brasil trip report

Road to 197

A journey through every country in the world

Trip Report: Brazil – Country #27 (Updated)

Trip report: brazil.

Visited in February 2015

Every traveler has at least one trip where almost everything goes wrong. On my mission to visit every country in the world, Brazil turned out to be my Waterloo.

Admittedly, at that time it was not even my goal to travel to every country in the world. Brazil was my 27th country and after several trips to South East Asia my first country in South America. Together with my buddy Yves I spent two weeks in the fifth largest country in the world. During this time we saw Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, the Amazon, São Paulo and Ilha Grande.

This itinerary was, in a sense, a compromise. Manaus and the Amazon didn’t appeal to me and neither did São Paulo. The latter was also more of a less-than-perfect solution, as Manaus is relatively poorly connected to the rest of Brazil. Therefore, it would have been complicated to squeeze Salvador do Bahia or Florianopolis into our itinerary.

The awful journey to Brazil

The trip to Brazil went wrong right from the beginning, because the first leg of my flight got canceled. My friend was not affected by that, as his first leg was different from mine and we were supposed to meet in Frankfurt for the second leg to Rio.

My new route was exhausting. Lufthansa rerouted me from Basel to Munich, Munich to São Paulo that included a 10-hour layover in São Paulo, and finally from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. An approximately 15-hour journey became a 28-hour one. This should already have been a sign…

After experiencing the worst turbulence ever on the flight over the Atlantic, I arrived at the Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo/Guarulhos the next morning. Since I did not want to spend the whole ten hours at the airport, I thought about going to the city for a few hours.

But I needed money first. That’s why, I went straight to an ATM just to watch the machine swallow my card. The card did not entirely disappear, as 2-3mm were still visible. Not enough to get it out, though. Maybe my consideration was wrong, but I did not want to leave my (only) bank card unattended in one of the most criminal countries in the world. So I had to stay there and wait for help.

Desperately, I asked some people passing by for help. That was the first time when I realized that the language barrier was immense in Brazil. By the time I am editing this text, I have already been to 120 countries and Brazil is one with the least amount of English-speaking people. As a result, most of them just shrugged their shoulders and then walked on because they did not know what I was asking them.

What happened next was that I tried for three hours to get the card out of the ATM. Of course, I had to leave the ATM from time to time, but neither the information desk nor the hotline, whose number I got at the information desk, could help me. In the end, it was the airport security who got the card out again when they just turned off the power.

So, I lost three hours of my layover and didn’t really have enough time for a trip to the city. Therefore, I spent the rest of the time at the airport before I could finally fly to Rio.

A canceled flight, a bank card temporarily gone and a long and boring layover at São Paulo airport. This was not how I had imagined my journey to Brazil.

Why Rio de Janeiro disappointed me

It was about 28 hours after I left my apartment in Switzerland when I arrived at my hotel in Rio. But anyway, I was in Rio! The city that has the reputation of being one of the most fabulous in the world. I didn’t care about the delay anymore.

What I expected from Rio were nice beaches, friendly people, non-stop party and an incredibly lively atmosphere. However, after three days, both I and my friend were a little disappointed as we continued our journey to Manaus. There were several things that we did not like in Brazil’s most popular city.

On the one hand, it was the first time we were both in a city that is considered dangerous, which limits you especially at night. As soon as the sun goes down, Rio, to put it bluntly, seems to be a battlefield. The crime rate is extremely high and claims many lives every year. For the tourist, this means that after sunset you can only get around in a taxi. Needless to say, certain quarters should be avoided at all costs, even during the day.

Although you have to be unlucky as a tourist in Brazil to be the victim of a robbery, this restriction bothered us quite a bit back then. We were used to countries in Southeast Asia where you are actually never exposed to danger. Now that I have seen 100 countries, Rio remains one of the few non-African city where you can only go from one point to another at night by taxi.

On the other hand, we were also a little disappointed by the nightlife. The trip to Brazil took place in our wildest time of life and our plan was to go out every night until the early morning hours. The first evening, it was a Saturday, that worked out perfectly. On the two following days, Sunday and Monday, the city seemed to be dead in the evening.

For a city with the reputation of Rio de Janeiro, I found that weak. Rio is usually mentioned in the same sentence with the most vibrant cities in the world. In terms of nightlife, the city lags far behind cities like Tokyo, Bangkok or even São Paulo. In these cities, you can go out every day of the year with plenty of options.

We also felt that it doesn’t really take long to see all the highlights of Rio. After two days we had the feeling to have seen everything worth seeing.

Another disappointment was that we wanted to watch a football match at the notorious Maracana Stadium, but it was moved to another city at short notice. This game should have been a highlight of our trip.

Rio certainly had its good sides, but it was on one hand the already mentioned things and on the other hand many minor things that made our stay not so great.

For example, we only had bad food in Rio. We both found the Brazilian food relatively monotonous and the international cuisine was a disaster. Even the simplest dishes like pasta with tomato sauce were terrible. I don’t mean to say that you can’t eat well in Rio, it’s just that all (and I really mean ALL) of the 9-10 restaurant we went to were slightly below-average or really bad, even though they had decent ratings on TripAdvisor.

Manaus, the door to the jungle

Our next destination was Manaus, the door to the jungle, as it is the largest city near the Amazon rainforest. The flight from Rio to Manaus takes five hours, which is as long as a flight from Lisbon to Moscow, a flight across the whole European continent. First, they did not want to let us board the plane, as it was overbooked. Eventually, however, they found other passengers who had voluntarily given up the flight. Nevertheless, this did not help our mood in Brazil.

The flights were pretty expensive too. We paid almost $500 (multi-stop: Rio-Manaus-São Paulo) for it. Nevertheless, going from Rio to Manaus is like going from Brazil to another country, as it looks completely different and has a very different vibe too. Time moves slower in Manaus and obviously the people also look different than the Brazilians in Rio.

We only spent half a day before and half a day after our Amazon trip in Manaus. But this was enough to see the highlights of the city. The city has charm. It’s compact and we had a good night out there as well. However, I am not sure if Manaus would be worth a visit if you don’t visit the Amazon considering the long flight time.

Amazon Rainforest: welcome to the jungle

Three days and two nights was the perfect time frame for a trip to the second largest forest in the world. The tour is a very special experience, but it’s also physically challenging. The heat, the humility, the dirt, the mosquitoes… the Amazon ain’t for the faint-hearted but rewards the adventurer.

We did several activities in the jungle during this tour. Most of the time we were sitting in the boat floating down the small rivers while animals were observing us from the shore. As soon as our tour guide spotted an animal somewhere in the trees, the boat steered towards the banks.

At one point, the tour guide saw a boa constrictor. He didn’t hesitate and took a stick to get the snake from the tree. Another time, he spotted a tarantula that was hiding in a hole. Seeing animals like these from such a short distance was phenomenal.

However, you won’t see most of the animals that live in the jungle. The animals you will most likely see are pink dolphins, caimans, various birds and monkeys, but you have to be very lucky to see an anaconda or a jaguar for example.

Actually, there are only two dangerous animals for visitors: small, poisonous snakes and of course mosquitoes. Usually, you are moving by boat but when you walk, there is a possibility that you don’t see a snake and step on it. Mosquitoes are the bigger issue though, as this is a malaria high-risk area. Again, I am not exaggerating, but I got at least 100 bites in three days.

The three days passed very fast. Although I was glad when I arrived back in Manaus after these exhausting days, I will never forget the time in the Amazon. For me, it was a once in a lifetime experience and one of the most challenging tourist things I’ve done by then.

As I mentioned in the beginning, São Paulo was not our first choice as our third destination in Brazil. Our priorities were Salvador, Florianopolis or Fortaleza, but going from Manaus to these destinations was tricky. São Paulo was a compromise. Brazil’s largest city – and largest city of the Southern hemisphere – is not a real sightseeing destination.

The good thing is that nightlife in São Paulo is among the best in the world, you can go out every night of the week (which was not the case in Rio). I had one amazing night in a night-club called D-Edge, where a met a group of cool Brazilians who spent the evening with me. So if I had to name the best thing about São Paulo, it would definitely be the nightlife.

Apart from that, São Paulo was not my cup of tea. The biggest city of the Southern Hemisphere is just a gigantic concrete jungle that doesn’t offer much for tourists. We still visited the two or three places we were interested in.

For example Liberdade, the Japanese quarter of the city, as the biggest Japanese population outside of Japan lives in São Paulo. I expected a district like the many Chinatowns you see all over the world, but it had nothing in common with those. It was underwhelming.

Another place we visited was the football museum. But of course, it was not open on the day we went. Luck was just not on our side during that trip.

We even had a thrilling moment when we were about to leave the city. We were stuck in traffic jam on our way to the airport, as suddenly a guy approached the car, looking at us and said “I want your money!”

Was this the moment we always wanted to avoid in Brazil? It was around noon, many pedestrians were walking around and we are getting robbed in the middle of the street? The guy did not look like gangster though. And it soon turned out that it was a joke. “I am a student and we are collecting money for our prom,” he explained. He got a few coins from us.

Ilha Grande, silence before the storm

The last destination before heading back to Rio was Ilha Grande, an island between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. We had the choice of either going from São Paulo directly by bus what would have been an 8 hours ride, or taking a flight to Rio and continue by private transfer from there. We chose the latter.

Ilha Grande was the perfect place to spend the last three days before our last night in Rio. The island is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The water is clear, the beaches among the best and the atmosphere just relaxing.

A must do-activity is visiting famous Lopes Mendes beach. We reached this part of the island by boat and spent an afternoon there. As Ilha Grande is pretty relaxed, you can leave your valuables unattended and enjoy the ocean. That wouldn’t be possible at the Copacabana.

Our bad luck also hunted us in Ilha Grand, though. Respectively on our way back to Rio. Yves forgot his small backpack in the minivan that drove us back. His tablet, camera and other things have been inside the backpack. He tried everything to get it back but the stuff was gone for good, which was not really a surprise.

It was just another set back on this trip. There have been others, which were minor in the end so that I didn’t mentioned them, but our mood reached rock bottom. So many things went wrong and now we had also lost a backpack.

The big finale: Carnaval in Rio

There was only one thing that could cheer us up: CARNAVAL! We didn’t know that Carnaval was during our trip when we booked the flights to Brazil. We found out just a few weeks before.

Our last day in Rio was the start of the party of the year in Brazil. I booked tickets online for Sambódromo, where the parade takes place, via an apparently trustworthy company. We agreed that they would deliver the tickets at the reception of our hotels. Of course, things went wrong again…

When we checked in, the front desk staff told us that the company was at the hotel but did not leave the tickets as we weren’t there. They would come back though. It was still early afternoon. However, I got a bit nervous when I still did not hear from the company at 5 PM. I sent them an e-mail. One hour later, I tried to call them but no one was answering the phone. I sent another e-mail and called again. It did not look good and we had to find a plan B.

The receptionist of our hotel told us that there would be no chance to get a ticket now. Not even on the black market. Now I was more than upset and Yves had to calm me down, but it did not help, I was so frustrated. We went for dinner and our hopes for Carnaval disappeared. When we came back to our hotel, another front desk manager told us that it should not be a problem to find tickets and he could organize it for us.

Phew, he rescued us. However, we were also mad about the stupidity of the first receptionist who gave us false information. Meanwhile, the company that should have delivered the tickets called and told us they will send someone. I declined and told them to go to hell.

Sambódromo is in the middle of a dangerous neighborhood. It is highly recommended not to go by taxi, as they will not drop you just in front of it. Then you have to walk a while through that shady area. An organized transfer cost us another $70, but then we finally arrived at the parade. It’s hard to describe in words how amazing this parade is.

The experience was just phenomenal and all travelers should be part of that ceremony once in their lives. Carnaval is like religion in Brazil. Some people spend half of their yearly income on their costume. It was a worthy end of a trip that had many ups and downs.

My travel experience in Brazil

Can I recommend Brazil to other travelers? To be honest, it’s hard for me to answer this question with yes, as too many things went wrong in Brazil. I didn’t even mention all of the things by the way.

Back in Europe, we said that Brazil would never see us again. But in hindsight, we had some great moments too. The trip to the Amazon was a once in a lifetime experience, Ilha Grande has been one of the most awesome islands I have ever been to and Carnaval was fantastic as well. It was just a trip full of bad luck for us.

However, every time I speak to people who have been to Brazil, they tell me they had the best time of their life there. Every time I hear that I ask myself what we did wrong. How can it be that all these people enjoyed Brazil while our time was marked by many unfortunate moments?

The more time passed the more I thought I need to give the country a second chance. And that happened almost six years later with my second visit – albeit a short one. I entered Brazil from Paraguay and spend a day to see one of the country’s biggest attractions.

The Iguazu Falls are 80% in Argentina and 20% in Brazil. However, visitors go to see the falls from both sides, which makes sense since both sides are different. However, I would call the Brazilian side the more awesome. They say Argentina has the falls, Brazil has the views. And the views from the Brazilian side were the better ones in my opinion.

What also speaks for Brazil is that the falls can be seen in a short time. On the Brazilian side, there is a path that is just under 2km long. With photo stops, you can see the falls in about two hours. In addition, the Brazilian side offers helicopter flights, which in my opinion are a must.

On my second visit to Brazil, I spent only 24 hours in the country. Besides the falls, I visited the bird house Parque das Aves and had dinner in a churrascaria. Although the stay was short, it was a beautiful day in Brazil. With that, I made my peace with the country and look forward to my third visit.

Related Posts:

• How to Tie a Tie
• Best Coffee Beans
• How to Shape a Beard
• Best Sweaters for Men
• Most Expensive Cognac
• Monos vs Away Luggage
• Best Luxury Hotel Chains
• Fastest Cars in the World
• Ernest Hemingway Books
• What Does CBD Feel Like?
• Canada Goose Alternatives
• Fastest Motorcycles in the World

Brazil sets tourism records in 2024

Brazil uses strategies to boost international tourism.

From January through July 2024, Brazil welcomed record tourists, with more than 4 million international visitors making the trip . That represents a 10.4% increase yearly and a 1.9% boost from 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Not only that, but those travelers spent money, adding $4.3 billion to the nation’s economy, almost $1 billion more than the same period in 2023. The successes result from increased flight routes, improvements to tourism infrastructure, and enhanced tourism promotion.

The strategies behind Brazil’s 2024 tourism boom  

Collaborations between the Ministry of Tourism and Embratur (the Brazilian Tourist Board) have boosted the country’s appeal to international visitors. The two organizations, along with the private sector and local governments, focus on specific tourist demographics with data-driven decisions and real-time monitoring. Also, in concert with airlines, there’s been an increase in international flights.

Argentina brought in the most visitors (1.8 million), followed by the U.S. (668,400), Chile (458,500), Paraguay (424,400), and Uruguay (334,700). Most arrived via airplane (2.5 million), with land travelers (1.3 million), seafarers (98,200), and riverboat passengers (54,500) next. Additionally, the International Tourism Acceleration Program (PATI) and the Ministry of Ports and Airports launched a 2024 initiative to increase international flight capacity by 70,000 seats between October 2024 and March 2025.

Marcelo Freixo, President of Embratur, said: “Tourism is highly democratic. The money tourists spend reaches the beach vendor, the waiter, the Uber driver, and small business owners, creating jobs and fostering local development.”

Celso Sabino, Minister of Tourism, added: “In 2023, we welcomed 5.9 million international tourists. With 4 million already recorded in the first seven months of 2024, we are on track to reach at least 7 million by year’s end, one of the federal government’s key tourism goals.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• JetBlue increases winter flights to Bozeman, Montana
• POWDR to sell Killington Resort and Pico Mountain to local investors
• Labor Day weekend 2024: TSA predicts record airport traffic
• A new study says digital nomads should travel to these 6 countries
• These are our favorite luxury camping sites in the U.S.
• Destinations

With waves of multi-colored hues against the night sky, the Northern Lights take you into the heavens for a near spiritual experience. Also called the aurora borealis, the phenomenon occurs when the sun’s energized particles collide with the earth’s upper atmosphere, sometimes as fast as 45 million mph. When that happens, our planet’s magnetic field provides a shield and then diverts the particles toward the poles. 

