, Mato Grosso Antbird, Chestnut-bellied Guan, and Red-crested and Yellow-billed cardinals. Night in Night in Aymara Lodge
- Day 17: Pantanal road to Porto Jofre
After breakfast, we will board our van and drive south toward the end of the Pantanal Highway. We will make several stops along the way to search for the gorgeous Scarlet-headed Blackbird, shy Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, vociferous Fawn-breasted Wren, elegant Maguari Stork, as well as others. We’ll reach our very comfortable hotel at the very end of the road in the late morning, and after lunch, we’ll spend the afternoon cruising the rivers looking for Jaguars as well as birds and other wildlife. Night in Porto Jofre.
- Day 18: Jaguar Searching
Jaguar is the main target here, and we’ll spend the day cruising various rivers in a fast motorboat looking for this magnificent animal. Our boatmen are in radio contact, so if there is a jaguar seen we can head for the location, often at high speed! Jaguars here are not very shy and will often stay in view for extended periods. We will not ignore other birds and wildlife during our search, but Jaguar does take priority over everything. Some birds we may see from the boat include Sungrebe, Pied Lapwing, Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns, Black Skimmer, Greater Ani, Anhinga, Great Black Hawk, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, and more. Families of Giant Otters are fairly common, and it is not too unusual to see a Tapir. Night in Porto Jofre
- Day 19: Jaguar Searching and Birding Drive to Cuiaba - Home
The plan for the morning will depend largely on how well we did with Jaguars during the previous outings. If we are still trying for a better view of Jaguar, we will spend most of the morning cruising the rivers, and leave the hotel after an early lunch. If we had great Jaguar sightings, We might start our birding drive to Cuiaba and flight connections.
Have a wonderful birding time in Brazil!
TOUR TIME | 19 DAYS & 18 NIGHTS |
GROUP SIZE | From 2 to 6 People + Guide |
TOUR DATES | Tour Calendar and Custom Dates at ANY TIME |
TOUR PRICE | USD 6,500 per person |
SINGLE ROOM | USD 500 per person |
ESTIMATE # SPECIES | 200 - 600 |
ACCOMMODATION | Comfortable places with private services |
EASY OF BIRDING | Easy to moderate with some challenging species |
PHOTOGRAPHIC CHANCE | Excellent |
INCLUDE | Domestic flights, Hotel, lodges, full meals, entrance fee, transport, birding guide |
NOT INCLUDE | International flights, any alcoholic drinks, laundry, phone calls, extra activities, tips |