Tours
Rio de Janeiro
The Rio de Janeiro tour includes Itatiaia National Park, Parati, Ubatuba and Serra dos Órgãos National Park.
Itinerary
DAY 1 – Arrival and reception at Galeão International Airport, Rio de Janeiro. Transfer to the Hotel Ypê, Itatiaia (3 hrs). This comfortable hotel is located inside the Itatiaia National Park at an altitude of 4,100 ft and is surrounded by Atlantic Forest. During the day hummingbirds, toucanets, tanagers and woodpeckers visit the feeders on the verandas of the hotel.
DAYS 2 and 3 – We will explore the trails around the Hotel Ypê, at altitudes ranging from 3,300 to 4,600 ft, to observe Atlantic Forest specialities such as Black Jacobin, Rufous-capped Motmot, Tawny-browed Owl, Saffron Toucanet, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Scaled Woodcreeper, Pallid Spinetail, Bertoni's Antbird, Ferruginous Antbird, Star-throated Antwren, Rufous Gnateater, Cryptic Anthrush, White-collared Foliage-gleaner, Blue Manakin, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Gray-hooded Attila, Green-headed Tanager, Olive-green Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia and many others.
DAY 4 - After an early breakfast we will check out and drive to the Agulhas Negras road in the upper part of the Itatiaia National Park, at altitudes of up to 8,000 ft. Here we will see endemic birds which are not normally found in the lower park, such as Purple-breasted Plovercrest, Itatiaia Spinetail, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Black-and-gold Cotinga, Brown-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant, Red-rumped Warbling-Finch and others. At night we will have a good chance of seeing Rusty-barred Owl. We will spend the night at the Pousada Caipira in the quiet village of Pouso Alto.
DAY 5 - After an early breakfast we will return to the upper park where we shall bird all the morning, leaving at midday for the coastal region of Parati-Ubatuba, with accommodation in the historic town of Parati.
DAY 6 – We will explore the region around the quiet town of Perequê (35 minutes by car), birding all day along a wide road with coastal forest, marshes and open areas. There will be a brief stop for lunch. Our target birds will be Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Red-eyed Thornbird, Black-hooded Antwren, Tufted Antshrike, Buff-throated Purpletuft, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher, São Paulo Tyrannulet, Gray-hooded Attila, Long-billed Wren, Rio de Janeiro Greenlet, Red-necked Tanager, Brazilian Tanager and many others.
DAY 7 - We will bird the Folha Seca trail in Ubatuba, at the foot of the Corcovado peak in the Serra do Mar coastal range. Our target birds will be Saw-billed Hermit, Festive Coquette, Spot-backed Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Scaled Antbird, Black-cheeked Gneateater, Slaty Bristlefront, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Bare-throated Bellbird, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Violaceous Euphonia and others.
DAY 8 – Morning birding in a forest near Parati, returning to the hotel for lunch. We will be looking for Plain Parakeet, Salvadori’s Antwren, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Pin-tailed Manakin, Blue Manakin, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Sharpbill, Black-throated Grosbeak and others. In the afternoon we will transfer to the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (5 hrs by car), where we will be accommodated at the BirdingRio headquarters house with a very pleasant view to the Park.
DAY 9 - After a very early breakfast we will bird in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park along the delightful Pedra do Sino trail, at altitudes ranging from 4,000 to 5,600 ft, taking with us sandwiches, soft drinks and water. Some target birds will be Brown Tinamou, Scale-throated Hermit, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Variable Antshrike, Rufous-backed Antvireo, Rufous-tailed Anthrush, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Pallid Spinetail, White-browed Foliage-gleaner, Hooded Berryeater, Black-and-gold Cotinga, Swallow-tailed Cotinga and Green-chinned Euphonia.
DAY 10 – We shall leave early for Carmo, an area of dry forest in the Serra dos Órgãos. Here we will find Blue-winged Macaw, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Three-toed Jacamar, White-eared Puffbird, Black-necked Aracari, Tail-banded Hornero, Serra Antwren, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Gray-eyed Greenlet, Rufous-headed Tanager among others. In the afternoon we shall go to the Fazenda Vale da Revolta in another part of the Serra dos Órgãos to see the rare Elegant Mourner.
DAY 11 – In the morning we will bird the lower part of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, at altitudes from 1,000 to 2,500 ft. Among our target birds will be Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Unicolored Antwren, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Yellow-backed Tanager and Yellow-green Grosbeak. At about midday we will drive to Rio de Janeiro International Airport, the exact time depending on our clients' flight times.