The result is an otherworldly display of colorful ribbons, swirls, and diffusions, bringing the galaxies down to earth. Viewing a natural phenomenon like that puts things in perspective, making you realize how small you are and how big the universe is.

Visiting New York City is an adventure like no other. Known as the city that never sleeps, there are plenty of things to do in NYC no matter the season. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, there’s always something exciting happening. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or are practically an NYC local, here’s a guide to the best things to do in the Big Apple. Brooklyn Bridge

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a must-do when visiting New York City. This iconic 1.3-mile bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, offering stunning views of the city skyline and the East River. As you stroll across, take your time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Once you reach the Brooklyn side, explore the vibrant neighborhood of DUMBO, known for its charming boutiques, trendy waterfront restaurants, and the picturesque Pebble Beach.  Yankee Stadium Yankees Stadium Chanan Greenblatt / Unsplash

Whether you plan to soak up the sun on the Jersey Shore or hike through the hills, NJ Transit lets you travel for free this Labor Day. Last week, Governor Phil Murphy announced free train fares between August 26 and September 2 as a thank you to repeat customers and to make up for summer interruptions. The complimentary rides are available throughout the NJ Transit network, which includes Jersey beach towns and New York state parks.  This Labor Day, NJ Transit makes travel easy Bear Mountain State Park, New York Clay Banks via Unsplash

No matter how you travel, getting to your holiday destination can be a hassle. Whether plane tickets, train fares, or fuel costs, things add up, taking away from your vacation budget. With this fare holiday, NJ Transit makes getting there free and easy. Here’s what to know.

Brazil Reports Record-Breaking Tourism in 2024

Travel to Brazil is definitely on the rise.

Brazil has announced record-breaking growth as the country has surpassed four million international tourists between January and July 2024, representing a 10.4 percent increase from the same period in 2023 and 1.9 percent higher than 2019 pre-pandemic numbers.

The success of joint initiatives led by the Ministry of Tourism and Embratur to enhance Brazil’s appeal as a travel destination highlights the record-breaking growth numbers that generated US$4.3 billion, a significant boost to the country’s economy.

July 2024 alone saw US$615 million in foreign exchange, the second-highest amount for this month since 2014, the year Brazil hosted the World Cup.

Argentina emerged as the leading source of international tourists, accounting for 1.8 million visitors, followed by the United States (668,400), Chile (458,500), Paraguay (424,400) and Uruguay (334,700).  

Air travel remains the primary mode of entry, with 2.5 million tourists arriving by plane, followed by 1.3 million by land, and smaller numbers by sea (98,200) and river (54,500).

International tourists contributed US$4.3 billion to the Brazilian economy in the first seven months of 2024, nearly US$1 billion more than the US$3.7 billion recorded in the same period of 2023. July’s inflow of US$615 million represented an 8.46 percent increase over July 2023, and a 2.8 percent rise from July 2019.

This surge is attributed to increased tourism promotion, expanded flight routes and improvements in tourism infrastructure.

Embratur President Marcelo Freixo emphasized the significance of these figures, noting that the money spent by foreign tourists directly benefits local economies. “Tourism is highly democratic. The money tourists spend reaches the beach vendor, the waiter, the Uber driver, and small business owners, creating jobs and fostering local development,” he said in a statement.

Minister of Tourism Celso Sabino expressed optimism about breaking previous records by the end of the year. “In 2023, we welcomed 5.9 million international tourists. With 4 million already recorded in the first seven months of 2024, we are on track to reach at least 7 million by year’s end, one of the federal government's key tourism goals,” Sabino said.

Embratur’s strategy, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, local governments and the private sector, focuses on data-driven decisions and real-time monitoring to target specific tourist demographics. The organization has also been working closely with airlines to expand international flight routes, leading to a projected 19 percent growth in available flights to Brazil in 2024 alone.

A major 2024 initiative launched by the International Tourism Acceleration Program (PATI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports and Airports is expected to increase seating capacity on foreign flights to Brazil by 70,000 between October 2024 and March 2025.

To support the influx of tourists, Brazil has made substantial investments in tourism infrastructure. In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism completed 510 projects across the country, including the renovation of waterfronts, road paving and event center construction aiming to enhance the overall travel experience and attract more foreign visitors.

Freixo concluded by underscoring Brazil’s international resurgence as a travel destination. “Our efforts are paying off. The world is taking notice of Brazil's return as a leader in democracy, diversity, and environmental stewardship, and this is reflected in the record-breaking numbers we’re seeing in tourism,” he said.

With ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and promote Brazil’s unique cultural and natural attractions, the country says it is poised to continue breaking tourism records and solidifying its place on the global tourism map. 

Brazil: Cerrado, Amazon & Pantanal Trip Report, October 2019

Go to Cerrado, Amazon and Pantanal bird tour page | Brazil bird tours | Neotropical trip reports | All our birding tours

DOWNLOAD TRIP REPORT

05-21 OCTOBER 2019

  by eduardo ormaeche.

Our 2019 “T he Best of Brazil: Pantanal, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest ” tour allowed all participants to have encounters with a great selection of birds and by far the best experience with the finest wildlife in the Neotropics. The Pantanal, a name that conjures up vast and remote wetlands full of aquatic species and one of the last refuges of the Jaguar is an obligatory destination in South America for birdwatchers and nature lovers. During our visit to the Pantanal we were rewarded with views of some sought-after species like Hyacinth Macaw , Southern Screamer , Bare-faced Curassow , Chestnut-bellied Guan , Golden-collared Macaw , Red-legged Seriema , Greater Rhea , Sunbittern , Sungrebe , Zigzag Heron , Pale-crested Woodpecker , Helmeted Manakin , Great and Common Potoos , Roseate Spoonbill , Ashy-headed Greenlet , Guira Cuckoo , Striped Cuckoo , Narrow-billed Woodcreeper , Mato Grosso Antbird , Campo Flicker , Red-crested Cardinal , and Chotoy Spinetail . In addition abundant aquatic species were found, including magnificent views of the imposing Jabiru all across the Pantanal. The Pantanal rewarded us with amazing views of four of the big five mammals of Brazil, including breathtaking sightings of four Jaguars along the Cuiaba River, Lowland Tapirs during night drives, a spectacular predawn sighting of Giant Anteater , and several encounters with Giant Otters .

The grasslands and deciduous and gallery forest habitats of the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park provided some spectacular views of species such as Blue-winged Macaw , Red-and-green Macaw , Peach-fronted Parakeet , Pheasant Cuckoo , Rufous-tailed Jacamar , Brown Jacamar , Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper , Shrike-like Tanager , Cinnamon Tanager , White-eared Puffbird , Chapada Flycatcher , Large-billed Antwren , Channel-billed Toucan , and White-vented Violetear . Perhaps one of the greatest encounters of the trip was the seldom-seen Maned Wolf as two individuals were seen just after sunset, becoming one of the highlights for many of the participants.

The Atlantic Forest, characterized by high biodiversity and endemism, provided great sightings of bird species restricted to this unique ecosystem. On this trip we focused on two major classic regions in Southeast Brazil, Ubatuba and Itatiaia National Park. The selection of species we saw was outstanding, including colorful and gorgeous species and many range-restricted and secretive birds, including Gilt-edged Tanager , Red-necked Tanager , Green-headed Tanager , Brassy-breasted Tanager , Diademed Tanager , Olive-green Tanager , Slaty Bristlefront , Orange-eyed Thornbird , Long-billed Wren , Black-capped Foliage-gleaner , Rufous Gnateater , Blackish-cheeked Gnateater , Tufted Antshrike , Ferruginous Antbird , Tawny-browed Owl , Bare-throated Bellbird , Green-billed Toucan , Saffron Toucanet , Itatiaia Spinetail , Frilled Coquette , Saw-billed Hermit , Golden-winged Cacique , Red-and-white Crake , Firewood-gatherer , and the spectacular Black-and-gold Cotinga.

We had been worried about the recent fires that sadly have affected large portions of the Brazilian Amazon and the Cerrado, but fortunately we saw only a few burned patches of cerrado and pastures in Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, and neither our trip nor the major habitats we visited had been affected by fire.

Detailed Report

Day 1, october 5 th 2019. arrival in cuiabá, transfer to the hotel.

Our group met in the city of Cuiabá, the capital of the Mato Grosso state of Brazil, where the group arrived on different flights and at different times. Those who arrived before midday enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Aeroporto Grill restaurant, where we had a pleasant introduction to the Brazilian cuisine. In town we saw our first Grey-breasted Martin , Cattle Tyrant , House Wren , and Rock Dove . Later in the evening we met the rest of the team and decided to go back to the nice restaurant to taste more of the delicious Brazilian food and the first of many rounds of caipirinhas (the Brazilian national cocktail). Not long before we ended our meal the sky opened, bringing long and heavy rain that lasted all night. What a great welcome!

Day 2, October 6 th, 2019. Drive to Poconé and to the Pantanal

After an early breakfast we left Cuiabá and headed toward the Pantanal. Fortunately the rain had passed a few hours ago, producing an overcast morning with cool temperatures. It seemed as if the birds had been waiting for that rain, considering the lack of rain they had faced during the past weeks.

What a fantastic morning along the road to Poconé and through the Pantanal! We had great views of species such as Buff-necked Ibis , Bare-faced Ibis , Whistling Heron , Striated Heron , Brazilian Teal , and Black-bellied Whistling Duck . The excitement increased with our first views of Toco Toucan , Golden-collared Macaw , Red-shouldered Macaw , Sayaca Tanager , White-lined Tanager , Picazuro Pigeon , Campo Flicker , Southern Crested Caracara , Saffron Finch , Greyish Baywing , Yellow-billed Cardinal , Rufous Hornero , and Chalk-browed Mockingbird. After the joy of this first road stop we found our first Red-legged Seriema and Greater Rhea en route. After this great introduction to the birds of the Pantanal we drove to Pousada Piuval, on the way seeing more exciting species including Ringed , Green , and Amazon Kingfishers , Wood Stork , Cocoi Heron , Little Blue Heron , Plumbeous Ibis , Buff-necked Ibis , Grey-necked Wood Rail , and Chaco Chachalaca . We also saw our first Capybara group near the entrance to Pousada Piuval and found the first gathering of Yacaré caimans. We went straight to the lodge restaurant for a delicious buffet lunch, and after checking into the rooms and dropping our luggage we met outside the rooms to explore the surroundings of Pousada Piuval.

The afternoon was alive with birds around the lodge, including new ones for the day like White-rumped and White-winged Swallows , Brown-chested Martin , Grey-breasted Martin , Grey Monjita , Great Kiskadee , Crested Oropendola , White-eyed Parakeet , Black-backed Water Tyrant , White-headed Marsh Tyrant , Jabiru , and Roseate Spoonbill . We headed to the Bento Gomes River, where we were lucky enough to find a pair of Hyacinth Macaws roosting on their nest. It was amazing, almost magical, to see the largest parrot in the world and one of the most representative species of the Pantanal so well. In this area we also saw Large-billed Tern , Rufescent Tiger Heron , Chopi Blackbird , Yellow-chinned Spinetail , and our first Sunbittern , as well as a group of Azaras’s Capuchins . With spectacular views of the sunset we interrupted the birding for dinner, after which we had a night drive in search of nocturnal wildlife. We spotted several nightjars along the jeep track, including Pauraque and Little Nightjar , and luckily also had a close-up encounter with two Lowland Tapirs . What an amazing first day in the Pantanal!

Day 3, October 7 th 2019. Pousada Piuval and transfer to Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel  

We decided to have a predawn start to drive the lodge’s main road, looking for our first non-bird target of the day. And not long after sunrise there it was, the spectacular Giant Anteater , exploring the anthills not far away from us. It was just perfect!

After this incredible sighting we explored some woodlands near the lodge, where we saw our first Bare-faced Curassow . In addition we found the endemic Chestnut-bellied Guan , Chaco Chachalaca , the beautiful and shy Pale-crested Woodpecker , Lineated Woodpecker , Little Woodpecker , Great Antshrike , and Fork-tailed Flycatcher (of which we probably had a hundred records during the whole tour).   During the remainder of the morning we added more species such as Short-crested Flycatcher , Masked Tityra , Fawn-breasted Wren , Thrush-like Wren , more Toco Toucans , Ferruginous Pygmy Owl , Southern Beardless Tyrannulet , Masked Gnatcatcher , Black-collared Hawk , Gilded Sapphire , Glittering-throated Emerald , Limpkin , and our first group of South American Coatis .

After lunch we transferred to the Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel and spent the afternoon exploring the Pixaim River in search of more species. We managed to find Blue-throated Piping Guan , Anhinga , Cocoi Heron , Neotropic Cormorant , American Pygmy Kingfisher , Ringed , Green , and Amazon Kingfishers , Solitary Cacique , Band-tailed Antbird , Sungrebe , Black-collared Hawk , and Rufescent Tiger Heron. We also had our first encounter with a family of Giant Otters , which was an amazing moment for the entire group but especially for Mark and Maria, who were hoping very much to see this animal, which sadly they had missed on our Southern Peru tour in 2016. We had good views of the otters. Then we looked for our target of the day, the crepuscular and shy Zigzag Heron . We tried hard to find the bird, but on this afternoon it was heard only. We did not give up, though, and we made an alternative plan for the next day. While having dinner we had two visitors at the lodge, namely another Lowland Tapir and a Crab-eating Raccoon .

Day 4, October 8 th 2019. Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel grounds

We had another predawn start for a twilight boat ride along the Pixaim River to try again for the Zigzag Heron. We sailed directly to the spot where we had heard it on the previous evening. Luckily this time, after some patience, we had incredible success not with one but with a pair of Zigzag Herons not far from us. We also saw several Band-tailed Nighthawks flying by and a Boat-billed Heron . What an amazing start!

We came back to the lodge, and after a tasty breakfast we got ready to hit the wonderfully birdy surroundings of the hotel. We started with the gallery forest, where we saw our first Mato Grosso Antbird , Rusty-backed Spinetail , White-lored Spinetail , Barred Antshrike , Rufous-tailed Jacamar , Yellow-olive Flatbill , Helmeted Manakin , Buff-throated Woodcreeper , Pale-crested Woodpecker , Black-fronted Nunbird , White-tipped Dove , Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant , Fawn-breasted Wren , and Band-tailed Antbird . After the gallery forest we moved to the open habitat along the airstrip, where we added Picui Ground Dove , Long-tailed Ground Dove , Red-crested Cardinal , Yellow-billed Cardinal , Purplish Jay , Shiny Cowbird , Giant Cowbird , Guira Cuckoo , Greyish Saltator , Greater Thornbird , White-bellied Seedeater , Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch , Masked Gnatcatcher , Orange-backed Troupial , Red-throated Piping Guan , and Blue-throated Piping Guan to our list. We also had great views of Chotoy Spinetail , Campo Flicker , Unicolored Blackbird , White-headed Marsh Tyrant , Scarlet-headed Blackbird , Striped Cuckoo , White-eyed Parakeet , Monk Parakeet , Orange-winged Amazon , and Buff-bellied Hermit . It also was a good day for mammals, with new species including a family of Marsh Deer and Yellow Armadillo . In the evening we tried for Spot-tailed Nightjar , which was heard only.

Day 5, October 9 th 2019. Drive along the Transpantaneira to Porto Jofre

After an early breakfast we left the Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso and drove along the Transpantaneira toward Porto Jofre. On the way we saw many species, such as lots of Jabirus , Wood Stork , Limpkin , Cocoi Heron , Black-collared Hawk , Grey-necked Wood Rail , Chaco Chachalaca , White-headed Marsh Tyrant , and Rusty-collared Seedeater. We also had splendid views of White Woodpecker on the way. Near Porto Jofre we found Great Horned Owl roosting at daytime at its usual place and enjoyed good views of Cinereous-breasted Spinetail , Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant , Ashy-headed Greenlet , and Straight-billed Woodcreeper .

