Nowhere inspires more awe and wonder at the raw beauty of remote nature like the Amazon Basin of South America. Pioneered by Major Candido Rondon de Silva, explorations in this region of Brazil became the stuff of legend, as Rondon enabled the first telegraph line and subsequently the first road, to cross the Brazilian Amazon. He discovered numerous indigenous groups, named several major rivers, and is hailed by many Brazilians as one of the true heroes of Brazil’s native people and lands.
This area of Brazil became most famous with the publication of a biographical work on Theodore Roosevelt’s ill-fated expedition on the Rio de Duvida (River of Doubt). None other than Rondon himself escorted and outfitted the expedition in 1914, that nearly cost the ex-president his life. The mishaps of Roosevelt’s adventure only added to the mystique and draw of the area, which continues to be one of the least-accessible, most remote areas in the World. Luckily for us, the Pousada PiraAçu is a very conveniently located lodge where superb birds and wildlife await, including the near mythical Rondonia Bushbird. We we will focus our efforts on seeking out the numerous special bird species on the lodges many trails and river systems. Fine birding will be had in the Porto Velho and Humaita area, on the West Bank of the Madeira River, where we will have exposure to completely unique habitats, and species, on the other side of the Madeira interfluvium. This will be an unforgettable adventure into the heart of the Amazon!
*2024 Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Client Testimonials
Tour price (Per person): GBP6,588 * EUR7,663 * AUD12,249 * USD8,195
Single Supplement: GBP723 * EUR842 * AUD1,345 * USD900
Can be linked with: Brazil - Acre Extension 2024
Tour price (Per person): Price to be announced
The tour was fantastic and both of our guides were excellent. We enjoyed traveling with Lev. He is so enthusiastic! He is an excellent birding guide and also very knowledgeable about the natural history of the animals we saw. That made the experience even more enjoyable. He worked very hard to enable us to see some of the trickier birds, like the Zigzag Heron that was hiding in the trees. It turns out, he even speaks 'zigzag', as he carried on a 10 min conversation (back and forth calls) with the heron, trying to coax him into a better view. It was wonderful having a local guide, Leo, on this trip as well. He added a lot to the birding experience, was essential for dealing with logistics, and had a wealth of knowledge about the history of Brazil and the places we visited, that made it an even more interesting trip. Well Done Rockjumper!!
Overall we were very pleased with the trip. We have been to the tropics in various places in SA but hadn’t really experienced the heat of the Amazon. At first I was concerned about the siesta in early afternoon and the loss of bird time but by the third day I looked forward to it!! The lack of ant swarms, foliage-gleaners and mixed foraging flocks was disappointing. Some of the key target species had not been seen by local guides for several months to over a year. We hope it is not an on-going trend due to climate change but it may be. We felt fortunate to have had the opportunity and hope that others can continue to have this experience. We were pleased with the “tag-team effort” by Tuomas and Bradley. They worked well together with making sure the logistics flowed, everyone had their needs met as much as possible, and kept the pace moving. We were fortunate to have 8 people that had all travelled in groups before and were tolerant of various personalities and their strengths and weaknesses. Both Tuomas and Bradley were patient and talented in getting everyone (usually) in the group to see the target species. I will be giving a presentation to the local Audubon Chapter in November and will be recommending Rockjumper and their various trips to the group.
We had an unbelievably great tour. ALL the guides were extraordinary and fun to be around. They went out of their way to provide us non-birders with very interesting, novel activities. We all enjoyed seeing all the wildlife - it was beyond expectations. The 50th anniversary surprise was an unexpected, delightful treat. We don't know how the tour could have been any better.
A Fantastic experience!! Considerably better than I had expected. Guides were fantastic!! And the inclusion of local Brazilian guide - Leo - was a real plus. He worked great together with Forrest Rowland, and his knowledge of the country and the vegetation was a real plus. The mammals and other critters were a real plus to the tour. The facilities, driver, and van were also great! Overall, this tour ranks among the top of the 7-8 birding tours I have ever taken, and Rockjumper is certainly a company I would highly recommend to others!!!
"The whole tour was perfectly organised: the transportation to the lodge, the accommodation itself, and of course the different trips incl the local guide. Our tour guide Carlos was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Everything went perfect. As this was my first experience with Rockjumper, I was pleasantly surprised about how effortless the whole trip was. I will for sure travel with you again!"