Itinerary for a 23 days trip starting in Sao Paulo... (1 Viewer)

Glimmer · Jan 31, 2018

Hi guys!

Finally I decided going to Brasil on August.

The trip will last 23 days, alone, starting and finishing is Sao Paulo.

Apart from Pantanal and Porto Joffre for jaguar, I have thought in going to Amazon (Manaus) or Alter do Chao.

The trip is not 100% birding (only 75%)

, so I thought in do a hiking in a high landscape area or something similar, or visiting Rio or a beach (three days maximum apart from wildlife).

Any real chance of see the harpy, birding lodges with feeders or good areas for reptiles will be appreciated. I'm looking for singular wildlife (jaguar, cats, potoos, owls, birds of prey, tropical snakes...), not endemics or very difficult ones... No idea of the country, so if there is a typical birding region please tell me!

Many thanks!!!

dacol · Feb 4, 2018

There is a lot of information available and one cannot do justice to it in a post at Birdforum. Some thoughts that came to mind after reading your message.
1) Brazil is large. From Sao Paulo to Cuiaba (which you have to do to go to Porto Jofre) is a bit over two hour flight.
From Sao Paulo to Manaus is a 4 hour flight. Plan accordingly.
2) Given your predilections if you do the Pantanal also visit Chapada dos Guimarães (close to Cuiaba but to the north). Pantanal low and wet, Chapada high and dry (with beautiful landscapes). Different birds and some variation in other animals too. There used to be a reliable site for Harpy Eagle a bit further northwest (Serra das Araras, Pousada Currupira d'Araras, but I have no contemporary information - notice there are many Serra das Araras in Brazil, this is the one in Mato Grosso state).
3) Manaus is an interesting city to visit, it is a bit hard to get to good birding spots. Not too far from the city is Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke which has birds and primates and a nice chunk of rainforest. It is easily accessible from Manaus using a taxi for example. Another interesting nature oriented activity with good birding is a boat trip to Ilha Marchantaria, best done in a small boat with a guide, local tour agencies in Manaus can book one for you. To go to Alter do Chão it is a bit over an hour flight from Manaus to Santarem then an hour drive to Alter do Chão.Again it is hard to get to good birding spots from there on your own. At the beach in Alter do Chão there are locals that rent kayaks etc and who can arrange small boat trips along the Tapajos and Amazon rivers or even excursions into the Tapajos National Forest but in general they are not birding specialists. A nice boat day trip with birding possibilities is a visit to Jari do Socorro, some island formed channels in the Amazon at the junction of the Tapajos and Amazon rivers.
4) Southeast Brazil, many choices. Spend 3 days at a hotel inside Itatiaia National Park (Hotel do Ype is the birder's favorite), great variety of birds, a few primates and other small animals, butterflies and interesting flora. Can be done without your own rental car and without a guide. Another possibility combining some birding and beach time is Ubatuba in Sao Paulo state about 3 hours by bus from Sao Paulo. A good place, albeit a bit expensive, is Itamambuca Eco Resort, with birding possibilities in the property and access to the beach. Owner and staff can put you in contact with local birding guides if you want.

Hope this helps you get started in your research for this trip.

Glimmer · Feb 5, 2018

dacol said:
There is a lot of information available and one cannot do justice to it in a post at Birdforum. Some thoughts that came to mind after reading your message.
1) Brazil is large. From Sao Paulo to Cuiaba (which you have to do to go to Porto Jofre) is a bit over two hour flight.
From Sao Paulo to Manaus is a 4 hour flight. Plan accordingly.
2) Given your predilections if you do the Pantanal also visit Chapada dos Guimarães (close to Cuiaba but to the north). Pantanal low and wet, Chapada high and dry (with beautiful landscapes). Different birds and some variation in other animals too. There used to be a reliable site for Harpy Eagle a bit further northwest (Serra das Araras, Pousada Currupira d'Araras, but I have no contemporary information - notice there are many Serra das Araras in Brazil, this is the one in Mato Grosso state).
3) Manaus is an interesting city to visit, it is a bit hard to get to good birding spots. Not too far from the city is Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke which has birds and primates and a nice chunk of rainforest. It is easily accessible from Manaus using a taxi for example. Another interesting nature oriented activity with good birding is a boat trip to Ilha Marchantaria, best done in a small boat with a guide, local tour agencies in Manaus can book one for you. To go to Alter do Chão it is a bit over an hour flight from Manaus to Santarem then an hour drive to Alter do Chão.Again it is hard to get to good birding spots from there on your own. At the beach in Alter do Chão there are locals that rent kayaks etc and who can arrange small boat trips along the Tapajos and Amazon rivers or even excursions into the Tapajos National Forest but in general they are not birding specialists. A nice boat day trip with birding possibilities is a visit to Jari do Socorro, some island formed channels in the Amazon at the junction of the Tapajos and Amazon rivers.
4) Southeast Brazil, many choices. Spend 3 days at a hotel inside Itatiaia National Park (Hotel do Ype is the birder's favorite), great variety of birds, a few primates and other small animals, butterflies and interesting flora. Can be done without your own rental car and without a guide. Another possibility combining some birding and beach time is Ubatuba in Sao Paulo state about 3 hours by bus from Sao Paulo. A good place, albeit a bit expensive, is Itamambuca Eco Resort, with birding possibilities in the property and access to the beach. Owner and staff can put you in contact with local birding guides if you want.

Hope this helps you get started in your research for this trip.

