Brazil - Southeast - Mega Birding Tour 2025

28 Sep 2025 - 23 Oct 2025 (26 days)

BRL58,950 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stuart Elsom

Tour price (Per person): BRL58,950 * USD9,722 * GBP7,688 * EUR9,268 * AUD15,033

Single Supplement: BRL5,250 * USD866 * GBP685 * EUR825 * AUD1,339

Brazil - Southeast - Mega Birding Tour 2026

27 Sep 2026 - 22 Oct 2026 (26 days)

BRL61,300 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): BRL61,300 * USD10,109 * GBP7,994 * EUR9,637 * AUD15,633

When most people think of southeast Brazil they think of Rio, Carnivale, Sugarloaf Mountain and endless beaches. When birders think of southeast 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 southeast is a critical endemic zone, one that we will cover in a single Mega style tour.

From Rio de Janeiro, we’ll head north to the lowlands of REGUA for Rufous-capped Motmot and Crescent-chested Puffbird before ascending the mountains around Nova Friburgo in search of such delights as Grey-winged Cotinga, Three-toed Jacamar, Brassy-breasted Tanager and Green-crowned Plovercrest. Moving westwards, we’ll take in the famous sites of Itatiaia National Park, Paraty and Ubatuba for a plethora of new targets such as Itatiaia Spinetail, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Black-and-gold Cotinga, Black-hooded Antwren, Brazilian Ruby, Buff-throated Purpletuft and Sao Paulo Tyrannulet.

As we begin moving southwards, we’ll visit Salesópolis to find the recently described Sao Paulo Antwren, Peruíbe for roosting Red-tailed Amazons and the wetlands of Piracicaba for the skulking Spotted Rail both Yellow-breasted and Rufous-sided Crakes. We’ll spend a few days at Intervales State Park, one of the most exciting places to bird in the southeast. A never-ending list of great birds may include Giant Antshrike, Purple-crowned Plovercrest, Spotted Bamboowren or Long-trained Nightjar. The neighbouring Atlantic Forest of PETAR hosts several tricky species such as Such’s Antthrush, Yellow-legged Tinamou, Variegated Antpitta, Swallow-tailed Cotinga and Black-headed Berryeater.

The final stretch of the tours takes us to the southernmost Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Superb birding in a lovely region infrequently visited by birders. The southernmost tip of the Atlantic Rainforest of the Serra do Mar reaches the north eastern corner of the state with scenic canyons and upland plateaus typically characterised by Araucaria moist forests.

Southwards, the habitat changes into Pampa plains and grasslands with very few trees. The habitat along the coastline consists of distinctive Restinga scrub with nutrient-poor coastal dunes, sandy peninsulas, shallow saltwater lagoons and extensive mudflats that are home to numerous resident and migrant bird species. We will bird a variety of different and exciting habitats searching for specialities such as Marsh (Parana) Antwren, Kaempfer’s Tody-Tyrant, Scaled Chachalaca, Restinga Tyrannulet, Russet-winged Spadebill, Striolated Tit-Spinetail, Long-tailed Cinclodes, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Grey-throated Warbling Finch, Straight-billed Reedhaunter and Saffron-cowled Blackbird.

Top Birds

Sao Paulo, Black-hooded & Restinga Antwrens; Grey-winged, Swallow-tailed & Black-and-gold Cotingas; Brazilian, Brassy-breasted, Chestnut-headed & Diademed Tanagers; Sooretama Slaty Antshrike; Green-crowned & Purple-crowned Plovercrests; Three-toed Jacamar; Hangnest & Kaempfer's Tody-Tyrants; Saffron Toucanet; Black-capped Piprites; Brazilian Ruby; Surucua Trogon; Sao Paulo, Bay-ringed & Restinga Tyrannulets; Vinaceous-breasted & Red-tailed Amazons; Large-tailed & Giant Antshrikes; Bertoni’s Antbird; Araucaria & Striolated Tit-Spinetails; Spotted Rail; Rufous-sided & Yellow-breasted Crakes; Crested Doradito; Such’s Antthrush; Yellow-legged & Solitary Tinamous; Variegated Antpitta; Black-headed Berryeater; Canebrake Groundcreeper; Marsh Tapaculo; Spotted Bamboowren; Scaled Chachalaca; Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher; Green-chinned Euphonia; Long-tailed Cinclodes; Saffron-cowled Blackbird; Chilean Flamingo; Coscoroba & Black-necked Swans; Pinnated Bittern.

Habitats Covered

lowland and montane Atlantic rainforest, cerrado, old cacao plantations, open grasslands with secondary forest, highland Araucaria forest, coastal restinga

Expected Climate

warm to hot and humid but much cooler in the higher lying areas

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking
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WARNING: This tour involves strenuous activities and is intended for experienced adventurers. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, please check out our [Explore Relaxed Tours]

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.

Accommodation

comfortable

Ease of Birding

moderate, with some very difficult species

Photographic Opportunities

good, but limited due to nature of tour

What our clients say about us

Stephan Lorenz
PM, Brazil 2019

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.

Lev Frid
PJ - Pantanal 2022

Lev was a well kept secret from Rock Jumper ....incredible birder , bird guide, and overall naturalist . Would book another trip with Lev

Tuomas Seimola
IS - Manaus 2022

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.

xCarlos Sanchez
RL - NE Mega 2022

This was a really wonderful trip, so rich in birds, mammals, scenery and food. I really valued the outstanding knowledge all three guides shared with us, their constant awareness of our needs, and their senses of humor. We covered a lot of ground but there was always plenty of time for birding and we were always well fed. I really loved this trip and would recommend it to everyone who wasn't to see plenty of birds.

Dušan Brinkhuizen
PE, Brazil 2023

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.

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