Day 1

Departure from Belo Horizonte Airport to Serra da Canastra

Upon arrival into Belo Horizonte airport we will set off for a 5 hour drive (with some stops en-route) to our first destination, the beautiful Serra da Canastra National Park! We will spend a total of 3 nights here at the comfortable Hotel Chapadao da Canastra. We will spend each day birding this spectacular Cerrado habitat, one of our main targets undoubtedly being the critically endangered Brazilian Merganser that relies upon the clear waters of the rivers inside the National Park which support a population estimated at just 200 individuals.

We will be birding at various altitudes and have 4×4 transportation whilst inside the Park, allowing us easier access to explore the higher savannas and to bird lowland forest areas in search of species such as Collared Crescentchest, Helmeted Manakin, Crested Black Tyrant, Planalto Hermit, Curl-crested Jay, Brasilia Tapaculo, Golden-capped Parakeet, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Little Woodpecker, White Woodpecker, Yellow-faced Parrot, Campo Miner, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Greater Rhea, Spotted Nothura, King Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, the beautiful Cock-tailed Tyrant, White-rumped Tanager, Shrike-like Tanager and mammals that include the amazing Giant Anteater, Maned Wolf and the Pampas Deer.

Day 2

Full day Serra da Canastra as above – overnight

Day 3

Full day Serra da Canastra as above – overnight

Day 4

After breakfast and some early morning birding we will depart  for a 6 hour drive (with stops en-route) to our next destination of Serra do Cipo.

Upon arrival we will check into our accommodation at the Hotel Fazenda Monjolos where we will spend a total of 3 nights. Our accommodation gives the perfect base from which to explore the amazing Serra do Cipo National Park. We will be birding at various points inside the Park in search of species including Hyacinth Visorbearer, Cipo Canastero, Serra Finch, Grey-backed Tachuri, Cinereous Warbling Finch, Cipo Cinclodes, Black-throated Saltator, Cinnamon Tanager, Blue Finch, Toco Toucan, Diamantina Sabrewing, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Checkered Woodpecker, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, White-eared Puffbird, White-rumped Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Rufous-winged Antshrike, White-vented Violetear, Horned Sungem, Firewood Gatherer, Band-tailed Horneo and Southern Scrub Flycatcher. A visit to some nearby dry wooded areas will also provide us with the opportunity of looking for Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Caatinga Puffbird, Pale-bellied Tyrant Manakin and Black-capped Antwren.

We will also spend time birding on the eastern side of the Park where areas of grassland and fragments of Atlantic forest will provide us the opportunity of searching for White-barred Piculet, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Lesser Grassfinch, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Marsh Tapaculo, Rock Tapaculo, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Gilt-edged Tanager and Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher.

Day 5

Full day Serra do Cipo as above – overnight

Day 6

Full day Serra do Cipo as above – overnight

Day 7

After breakfast we will take a 3 hour drive to Santuario do Caraca, our final destination of the tour where we will spend a total of 2 nights. We will be staying in the Monastery, a spectacular building in an even more stunning location! During our stay here we hope to be lucky enough to see the Maned Wolves that come to the Monastery to feed on kitchen scraps left out by the Monks.

Our time birding here will be spent inside the Park, with many new species to be found, some of which include Serra Antwren, Scale throated Hermit, Brazilian Ruby, Rufous-capped Motmot, Robust Woodpecker, Hyacinth Visorbearer, Dusky-legged Guan, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Slaty-breasted Wood Rail, Surucua Trogon, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Plain Parakeet, Lesser Woodcreeper, White-throated Woodcreeper, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Scaly-headed Parrot, Orange-eyed Thornbird, White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Ferruginous Antbird, Ochre-rumped Antbird, Rufous-capped Spinetail, White-bibbed Antbird, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser and Giant Antshrike among many others. On one evening we will also try to see both Rusty-barred and Tawny-browed Owls.

Day 8

Full day Santuario do Caraca as above – overnight

Day 9

If time allows we will have some early morning birding before taking the 3 hour drive back to Belo Horizonte for flights home.

Tour details:

• LEADER: Expert bilingual local birding guide
• GROUND PRICE: Please enquire
• GROUP SIZE:
• DEPOSIT REQUIRED to secure your place on the tour: TBC
• TOUR STARTS at Belo Horizonte airport (easily reached through a connection in either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo)
• TOUR ENDS at Belo Horizonte airport

Included in our tour price:

• All birding excursions as outlined in the itinerary
• All ground transportation from Belo Horizonte Airport
• Full board accommodation
• All meals from lunch on day 1 of the tour through to lunch on day 9 of the tour
• Admission fees to all National Parks and Nature Reserves
• Local guides where required
• Mineral water

Not included in our tour price:

• International or domestic flights
• Airport taxes where applicable
• Beverages
• All other meals other than what’s specified above
• Personal travel and medical insurance
• Tips of any kind
• Items of a purely personal nature