Once we had arrived at the Hotel Pantanal Norte – Porto Jofre we had enough time to check into the rooms, drop the luggage, and enjoy another tasty lunch before we started our first Jaguar boat safari along the Cuiabá River, where we had nice views of Collared Plover , Black Skimmer , Black-bellied Whistling Duck , and Large-billed , Yellow-billed , and Common Terns .

The main target for the afternoon was finding the Jaguar, the largest felid in the Americas and the third-largest in the world after Tiger and Lion. One has to be extremely lucky to spot one in the Central American rainforest or in the Manu and Tambopata National Reserves in Peru, but the Pantanal offers great chances not only for sightings but also for photography and to observe the behavior of this magnificent creature. We took our boat along the Cuiabá River, and after we had turned into one of its tributaries, the Three Brothers River, suddenly our boat driver increased the speed and took us straight to a Jaguar that had been found by another boat. These sightings are very exciting, even if you have had them several times; it always feels like you are finally achieving that (perhaps long-awaited) Neotropical dream. Our most impressive encounter was with a beautiful individual chasing along the riverbank and trying to hunt possibly a caiman or an anaconda hiding under the aquatic vegetation. Watching this hunting behavior was very special for all participants.

After having greatly enjoyed the Jaguar we found another family of Giant Otters . This sighting was amazing, as we saw the whole family crossing the river and a large female with its offspring in her mouth, everything accompanied by the otters’ noisy contact calls. The best present for Mark’s birthday!

We headed back to Porto Jofre, enjoying the sunset and more Band-tailed Nighthawks rising in the sky above the Cuiabá River.

Day 6, October 10 th 2019. Cuiabá River and the vicinity of Porto Jofre

We had another Jaguar excursion on schedule for the morning. It is better to maximize the chances in case we would unluckily have missed the Jaguar on the previous day or the sighting would not have been good enough for the group. Therefore with the pressure out of the way we started our boat trip along the Cuiabá River and actually encountered other Jaguars ; however, the sighting and the boat traffic around it did not beat our first encounter. We also managed to find more Giant Otters and Black-and-gold Howler Monkeys as well as more of the typical common river birds than we had ever seen.

After arrival back at the lodge we spent some time watching some waders near the lodge, including Greater and Lesser Yellow l egs , White-rumped Sandpiper , Pectoral Sandpiper , and Solitary Sandpiper .

The afternoon was hot, and we drove along the Transpantaneira from the Hotel Pantanal Norte – Porto Jofre, but we only added more of the species we had already seen, although a few of us managed to get a glimpse of the secretive Grey-breasted Crake .

Day 7, October 11 th 2019. Porto Jofre to Pouso Alegre Lodge

After breakfast we left the Hotel Pantanal Norte – Porto Jofre and drove back along the Transpantaneira, making a stop at an abandoned research facility where we had always been lucky with a number of interesting species. Not long after we parked we had great views of Scaly-headed Parrot , Chestnut-eared Aracari , Blue-throated Piping Guan , Squirrel Cuckoo , Bat Falcon , Striped Cuckoo , White-winged Becard , Hyacinth Macaw , Crested Oropendola , and Grey-headed Tanager . We then headed to Pousada Rio Claro, where we had lunch and nice views of Nanday Parakeet at the lodge feeders. Continuing toward our accommodation we saw Southern Crested Caracara , Yellow-headed Caracara , Chestnut-bellied Guan , Chaco Chachalaca , Greyish Baywing , Yellow-billed Cardinal , and Lineated Woodpecker . Sadly only a few of us got a glimpse of Crane Hawk . However, Savanna Hawk and Roadside Hawk were seen well several times during our stay in the Pantanal.

The afternoon proved to be quiet and hot at Pouso Alegre Lodge, so we stayed around the lodge and saw Purplish Jay , Creamy-bellied Thrush , Whistling Heron , Capped Heron , Sunbittern , Grey-necked Wood Rail , and others. After dinner we made a night drive around the great deciduous woodlands of Pouso Alegre and managed to see Crab-eating Fox , Tapeti (Brazilian Rabbit), and another Lowland Tapir . The night birding was quiet, but we added Boat-billed Heron and a few Pauraques .

Day 8, October 12 th 2019. Pouso Alegre to Chapada dos Guimarães

We spent the morning birding the woodlands of Pouso Alegre, where we found Grey-crested Cacholote , Thrush-like Wren , Southern Yellowthroat , Chopi Blackbird , Pale-crested Woodpecker , Hyacinth Macaw , and Monk Parakeet , but unfortunately we could not find Great Rufous Woodcreeper. Here the group also enjoyed views of Black-tailed Marmoset and Azaras’s Capuchin . After lunch we packed all our gear and continued our tour, leaving the Pantanal behind but with the promise of further adventures during the rest of the trip – what an incredible place! We arrived at the Chapada dos Guimarães late in the afternoon and were ready for a checklist session and a good dinner.

Day 9, October 13 th 2019. Chapada dos Guimarães

An early start allowed us to explore some of the dusty tracks adjacent to the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park. This area is particularly good and relatively accessible for some Cerrado special birds that are not found in the Pantanal and are more range-restricted. We started our day with incredible views of Cinnamon Tanager , Chapada Flycatcher , White-banded Tanager , White-rumped Tanager , and White-eared Puffbird .

Later we moved to the forested area called Vale da Benção and were lucky to find great species, such as the elusive Pheasant Cuckoo , which flew twice above our heads, providing great views. Other birds included Channel-billed Toucan , Red-shouldered Macaw , Saffron-billed Sparrow , Southern Antpipit , Yellow-tufted Woodpecker , Plain Antvireo , Golden-crowned Warbler , Swallow-tailed Hummingbird , Brown Jacamar , Rufous-browed Peppershrike , and the elusive Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper .

In the afternoon we drove to the Bridal Veil stakeout, where we had an impressive view of the Bridal Veil waterfall and found a few birds species, namely Cliff Flycatcher , Red-and-green Macaw , Swallow Tanager , Blue-and-white Swallow , and White-eyed Parakeet .

We decided to leave the park and went to a known stakeout point for Blue-winged Macaw, where breathtaking views of the cliffs and landscape of the Chapada dos Guimarães are incredible, and just before sunset and after a short, mild shower we achieved fantastic views of our target, the beautiful Blue-winged Macaw . It could not have been better! We then returned to the hotel for another checklist session, a round of caipirinhas, and of course dinner.

Day 10, October 14 th 2019. Agua Fria Road, Chapada dos Guimarães

Today we had another early start to further explore the threatened Cerrado habitat. We arrived at the Agua Fria Road and soon heard the calls of Red-winged Tinamou and Tataupa Tinamou , but both where somewhat distant. We saw some great birds of the Cerrado again, such as Cinnamon Tanager , White-banded Tanager , White-rumped Tanager , Black-faced Tanager , Curl-crested Jay , Suiriri Flycatcher , Barred Antshrike , Plain-crested Elaenia , Burrowing Owl , Purple-throated Euphonia , and Rusty-backed Antwren . We had great views of the male antwren, but unfortunately the female was chased off before we could watch it though the scope. Our main target here was the shy Collared Crescentchest, which had been quite reliable in this area. But the crescentchest was denied us, and this was the first time on multiple tours to the area that we failed to see this species. The heat was brutal, and so we decided to go back to the hotel. Our plan for the afternoon was to explore some Cerrado habitat near the entrance of the Stone City in the national park. We had some short rain but still enjoyed good views of Peach-fronted Parakeet , Blue-and-yellow Macaw , Swallow-tailed Hummingbird , White-vented Violetear , and White-eared Puffbird.

We went to the vehicle and started our drive back to town. We were enjoying the beautiful sunset when suddenly I shouted “ Maned Wolf ”, and there it was next to the road, walking into the grasslands to the left of our vehicle. Fortunately the entire group managed to see it, albeit some better than others. We could not stop our joy and amazement when I spotted a second individual on the right side of the road, which started first to walk and then to run across the grasslands, and we could see the whole run; it was just fantastic. Another great moment in Brazil that would not be forgotten!

Day 11, October 15 th 2019. Geladeira Road and transfer back to Cuiabá

Our last morning in the Chapada dos Guimarães took us to the Geladeira Road to explore the last patches of thorny cerrado. New birds of the morning were Red Pileated Finch , Grey Pileated Finch , Purple-throated Euphonia , Guira Tanager , Southern Scrub Flycatcher , Lesser and Yellow-bellied Elaenias , Sayaca Tanager , Burnished-buff Tanager , Plain-crested Elaenia , Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture , Plumbeous Kite , Tropical Parula , Fork-tailed Flycatcher , Chalk-browed Mockingbird , White-lined Tanager , Pale-breasted Thrush , and Black-throated Saltator . It was sad to watch a few patches of cerrado all burned up, but even more upsetting was finding a couple of matchboxes at one side of the road. We decided to make one more stop at the stakeout of the geodesic center of South America, which is located in the national park. We walked near the edge of a cliff, from where we had a great view. There was an unexpected King Vulture and several White-collared Swifts , and before we left we saw the obligatory Crested Black Tyrant .

After 11 days birding in the Pantanal and the Cerrado we closed this incredible chapter and were excited and keen to start a new one, the Atlantic Forest leg. We drove back to Cuiabá and unilaterally the group decided to go back to the Aeroporto Grill restaurant for a lovely dinner and two more rounds of Caipirinhas.

Day 12, October 16 th 2019.  Flight to São Paulo and drive to Ubatuba

We had a ludicrously early predawn start to get a 5.00 a.m. flight to São Paulo. You could feel the excitement and joy of anticipation in the air, but it was sad to say goodbye to some participants and good friends who did not join us for the Atlantic Forest part of the tour. We arrived in São Paulo and were met by our local crew, which got us ready for the long drive to Ubatuba. We felt that the drive was probably longer than it actually was, but it was long indeed. However, considering our early sleep deprivation, who could blame us?

At our lunch stop we found the first new bird, Chestnut-capped Blackbird , together with a few Saffron Finches of different ages. Continuing our transfer we drove along the shoreline, where we had glimpses of Brown Booby and Kelp Gull .  We then visited a hummingbird garden in the afternoon, where we had our first frenzy encounter with feathered jewels like Black Jacobin , Saw-billed Hermit , Sombre Hummingbird , Western Emerald , Black-throated Mango , Violet-capped Woodnymph , and Festive Coquette . We arrived at our lodge in Ubatuba, ready to check in and go for dinner, checklist, and wine.

Day 13, October 17 th 2019. Banana Bamboo Ecolodge

After an early breakfast we spent the day birding around  the grounds of our lodge and its surroundings, finding a great set of range-restricted Atlantic Forest birds including Brazilian Tanager , Red-necked Tanager , Green-headed Tanager , Black-cheeked Gnateater , Long-billed Wren , Black-capped Foliage-gleaner , Orange-eyed Thornbird , Unicolored Antwren , Riverbank Warbler , Plain Parakeet , Maroon-bellied Parakeet , Yellow-throated Woodpecker , Olivaceous Woodcreeper , Plain-winged Woodcreeper , Ferruginous Antbird , and  Rufous-capped Antthrush. In addition we saw Sao Paulo Tyrannulet , Scaly-headed Parrot , Azure-shouldered Tanager , Rufous-winged Antwren , Ruby-crowned Tanager , and Chestnut-bellied Euphonia among many other spectacular birds.

In the evening we had a wonderful encounter with an impressive Tawny-browed Owl having its dinner as it flew up to a tree from the boardwalk. Thanks to Anne’s photo we noted that its tasty prey was a decent-sized frog.

Day 14, October 18 th 2019. Birding Ubatuba and transfer to Itatiaia National Park

We had another predawn start, and before our breakfast was ready we had some time to watch the stars. I have not seen such a perfect, clean sky full of stars for quite some time! Suddenly we heard the call of Short-tailed Nighthawk , and then Dennis proofed his talent to imitate birds and managed to call the bird right above our heads. We also had a glimpse of a male Scissor-tailed Nightjar and Common Potoo .

After breakfast we left the lodge and climbed up the road above Ubatuba in search of more Atlantic Forest species. We started finding some interesting birds such as Fawn-breasted Tanager , Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner , White-rimmed Warbler , Golden-winged Cacique , Slaty-breasted Wood Rail , and a female Pin-tailed Manakin . Later we were treated with fantastic views of a pair of Diademed Tanagers and scope views of Bare-throated Bellbird . We also tried for the secretive Red-and-white Crake and enjoying unreal views of this secretive species.

We continued birding the road until we reached some open habitat, which was good for Band-tailed Hornero , Sooty Tyrannulet , Yellow-browed Tyrant , Firewood-gatherer , Rufous-headed Tanager , Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher , Hangnest Tody-Tyrant , Grey-hooded Flycatcher , and Planalto Tyrannulet .

After we arrived at Itatiaia National Park we immediately drove to the Hotel do Ypê, which was to be our base for the next three nights. We had lunch and afterwards a short break before birding around the lodge veranda and feeders, waiting for the star of the place, the gorgeous Frilled Coquette. Near the parking lot we had views of Slaty-breasted Wood Rail and Masked Water Tyrant . The feeders attracted Green-headed Tanager , the stunning Gilt-edged Tanager , Brassy-breasted Tanager , White-throated Hummingbird , Brazilian Ruby , Scale-throated Hermit , Black Jacobin , and finally the impressive Frilled Coquette.

Day 15, October 19 th 2019. Itatiaia National Park (lower parts)

We spent the morning birding the surroundings areas of our hotel in the lower parts of Itatiaia National Park, hoping for Swallow-tailed Cotinga, but without success. But the morning produced Surucua Trogon , Rufous-capped Motmot , Green-billed Toucan , White-barred Piculet , Yellow-fronted Woodpecker , Maroon-bellied Parakeet , Rufous-capped Spinetail , Pallid Spinetail , Scaled Woodcreeper , Streaked Xenops , Grey-capped Tyrannulet , Planalto Tyrannulet , Ochre-bellied Flycatcher , Eared Pygmy Tyrant , Blue Manakin , Black-tailed Myiobius , Chestnut-crowned Becard , Chivi Vireo , Rufous-crowned Greenlet , Black-goggled Tanager , Red-rumped Cacique , and many others. In the afternoon we photographed birds from the veranda, including Frilled Coquette , Blue-winged Macaw , Saffron Toucanet , Long-tailed Tyrant , Sick’s Swift , White-collared Swift , and a few Biscutate Swifts .

Day 16, October 20 th 2019. Itatiaia National Park (upper parts)

Today we drove to the upper parts of Itatiaia National Park with great scenery of pastures surrounded by cliffs and boulders. Near a section of Pico das Agulhas Negras, Brazil’s fifth-highest mountain, we scored with our targets, the endemic Itatiaia Spinetail , Greenish Tyrannulet , Araucaria Tit-Spinetail , Pampa Finch , Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle , White-tailed Hawk , and the impressive Black-and-gold Cotinga .

In the afternoon we explored areas around our lodge, where we found some great species like Slaty Bristlefront , Rufous Gnateater , White-shouldered Fire-eye , Tufted Antshrike , Fork-tailed Pygmy Tyrant , and Serra do Mar Tyrannulet among many others.

Day 17, October 21 st 2019. Hotel do Ypê and transfer to São Paulo

After our last breakfast together and packing all our gear we had time to do a little birding around the lodge, finding another Slaty Bristlefront , Rufous Gnateater , Rufous-capped Motmot , the endemic White-collared Foliage-gleaner , and an unexpected Long-tailed Potoo roosting at daytime.

After 17 days of great birding in this fascinating country we then headed back to the São Paulo airport, where we said goodbye to an amazing group of people after another successful Birding Ecotours Brazil tour.

BIRD LIST (Taxonomy IOC 9.2)

Greater Rhea Rhea americana Seen in the Pantanal around Pousada Piuval. The Greater Rhea is the largest bird in South America. The species is classified as Near-threatened. The Portuguese name for the Rhea is Ema, giving the name to the Emas National Park in the states of Goiás in Brazil.

