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Brazil: Pantanal & Mato Grosso

Covering three major biomes, we sample the Pantanal, Amazon and Cerrado. This region is absolutely full of birds, and out visits to various canopy towers and feeders will only help to make this tour forever-memorable! From highly range-restricted birds like Rusty-necked Piculet, Black-and-tawny Seedeater, and Cone-billed Tanager, to specialties like Dot-eared Coquette, Horned Sungem, Black-girdled Barbet, Double-collared Crescentchest, and Hyacinth Macaw. Not to mention excellent chances for some Amazonian favourites like Orinoco Goose, Razor-billed Curassow, Pompadour Cotinga, Amazonian Umbrellabird, and an exceptional diversity of waterbirds. Our optional two-night extension almost completely guarantees exceptional Jaguar encounters on a famous boat cruise out of Porto Jofre!

Next Dates

2 May - 13 May 2025 (12 days)

Leaders:

Eduardo Patrial

Group Size Limit:

6

Single Room Supplement: $

600 USD

Deposit: $

750 USD

Price: $

6300 USD

13 May - 15 May 2025 (3 days)

Leaders:

Eduardo Patrial

Group Size Limit:

6

Single Room Supplement: $

200 USD

Deposit: $

750 USD

Price: $

1100 USD

Jaguar Extension

Accommodation:

Comfortable to luxurious hotels and lodges throughout.

Walking difficulty:

Mostly easy roadside and trail birding, with several excellent river cruises.

Tour cost includes:

All accommodation, main meals, drinking water, internal flights (as stated in itinerary), overland transport, tips to local drivers and guides, travel permits, entrance fees, and guide fees.

Tour cost excludes:

Flights before and after the tour start/end, visa, travel insurance, tips to tour leaders, laundry, drinks and other items of a personal nature.

Day 1: Arrival at Cuiabá International Airport (CGB), the capital of Mato Grosso state. Transfer to the nice Pousada Piuval in the Pantanal, right at the beginning of the famous Transpantaneira Road. The Pantanal is a truly astounding wildlife destination, so we include two nights at one of its best birding spots. The enchanting avifauna of this place shall make itself apparent in our first afternoon of exploration around the lodge, where we can look forward to encounters with Greater Rhea, Red-legged Seriema, the impressive Hyacinth Macaw, and stunning Helmeted Manakin. A couple of range-restricted specialties include White-fronted Woodpecker, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Mato Grosso Antbird, and Black-bellied Antwren. 


Day 2: This full day will continue our unforgettable experience in the Pantanal. The woodland here is extremely birdy even by Brazilian standards, so we should find more of the aforementioned targets, plus Chestnut-bellied Guan, White-throated Piping Guan, Bare-faced Curassow, Southern Screamer, Sunbittern, Long-tailed Ground Dove, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Toco Toucan, White-wedged Piculet, Golden-collared Macaw, Red-billed Scythebill, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, White-lored Spinetail, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, White-eyed Attila, Saffron-billed Sparrow, Orange-backed Troupial and others. In the wetlands, we will check for Least Bittern, Yellow-breasted Crake, and Grey-breasted Crake. Sunset from a rasied tower is always a highlight with loads of Jabirus, Wood Storks, Maguari Stork, Roseate Spoonbills, Turquoise-fronted Amazons and others all flying off to roost. 


Mammals are also part of the fun and we will see plenty of Capybara, but also Crab-eating Fox, South American Coati, Azara’s Capuchin, Black-tailed Marmoset, Black-and-gold Howler Monkey, Marsh Deer, Grey Brocket, and maybe a Giant Anteater. Encounters with Jaguars at Piuval have become frequent in the last few years, which makes night safaris quite exciting indeed. Additionally, spotlighting provides chances for Nacunda Nighthawk, Scissor-tailed Nightjar, Great Potoo, Mottled Owl, and Black-banded Owl. Overnight at Piuval.


Day 3: We say good bye to the Pantanal with an early start and a long drive to our next destination, the little town of Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, next to the Bolivian border. We will arrive in time for a very interesting birding session in typical Cerrado, searching mainly for two extremely localised beauties: Double-collared Crescentchest and Black-and-tawny Seedeater. In this beautiful habitat we can also find the amazing Horned Sungem, along with Red-and-green Macaw, Peach-fronted Parakeet, White-eared Puffbird, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Rusty-backed Antwren, Chapada Flycatcher, Southern Scrub Flycatcher, Black-faced Tanager, White-rumped Tanager, Plumbeous Seedeater, and the uncommon Coal-crested Finch. Overnight at Vila Bela. 


Day 4: A full day in Vila Bela will give us chances to find the highly-threatened Great-billed Seed Finch, a real rarity nowadays. We will also likely see Horned Screamer, Hoatzin, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Red-shouldered, Red-bellied and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Bolivian Slaty Antshrike, Band-tailed, Blackish and Black-throated Antbirds, Western Fire-eye, Striped Woodcreeper, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Fawn-breasted Wren, Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch, Rusty-collared Seedeater, and maybe the uncommon Green-cheeked Parakeet. Overnight at Vela Bela.


Day 5: Heading to Pimenteiras do Oeste, we will be staying by the bank of the beautiful Guaporé River on the border with Bolivia and the vast Noel Kempff National Park. This afternoon we will bird the exquisite transitional and riparian forests next to our lodge, where we hope to find Rufous-capped Nunlet, Rondonia Warbling Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, the scarce Chattering Gnatwren, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Band-tailed Manakin and with luck, the gorgeous Crimson-bellied Parakeet. Other more widespread species might include Blue-winged Macaw, Spotted Puffbird, Brown Jacamar, Amazonian Antshrike, and Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird. Overnight at Pimenteiras do Oest.