Helps a lot. Many thanks.

temmie · Feb 10, 2018

Alter do chao is a poor birding area but floresta nacional do tapajos is a very good one and very easy to reach! But it takes quite some preparation to get the permit etc. Take a look at my report on cloudbirders to see if there is something in there for your interests...

sclateria · Feb 13, 2018

In South-east Brazil you might want to consider spending one or two nights at the Trilha dos Tucanos lodge, located about 3 hours from the international airport in São Paulo. In August the feeders are usually excellent, allowing for great photo opportunities with many colourful endemics including things like Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets, Green-headed and Golden-chevroned Tanagers, Yellow-fronted Woodpeckers and quite a lot of others. The lodge is quite fairly priced, too.

temmie · Feb 13, 2018

I forgot to say that there is one very birdy road in floresta nacional do tapajos where you can wander more or less freely without permit. I had Blackish pewee and alta floresta antpitta over there, and all other specialties should be possible. It's only an hour by car from Alter do Chao...

Glimmer · Feb 16, 2018

temmie said:
I forgot to say that there is one very birdy road in floresta nacional do tapajos where you can wander more or less freely without permit. I had Blackish pewee and alta floresta antpitta over there, and all other specialties should be possible. It's only an hour by car from Alter do Chao...

Many thanks,

Will try that floresta and the road...

Glimmer · Feb 16, 2018

sclateria said:
In South-east Brazil you might want to consider spending one or two nights at the Trilha dos Tucanos lodge, located about 3 hours from the international airport in São Paulo. In August the feeders are usually excellent, allowing for great photo opportunities with many colourful endemics including things like Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets, Green-headed and Golden-chevroned Tanagers, Yellow-fronted Woodpeckers and quite a lot of others. The lodge is quite fairly priced, too.

Sounds great. I suppose only reacheable renting a car in Sao Paulo?

MtAdventure · Feb 21, 2018

An other great place to visit in Mato Grosso is Alta Floresta. There, the Cristalino lodge offers top-notch birding opportunities.

But if you combine the Pantanal and the Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park, I'd say it's already great. Plus, it's very convenient because these two places are pretty close to the city of Cuiaba.

If you have any question, let me know.

Glimmer · Feb 21, 2018

dacol said:
There is a lot of information available and one cannot do justice to it in a post at Birdforum. Some thoughts that came to mind after reading your message.
1) Brazil is large. From Sao Paulo to Cuiaba (which you have to do to go to Porto Jofre) is a bit over two hour flight.
From Sao Paulo to Manaus is a 4 hour flight. Plan accordingly.
2) Given your predilections if you do the Pantanal also visit Chapada dos Guimarães (close to Cuiaba but to the north). Pantanal low and wet, Chapada high and dry (with beautiful landscapes). Different birds and some variation in other animals too. There used to be a reliable site for Harpy Eagle a bit further northwest (Serra das Araras, Pousada Currupira d'Araras, but I have no contemporary information - notice there are many Serra das Araras in Brazil, this is the one in Mato Grosso state).
3) Manaus is an interesting city to visit, it is a bit hard to get to good birding spots. Not too far from the city is Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke which has birds and primates and a nice chunk of rainforest. It is easily accessible from Manaus using a taxi for example. Another interesting nature oriented activity with good birding is a boat trip to Ilha Marchantaria, best done in a small boat with a guide, local tour agencies in Manaus can book one for you. To go to Alter do Chão it is a bit over an hour flight from Manaus to Santarem then an hour drive to Alter do Chão.Again it is hard to get to good birding spots from there on your own. At the beach in Alter do Chão there are locals that rent kayaks etc and who can arrange small boat trips along the Tapajos and Amazon rivers or even excursions into the Tapajos National Forest but in general they are not birding specialists. A nice boat day trip with birding possibilities is a visit to Jari do Socorro, some island formed channels in the Amazon at the junction of the Tapajos and Amazon rivers.
4) Southeast Brazil, many choices. Spend 3 days at a hotel inside Itatiaia National Park (Hotel do Ype is the birder's favorite), great variety of birds, a few primates and other small animals, butterflies and interesting flora. Can be done without your own rental car and without a guide. Another possibility combining some birding and beach time is Ubatuba in Sao Paulo state about 3 hours by bus from Sao Paulo. A good place, albeit a bit expensive, is Itamambuca Eco Resort, with birding possibilities in the property and access to the beach. Owner and staff can put you in contact with local birding guides if you want.

Hope this helps you get started in your research for this trip.

Speaking with corrupina, they said the nest of the harpy is not ocupated since the death of the female eagle, four years ago, so the chances are very small

Glimmer · Feb 21, 2018

MtAdventure said:
An other great place to visit in Mato Grosso is Alta Floresta. There, the Cristalino lodge offers top-notch birding opportunities.

But if you combine the Pantanal and the Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park, I'd say it's already great. Plus, it's very convenient because these two places are pretty close to the city of Cuiaba.

If you have any question, let me know.

Cristalino should be a fantastic place, but its very expensive for me..

sclateria · Feb 21, 2018

Glimmer said:
Cristalino should be a fantastic place, but its very expensive for me..

Less expensive options in northern Mato Grosso / southern Pará include the Rio Azul Jungle Lodge and Fazenda Anacã, though neither are cheap.

From Cuiabá you might also want to consider the Pousada Jardim da Amazônia, which is located about 4 hours north of Cuiabá at the extreme southern edge of the Brazilian Amazon. The lodge has a long list of birds found in an extremely compact area (last May our Big Day team had 191 species at the lodge by 11:30 AM), and it is a less expensive option than other lodges like Cristalino or Rio Azul.

sclateria · Feb 21, 2018

Glimmer said:
Sounds great. I suppose only reacheable renting a car in Sao Paulo?

Yes, you would need to hire a car to reach the site, although once you are there a vehicle isn't really necessary. The lodge might be able to arrange a transfer from São Paulo, but it might not end up being much less expensive than actually hiring a small car and doing the driving yourself.

Itinerary for a 23 days trip starting in Sao Paulo... (1 Viewer)

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