(tour: FON/BR–2, '11)

This tour includes some prime places & habitats for birds & other nature


It's been our Tour for "Jabiru & Jaguar"

One of these (the Jabiru) is always easy to see. 
The other (the Jaguar) more difficult,
but we'll be at places among the best in the world to see it.





 

Not only are the "J & J" to be sought.
We'll be in Areas with other Spectacular Nature
and where Concentrations occur of 
an Assortment of Birds & Other Wildlife

During this tour about 300 species of birds should be seen.

Tour to be led by Armas Hill, who has traveled & birded in Brazil 
many times, with over 40 visits to the country, since 1982
(with the assistance of local Brazilian guides).

Often staying not at hotels, but at lodges
where wildlife is just outside the door !

For birds such as wild Hyacinth Macaws 
in their natural environment,
and flocks of Jabirus and numerous other birds 
in the fabulous Pantanal,
(truly one of the most fantastic birding areas in the world),
this is the tour!

 This could also be called our "Tuiuiu Tour", 
as that's the local word in the Pantanal for the "Jabiru".

Birds in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul,
mostly Egrets & Jabiru Storks,
photographed during our Sep '06 Brazil Tour 

Links:

Butterflies of Brazil & Argentina, including those at Iguazu Falls  (with some photos)

Highlights from Some Previous FONT Birding & Nature Tours in Brazil

Itinerary  (prices follow):

Sat, Aug 6:  Arrival in Brazil at the Sao Paulo airport in the morning (after overnight flight departing USA the previous evening, Fri, Aug 5.  

Sat, Aug 6 thru Tue Aug 9:  After the arrival at the airport into Brazil (on Aug 6), a flight from Sao Paulo to Foz do Iguazu. 
In the area of the spectacular Iguazu Falls, we'll have some wonderful birding  in the national parks on both sides of the river in Argentina & Brazil. We'll also, during a portion of one day, visit Paraguay, where there would be a different habitat with some different birds. In the area of Iguazu, numerous birds are to be seen, including toucans, trogons, and tanagers of various sorts. Some notable other birds inhabiting the forest would include the Ruff-ruffed Fruitcrow and Robust Woodpecker. Swarms of Great Dusky Swifts occur at the falls. Three nights (Aug 6, 7, 8) at Iguazu.           

Tue, Aug 9:  Flights from Foz do Iguazu to Sao Paulo, continuing to the city of Campo Grande in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Overnight in Campo Grande.

Wed, Aug 10: From Campo Grande, we'll travel west into a region rich in wildlife, and especially birds, the Pantanal. We'll be in the southern portion of the Pantanal. 

The accommodations and the meals at the various lodges, where we'll be staying in the Pantanal, are good indeed, but the best aspect of the tour would be the close accessibility there to some spectacular wildlife. Travel in the Pantanal, from the lodges, would be in vehicles (designed for observation) during day-trips and night-trips, and by boat. Overnights at the lodges would be 3 nights at one, 2 nights at another. (Aug 10-12 &  Aug 13-14). The lodges where we'll staying in the Pantanal are about 150 & 200 miles from Campo Grande respectively. There will, of course, be birding between the lodges & along the way, both ways, between Campo Grande & the Pantanal.

Wed, Aug 10 thru Mon, Aug 15:  During these days, our diversified experience in the Pantanal, with birds (many birds!) and other nature. There are lists of the birds & other wildlife of the Pantanal  (that we've seen there during our previous tours) elsewhere in this website, but, we'll note here, that just a few of the birds would be: Hyacinth Macaw (the largest macaw in the world), Golden-collared Macaw, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Helmeted Manakin, and the Mato Grosso Antbird. 

Among what's particularly spectacular (during the dry season), would be large concentrations of waterbirds. Ducks can be numerous in certain rice-fields (where, during our previous tours, we've seen many whistling-ducks, comb-ducks, and some others). Other aquatic birds, numerous in the Pantanal, would be: egrets, herons, ibises, and storks (Wood & Maguari Storks & Jabiru). During one day of an August tour in the Pantanal, we saw an estimated thousand Jabiru, either on the ground or soaring in the sky!  Also adding to the mix would be Limpkins and Roseate Spoonbills. Both Sunbitterns and Sungrebes also occur. And Boat-billed Herons do as well, and with good fortune, the rare skulker, the Agami Heron can be seen.