Undulated Tinamou (H) Crypturellus undulatus Heard only in the Pantanal. One of the most distinctive bird calls in the Neotropics. Tinamous are among the oldest bird families and very shy and secretive. They have reversed sex roles. A male tinamou maintains a territory and a nesting site during the breeding season, which a succession of females will visit, laying their eggs in the same nest. Females will wander through several male territories, mating with and laying eggs in the nests of the resident males. Nests are always on the ground, concealed in vegetation or among rocks. The eggs are relatively large and glossy, often brightly colored, varying from porcelain-like turquoise to vinaceous.

Solitary Tinamou (H) Tinamus solitarius Heard only in the Atlantic Forest. The species is classified as Near threatened.

Tataupa Tinamou (H) Crypturellus tataupa Heard only at Chapada dos Guimarães. The Guaraní (Paraguayan) Indian name is ynambu tataupa , “house tinamou”, for the Tataupa Tinamou, because it occurs near villages and country haciendas.

Red-winged Tinamou (H) Rhynchotus rufescens Heard distantly at Chapada dos Guimarães

Chaco Chachalaca Ortalis canicollis Common in the Pantanal

Chestnut-bellied Guan Penelope ochrogaster Great views in the Pantanal. This is a Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Vulnerable.

Blue-throated Piping Guan Pipile cumanensis Common in the Pantanal

Red-throated Piping Guan Pipile cujubi Unexpected in the Pantanal. Two birds were photographed at Pousada Piuval. Normally seen in the Amazon lowlands. A near-endemic found in Brazil and adjacent Bolivia

Bare-faced Curassow Crax fasciolata Nice views in the Pantanal. Probably the easiest curassow to see. We had great views of males and females.

Odontophoridae

Spot-winged Wood Quail (H) Odontophorus capueira This species was heard distantly in the Itatiaia National Park.

Southern Screamer Chauna torquata Great views in the Pantanal

Black-bellied Whistling Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Seen well on the way to Poconé

Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata Several sightings in the Pantanal

Brazilian Teal Amazonetta brasiliensis Seen during our drive to Poconé

Nyctibiidae

Great Potoo Nyctibius grandis Great sightings at daytime and at night in the Pantanal

Common Potoo Nyctibius griseus Seen in the Pantanal

Long-tailed Potoo Nyctibius aethereus An amazing sighting not far from Hotel do Ypê in the Itatiaia National Park

Caprimulgidae

Short-tailed Nighthawk Lurocalis semitorquatus Great views of one bird just after dusk at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge. Dennis, using his amazing birdcall imitation, managed to bring one bird flying directly above us.

Band-tailed Nighthawk Nyctiprogne leucopyga Seen on the boat ride on the Pixaim River in the Pantanal

Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Seen in the Pantanal and at Ubatuba

Little Nightjar Setopagis parvula Seen in the Pantanal. One of the most common birds during the night drives

Spot-tailed Nightjar Hydropsalis maculicaudus Brief views in the Pantanal. Mostly heard

Scissor-tailed Nightjar Hydropsalis torquata Nice views of one male before dawn at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge

White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Biscutate Swift Streptoprocne biscutata A couple of birds were seen well from the Hotel do Ypê stakeout.

Sick’s Swift Chaetura meridionalis Seen in the Atlantic Forest. Named after Helmut Sick (1910-1991), German ornithologist resident in Brazil, collector, and author ( Ornitologia brasileira, uma introdução 1984)

Trochilidae

Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius Great views at the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Reddish Hermit Phaethornis ruber Seen at Ubatuba

Scale-throated Hermit Phaethornis eurynome Seen above Ubatuba

Buff-bellied Hermit Phaethornis subochraceus Seen briefly in the Pantanal

Sombre Hummingbird Aphantochroa cirrochloris Great views in the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba

Swallow-tailed Hummingbird Eupetomena macroura We saw our first male at the Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães National Park.

Black Jacobin Florisuga fusca Great views at the Hotel do Ypê feeders and Ubatuba. An Atlantic Forest hummingbird

White-vented Violetear Colibri serrirostris Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Black-throated Mango Anthracothorax nigricollis Seen in Ubatuba

Green-crowned Plovercrest Stephanoxis lalandi Great views in the Itatiaia area. A Brazilian endemic. Change English name of Plovercrest to Green-crowned Plovercrest with split of Purple-crowned Plovercrest (S. loddigesii ). English names provisional.

Frilled Coquette Lophornis magnificus Fantastic views of males and females at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic

Festive Coquette Lophornis chalybeus Seen in the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba

Glittering-throated Emerald Amazilia fimbriata Common in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Gilded Sapphire Hylocharis chrysura A few seen in the Pantanal

Fork-tailed Woodnymph Thalurania furcata Seen in the Pantanal

Violet-capped Woodnymph Thalurania glaucopis Several sightings in the Atlantic Forest

White-chinned Sapphire Hylocharis cyanus Seen in the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba

Versicolored Emerald Amazilia versicolor Seen in the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba

White-throated Hummingbird Leucochloris albicollis Seen at the feeders of Hotel do Ypê at Itatiaia

Sapphire-spangled Emerald Amazilia lactea One seen in the Atlantic Forest

Brazilian Ruby Clytolaema rubricauda Great views in the hummingbird garden near Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Amethyst Woodstar Calliphlox amethystina Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Guira Cuckoo Guira guira Common in Chapada dos Guimarães

Greater Ani Crotophaga major Seen in the Pantanal

Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani Common throughout the trip

Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia Great scope views in the Pantanal

Pheasant Cuckoo Dromococcyx phasianellus Great views in flight at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães

Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana A few sightings

Rock Dove Columba livia Common in towns and cities

Picazuro Pigeon Patagioenas picazuro Common in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães. The name comes from the Guaraní (Paraguayan) Indian name Picazurú, “sour pigeon”, for the taste of its flesh after it has eaten certain fruits.

Plumbeous Pigeon Patagioenas plumbea Seen in Itatiaia National Park

Scaled Dove Columbina squammata This nice-looking dove was seen very well at different locations in the Pantanal.

Ruddy Ground Dove Columbina talpacoti Seen along pastures and open areas on the east coast

Picui Ground Dove Columbina picui Seen well in the Pantanal, where it is common. The Guaraní (Paraguayan) Indian name picui is for a small dove.

Long-tailed Ground Dove Uropelia campestris Sandra spotted one individual behind the Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel grounds in the Pantanal. A near-endemic found in Brazil and Bolivia

White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Seen in the Pantanal and the Atlantic Forest

Heliornithidae

Sungrebe Heliornis fulica Seen well on the Pixaim River near the Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso. Sungrebe together with African Finfoot and Masked Finfoot are the only three members of the Heliornithidae family. Sungrebes are unique among birds in that males have “pouches”, folds of skin under their wings, in which they carry their young from hatching until the chicks are able to swim for themselves. This has led to them being called “marsupial birds”.

Grey-breasted Crake Laterallus exilis Just a glimpse at Porto Jofre

Red-and-white Crake Laterallus leucopyrrhus Amazing views of one individual in the Atlantic Forest

Grey-necked Wood Rail Aramides cajaneus Abundant in the Pantanal

Slaty-breasted Wood Rail Aramides saracura Seen near the parking lot at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia National Park

Limpkin Aramus guarauna Abundant in the Pantanal

Recurvirostridae

White-backed Stilt Himantopus melanurus Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh. Himantopus melanurus is split from H. mexicanus (Sibley & Monroe 1990, Ridgely & Greenfield 2001); SACC awaits more study.

Charadriidae

Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis Common throughout the trip

Collared Plover Charadrius collaris Seen along the sand banks of the Cuiabá River

Pied Plover Hoploxypterus cayanus Seen along the river banks of the Cuiabá River

Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana Abundant in the Pantanal

Scolopacidae

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Seen in the Porto Jofre Hotel marsh

Black Skimmer Rynchops niger Seen along the sandbars of the Cuiabá River

Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Seen along the Atlantic coast during our drive to Ubatuba

Common Tern Sterna hirundo One individual was seen on the Cuiabá River. This is a vagrant species in the Pantanal.

Large-billed Tern Phaetusa simplex Seen in the Pantanal, where it is relatively common

Yellow-billed Tern Sternula superciliaris A few sightings along the Cuiabá River

Eurypygidae

Sunbittern Eurypyga helias Great views at Pousada Piuval. A monotypic member of the family Eurypygidae. It is found in Central and South America and has three subspecies. The Sunbittern shows both morphological and molecular similarities with the Kagu ( Rhynochetos jubatus ) of New Caledonia, indicating a gondwanic origin, both species being placed in the clade Eurypygiformes.

Wood Stork Mycteria americana Common in the Pantanal

Jabiru Jabiru mycteria Great views in the Pantanal, including birds with chicks on nests. The name comes from a Tupi–Guaraní language and means “swollen neck”.

Brown Booby Sula leucogaster A couple of birds were seen along the Atlantic coast during the long drive to Ubatuba.

Phalacrocoracidae

Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Common in the Pantanal

Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Seen in the Pantanal. The Tupí (Brazilian) Indian name anhingá or anhangá is for the devil bird, an evil spirit of the woods. The name was first used as an English name in 1818 for the Afrotropical darter.

Threskiornithidae

Plumbeous Ibis Theristicus caerulescens Close-up views in the Pantanal. One of the handsomest Neotropical ibises

Buff-necked Ibis Theristicus caudatus Nice views in the Pantanal

Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis A couple of encounters on the trip

Bare-faced Ibis Phimosus infuscatus Seen in the Pantanal

Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Great views in the Pantanal. One of Sue’s favorite species

Rufescent Tiger Heron Tigrisoma lineatum Common in the Pantanal

Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius Seen in the Pantanal during the night boat ride and one at Pouso Alegre during the night walk

Zigzag Heron Zebrilus undulatus An amazing sighting of two individuals on the Pixaim River just after dawn, magical. This is one of the hardest-to-see Neotropical herons. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Whistling Heron Syrigma sibilatrix Seen during our drive to Poconé and in the Pantanal

Striated Heron Butorides striata Common in the Pantanal

Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Several sightings along the Atlantic coast on the way to Ubatuba

Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi Common in the Pantanal

Great Egret Ardea alba Common in the Pantanal

Capped Heron Pilherodius pileatus Seen in the Pantanal

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Seen in the Pantanal

Snowy Egret Egretta thula Several sightings in the Pantanal

Cathartidae

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Common throughout the trip

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes burrovianus Seen well in the Chapada dos Guimarães

Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Common throughout the trip

King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa Seen well at the geodesic center stakeout in the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park

Pandionidae

Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus Seen in the Pantanal

Accipitridae

Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus Seen in Ubatuba and Itatiaia National Park in the Atlantic Forest

Grey-headed Kite Leptodon cayanensis Brief views of one individual in Ubatuba

Rufous-thighed Kite Harpagus diodon Nice views of one individual on our last morning at Itatiaia National Park

Plumbeous Kite Ictinia plumbea Several sightings at Chapada dos Guimarães

Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricollis Common in the Pantanal

Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis Abundant in the Pantanal

Crane Hawk Geranospiza caerulescens Brief views of one individual in the Pantanal

Savanna Hawk Buteogallus meridionalis Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Great Black Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga Seen in the Pantanal

Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris Several sightings throughout the trip

Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucus Nice views in the upper parts of Itatiaia National Park

White-tailed Hawk Geranoaetus albicaudatus Seen in the upper parts of Itatiaia National Park

Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana Amazing views of one individual eating its prey. We had this incredible sighting at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge. Only after Anne checked her photo did we realize that the prey in the owl’s claws was a decent-sized tree frog. Tawny-browed Owl, Spectacled Owl, and Band-bellied Owl are the only three members of the genus Pulsatrix .

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Seen at daytime at it usual place in the Pantanal  

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Glaucidium brasilianum Seen at daytime at Pousada Piuval

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia Common along the road tracks in Chapada dos Guimarães

Green-backed Trogon Trogon viridis Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Surucua Trogon Trogon surrucura Seen above Ubatuba. Surrucura is the Guaraní (Paraguayan) Indian name surucuá for a trogon or similar-sized bird.

Alcedinidae

American Pygmy Kingfisher Chloroceryle aenea Seen during the boat ride at the Pixaim River in the Pantanal

Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Seen in the Pantanal

Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona Seen in the Pantanal

Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Seen in the Pantanal

Amazonian Motmot Momotus momota Seen at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães

Rufous-capped Motmot Baryphthengus ruficapillus Great views at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia

Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Brown Jacamar Brachygalba lugubris Great views in Chapada dos Guimarães

White-eared Puffbird Nystalus chacuru Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Black-fronted Nunbird Monasa nigrifrons Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Ramphastidae

Chestnut-eared Aracari Pteroglossus castanotis Seen in the Pantanal. The Tupi (Brazilian) Indian name arasari refers to a small toucan.

Lettered Aracari Pteroglossus inscriptus Seen well at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães

Saffron Toucanet Pteroglossus bailloni Great views in Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia National Park

Channel-billed Toucan Ramphastos vitellinus Seen at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães

Green-billed Toucan Ramphastos dicolorus Great views around Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia. This species is also known as Red-breasted Toucan.

Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco Great views in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães. The Guaraní (Paraguayan) Indian name tucá refers to a toucan.

White-wedged Piculet Picumnus albosquamatus Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

White-barred Piculet Picumnus cirratus Seen above Ubatuba

White Woodpecker Melanerpes candidus A couple seen along the Transpantaneira in the Pantanal

Yellow-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes flavifrons Great views in Ubatuba

Little Woodpecker Veniliornis passerinus Good views in the Pantanal

White-spotted Woodpecker Veniliornis spilogaster Seen above Ubatuba

Yellow-throated Woodpecker Piculus flavigula Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Campo Flicker Colaptes campestris Superb views in the Pantanal

Pale-crested Woodpecker Celeus lugubris Great views at Pousada Piuval in the Pantanal

Crimson-crested Woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos Seen in the Pantanal

Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus Seen in the Pantanal

Red-legged Seriema Cariama cristata Good views on the way to Poconé and around Pousada Piuval. Red-legged Seriema and Black-legged Seriema Chunga burmeisteri are the only members of the family Cariamidae. Once believed to be related to cranes they have been placed near the falcons, parrots, and passerines, as well as the extinct Phorusrhacidae, colloquially known as terror birds, an extinct clade of large carnivorous flightless birds that were the largest species of apex predators in South America during the Cenozoic era, their conventionally accepted temporal range covers from 62 to 1.8 million years ago.

Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima Good views in the Atlantic Forest

Southern Crested Caracara Caracara plancus Abundant in the Pantanal

American Kestrel Falco sparverius Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis Good views in the Pantanal

Psittacidae

Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus Probably the most iconic bird of the Pantanal. We had magical moment when we saw a pair in a tree nest hole at Pousada Piuval and then a few pairs flying by at Pouso Alegre Lodge. Porto Jofre holds habituated macaws on its grounds, but certainly the earlier views were the best. Hyacinth Macaws are the largest parrots by length; the bird is 100 cm (3.3 ft) long from the tip of its tail to the top of its head and weighs 1.2 – 1.7 kg (2.6 – 3.7 lb). Each wing is 388 – 425 mm (15.3 – 16.7 in) long. In the Pantanal Hyacinth Macaws feed almost exclusively on the nuts of Acrocomia aculeata and Attalea phalerata palm trees. This behavior was recorded for the first time by the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates in his 1863 book Amazons. The Hyacinth Macaw survives today in three main populations in South America: in the Pantanal region of Brazil, adjacent eastern Bolivia, and northeastern Paraguay. It is classified as Vulnerable due to the cage bird trade and habitat loss. In the 1980s an estimated 10,000 birds were taken from the wild, and at least 50 percent were destined for the Brazilian market.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Red-and-green Macaw Ara chloropterus Good views in Chapada dos Guimarães

Blue-winged Macaw Primolius maracana Great views in Chapada dos Guimarães and at Itatiaia in the Atlantic Forest. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Golden-collared Macaw Primolius auricollis An excellent find by Sue during the birding pandemonium on our drive to the Pantanal

Red-shouldered Macaw Diopsittaca nobilis Seen along our drive to the Pantanal and at Chapada dos Guimarães

Nanday Parakeet Aratinga nenday Excellent views at Pousada Rio Claro

Peach-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula aurea Great views in Chapada dos Guimarães

White-eyed Parakeet Psittacara leucophthalmus Common in the Pantanal

Maroon-bellied Parakeet Pyrrhura frontalis Great views in Ubatuba and Itatiaia

Plain Parakeet Brotogeris tirica Good views at Hotel de Ypê in Itatiaia. A Brazilian endemic

Yellow-chevroned Parakeet Brotogeris chiriri Common in the Pantanal

Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus Common in the Pantanal

Blue-winged Parrotlet Forpus xanthopterygius Seen in Itatiaia

Scaly-headed Parrot Pionus maximiliani Good views in the Pantanal and in the Atlantic Forest

Orange-winged Amazon Amazona amazonica Flying-by views in the Pantanal

Turquoise-fronted Amazon Amazona aestiva Seen in the Pantanal

Furnariidae

Pale-legged Hornero Furnarius leucopus Seen along the Cuiabá and Pixaim Rivers in the Pantanal

Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus Common in the Pantanal, Chapada dos Guimarães, and Cuiabá. This is the national bird of Argentina.

Band-tailed Hornero Furnarius figulus Good views above Ubatuba. This species is also known as Wing-banded Hornero. A Brazilian endemic

Itatiaia Spinetail Asthenes moreirae Awesome views of one bird in the upper parts of the Itatiaia National Park. It was previously placed as the only member of the genus Oreophylax ; however, recent classification has placed it in the genus Asthenes . A Brazilian endemic

Chotoy Spinetail Schoeniophylax phryganophilus Great views in the grasslands of the Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso. It belongs to the monotypic genus Schoeniophylax.

Rufous-capped Spinetail Synallaxis ruficapilla Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis hypospodia Good views of this skulker at Porto Jofre in the Pantanal

White-lored Spinetail Synallaxis albilora Good views in the Pantanal

Pallid Spinetail Cranioleuca pallida Nice views above Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Rusty-backed Spinetail Cranioleuca vulpina Good views in the Pantanal along the Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso gallery forest but noticed along the Cuiabá River as well

Yellow-chinned Spinetail Certhiaxis cinnamomeus Common in the Pantanal

Araucaria Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura setaria Great views above Ubatuba. A near-endemic found in Brazil and adjacent Argentina. It is tightly associated with Araucaria angustifolia (“parana pine”) forests.

Greater Thornbird Phacellodomus ruber Seen in the Pantanal

Orange-eyed Thornbird Phacellodomus erythrophthalmus Great views in the Banana Bamboo Ecolodge grounds in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Grey-crested Cacholote Pseudoseisura unirufa Good views in the Pantanal

Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner Philydor rufum Seen in the Atlantic Forest above Ubatuba

Black-capped Foliage-gleaner Philydor atricapillus Great views in the Banana Bamboo Ecolodge grounds in Ubatuba

Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner Syndactyla rufosuperciliata Seen above Ubatuba

White-collared Foliage-gleaner Anabazenops fuscus Nice views of one individual in the Itatiaia National Park on our last morning. A Brazilian endemic

Firewood-gatherer Anumbius annumbi Great views above Ubatuba. It is the only member of the genus Anumbius . Its common name refers to its frequently being seen carrying sticks to its nest.

Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper Lochmias nematura Superb views of this uncommon species at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães. A most-wanted bird

Streaked Xenops Xenops rutilans Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus Seen in Ubatuba

White-throated Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes albicollis Great views above Ubatuba

Plain-winged Woodcreeper Dendrocincla turdina Seen well at Ubatuba

Scaled Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes squamatus Seen above Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes angustirostris Common in the Pantanal

Buff-throated Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus guttatus Seen in the gallery forest of the Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel in the Pantanal

Straight-billed Woodcreeper Dendroplex picus Seen in the Pantanal

Thamnophilidae

Great Antshrike Taraba major Seen in the Pantanal

Tufted Antshrike Mackenziaena severa Superb views in Itatiaia National Park

Rufous-capped Antshrike Thamnophilus ruficapillus Good views in Itatiaia National Park

Barred Antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

White-shouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera Great views in Itatiaia National Park

Plain Antvireo Dysithamnus mentalis Seen well in Ubatuba

Star-throated Antwren Rhopias gularis Great views in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Unicolored Antwren Myrmotherula unicolor Seen well in the grounds of our lodge in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Large-billed Antwren Herpsilochmus longirostris Great views in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães. A near endemic found in Brazil and adjacent Bolivia

Rufous-winged Antwren Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Rusty-backed Antwren Formicivora rufa Seen along the Agua Fria Road in Chapada dos Guimarães

Mato Grosso Antbird Cercomacra melanaria Seen in the Pantanal. Named after the Mato Grosso state in Brazil

Ferruginous Antbird Drymophila ferruginea Amazing views in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Scaled Antbird Drymophila squamata Great views in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Band-tailed Antbird Hypocnemoides maculicauda Nice views along the Pixaim River during our boat ride in the Pantanal

Formicariidae

Rufous-capped Antthrush Formicarius colma After some hard work we managed to see this skulker in Ubatuba.

Conopophagidae

Rufous Gnateater Conopophaga lineata Great views at Itatiaia National Park

Black-cheeked Gnateater Conopophaga melanops Great views at Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic

Rhinocryptidae

Slaty Bristlefront Merulaxis ater Amazing views in the Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Planalto Tyrannulet Phyllomyias fasciatus Seen above Ubatuba. Planalto is Portuguese for a plateau region covering most of the eastern, southern, and central portions of Brazil.

Rough-legged Tyrannulet Phyllomyias burmeisteri Great views in Itatiaia National Park

Greenish Tyrannulet Phyllomyias virescens Great views in Itatiaia National Park

Grey-capped Tyrannulet Phyllomyias griseocapilla Nice views in the Atlantic Forest. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet Tyrannulus elatus Seen in Ubatuba

Yellow-crowned Elaenia Myiopagis flavivertex Seen in Ubatuba

Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster Seen at the Geladeira Road

Grey Elaenia Myiopagis caniceps Seen in Ubatuba

Plain-crested Elaenia Elaenia cristata Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Lesser Elaenia Elaenia chiriquensis Seen at the Geladeira Road

Highland Elaenia Elaenia obscura Seen in the upper parts of the Itatiaia National Park

Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet Phylloscartes ventralis Seen in Ubatuba

Sao Paulo Tyrannulet Phylloscartes paulista Seen in the Atlantic Forest. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Serra do Mar Tyrannulet Phylloscartes difficilis Great views in Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened. Serra do Mar (Portuguese for “sea ridge”) is a 1,500-kilometer-long system of mountain ranges and escarpments in southeastern Brazil.

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus Seen at Itatiaia National Park

Oustalet’s Tyrannulet Phylloscartes oustaleti Great views at Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened. Named after Jean-Frédéric Emile Oustalet (24 August 1844 – 23 October 1905), a French zoologist

Grey-hooded Flycatcher Mionectes rufiventris Seen in Ubatuba

Southern Beardless Tyrannulet Camptostoma obsoletum Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Suiriri Flycatcher Suiriri suiriri Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Chapada Flycatcher Guyramemua affine Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães. The species is classified as Near-threatened. A chapada is a plateau found in the Brazilian highlands. The chapadas, which are usually described as mountain ranges, are capped by horizontal strata of sandstone and show the original surface, which has been worn away by rivers, leaving here and there broad, flat-topped ridges between river basins and narrower ranges of hills. From the valleys their rugged, deeply indented escarpments, stretching away to the horizon, have the appearance of a continuous chain of mountains.

Southern Scrub Flycatcher Sublegatus modestus Seen at the Geladeira Road

Sooty Tyrannulet Serpophaga nigricans Seen above Ubatuba

Yellow Tyrannulet Capsiempis flaveola Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Southern Antpipit Corythopis delalandi Brief views at Vale da Benção in Chapada dos Guimarães

Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus Seen above Ubatuba

Hangnest Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus nidipendulus Seen well above Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus furcatus Good views in the Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Vulnerable.

Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer Seen in the Pantanal

Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus striaticollis Seen in the gallery forest in the Pantanal

Eared Pygmy Tyrant Myiornis auricularis Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum poliocephalum Good sightings in the Atlantic Forest. A Brazilian endemic

Common Tody Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum Seen in the Pantanal

Yellow-olive Flatbill Tolmomyias sulphurescens Seen in the Pantanal

Cliff Flycatcher Hirundinea ferruginea Seen at the surroundings cliffs of the Bridal Veil waterfall in Chapada dos Guimarães

Crested Black Tyrant Knipolegus lophotes Seen at the geodesic center stakeout at Chapada dos Guimarães

Yellow-browed Tyrant Satrapa icterophrys Seen well above Ubatuba

Grey Monjita Xolmis cinereus Seen by Sandra along the field pastures of Pousada Piuval

White-rumped Monjita Xolmis velatus Seen in the Pantanal

Black-backed Water Tyrant Fluvicola albiventer Seen in the Pantanal

Masked Water Tyrant Fluvicola nengeta Good views at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia National Park

White-headed Marsh Tyrant Arundinicola leucocephala Seen in the Pantanal

Long-tailed Tyrant Colonia colonus Seen at Hotel do Ypê

Cattle Tyrant Machetornis rixosa Seen in the Pantanal and at Cuiabá

Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães and the Atlantic Forest

Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Common throughout the tour

Lesser Kiskadee Philohydor lictor Seen along the aquatic vegetation of the Cuiabá River and the Pixaim oxbow lake

Streaked Flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus Seen in Ubatuba

Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua Seen well above Ubatuba

Variegated Flycatcher Empidonomus varius Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Common throughout the tour

Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana Common in the Pantanal

Swainson’s Flycatcher Myiarchus swainsoni Seen in the Pantanal

Short-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus ferox Seen in the Pantanal

Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Grey-hooded Attila Attila rufus Great views at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic. Named after Attila (406-453) the “Scourge of God”, king of the hunnish hordes that ravaged Europe in the fifth century

Black-and-gold Cotinga Tijuca atra Scope views of one male in the upper parts of Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic.  The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Bare-throated Bellbird Procnias nudicollis After some hard work and a rainy start we managed to get scope views of one male calling above Ubatuba. The species is classified as Vulnerable.

White-bearded Manakin Manacus manacus Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Pin-tailed Manakin Ilicura militaris A female was seen well above Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Blue Manakin Chiroxiphia caudata Seen in Itatiaia National Park. This species is also known as Swallow-tailed Manakin.

Helmeted Manakin Antilophia galeata Brief views in the Pantanal in the gallery forest

Black-tailed Myiobius Myiobius atricaudus Seen in the Atlantic Forest  

Black-crowned Tityra Tityra inquisitor Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata Seen in the Pantanal

Chestnut-crowned Becard Pachyramphus castaneus Seen in Ubatuba and Itatiaia

Green-backed Becard Pachyramphus viridis Seen in Ubatuba

White-winged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus Seen in the Pantanal

Crested Becard Pachyramphus validus Seen in Ubatuba

Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Chivi Vireo Vireo chivi Seen in the Atlantic Forest. Chivi Vireo is split (9.1) from Red-eyed Vireo based on lack of introgression and paraphyly (Battey and Klicka 2017, NACC 2018-B-4).

Rufous-crowned Greenlet Hylophilus poicilotis Seen in Ubatuba

Ashy-headed Greenlet Hylophilus pectoralis Great views in the Pantanal

Purplish Jay Cyanocorax cyanomelas Seen in the Pantanal

Curl-crested Jay Cyanocorax cristatellus Nice views in Chapada dos Guimarães

Hirundinidae

White-winged Swallow Tachycineta albiventer Common along rivers and lakes

White-rumped Swallow Tachycineta leucorrhoa Seen at Poconé and Pousada Piuval

Grey-breasted Martin Progne chalybea Common in the Pantanal

Brown-chested Martin Progne tapera Seen in the Pantanal

Blue-and-white Swallow Notiochelidon cyanoleuca Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Donacobiidae

Black-capped Donacobius Donacobius atricapilla Seen in the Pantanal

Troglodytidae

Thrush-like Wren Campylorhynchus turdinus Seen in the Pantanal

Long-billed Wren Cantorchilus longirostris Amazing views in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Buff-breasted Wren Cantorchilus leucotis Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Fawn-breasted Wren Cantorchilus guarayanus Good views at Pousada Piuval in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães. Found in Brazil and adjacent Bolivia only

House Wren Troglodytes aedon Common throughout the tour

Polioptilidae

Trilling Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus Seen in Itatiaia National Park. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2018 found that two subspecies of Ramphocaenus melanurus formed a separate clade. Long-billed Gnatwren was split into Trilling Gnatwren Ramphocaenus melanurus from Southeast Mexico to Ecuador and eastern Brazil, Chattering Gnatwren Ramphocaenus sticturus found in the Amazon Rainforest.

Masked Gnatcatcher Polioptila dumicola Seen in the Pantanal

Chalk-browed Mockingbird Mimus saturninus Common

Rufous-bellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris Common throughout the trip. This is the national bird of Brazil.

Pale-breasted Thrush Turdus leucomelas Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Creamy-bellied Thrush Turdus amaurochalinus One bird was seen first by Anne at Pouso Alegre Lodge.

Yellow-legged Thrush Turdus flavipes Seen in the Atlantic Forest

House Sparrow Passer domesticus In towns, especially at gas stations. A few in the Pantanal

Fringillidae

Purple-throated Euphonia Euphonia chlorotica Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Chestnut-bellied Euphonia Euphonia pectoralis Great views at the Banana Bamboo Ecolodge feeders in the Atlantic Forest

Passerellidae

Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis Seen in the Atlantic Forest

Grassland Sparrow Ammodramus humeralis One sighting

Saffron-billed Sparrow Arremon flavirostris Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães. Here the subspecies flavirostris

Crested Oropendola Psarocolius decumanus Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães

Yellow-rumped Cacique Cacicus cela Common in the Pantanal

Golden-winged Cacique Cacicus chrysopterus Great views of one individual above Ubatuba

Solitary Cacique Cacicus solitarius Seen in the Pantanal

Red-rumped Cacique Cacicus haemorrhous Seen in the Atlantic Forest. Here the subspecies affinis

Orange-backed Troupial Icterus croconotus Seen on our last day in the Pantanal

Chopi Blackbird Gnorimopsar chopi Common in the Pantanal and at Poconé

Scarlet-headed Blackbird Amblyramphus holosericeus Great views in the Pantanal not far from Pousada Piuval, where it is not common. Later we had other views at Porto Jofre.

Unicolored Blackbird Agelasticus cyanopus Seen in the Pantanal

Chestnut-capped Blackbird Chrysomus ruficapillus Nice views on our way to Ubatuba

Greyish Baywing Agelaioides badius Common in the Pantanal. Baywing has been split into Greyish Baywing Agelaioides badius and Pale Baywing Agelaioides fringillarius , the latter endemic to northeastern Brazil. Pale Baywing is split from [Greyish] Baywing (Jaramillo & Burke 1999, Fraga 2008, 2011(HBW), CBRO 2011).

Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus Common in the Pantanal

Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis Seen in the Pantanal. Like most other cowbirds it is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of many other bird species such as Rufous-collared Sparrow.

Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi Seen in Ubatuba

Southern Yellowthroat Geothlypis velata Nice views in the Pantanal

Riverbank Warbler Myiothlypis rivularis Excellent views at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge in Ubatuba

Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães. Here the subspecies hypoleucus , which is treated by some authorities as a different species, White-bellied Warbler Basileuterus hypoleucus .

