Birdwatching in Pantanal & Cerrado 7 days

 

Araçari Castanho / Chesnut-eared Araçari © Marcelo Krause

Pantanal the world’s largest freshwater wetland, is a single biome composed of 11 biogeographic units. Pantanal is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it was declared as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site). With untouched beautiful wilderness, this region has a variety of ecological sub-regions, like river corridors, gallery forest, perennial and seasonally wetlands and lakes. Since the flood covers up 2/3 of Pantanal area, a diverse aquatic animal life is found, making Pantanal a sanctuary for birdwatchers that will be enlightened with over 600 species of birds. It’s the most important breeding spot for typical wetland birds. An estimate of three thousand hyacinth macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the world’s largest parrot and in risk of extinction, can be found in this region home to over 26 species of parrots.

Chapada dos Guimarães , in the geodesic centre of South America, is home to a beautiful cerrado (Brazilian savanna) landscape. The rich hydrography with many waterfalls, steep hill with reddish sandstone formations of Chapada dos Guimarães is home to a number of species not found in the Pantanal such as Blue-winged Macaw, White-collared and Biscutate Swift, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, White-banded Tamager, Blue Finch and many more.

Program Summary

Day 1 - Pantanal
Arrival at the International Airport in Cuiaba and immediately transfer to Pantanal North. Field observation and birdwatching on route. While crossing the area down the Transpantaneira dirt road, spectacular chances to spot many birdlife such a Jabiru, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Southern Screamer, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, Bare-faced & Green Ibises, Sunbittern, Long-tailed Ground-Dove , Black-collared, Great Black & Savanna Hawks, Snail Kite, Chaco Chachalaca and many others. Arrival and check in at the lodge at the end of the day.
Sunset and Nighthawks watch, followed by some Owling.
Dinner. Field Check List Track (FCT).
Overnight: Santa Tereza Hotel or Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel

Day 2 - Pantanal
Early morning breakfast and birding on the gallery forest of the Pixaim River, good chances to spot the Helmeted Manakin, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-lored and Rusty-backed Spinetail, Mato Grosso and Band-tailed Antbird, Red-billed Scythebill, Flavescent Warbler, Moustached and Buff-bellied Wrens, Purplish Jay, Troupial, Crested Oropendola, Solitary Black-Cacique, Blue-crowned Trogon, Black-fronted Nunbird, Silver-beaked Tanager, Rusty-collared and White-bellied Seedeaters, Lesser Seed-Finch and many others.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
PM: Boat ride, with chances to spot Anhinga, Rufescent Tiger Heron , Striated and Boat-billed Herons, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, Sungrebe, Southern Lapwing, Lesser Kiskadee, Black-capped Donacobius. All the five South American Kingfishers, Band-tailed Nighthawk and many others. After dinner, night tour to owling and spot nocturnal wildlife, including Ocelots!
Overnight: Santa Tereza Hotel or Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel

Day 3 - Pantanal
After breakfast, we check out and transfer to another lodge with birding along the route with chances for Maguari Stork, Laughing Falcon, Whistling Heron , White-faced, Black-bellied & Muscovy Ducks, Bare-faced Curassow, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Bay-winged & Giant Cowbird. We will move to a lodge with nesting Hyacinth Macaws and daytime roost for Great Potoo. This area is also "literally" packed with a great number of other birds.
Check in at the lodge and lunch. Siesta.
PM: Bird walk with chances to spot Rufous Cacholote, Red-crested & Yellow-billed Cardinal, Grayish & Buff-throated Saltator, White-rumped Monjita, Nacunda Nighthawk , Greater & Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Masked Gnatcatcher. Capped Heron, Toco Toucan, Chesnut-eared Araçari , Peach-fronted, Monk Parakeets , Golden-chevroned Parakeets, Golden-collared Macaw, Striped Cuckoo, Scarlet-headed, Unicolored & Chopi Blackbirds, followed by some owling.
FCT and dinner.
Overnight: Santa Tereza Hotel or Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel

Day 4 - Chapada dos Guimarães
Breakfast. Farwell sights for the Hyacinth Macaws . Check out and transfer to Chapada dos Guimarães, with birding and lunch in route.
Arrival at Chapada in time for some great birding such as Blue-winged and Red-and-Green Macaw, Curl-crested Jay, Gray Monjita, Crested Black-Tyrant, Cliff Flycatcher and many others.
Arrival at the hotel. Dinner. FCT.
Overnight: Pousada do Penhasco or Pousada Parque

Day 5 and 6 - Chapada dos Guimarães National Park
Two full days at Chapada. Our targets will be: Rufous-sided Pygmy-Tyrant, and cerrado specialties such as: Red-legged Seriema, Small-billed Tinamou, White-eared Puffbird, Collared Crescentchest, Horned Sungem, Yellow-billed Blue Finch, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Black-faced Tanager, Red-legged Seriema, White-eared Puffbird , White-rumped Tanager , White-banded Tanagers, Coal-crested Finch , Plumbeous Seedeater , Black-throated Saltator and many others.
Lunch with some siesta break at the hotel.
PM: Birdwatching at semi-deciduous forest, cerrado, canyons with chances to spot Yellow-ridged Toucan, Lettered Aracari , White-collared and Biscutate Swift, Blue-crowned Motmot, White-lined and Guira Tanager, Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Plain Antvireo, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, and many others.
Return to the hotel. Owling. Dinner. FCT.
Overnight: Pousada do Penhasco or Pousada Parque

Day 7 - Chapada dos Guimarães National Park
Breakfast at the hotel. Full morning birding - Superb Special Targets: Band-tailed and Fire-Crowned Manakins and Southern Antpipit. Return to the hotel and check out. Lunch.
Transfer to Cuiaba´s airport. 

General Information

Capacity:	Minimum of 2 travellers.
Guide Language:	English. Other language upon request
Level:	Easy to Moderate Program
Included:	All overnights, all meals, all ground transportation with mineral water and air conditioning, tours as mentioned above and bilingual guide full time
Not Included:	Internal and international flights, airport taxes, insurances, medical expenses, laundry, beverages, telephone calls and any other personal items.
Personal Gear:	Binoculars, sunblock, sunglasses, light clothing, hat, walking boots and/or sneakers, warm clothing for chilly days, sweatshirt, jacket, raincoat, personal medications and mosquito repellent
Optional Gear:	Camera and film