Few countries in the Americas hold more mystique and intrigue than the massive nation of Brazil. No feature on the continent of South America is more recognizable, more written about, or more wistfully contemplated than the mighty Amazon River. Despite this amazing river’s nearly 4000 miles of length, remarkably few ports of access exist. In fact, the entirety of the Amazon Basin, some 2,800,000 sq. miles (!), represents the largest contiguous area of intact rain forest, and least populated area, in the entire Western Hemisphere. No wonder the draw of the Amazon is irresistible to the nature-loving explorer in all of us! This tour is centred in the heart of the basin, in the states of Amazonas and Para, where we will access the entire suite of micro-habitats in the region. From the white water river islands and flooded varzea forests of the Amazonas and Negro river systems, across hilly terra firme, we will spend time in boats, and afoot, searching out the Amazon Basin’s most spectacular and iconic bird species. Wildlife possibilities range from Tapir and Pink River Dolphin to the elusive Jaguar. This tour is an in-depth exploration of the best Amazon birding has to offer.
2023 Tour price is an estimate and will change. Tour dates could be adjusted.
Harpy and Crested Eagles, Black-faced & White Hawks, Lined Forest Falcon, Dark-winged & Grey-winged Trumpeter, Grey, Variegated & Rusty Tinamou, Little Chachalaca, Black Curassow, White-crested, Spix’s & Marail Guan, Horned Screamer, Azure Gallinule, Hoatzin, White-winged & Rufous Potoo, Black-bellied Cuckoo, Amazonian Pygmy Owl, Red-and-green Macaw, Scarlet-shouldered & Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet, Crimson-bellied, Santarem, Golden, Golden-winged & Tui Parakeet, Festive Amazon, Vulturine, Short-tailed, Caica, Dusky, Orange-cheeked, Black-headed & Red-fan Parrot, Guianan Puffbird, Guianan & Amazonian Trogon, Green-tailed & Paradise Jacamar, Black-spotted & Brown-chested Barbet, Red-necked & Green Aracari, Guianan & Gould’s Toucanet, Scaly-breasted, Red-necked, Golden-collared & Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Varzea Piculet, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Crimson Fruitcrow, Purple-breasted & Guianan Red Cotinga, Capuchinbird, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Glossy-backed Becard, Spangled & Pompadour Cotinga, Natterer’s Slaty, Saturnine, Cinereous, Castelnau’s, Glossy, Blackish-grey & Spot-winged Antshrike, Ash-winged, Pygmy, Spot-backed, Brown-bellied, Rufous-bellied, Long-winged, Klages’s, Leaden, White-eyed, Sclater’s, Ihering’s & Grey Antwren, Guianan Warbling, Willis’s, Black-and-white, Black-headed, White-plumed, Ash-breasted, Black-faced, Chestnut-crested, Ferruginous-backed, Rufous-faced, Harlequin & Xingu Scale-backed Antbird, Pale-faced Bare-eye, Alta Floresta, Variegated & Spotted Antpitta, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Long-billed, Zimmer’s, Red-billed, Ocellated, Uniform, Hoffmanns’s & Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Curve-billed Scythebill, Cinnamon-crested & White-crested Spadebill, Fiery-tailed Awlbill, Crimson Topaz, Black-eared Fairy, Racket-tailed Coquette, Olive-spotted Hummingbird, Parker's, Red-and-white, White-bellied & chances for Scaled Spinetail, Lesser Hornero, Brownish Elaenia, Pearly-breasted Conebill, White-eyed Attila, Screaming Piha, Tiny & Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, White-throated, White-fronted, Black, Snow-capped, Flame-crested & Yellow-crested Manakin, Wing-banded Wren, Masked Yellowthroat, Guianan & Chestnut-belted Gnateater, Guianan Tyrannulet, Painted Tody-Flycatcher (Tody-Tyrant), Pelzeln’s, Zimmer’s & Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant, Short-tailed & Double-banded Pygmy Tyrant, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Rose-breasted Chat, Red-billed Pied Tanager, Fulvous Shrike-Tanager, Paradise, Flame-crested, Fulvous-crested and Spotted Tanager, Golden-sided Euphonia, Blue-black (Rothschild’s) & Yellow-green Grosbeak
Brazilian Tapir, Giant Otter, chances for Pink River Dolphin & Jaguar
lowland rain forest, varzea, terra firme forest, Campina forest, white-water & black-water river islands, rivers
warm to hot and humid
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
moderate pace, some longer walks
basic to comfortable
moderate with numerous challenging species
450+
good
This was my second trip with Dusan and like the first trip, he made sure everyone was looked after to the best of his abilities and was always attentive to peoples differing needs. He worked extremely well with our local guide, who himself was attentive to everyone, and they both tried hard to get everyone onto the birds. No complaints to them whatsoever. I would be very happy to bird with Dusan again and probably will.
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 really appreciated our trip. Our Rockjumper guide, Bobby Wilcox, and the local guides were awesome; always on the lookout for new birds and other animals, even on the long drives. The organization was flawless, the lodges were great and perfectly located. Our triplist and lifers goals were exceeded! The group was great and always well controlled by Bobby. Very well done! Our long sighting of a female jaguar was certainly the peak of this trip !!!
"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!"
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!!!
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD9,000 * GBP7,260 * EUR8,447 * AUD14,014
Can be linked with: Brazil - Amazonia NP Extension 2025
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest I 2024 - January 2024
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest II 2023 - October 2023
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension (Small Group) 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding Tour 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado (Small Group) 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension II 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Madeira & Tapajós endemics of the Rio Aripuanã (TM) 2023 - August 2023
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado II 2023 - August 2023
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest I 2023 - January 2023
Brazil - Southeast - Mega Extension 2022 - October 2022
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest II 2022 - October 2022
Brazil - Southeast - Mega Birding Tour 2022 - October 2022
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension (Small Group) I 2022 - September 2022
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado (Small Group) I 2022 - September 2022
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension II 2022 - September 2022
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado II 2022 - August 2022
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado I 2022 - August 2022
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Birding Extension (Small Group) II 2022 - July 2022
Brazil - Birds & Wildlife of the Pantanal & Cerrado (Small Group) II 2022 - July 2022
Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding Tour 2019 - September 2019