Birding Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls
Tour Date:
June 28-July 2, 2022 and Sep 6-10, 2022
Tour Price (Per Person):
$2300 which includes top end hotels and flight from Rio to Iguazu. Does not include certain lunches and dinners.
Tour Type:
Easy birding and culture.
Description
In the world wide internet campaign for the new 7 wonders of the world there was a massive popular campaign within Brazil (4th largest population in the world with 200 million inhabitants) to vote for Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and hence it made the list as it got more votes than other candidates such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, La Alhambra in Spain or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Regardless, Rio de Janeiro is a natural wonder of its own kind and perhaps the most beautifully located big city in the world. The shape of the Sugarloaf and Corcovado are iconic. Therefore, Rio de Janeiro is on many people’s bucket list. It was also named A Natural Wonder of the World by CNN.
So what is in it for the birder? There is surprisingly good birding at the Botanical Garden which will be visited one morning and in Tijuca National Park where Corcovado and the Christ statue is situated. So with local expertise we shall be able to enjoy to see all major Rio sights, but also a great number of birds.
Serious birders should look into the 3 day pre-trip, which focus on some of the most local birds in South America.
After Rio, we fly to another iconic place – the Iguazu Falls placed on the border of Southern Brazil and Misiones of NE Argentina. A spectacular Natural wonder, and while staying at very comfortable hotels we shall also do some excellent birding.
At iguazu we shall visit the falls from both the Brazilian and the Argentinian side, as well as spend a full day birdwatching the surrounding rainforest and make a visit to the well known Hummingbird garden in Puerto Iguazu on the Argentinian side.
Lodging overall is very comfortable to luxurious and gives access to birding at Iguazu before the arrival or the crowds.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 0. Monday. Arrival in Rio de Janeiro.
Arrival. Meet-up in the hotel at 7 pm. Hotel in Copacabana/Ipanema/Leblon or Botafogo.
Day 1. Tuesday. Botanical Garden, Sugarloaf and city tour.
After breakfast we shall bird the Rio botanical garden. Birds include Rusty-margined Guan, Slaty-breasted Wood-rail, Channel-billed Toucan, Plain Parakeet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Red-shouldered Macaw, Rufous-winged Antwren, Gray-headed Today-Flycatcher and Green-headed and Rufous-headed Tanagers.
Later we shall make a visit at iconic Sugarloaf (Pao do Azucar) mountain with possibility to see Brazilian Tanager.
In the afternoon we make a city tour and get oriented in the city.
Meals: B
Day 2. Tijuca National Park and Corcovado.
Most of the day we shall visit Tijuca National Park for birding and Corcovado for the Christ the Redeemer statue. Fabulous view over Rio de Janeiro landmarks. Birds during the outing include Violet-capped Woodnymph, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, White-barred Piculet, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antwren, Cliff Flycatcher, Masked Water-Tyrant, Violaceous Euphonia, Golden-crowned Warbler, Flame-crested Tanager and Sayaca Tanager. In the evening flight to Iguazu. We stay on the Brazil side near the airport. Hotel Colonial Iguaçu or similar.
Meals: B
Day 3. Friday. Iguazu Falls (Brazil side) and Birding Route 101 in Argentina.
Birding close to the hotel in the morning and then Visit Brazil side of falls. The falls on the Brazilian side is not as inviting for birders as the Argentina side but the views are spectacular. Having said that Great Dusky Swift fly in and out of the waterfall, and there are usually a lot of Coatimundi looking for scraps and handouts.
After lunch we transfer to the Argentinian side and Surucua Lodge.
En route along route 101 or at the lodge we hope to see Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Surucua Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Spot-billed Toucanet, Toco Toucan, Red-breasted Toucan, Ochre-bellied Piculet, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Robust Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Turquoise-fronted Parrot, Spot-backed Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Tufted Antshrike, Bertoni’s Antbird, Planalto Woodcreeper, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Swallow-tailed Manakin, White-bearded Manakin, Band-tailed Manakin, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow and many more. Surucua lodge is very comfortable.
Meals: B and D
Day 4. Saturday. Surucua Lodge and Hummingbird Gardens.
Surucua Lodge in the morning. In the afternoon drive to Puerto Iguazu to visit the Hummingbird garden which opens at 4 PM.
Here we find hummers such as Black Jacobin, Planalto Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Versicolored Emerald and Gilded Humminbird. Also on the feeders are Purple-throated, Violaceous and Chestnut-bellied Euphonias, as well as Green-headed Tanager.
Night at luxurious Gran Melia Iguazu which gives un a spectacular sunset and sunrise and earlier access to birding along the Macuco trail.
Meals: B and L.
Day 5. Sunday. Iguazu falls.
In the morning we bird Macuco trail for a a couple of hours and then visit the Argentinian side of the falls until mid afternoon or so. Transfer to airport on Brazilian side. Those continuing to do Pantanal will fly to Sao Paulo at 6:00 pm.
Meals: B
Extensions
There is a three day birding pretour that covers many restricted range species and Rio specialties, such as Gray-winged Cotinga, Three-toed Jacamar, Elegant Mourner, Giant Snipe and Restinga Antwren.
After Iguazu the program connects well with either the Kolibri program for birding South East Brazil or the 7WB program for Pantanal.
Contact us at kolibriexp@gmail.com for details.