White-rimmed Warbler Myiothlypis leucoblephara Seen above Ubatuba

Mitrospingidae

Olive-green Tanager Orthogonys chloricterus Seen in Ubatuba and Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. Move Mitrospingus from Thraupidae to new family Mitrospingidae which includes Olive-green Tanager ( Orthogonys ) and Red-billed Pied Tanager ( Lamprospiza ). Family follows Parulidae (Barker et al. 2013, NACC 2017-B-6).

Yellow-billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata Common in the Pantanal

Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata Nice views at Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso in the Pantanal

Fawn-breasted Tanager Pipraeidea melanonota Close-up views of this handsome species above Ubatuba. Here the subspecies melanota

Cinnamon Tanager Schistochlamys ruficapillus Great views in Chapada dos Guimarães. A Brazilian endemic

Black-faced Tanager Schistochlamys melanopis Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

White-rumped Tanager Cypsnagra hirundinacea Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Black-goggled Tanager Trichothraupis melanops Seen in Itatiaia National Park

Grey-headed Tanager Eucometis penicillata Seen in the Pantanal

Flame-crested Tanager Tachyphonus cristatus Seen at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge in Ubatuba

Ruby-crowned Tanager Tachyphonus coronatus Seen in Ubatuba

White-lined Tanager Tachyphonus rufus Seen in the Pantanal

Brown Tanager Orchesticus abeillei Seen in Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Brazilian Tanager Ramphocelus bresilia Great views in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Silver-beaked Tanager Ramphocelus carbo Seen in the Pantanal

Sayaca Tanager Thraupis sayaca Seen in the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães. The Tupí (Brazilian) Indian name sayacu is for a type of finch.

Palm Tanager Thraupis palmarum Seen in the Pantanal

Shrike-like Tanager Neothraupis fasciata Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães.  The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Diademed Tanager Stephanophorus diadematus Amazing views above Ubatuba

Green-headed Tanager Tangara seledon Great views in the Atlantic Forest

Red-necked Tanager Tangara cyanocephala Amazing views at Banana Bamboo Ecolodge in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Brassy-breasted Tanager Tangara desmaresti Seen in the Atlantic Forest. A true beauty. A Brazilian endemic

Azure-shouldered Tanager Thraupis cyanoptera Seen in the Atlantic Forest. A Brazilian endemic. The species is classified as Near-threatened.

Golden-chevroned Tanager Thraupis ornata Seen in Ubatuba. A Brazilian endemic

Gilt-edged Tanager Tangara cyanoventris Amazing views at Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic

Burnished-buff Tanager Tangara cayana Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Swallow Tanager Tersina viridis Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Rufous-headed Tanager Hemithraupis ruficapilla Striking views of this handsome tanager in the Atlantic Forest. A Brazilian endemic

Guira Tanager Hemithraupis guira Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Blue Dacnis Dacnis cayana Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Red Pileated Finch Coryphospingus cucullatus Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Grey Pileated Finch Coryphospingus pileatus Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola Several sightings at seed feeders in lodges and restaurants in the Pantanal and cities

Buff-throated Warbling Finch Poospiza lateralis A shy pair was seen in the upper parts of Itatiaia National Park. A Brazilian endemic

Pampa Finch Embernagra platensis Seen at Itatiaia National Park

Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina Seen in Chapada dos Guimarães

Lined Seedeater Sporophila lineola Seen above Ubatuba

Rusty-collared Seedeater Sporophila collaris A couple of sightings in the Pantanal

White-bellied Seedeater Sporophila leucoptera Several sightings in the Pantanal

Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch Oryzoborus angolensis Seen in the Pantanal

Green-winged Saltator Saltator similis Seen at Chapada dos Guimarães

Greyish Saltator Saltator coerulescens Seen in the Pantanal

Black-throated Saltator Saltator atricollis Seen at the Geladeira Road

Bananaquit Coereba flaveola Seen in the Atlantic Forest. Historical taxonomy unsettled prior to separation as a monotypic family Coerebidae (AOU 1988).  Genetic data position Bananaquit ( Coereba ) as sister to Tiaris grassquits (Thraupidae) (Burns et al. 2002, 2003; also H&M4, NACC, SACC, HBW).

Green Anaconda Eunectes murinus An amazing encounter with a young individual along the Cuiabá River

Brazilian Lancehead Pit Viper Bothrops jararaca A juvenile was seen in Ubatuba

Yacaré Caiman yacare Abundant in the Pantanal

Common House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus Seen at Pouso Alegre in the Pantanal

Black-and-white Tegu Salvator merianae A few sightings in the Pantanal  

Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Common in the Pantanal. The largest rodent in the world. Weight 35 to 66kg with records of 81kg. The scientific name, both hydrochoerus and hydrochaeris , comes from Greek ὕδωρ ( hydor “water”) and χοῖρος ( choiros “pig, hog”).

Greater Bulldog Bat Noctilio leporinus Several seen after sunset along the Cuiabá River

Lesser Bulldog Bat Noctilio albiventris Seen in Pousada Piuval after dark

Azara’s Agouti Dasyprocta azarae Seen in the Atlantic Forest. Named after Felix Manuel de Azara (1746-1811), Spanish officer commanding the Paraguayan frontier, naturalist, and author ( Apuntamientos para la historia natural de los páxaros de Paraguay y Rio de la Plata 1805 ).

Guianan Squirrel Sciurus aestuans Common at Hotel do Ypê in Itatiaia National Park

Tapeti Sylvilagus brasiliensis One individual was seen during a night drive in the Pantanal. Also known as Brazilian Rabbit or Brazilian Cottontail. Its range extends from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, but this includes several distinctive populations that recent authorities have recommended splitting into separate species.

Lowland Tapir Tapirus terrestris Great encounters at night with three different animals in the Pantanal

Marsh Deer Blastocerus dichotomus A nice group of females with a handsome male were seen near Pantanal Hotel Mato Grosso.

Gray Brocket Mazama gouazoubira Seen at Pousada Piuval. Also known as the Brown Brocket, it is a species of brocket deer from northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Peru, eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It formerly included the Amazonian Brown Brocket ( M. nemorivaga ) and sometimes the Yucatan Brown Brocket ( M. pandora ) as subspecies.

Wild Boar Sus scrofa Two individuals were crossing Pouso Alegre Lodge woodlands. This animal was introduced in the Pantanal and is considered to be the main species being hunted. Terrestrial, it exhibits both diurnal and nocturnal activity in the Pantanal and its surroundings.

Crab-eating Raccoon Procyon cancrivorus Great views of one individual at the Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel

South American Coati Nasua nasua Several sightings in the Pantanal       

Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis Amazing encounters with these great animals in the Pantanal. What an incredible moment for the whole group but especially for Mark and Maria, who were very excited to see these great animals after we did not find them on our previous trip in Peru a few years ago. This is the largest member of the Mustelidae family. The Giant Otter ranges across north-central South America; it lives mostly in and along the Amazon River and in the Pantanal. Its distribution has been greatly reduced and is now discontinuous. Decades of poaching for its velvety pelt, peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, considerably diminished population numbers. The species was listed as endangered in 1999, and wild population estimates are typically below 5,000. The Guianas are one of the last real strongholds for the species, which also enjoys modest numbers — and significant protection — in the Peruvian Amazonian basin. It is one of the most endangered mammal species in the Neotropics. Habitat degradation and loss is the greatest current threat. The Giant Otter is also rare in captivity; in 2003 only 60 animals were being held.

Jaguar Panthera onca Incredible encounters with at least four of these majestic creatures along the Cuiabá River. A highlight for Anne

Crab-eating Fox Cerdocyon thous A few sightings in the Pantanal during night drives

Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus Brief views of a pair just after sunset in the grasslands of Chapada dos Guimarães National Park. It is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning “golden dog”). The Maned Wolf is a crepuscular and omnivorous animal adapted to the open environments of the South American savanna, with an important role in the seed dispersal of fruits, especially the wolf apple ( Solanum lycocarpum ). The Maned Wolf is a solitary animal. It communicates primarily by scent marking, but also gives a loud call known as “roar-barking”.

Giant Anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla A magical encounter at Pousada Piuval in the Pantanal

Yellow Armadillo Euphractus sexcinctus A nice encounter in the Pantanal; sadly it was scared away before the whole group could get a better view.

Black-tailed Marmoset Mico melanurus Nice views at Pousada Piuval

Azaras’s Capuchin Sapajus cay Seen in the Pantanal. Formerly it was considered a subspecies of Black-striped Capuchin according to Groves (2005) with the name Cebus libidinosus paraguayanus , but Silva Jr. (2001) considered it a separated species.

Black-and-gold Howler Monkey Alouatta caraya Seen in the Pantanal along the Cuiabá River. This is a species of howler monkey from northeastern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, eastern and southern Brazil, and Paraguay. Together with the Brown Howler Monkey it is one of the southernmost members of the Alouatta genus.

All Rights Reserved, Birding Ecotours

Join our newsletter for exclusive discounts and great birding information!

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Destinations A-Z

I Used Insider Tips to Plan a Multi-city Brazil Trip — Here's How You Can, Too

Recommendations from family and friends made my first trip to Rio, Trancoso, and Salvador unforgettable.

Rio de Janeiro

JohnnyGreig/Getty Images

After years of intermittent planning, replaying scenes from the famous film “Black Orpheus,” and seeing streets teeming with swaying hips and sparkle during Carnival, I finally visited Brazil for the first time.

Equipped with a list of guidance from friends who frequent the South American country each year, those recommendations doubled with the help of people I met while there. One conversation can lead to some of the most lasting travel tips and memories — a gift that no Google search or online research can replace.

Here are some highlights of my visits to Rio, Trancoso, and Salvador de Bahia that made my week-long trip memorable. 

Ismail Salahuddin

From my home base of Los Angeles, my Copa Airlines flight landed me in Rio a little after midnight. An overnight stay at Hotel Fasano , part of Leading Hotels of the World , offered views of the lulling waves of Ipanema Beach across the street at dusk — a vast contrast from the photos of shorelines brimming with tanned bodies and swimmers I’ve seen over the years. The moment was a peaceful introduction to a place where the city and sea spill into each other. The Phillipe Starck-designed property is an ode to modernism, with a lobby drenched in oceanside sunlight and buttery leather and wood textures. From my balcony, the golden sands of Copacabana, sounds of samba, and neighboring favelas seemed so close and far all at once. With just three days in Rio, I would, of course, visit the more well-known tourist attractions, but thanks to those recommendations and a bit of luck, I would learn much of the city's history and people, too.

Tomas Rangel

What to Do in Rio de Janeiro 

The following day, I checked into Hotel Emiliano , which would serve as the base for the rest of my Rio introduction. The 90-room hotel's distinctive exterior of white, foldable shutters makes it stand out among the row of unmarked high-rise buildings and vendors just below on Copacabana Beach.

A rooftop pool with expansive views of Copacabana’s shimmering shoreline, an intimate spa, and two restaurants — including a foliage-filled Brazilian and Italian fusion restaurant, Emile . My tour guide , Edson “Eddie” Vander Campos Alves, was lively and informative. We visited Sugarloaf Mountain on a rainy day, and despite the less-than-ideal visibility from a location known for its awe-inspiring panoramic views of the city, Eddie’s undeniable passion for Rio made the weather a second thought.

After lunch at the plant-filled Escama , where families and friends dined over seabass and grilled lobster paired with zippy viogniers, we headed to Little Africa, located on the port of Rio. Shaped much in part by Black matriarchs who played a critical role in the creation of samba and the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé, Little Africa is the site of where nearly a million enslaved Africans finished their forced transcontinental journey to reach Brazil’s shores. Their traditions have had a lasting impact that still breathes life into every corner of Brazil — from samba drums to the palm oil and okra (quiabo) used in some of the country’s most famous dishes. Little Africa includes the port of Cais do Valongo — where enslaved Africans first arrived in Salvador — and Pedra do Sal, considered the samba's birthplace in Rio.

Mariana Monteiro

“In this region, Black people reimagined life in the diaspora, recreated affective bonds, resisted, earned money, made art, loved, and celebrated. Little Africa is a very important place to connect with the roots of Brazilian history and culture and to understand that the Black population was and is a fundamental part in building this nation, even though the official history denies it, “ said Luana Ferreira, a historian who offers licensed tours about Brazil’s Black history. Through her passionate knowledge, the streets of Little Africa came alive.

“Usually, Black people are only portrayed when the slavery system is spoken of, and on the tour, it is inevitable to touch on this subject. However, our main goal is to break this paradigm and present this region as the birthplace of Black culture in Rio de Janeiro, the birthplace of samba and our popular carnival.” Fortunately, several city officials and community members agree with this sentiment and advocate for bringing Little Africa to the forefront of tourism investments in the coming years. 

Where to Eat in Rio de Janeiro 

I arrived in Rio with a long list of restaurant recommendations from friends and colleagues. Some of my favorite meals included:

Mesa do Lado is a “gastrosensorial” experience created by Michelin chef Claude Troisgros. To get to the 12-seat experience, you’ll have to walk to the back of a restaurant called Chez Claude through red curtains. The orchestrated experience — more than two hours — is meant to heighten the dining experience through taste, hearing, sight, touch, and smell, achieved through projections of images and videos, set to songs by artists like Paulinho da Viola, Elza Soares, Cesária Évora, and even AC/DC. My favorite dishes of the night were the cassava biscuit served with truffle-infused parmesan cream and saumon à l'oseille — a salmon filet immersed in a cream-based sauce that contains chardonnay, dry vermouth, and sorrel leaves.

Then there's Oteque . Set in an old house in Rio’s Botafogo neighborhood, Chef Alberto Landgraf and his team execute an impressive seafood-based menu from an open-air kitchen. Landgraf's seasonal courses celebrate his Japanese heritage, including raw bluefin tuna with seaweed vinaigrette, pine nuts and caviar, monkfish with creamed burrata, and several fresh ceviches. Oteque also features many organic wines, chosen by sommelier Leonardo Silveira.

Lastly, up a winding hill in Rio’s bohemian Santa Marta neighborhood, Aprazível welcomes crowds from its multi-leveled, treehouse-like structure. Shaded wooden tables surrounded by lush plants offer views of Rio in the distance. It’s an ideal place to spend a slow afternoon and enjoy a passionfruit caipirinha and the catch of the day served alongside coconut rice and baked banana.

Located on the coastline of Bahia, Trancoso is a small fishing village turned bohemian enclave dotted with coral-colored buildings, long stretches of golden sand beaches, and dirt roads decorated with banana trees and bursts of jungle plants. To get there, I flew just under two hours from Rio to Porto Seguro airport. Then, it’s a 90-minute drive through bumpy dirt roads to get to the vibey beach town that's drawn celebrities like Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, and Leonardo DiCaprio to its shores.

What to Do in Trancoso 

Courtesy of Hotel Fasano Trancoso

Choosing Trancoso as a second stop on my multi-city Brazil trip was deliberate. There’s only so much to do in the laidback region, and that slow pace is exactly what I craved after leaving Rio’s busy streets.

I checked into Fasano Trancoso , a sprawling 740 acres set amongst a natural reserve between tropical forest and the ocean. Like its Rio sibling, the property, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, came highly recommended by several friends for its sweeping location. Here, 40 geometric white bungalows face the ocean, some with rooftop decks, and a beachside restaurant decked out with salvaged furniture is where I enjoyed a freshly grilled lobster and the addictive queijo de Coelho, a firm white cheese that’s grilled and topped with honey.

The hotel is just a 20-minute drive from Trancoso’s Quadrado, a historic town square that I quickly learned is the heartbeat of the area. During the day, most of the tropical-colored fishing homes and a 16th-century white church that borders its grassy center are closed, but at night, the live drumming and capoeira dancers fill the square, and several restaurants and bars open their doors to crowds. About a five-minute drive from the Quadrado, Nativos Beach is a popular stretch of sand that includes two volleyball fields, beach bars, and hotels. For a more isolated location, consider Rio da Barra, about a 15-minute drive north of the Quadrado.