Landbirds, in the trees or in the air, would be parrots and parakeets, and raptors of various kinds.
Possible at dusk, and after dark, would be 2 species of Potoos (the Great & the Common), nightjars & nighthawks, and an owl or two. (During our previous tours, we enjoyed tremendous looks, after dark, of Striped Owls and Barn Owls.)   

Mammals after dark should be those that are common, such as fox and bats, but it must be noted there's JAGUAR in the area. With good luck .......      During our tours in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2006, 2007, & 2009, we saw this elusive cat. We'll be making, if necessary, 2 night-time excursions for it, and other creatures. Pumas can also be seen (with luck).  
During one of our tours, in September 2006, we had, during two nights, nice looks at 7 Ocelots, a Pantanal (formerly Pampas) Cat, 2 Brazilian Tapirs, a Maned Wolf, in addition to a number of other animals including: Marsh Deer, Crab-eating Foxes and Crab-eating Raccoons, and Giant Anteaters. During a previous stay at one of the lodges, we saw as many as 8 Giant Anteaters. 
Another anteater, the Tamandua is also possible. During the day, monkeys and marmosets can be seen in the trees. Numerous caimans will be in & near the water. 

During our overnights in the Pantanal (and after our evening excursions), we should hear, from the lodges, an assortment of sounds including those of limpkins, owls, and nightjars. At dawn, howler monkeys.
Our last night in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Mon, Aug 15), would be back in the city of Campo Grande. Overnight, there, would be convenient to the airport.

Tue, Aug 16:  A short flight (about an hour) in the morning from Campo Grande to the city of Cuiaba, in the state of Mato Grosso. From there, travel north to a completely new habitat for us, known most often simply as the "Chapada". More completely, the area of the Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park, with dry highlands in the southern region of the "Cerrado" habitat.  Our birding there begins this afternoon, in an area of a cliffs and a high waterfall, where late in the day macaws, parrots, parakeets, & swifts come in to roost. And, of course, other birds will be there too, ranging from tinamous on the ground to toucans flying in the sky. Our first overnight in the "Chapada".    

Wed, Aug 17: Most of this day birding in the distinctive habitat of the "Cerrado", in the area of the Chapada do Guimaraes Park. A number of the bird specialties of the area should be seen. Among them: the Red-and-green Macaw, Red-legged Seriema, Curl-crested Jay, Pearl Kite, Crested Black-Tyrant, and Black-throated Saltator. All of these, and more, have been seen on our tours in this area. Our second overnight in the "Chapada".  

Thu, Aug 18: After our final morning birding in the Chapada region, we'll travel this day a couple hours to a great place for some fine birding with a bit of an Amazonian tint: an area of wooded hills known as "Serra das Araras", or the "hills of the macaws", the Macaw there being the Red-shouldered. We'll stay at a nice ranch in an attractive setting. As the macaws sleep in the trees outside, we'll spend 2 nights indoors at the ranch. 

Fri, Aug 19: A full day of birding in the area of Serra das Araras. We've seen many good birds here during our tours in the past. Foremost among them, of course, has been the Harpy Eagle. One year, recently (in 2004), we saw Harpy Eagle during 2 of our tours, in August and again later in October, observing the second time a larger young Harpy Eagle at the nest. That bird gave a call that could be heard for a mile. We also saw adult Harpy Eagles. Other notable raptors that we've seen at Serra das Araras have included Crowned Solitary Eagle, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Orange-breasted Falcon, and White Hawk.
Yet other birds that we've seen in this region have included: Sharpbill, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, and Bare-necked Fruitcrow (as noted the place does have a bit of an "Amazonian tint" for birds). Our second overnight at Serra das Araras.             

Sat, Aug 20:  After some morning birding, we'll travel to the airport at Cuiaba, for a flight to Sao Paulo to connect with departure, in the evening, from Brazil on an overnight flight home (arriving in North America the a.m. of Sunday, Aug 21.)
   

Price: 

For the tour, Aug 6-20:

US $3,375 per person, based upon double occupancy
Single supplement: US $335

Price includes: 
All overnight accommodations.
All meals (from mid-day Aug 6 thru mid-day Aug 20). 
Ground transportation within Brazil.
Services of the FONT birding tour leader.

Price does not include: 
Drinks and other items of a personal nature.
International flights to/from Brazil. 
Domestic flights within Brazil.

A deposit of US $500 required to register for the tour.