Day 6: At dawn, we will experience the meeting of the Amazon and the Pantanal, while looking for the highly range-restricted Rusty-necked Piculet. Here, along the Guaporé River, wildlife from both bioregions overlap. The result is a remarkable abundance of wildlife with huge diversity. By boat we will search the banks, where Hoatzin, Sungrebe, and Sunbittern abound. We can expect Red-throated Piping Guan, Razor-billed Curassow, Orinoco Goose, Sand-colored Nighthawk, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Slate-colored Hawk, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Scarlet Macaw, Red-and-green Macaw, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Amazonian Inezia, plus the bizarre-looking Amazonian Umbrellabird and Bare-necked Fruitcrow. Giant Otter and Bolivian River Dolphin are both expected, while we have our first chance to find both Agami Heron and Zigzag Heron. The rest of the day will be spent birding back around the lodge, looking for any extra birds or missing targets. Overnight at Pimenteiras do Oest.


Day 7: After a final early morning session at Pimenteiras do Oest and a quick stop for Point-tailed Palmcreeper, we spend the middle of the day driving to Cunhataí Porã Reserve, where we will stay for three nights. Located on the southern boundary of the Amazon, this brand new lodge was designed for wildlife watching, with a canopy tower, several feeders, a superb section of river for more boat cruises, and an extensive trail network. We will certainly spend this evening on the canopy tower where we might see Santarem Parakeet, the near-endemic Black-girdled Barbet, and hopefully even Pompadour Cotinga (which is usually easy here)! Our first session of owling around the lodge could offer Ocellated Poorwill and Tawny-bellied Screech Owl. Mammals are well-represented, with chances for Brazilian Tapir and a number of primates.


Day 8-9: Two full days to explore the reserve, with too many birds to detail in this itinerary! One standout species is the highly sought-after Cone-billed Tanager, which we expect to find without much trouble during a boat cruise down the Rio Claro on our first morning. We have more chances to find Red-throated Piping Guan, Razor-billed Curassow, Zigzag Heron, and hopefully the stunning Orange-cheeked Parrot. We can also target the endemic Glossy Antshrike, and keep an eye out for the Spangled Cotinga. Forest trails give chances for Flame-crested Manakin, Blue-necked Jacamar, Great Jacamar, Gould’s Toucanet, Rufous-faced Antbird, Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant, and mixed flocks where species like Short-billed Honeycreeper, Tooth-billed Wren, Para Gnatcatcher and Dotted Tanager can be found. Other highlights might include Red-necked Aracari, Dot-eared Coquette, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Uniform Woodcreeper, Dusky-capped Woodcreeper, Snow-capped Manakin, White-browed Purpletuft, Rose-breasted Chat, Ringed Antpipit, and the uncommon Chattering Gnatwren. A real feast of special Amazonian endemics! 


Day 10: One last productive morning of birding at Cunhataí Porã to visit an interesting Campina habitat for Bronzy Jacamar, Pale-bellied Mourner, Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant, Black Manakin, and Campina Thrush. Afterwards we will drive to our final destination, the beautiful tabletop mountains of Chapada dos Guimarães.


Day 11: This day in the Cerrado will be immensely enjoyable, with some excellent range-restricted Brazilian species on offer. We should easily see Horned Sungem here if we had not succeeded previously, along with the uncommon Coal-crested Finch and stunning Blue Finch. Other species on offer include Caatinga Puffbird, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Large-billed Antwren, Collared Crescentchest, Southern Antpipit, Rufous-sided Scrub Tyrant, Chapada Flycatcher, Crested Black Tyrant, Shrike-like Tanager, White-rumped Tanager, Cinnamon Tanager, and Stripe-tailed Yellow-Finch.


Day 12: Early morning birding in the Cerrado before transfer back to Cuiabá International Airport (CGB) for the end of the tour. Those taking the Jaguar extension will drive down to Porto Jofre for overnight. 



JAGUAR EXTENSION


Day 1: Leave the main tour at Cuiabá and drive four hours south to Porto Jofre.


Day 2: Both a morning and afternoon boat trip in search of Jaguars. We can nearly guarantee success, with almost every cruise at this time of year sighting multiple individuals, often hunting or engaging in other exciting behaviours! We should also have particularly intimate encounters with the awesome Giant Otter, and plenty of photographic opportunities with abundant waterfowl. One bird which can be tricky on the main tour is Buff-bellied Hermit, and if needed we can target it along the river. 


Day 3: Another boat trip before transferring after lunch back to Cuiabá International Airport (CGB) in time for evening flights. 



NOTE: We can also help arrange an extension to Alta Floresta, where there are several excellent birding lodges to explore at leisure with in-house guides. After flying direct to Alta Floresta Airport (AFL) from Cuiabá, three or four nights is a good length of time to stay at either the bird-packed Rio Azul Jungle Lodge, or the exquisite Cristalino Jungle Lodge. Species lists at each site are similar, though Rio Azul is best for the endemic Bald Parrot. Other specialties include Dark-winged Trumpeter, Kawall’s Amazon, Alta Floresta Antpitta, Bare-eyed Antbird, and Tapajos Fire-eye.

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