JohannesCompaan/Getty Images

Where to Eat in Trancoso 

Proximity to the beach and a tropical environment means there’s no shortage of seafood and fruits like acerola, the fibrous and sweet mangaba, and carambola (star fruit). At Capim Santo , first created by celebrated Brazilian chef Morena Leite’s mother, Sandra Marques, the menu focuses on Brazilian dishes executed with French techniques. I ate alfresco in their garden restaurant, on grounds also home to a small boutique hotel.

While dining at Mesa do Lado in Rio, Chef Troisgrois insisted that I dine at Alma Ninho , helmed by Morena Leite, who was raised in the Quadrado and focuses on highlighting the seafood flavors of Bahia. “We are on the beach and eat a lot of foods influenced by African cuisine, so coconut milk with seafood and fruits is part of what makes our tropical cuisine in Bahia so special.”

Antonio Soto

At Alma Ninho’s wooden bar, alongside just five other diners, I indulged in courses like churros with tapioca, grilled lobster with salad and granola from the nearby garden, and black ravioli with seafood — all plated on seashell-shaped plates.

The gastronomic experience is hosted in Leite’s six-suite guesthouse that overlooks the ocean and a mountainside bursting with plants. “We want you to feel at home here, and I want to share all the research I’ve done around the world, from the flavors of the food to the art displayed on the walls,” she said. This intimate celebration of Bahian food was my favorite part of visiting Trancoso.  

From my hometown of Los Angeles, Copa Airlines offers the shortest flights, typically with a layover in Panama City. Once in Brazil, regional airlines like Azul Airlines offer flights out of Rio to nearby cities like Porto Seguro and Salvador. 

After Trancoso, a one-hour flight north on the reliable and regional AZUL airlines landed me in Salvador , a city I had dreamed of visiting for years because of its rich Afro-Brazilian history. Fortunately, I arrived equipped with a wealth of recommendations from a friend, Aja, who visits the region annually with her family.

“As an African-American and member of the larger African diaspora, I am inextricably linked to Salvador, its people, history, and culture,” she told me before my visit. “I fell in love in Bahia, and every time I return with my growing family, our love deepens. Because of all that Salvador has given me, I am continuously finding ways to give back to this amazing city and its people.”

During my three days there, she gave me several incredible tips on what to see in the UNESCO World Heritage city, including the open-air market Feira de São Joaquim and Solar de Unhao, a complex of historic buildings near the Modern Art Museum. Over the years, the community has opened several bars and restaurants in this location, including the beloved Afro-Brazilian-themed restaurant Dona Suzana.

I checked into Hotel Fasano Salvador , a towering retreat housed in a building from the 1930s that overlooks a sheltered bay that opens to the Atlantic Ocean called Bay of All Saints. Fasano is one of the few luxury hotels in Salvador, but that’s set to change, as the city — which offers several welcoming bed and breakfasts — is rife with luxury development. Inside, 70 rooms in the Art Deco space are highlighted with warm organic tones, and a rooftop pool offers the best sunset views in the city alongside people watching on Castro Alves Square just below.

Booking Tip

Brazil’s summer months are between October and November, when tourist crowds are few and hotel prices are reasonably low. Carnival celebrations in Rio and Salvador in 2025 will occur at the end of February.

What to Do in Salvador

If I did just one thing in Salvador, Aja advised, it would have to be getting tickets to the Balé Folclórico da Bahia show. The 38-member dance troupe pays tribute to African deities (orixás), reenacts Maculelê, a dance celebrated by enslaved at the end of sugar cane season; capoeira, a martial arts dance brought to Brazil from Angola; and, of course, samba, whose roots began in the sugar cane mills of Salvador. The palpable joy of this performance, the whirlwind of colors that took flight with dance, the remembrance of a people who found the will to go in the face of the unimaginable — this is what this performance succeeds in covering and what is ever present on every corner of Salvador.

Salvador has the largest population of African descendants outside of Africa. Nearly every revered tradition in Brazil today, from capoeira to Carnival, was created by formerly enslaved people. The origins of that world-famous celebration can be viewed in the historical center of Pelourinho at Salvador’s Caso do Carnaval , which features several video projections, large-scale exhibits, and even a cinema room where you can learn several traditional Brazilian dances.

At Blue Praia Bar in the seaside Vermelho neighborhood, the city’s cool kids are scattered about among Balinese-style beds built between swaying palms and tableside at an al fresco dining space that overlooks Buracão Beach. This is where I spent my last afternoon in Salvador, with plates of cod croquettes and espetinhos de queijo. Tucked away on a quiet street, I instantly felt as though I had discovered one of the city’s gems, where the hours pass with ease as residents play soccer on golden sands and order glasses of passion fruit caipirinhas.

Where to Eat in Salvador 

Central to food in Salvador are the flavors of Africa, like palm oil (dendê), coconut milk, and cassava. Walking around the city, Baiana women dressed in billowing white cloth to honor Oxalá (the god of creation) sell acarajé, a typical Bahian snack made of mashed black-eyed beans, onions, and shrimp fried in palm oil. During slavery, many descendants of enslaved women gained their freedom and financial independence by selling these snacks. Don’t miss an opportunity to stop at a tabuleiro (stand) on the street and get a taste of this important symbol of power. At Casa de Tereza , you can try acarajés and another famous Bahian dish — moqueca. The rich, coconut-based stew includes palm oil, dried shrimp, cassava flour, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

More flavors from Africa, like a black-eyed pea dumpling called abará, can be enjoyed at Zanzibar, which overlooks the Bay of All Saints and Dona Mariquita , where popular dishes include cassava leaf stew and a milk pudding used in Candomblé to celebrate the Orixá, Yemanjá.

One of my favorite evenings was watching the sunset with a caipirinha in hand at Antique Bistrô , a former mansion with a patio with panoramic bay views. There are several small plates to pair with their popular cocktails, such as the tender smoked rib I had, which could have easily won at any barbecue competition.

At Origem , various takes on Brazilian foodways, from Indigenous corn to the citrusy umbu fruit, take center stage at this fine-dining favorite. A rotating tasting menu focuses on the five biomes of Bahia (Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Coastal, and Marine Zone) to create a genuinely expansive gastronomic experience.

On my last night, I reserved a marina-side table at Mistura Contorno, a seafood-focused restaurant highly recommended by everyone I spoke to about Salvador’s dining scene. Mistura’s menu results from Chef Andréa Ribeiro's vision to fuse Mediterranean and Brazilian flavors, which, based on the lively space filled with patrons, has succeeded.

During my splurge-worthy finale dinner in a city I will return to, I enjoyed plates of grilled fish, calamari, lobster, octopus ceviche with coconut and Sicilian lemon, and a pappardelle ossobucco.

A final sunset and crayola-colored sky from my hotel balcony completed my first visit to Brazil — though it certainly won’t be my last.

Related Articles

The Status of Brazil's Wildfires, and What Travelers Should Know

In the past few months, wildfires in Brazil have burned through the Amazon Rainforest , Pantanal wetlands , and Cerrado tropical savanna —killing wildlife and engulfing major cities, including the nation’s capital, Brasília , in smoke. While one might assume that a 131,000-acre ecological reserve in the midst of Pantanal , the world’s largest wetland, would always be a humid and leafy haven, in recent years, the Pantanal wetlands have suffered heavily from fires, which have become increasingly harsh as climate change advances. As a result of two widespread wildfires in July and earlier this month, 80% of the area of the Panantal's Caiman hotel reserve burned down this year, forcing the property and wildlife refuge to close down its operations from August 1 to the end of September.

In São Paulo, the richest and most populous state of the country, both the Cerrado and rural areas have seen widespread fires (peaking the weekend of August 24). As of August 28, the fires in São Paulo have all been brought under control, though a total of 48 cities remained in a state of emergency, according to a statement published by the local government. The governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, says that while it’s hard to estimate the losses caused by the fires, they will certainly exceed one billion Brazilian real—over $180 million USD.

This August saw the most fire outbreaks in São Paulo since the state’s measurements began 26 years ago, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, INPE . The figures for Pantanal are also worrying: the biome is facing its worst drought in 70 years, worsened by extreme El Niño events. In 2024, nearly 2 million acres were burned down in the Pantanal by early July, according to INPE’s latest data. In the first semester alone, the area burned in the biome increased by 529% compared to the previous year.

Despite the undeniable negative impact on nature, tourism in Brazil hasn’t been severely affected by the recent fires. The nation’s largest hotel associations tell Condé Nast Traveler that no member hotels other than the Panantal's ecotourism Caiman hotel have seen operations impacted. However, experts warn that travelers should be aware of health risks related to air pollution from the fires, and are advised to check forecasts and humidity levels before a trip to Brazil. Here’s what tourists should know about the fires in Brazil:

What has been affected?

The July fires in the Northern part of Brazil spread a toxic gray cloud of smoke over most of the country, as shown by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s satellite images . A brief reprieve came in mid-August when the phenomenon was interrupted by a polar air mass that dropped temperatures and brought some rain to the Center-South of Brazil. However, the “corridor” of air pollution caused by the wildfire smoke struck again on Wednesday, August 21, reaching 10 states and affecting neighboring countries, according to meteorologists. In late August, pictures of plumes of black smoke painting orange skies in São Paulo, the most affected state as of August 28, went viral on social media .

Several roads in São Paulo, Goiás, and Mato Grosso do Sul have been affected accordingly, and three airports—Goiânia, São José do Rio Preto, and Ribeirão Preto—had to close down for several hours on Sunday, August 25, due to low visibility. In Goiânia, the main gateway for the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, two dozen flights were canceled on that Sunday, and normal operations resumed on Monday. In Ribeirão Preto, a local hub in the countryside of São Paulo, the closure affected 21 flights, but experts say that the impact on highways for the heavily road-traffic reliant São Paulo state is much greater: considering partial or total blockades, at least 17 highways were closed at some point between August 24 to 26. Now, with wildfires under control and most roads back open, those traveling by car or bus from the capital of São Paulo can still expect delays and cancellations due to occasional highway obstructions.

Thousands of kilometers away from São Paulo, in the North of the country, the city of Manaus was also covered in smoke during the first half of August, which led to poor air quality for several weeks in the city of 2 million that is the entrance for tourists traveling to the Brazilian portion of the Amazon. Jesem Orellana, an epidemiologist working at Fiocruz, one of the most prominent institutions of science and health in Latin America, emphasized the importance of both tourists and locals wearing face masks: He argues that masks with N95 or PFF2 filtration systems are essential for travelers to the region, as researchers are still unsure whether the fire season will last longer this year.

As for the cause of the August wildfires, four arson suspects have been arrested in connection to fires in rural areas of São José do Rio Preto, Batatais, and Guaraci; the local government says police forces are mobilized to investigate all incidents of arson in the state. Since Friday, August 24, more than 15,000 people have been involved in fighting the flames, providing guidance to the population, and planning the state’s next steps.

“What is most worrying about this year compared to previous years is that we don’t know for sure whether what is happening is simply an anticipation of the most critical period for wildfires, or whether, this year, we will actually have a longer period of exposure to this level of fog,” Orellana, who is based in Fiocruz’s Manaus office, tells Traveler . Last year, air pollution caused by wildfires in Manaus happened only in October.

For tourists going to São Paulo, a state of 44 million inhabitants, including 20 million in or around the namesake capital city, hotel associations are assuring visitors that the fires have mostly affected rural areas and that the smoke, which impacted the skies the weekend of August 24, has mostly dissipated.

“It is completely safe to come to São Paulo now, but it is always worth it checking the weather forecast to see humidity levels and temperatures, which are prone to a lot of variation at this time of the year, and prepare accordingly,” says Ricardo Roman Jr, president of the São Paulo branch of Brazilian Hotel Industry Association. “Overall, if anything happens, the hotels are very well trained to provide assistance and advice.”

For travelers looking into how to help in the aftermath of the fires, Roberto Klabin, the founder of hotel Caiman and also of a local NGO called SOS Pantanal, believes that boosting tourism is the most helpful action people can take.

“If you want to contribute to Caiman and to preserving our biome, plan a visit to the Pantanal in the future,” Klabin says. “We can only preserve what we know, and this biome needs more and more people telling the world about its potential.”

“The Pantanal never tires of showing us its ability to transform itself, and this is what moves us forward,” he adds.

The Latest Travel News and Advice

Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips

Southwest Ends Its Open Seating Policy —Could More Changes Be on the Way?

Why You Should Never Check a Bag

Why Travelers Should Start Preparing for the Next Airline Scheduling Meltdown

Hotels Are Now Offering Dedicated Butlers for Destination Proposals

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Brazil Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 28, 2024

Brazil is impossible to summarize in just a few paragraphs. It’s the largest country in South America and home to cosmopolitan cities like Rio de Janeiro and its Wonder of the World Christ the Redeemer statue, the rambunctious and world-famous Carnival, the Amazon River and rainforest, and an abundance of lush and untamed nature.

Brazil has more plant and animal species than anywhere else in the world, making it a paradise for travelers who love the outdoors. It’s also home to the towering and awe-inspiring Iguazú Falls.

In other words, you’re going to need longer than a week to visit this massive, diverse country.

Meet the locals at Copacabana Beach in Rio or spend an evening learning how to dance the samba. Cruise the wetlands of the Pantanal or the Amazon River while keeping an eye out for exotic wildlife like toucans and pink dolphins. Gorge on a barbecue feast, and cool off with caipirinha , Brazil’s official cocktail of sugarcane liquor, sugar, and lime.

Throw in passionate fútbol (soccer) matches, beautiful people, and low prices, and it’s easy to see why Brazil is one of the most popular destinations in the world.

This travel guide to Brazil will help you plan your trip, save money, stay safe, and make the most of your time in this amazing country.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• How to Stay Safe
• Where to Stay
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• How to Get Around
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Brazil

Click Here for City Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in brazil.

1. Visit Rio de Janeiro

Home to over 12 million people, Rio de Janeiro has dozens of museums, the world-famous sandy beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, countless party spots, the towering Christ the Redeemer statue (a New Wonder of the World), Sugarloaf Mountain, Tijuca National Park (the largest urban rainforest in the world) right in the city’s backyard, and so much more. No visit to Brazil is complete without a stop here. It’s fun personified, especially if you come during Carnival!

2. Visit Florianópolis

Florianópolis is one of Brazil’s most popular coastal cities, (especially for surfers taking advantage of big waves). Brazilians love to vacation here, and it’s a big spot for backpackers too, thanks to its powdery beaches, cheap seafood, fantastic hiking, and awesome nightlife. Come here to party, lounge, hike, and enjoy the sunshine!

3. Spend time in the Amazon

The Amazon covers 8% of the earth’s surface and is home to 50% of its biodiversity. There are so many ways to experience it: take a jungle cruise down the Amazon River, do a guided multi-day trek , or join a wildlife tour. You can also visit indigenous communities and learn how they live in such a unique place.

4. Go to Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha was Brazil’s first national marine park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sandy beaches with turquoise waters and excellent snorkeling (there are lots of dolphins here) will take your breath away. 70% of the island is protected, and less than 500 people are permitted at a time, meaning the island is largely empty. It’s one of the most gorgeous places in South America, though be prepared to pay for it in higher accommodation and food costs, as well as a daily visitor tax (87 BRL per day, plus a 330 BRL 10-day visitor pass).

5. See Iguazú Falls

These waterfalls (which share a border with Argentina ) are higher than Niagara Falls — and twice as wide! Every second, 12,700 cubic meters (450,000 cubic feet) of water thunder down the 275 cascades, which form a chain of hundreds of waterfalls that stretch for over a mile. They’re a must-see. Admission is 83 BRL. You can also take a boat tour to get up close and personal with the falls.

Other Things to See and Do in Brazil

1. attend a fútbol match in rio.

Fútbol (soccer) is a religion here, and the chaos and excitement during a match are contagious! Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest stadiums in the world, and it seats 100,000 supporters. The best games are the local teams (Flamengo, Vasco, Botafogo, and Fluminese) because you’re guaranteed a game full of singing, cheering, and insult-slinging. You can buy tickets through the teams’ websites or the FutebolCard site. Tickets can be as low as 20 BRL. To learn even more about the sport and stadium, you can take a stadium tour for 77 BRL.

