27 Sep 2026 - 22 Oct 2026 (26 days)
BRL62,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour price (Per person): BRL62,950 * USD12,128 * GBP9,458 * EUR10,676 * AUD18,934
Single Supplement: BRL5,900 * USD1,137 * GBP886 * EUR1,001 * AUD1,775
20 Sep 2027 - 15 Oct 2027 (26 days)
BRL64,950 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Lev Frid
Tour price (Per person): BRL64,950 * USD12,513 * GBP9,759 * EUR11,015 * AUD19,535
Single Supplement: BRL6,400 * USD1,233 * GBP962 * EUR1,085 * AUD1,925
When most people think of Brazil they think of Rio, Carnivale, Sugarloaf Mountain and endless beaches. When birders think of Brazil, they think – ENDEMICS. Amongst other claims to fame, Brazil hosts a spectacular array of endemic flora and fauna, including more than a reasonable share of stunning endemics. The South East of Brazil is a critical endemic zone, one that we will cover in a single Mega style tour.
Our tour covers a section of the Cerrado biome, focussing on the tricky Brazilian Merganser before concentrating on the threatened Atlantic Forests, seeking out a myriad of remarkable and rare endemic species. Habitats range from high mountains to lowland gallery forest encompassing such famous sites as Ubatuba, Intervales and Itatiaia.
Brazilian Merganser; Cock-tailed & Sharp-tailed Tyrants; Black-masked Finch; Helmeted Manakin; Ocellated, Rufous-faced & Grey-breasted Crakes; Hyacinth Visorbearer; Cipo Canastero; Cipo Cinclodes; Rock & Marsh Tapaculos; Horned Sungem; Checkered Woodpecker; Serra, Black-hooded, Sao Paulo & Restinga Antwren; Grey-backed Tachuri; Hangnest Tody-Tyrant; Grey-winged & Black-and-gold Cotingas; Black-and-gold, Brazilian & Diademed Tanagers; Green-crowned & Purple-crowned Plovercrests; Three-toed Jacamar; Saffron Toucanet; Black-capped Piprites; Long-tailed Antshrike; Buff-throated Purpletuft; Brazilian Ruby; Festive Coquette; Vinaceous-breasted Amazon; Araucaria Tit-Spinetail; Sharp-billed Treehunter; Bertoni’s Antbird; Red-tailed Amazon; Azure Jay; Such’s Antthrush; Yellow-legged & Solitary Tinamou; Variegated Antpitta; Black-headed Berryeater; Bay-ringed Tyrannulet; Ornate Hawk-Eagle; Grey-bellied Hawk; Spotted Bamboowren.
Maned Wolf; Giant Anteater; Giant Armadillo
lowland and montane Atlantic rainforest, cerrado, old cacao plantations, open grasslands with secondary forest, highland Araucaria forest, high elevation grasslands, coastal restinga, mangroves
warm to hot and humid but much cooler in the higher lying areas
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and local birding leader
our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.
comfortable
moderate, with some very difficult species
good, but limited due to nature of tour
I had the very best time on tour with Stephan. He is an excellent leader and a lovely, kind human being. In terms of his technical ability as a birding leader, his eyesight and hearing skills are excellent, which coupled with his first class fieldcraft and ID skills, meant that we saw/heard over 500 species during our tour. He also gelled well with the local guide Caio , so that in terms of finding, IDing and showing the birds to the group, we were treated to splendid views of our target species plus many many 'bonus birds' too. Stephan was also very patient with group members, some of whom for a variety of personal reasons, were less able to see the birds than the majority of the group-so that wherever possible-every group member who wanted to, had the opportunity to see every bird.
WOW – this was an entirely different trip than the main trip. The Pousada facility was a little more rustic than some of the other accommodations but nothing we couldn’t handle. It was certainly better than a hammock at the guard headquarters which Bradley indicated was the only thing available prior to Pousada. This portion required what seemed like a lot more walking and climbing over tree falls than anywhere else on the trip. It seemed that more of the birds were skulkers but then we were focusing on “ant-somethings” which are notoriously secretive. Again, it was disappointing there was not a single ant swarm and the mixed flocks were generally small and moved away from the trails fairly quickly. It was also frustrating that the best of the three trails (Capelinha) in the park was not available to us due to an on-going mammal-use survey. But, none of these things were within the control of Tuomas, Bradley, or our local guide. They were pros at adapting and modifying to take advantage of the trails that were available to us. By my count the main trip list was about 446 and we gained 81 sp on the extension, however, 40% of those were lifers, so worth the effort and expense, in my opinion. Our local guide, Gilberto, was indispensable. His recent knowledge was invaluable to know where to go for the target species.
Guides - in addition to Tuomas we a great local guide - whose bird-finding skills were fully up to Rockjumper standards, so had all the resources needed to get us onto the birds. Highlight of the trip was undoubtedly birding in comfort and style on the river cruise section. Being paddled in a canoe through flooded varzea forest must be the height of birding luxury. Land-based sections of the tour were also rewarding despite the inevitable heat and chiggers (fortunately minimal rain). Overall a very satisfying tour, with more lifers for me than on a longer trip to Colombia in 2019 that also included Amazonian habitat on the Vaupes River. A great bunch of people too.
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!!!
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.
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest II 2025 - October 2025
Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding Tour 2025 - September 2025
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife (Small Group) 2025 - September 2025
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife II 2025 - August 2025
Brazil - Amazonia NP Extension 2025 - August 2025
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife I 2025 - August 2025
Brazil - Manaus & Rio Negro 2025 - July 2025
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest I 2025 - January 2025
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest II 2024 - October 2024
Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding Tour 2024 - September 2024
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife (Small Group) 2024 - September 2024
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife II 2024 - August 2024
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife I 2024 - August 2024
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest I 2024 - January 2024
Brazil - Atlantic Coastal Forest II 2023 - October 2023
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Extension (Small Group) 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding Tour 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Pantanal: Birds & Wildlife (Small Group) 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Amazon Rainforest Extension II 2023 - September 2023
Brazil - Madeira & Tapajós - Endemics of the Rio Aripuanã (TM) 2023 - August 2023