2. Enjoy Rio Carnival

The Rio Carnival is an epic festival of music, samba, and revelers dressed in elaborate, colorful regalia as they take to the streets by the thousands. It’s one of the biggest celebrations in the world (2 million people hit the streets every day during Carnival). The entire celebration is one last hurrah before the start of Lent’s quiet period. Prices for accommodations triple during Carnival (held every February) so be sure to book far in advance for the best deals (highly recommended – they sell out quickly)!

3. Visit Brasilia

Brasilia is the often-overlooked capital of Brazil. This futuristic city was established in 1960 and is a hub for modernist architecture, including the National Congress, with its odd bowl-shaped structures, and Santuário Dom Bosco church which boasts long, narrow windows made of blue-colored Murano glass that represents a starry sky. Visit the 60,000-acre Parque Nacional de Brasilia and walk the trails between tall Cerrado trees while looking for wildlife like anteaters and pampas deer.

4. Explore the Pantanal

Located in Western Brazil, the Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world, stretching into parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. Over 11,000 species of animal live here, including the rare marsh deer, the giant anteater, and the hyacinth macaw. The two main access points are Cuiabá and Campo Grande. I recommend the latter as it tends to offer more affordable accommodations and tour options. Most wildlife and sightseeing tours are multi-day and cost a minimum of about 1,325 BRL per day.

5. Relax in Recife

Located on the eastern tip of the country, Recife is the place to be if you want to relax and enjoy some of Brazil’s scenic beaches. Boa Viagem, the 7-kilometer (4-mile) stretch of sand between Pina to Piedade, is very developed with cabanas and sun chairs for rent. Piedade is equally as beautiful but less touristy, lined with restaurants and bars where the locals hang out. For an even more low-key beach area, head south to Porto de Galinhas, where the beach is virtually empty.

6. Visit Salvador

Salvador was Brazil’s first capital city, and today it remains the country’s cultural capital, thanks to its vibrant Afro-Brazilian community. Located down the coast from Recife, Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is a perfect example of this community’s unique spirit: it’s a church that peacefully combines Catholicism and Candomblé (a religion originating from West Africa). Furthermore, the pastel-painted colonial buildings and cobblestone scenes of the Pelourinho neighborhood are extremely photogenic, and if you stay in this area, you’ll have easy access to shopping, restaurants, bars, and live music. Local tour operator Your Tour Brazil offers many different tours to help you dig deeper into Salvador’s culture, including their African Heritage & Acarajé Tasting tour .

7. See São Paulo

São Paulo, the fourth-largest city in the world and the largest in South America, is home to over 23 million people. This sprawling metropolis is for anyone who loves wild nightlife, great museums, interesting street art, live samba music, and fine dining. Every area is like its own micro-city and it’s a completely different vibe than Rio (taking a walking tour is one of the best way to get a handle on this gigantic city). São Paulo also has a flourishing art community, which you can discover through its many experimental theaters and art-house cinemas (including CineSala, an independent street theater founded in 1959).

8. Try capoeira

Capoeira is a combination of dance, music, and martial arts created nearly 500 years ago by enslaved West Africans to disguise their combat training. It kind of looks like breakdancing, emphasizing flow over specific stances. In Brazil’s larger cities you can sign up for intro classes, including in Rio de Janeiro, where classes start from 70 BRL. Angola N’Golo is an affordable school to check out.

9. Unplug in Ilha Grande

You’d never know from the look of it that the tropical island paradise of Ilha Grande was once a pirate’s hideout, a leper colony, and a high-security prison. Nowadays people (especially locals from nearby Rio) come here on the weekends to hang out on the pristine beaches, like Aventura Beach and Palmas Cove. There are a handful of hostels and accommodations here, but mostly the island is made up of undeveloped jungles and beaches. Come here to lounge, disconnect, and chill out.

10. Visit Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto, a 17th-century colonial town, is one of Brazil’s most picturesque towns for its brightly painted houses, Baroque churches, and large leafy plazas. Located around 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Rio, Ouro Preto sits in a valley at the foot of the Serra do Espinhaco, and up in the hills surrounding the town are 23 churches you can hike to visit.

11. Learn samba

Samba is a musical genre and dance born in Rio de Janeiro’s Afro-Brazilian communities in the early 20th century. Today, it’s an important Brazilian cultural symbol, but Rio remains one of the best places in Brazil to learn how to dance. Rio Samba Dancer is my favorite for its all-levels group classes, especially for the classes combined with social outings to samba clubs. Classes start from about 105 BRL.

12. Admire the Azorean fishing villages

Brazil has 7,400 kilometers (4,500 miles) of coastline with many historic fishing villages to explore. Florianópolis has a number of particularly beautiful ones, including Santo Antonio de Lisboa and Ribeirão da Ilha, where you can indulge in delectable oyster and seafood dishes and enjoy secluded beaches, cobbled streets, and jellybean-colored houses. Sights in Ribeirão da Ilha include the Acoriano Casario Church and museum Ecomuseu do Ribeirão da Ilha, where you can learn more about the natural and Azorean cultural history of the area. Museum admission is 5 BRL.

13. Hike in Tijuca National Park

Tijuca National Park is the largest urban rainforest in the world, stretching across 8,300 acres. The area is home to over 350 different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, including howler monkeys, which only came back to the park recently after a 100-year hiatus. The Corcovado (Christo) hike through Parque Lage to the top of Corcovado is a steep climb, but it’s shaded and only takes about three hours. Another scenic hike is to Tijuca Peak, starting in Rio’s North Zone and going past waterfalls and through dense rainforest. This hike only takes about two hours, and you’ll be rewarded with views over Niteroi and Guanabara Bay. Entrance to the park is free. This is a place where it’s really worth it to go with a tour though. You’ll not only have a more in-depth experience, learning history of the rainforest as well as how to recognize native flora and fauna, but get round-trip transportation to/from your accommodation as well. There are tons of tours available, from the popular jeep tours to full-day adventure hikes that go to lesser visited sections of the rainforest.

14. Visit Paraty

This incredibly well-preserved Portuguese colonial town and UNESCO World Heritige site is located almost halfway between São Paulo and Rio, making it an excellent place to stop and unwind for a few days as you travel between Brazil’s two largest cities. The picturesque cobblestone-lined streets of the 16th-century town are lined with handicraft shops, bars with live music every night, and great restaurants (go to family-run Vinicius for a superb homecooked meal). Located on Brazil’s Costa Verde (Green Coast), there’s a lot of adventure activities to be had here too, including jungle tours of the Atlantic Forest (usually with stops to visit historic cachaca distilleries, as the area is famous for brewing Brazil’s most popular spirit), and boat tours with snorkeling and beach stops. You’ll be able to see and enjoy all the main things to do in about three days here.

For more information on specific cities in Brazil, check out these guides:

• Fernando de Noronha Travel Guide
• Florianópolis Travel Guide
• Sao Paulo Travel Guide
• Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide

How to Stay Safe in Brazil

Travelers need to be vigilant in Brazil . Pick-pocketing and other petty crimes are common here, especially in Rio. Don’t flash expensive belongings and always keep your phone and wallet secure and out of reach. Don’t bring anything valuable to the beach either. Be sure to lock up your valuables before leaving your accommodation, whether you’re staying in a hostel dorm or in a private hotel/Airbnb room.

Avoid going out alone in the evenings after dark. If you do need to travel at night to get back to your accommodation, take a taxi (use the 99 app to call one) or an Uber.

Solo female travelers will want to exercise caution here. Avoid walking around alone when possible and definitely avoid walking around at night. Always keep an eye on your drink (even when it’s being poured) and never accept drinks from strangers.

Use ATMs inside a bank or have a friend with you to keep an eye out while you withdraw cash.

To learn which scams to be on the lookout for, read about this post about common travel scams .

Carjacking and break-ins are common, so I’d probably avoid renting here just to be safe.

When hiking, always bring a lot of water and sunscreen. Be sure to check the weather before you depart and dress accordingly. Don’t pick fruit off a tree and eat it without knowing what it is (it might be poisonous). There is also a risk of the Zika virus and/or Malaria in certain areas. Carry bug spray and use it often.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

If you experience an emergency, dial 190 for assistance.

For more in-depth coverage of how to stay safe in Brazil, check out this post that answers some frequently asked questions and concerns.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.

Where to Stay in Brazil

Hostels are widespread all over Brazil. You’ll also find a ton of B&Bs and cool Airbnbs. Basically, there are a lot of budget options here. My suggested places to stay in Brazil are:

• Hostel Galeria 13 (Salvador)
• Joy Hostel (Brasilia)
• Barra Beach Club Oceanfront Hostel (Florianópolis)
• Submarino Hostel (Florianópolis)
• The Search House Beachfront Hostel (Florianópolis)
• Tucano House Summer Hostel (Florianópolis)
• Hostel e Pousada El Shaddai (Iguacu)
• Hostel Bambu (Iguacu)
• Books Hostel (Rio)
• Selina Lapa Rio de Janeiro (Rio)
• Mango Tree Hostel Ipanema (Rio)
• Bamboo Rio Hostel (Rio)
• O de Casa Hostel Bar (São Paulo)

Brazil Travel Costs

Accommodation

• Hostel dorms – 60-85 BRL per night
• Hostel private rooms – 150-300 BRL per night
• Budget hotels – 150-300 BRL per night
• Airbnb private rooms – 100-150 BRL per night
• Airbnb apartments – 275 BRL per night
• Campsite – 40-70 BRL per night
• Street food – 8-10 BRL
• Buffets – 65-80 BRL per kilo
• Sit-down restaurants – 20-180 BRL
• Fine dining – 150-225 BRL
• Casual take-out places – 25-60 BRL
• Fast food (think McDonald’s) – 30-35 BRL
• Beer – 10-15 BRL
• Glass of wine – 15-20 BRL
• Cappuccino/latte- 9-11 BRL
• Soda or juice – 5-8 BRL
• Groceries for a week – 100-200 BRL

Brazil Suggested Budgets

Backpacker – 215 brl per day.

If you are backpacking, this covers staying in a hostel dorm, eating street food, cooking some of your meals, limiting your drinking, using public transportation to get around, and doing mostly free activities like enjoying the beach and hiking.

Midrange – 420 BRL Per Day

On a mid-range budget, you can stay in a private hostel or Airbnb room, eat out for all your meals at cheap local restaurants, take the occasional taxi to get around, take buses between destinations, enjoy a few drinks, and do more paid activities like surfing or samba lessons.

Upscale – 750 BRL Per Day

On a “luxury” budget, you can stay in a hotel, eat out for all your meals, enjoy more drinks, take taxis everywhere, fly between cities, and enjoy all the tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though!

Note: If you’re coming during Carnival, expect prices for accommodations and activities to increase significantly (sometimes triple or even quadruple) — especially if you’re booking last minute. If you’re staying in Fernando de Noronha, budget double the above suggestions.

Brazil Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Brazil is one of the most expensive countries in South America, but prices depend on where in the country you are and what kind of activities you’re doing. Brazil’s main cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are more expensive than rural areas (unless you’re seeking out less touristy locales, like Fernando do Noronha). Here are some money-saving tips to help you get started:

Pack a water bottle – The tap water here isn’t safe to drink so bring a water bottle with a filter to save money and reduce your single-use plastic usage. My preferred bottle is LifeStraw as it has a built-in filter to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Agree on taxi prices – Agree on the price for your journey with the taxi driver before setting off. Many drivers refuse to use their meters and try to rip you off. It’s much better to take a bus most of the time.

Stay with a local – Couchsurfing connects you with locals who can give you a free place to stay and share their insider tips and advice. It’s the best way to meet locals and save money.

Visit off-season – December to March is a pretty busy time as people from the Northern hemisphere escape the winter. Try to avoid these dates if you want to keep prices low.

Skip Carnival – Carnival might be fun, but it’s also super expensive. If you’re on a budget, avoid visiting during Carnival.

Get an Airpass – If you book your domestic flights in advance, the Airpass can save you money on flights. It’s the cheapest way to fly around the country (more on this below).

Cook your meals – Eating out here can easily blow your budget so try and stay somewhere with a kitchen so you can do some cooking. It’s not glamorous, but if you live like the locals you’ll save a fortune.

How to Get Around in Brazil

Public transportation – City transportation in Brazil is efficient and modern. Many places (like Rio and São Paulo) have an extensive subway system. Fares cost around 5 BRL per one-way ticket. In most places, you can pick up a multi-day metro card to save money.

Buses are everywhere. A one-way ticket costs about 3-5 BRL, and as with the subway, there are usually multi-day metro cards available.

Taxis – Taxis are recommended in the evening when public transportation may not be as safe. Fares start at 6-8 BRL and then go up to about 3-6 BRL per kilometer. Use an app like 99 (formerly 99Taxis) to ensure you get a licensed taxi. Ridesharing like Uber is also available and common here.

Bus – Long-distance buses are a convenient, economical, and comfortable way to travel in the country. There are hundreds of routes. You can use Brazil Bus Travel to check schedules and book your tickets.

A bus from Rio to São Paulo takes 6.5 hours and costs about 180 BRL, or you can book a sleeper bus with a bed for 420 BRL. Rio to Florianópolis is a 20-hour journey that costs about 520 BRL for a regular seat or 1,050 for a bed.

To find bus routes and prices, use BusBud .

Train – Train service is limited to the tourist-oriented steam train that offers transport in between São Joao del Rei and Tiradentes. It’s expensive, so I don’t recommend doing this.

Flying – Air travel is useful if you’re trying to get around the country on limited time (especially if you’re traveling between the big cities, or between places like Rio and the Amazon). The country’s major airlines are:

If you’re booking a flight two months in advance from Rio de Janeiro to Manaus (the easiest way to reach the Amazon), you can find airfare for as low as 1,700 BRL (round-trip). Rio to Salvador is about 360 BRL (one-way), while flights between Brasilia and São Paulo can be as little as 155 BRL (one-way).

An Airpass is a practical option if you’re going to take a lot of flights within 30 days (especially if you’re going to the Amazon, which is far and expensive to get to). With GOL you can get a 90-day pass with four domestic flights in its network for 2,600 BRL. Azul offers something similar with four flights within three weeks for the same price. Brol.com can help you find the right pass.

Just keep in mind that you have to book in advance for these passes so this doesn’t allow for flexible travel. You also cannot use these passes during popular time periods, like during Carnival and Christmas/the New Year.

Car rental – Car rentals cost around 65-90 BRL per day for a multi-day rental. However, the road conditions aren’t great here and drivers are aggressive. Moreover, since break-ins and carjackings are common, I’d likely skip the rental here just to be safe.

Hitchwiki – Hitchhiking here isn’t super popular and not really recommended. Drivers here aren’t the most cautious and pedestrians are often hit. For more information, check out Hitchwiki .

When to Go to Brazil

Brazil covers such a large territory that the country is broken up into different climate areas. The “coldest” part is in the far south and southeast, with the winter season lasting from June to September. Brazilians will complain about the cold here, but it rarely dips below freezing. The summer months from December to March are hot.

If you’re sticking to Brazil’s coastal areas, the weather is warm year-round. During the winter (December to March), the temperature is always higher than 25°C (77°F). There’s near-constant sunshine, but there is also a rainy season, which lasts from October-January. The rainy season often starts earlier in Salvador and Recife.

The northeast (around the Amazon) is always hot, with temperatures often climbing to 40°C (104°F). There’s no real winter season. In Manaus and the central Amazon, the dry season is from July-October. This period is also the best time to visit wildlife in the Amazon as the water recedes and animals gather at watering holes. The same goes for the Pantanal.

If you come during the Brazilian winter, you’ll find much fewer crowds and lower prices. I consider this the best time to be here, but only if you’re not trying to escape the North American winter.

If you’re super budget-minded, don’t come during February when it’s Carnival and prices skyrocket!

Brazil Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

Brazil Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more tips for your trip? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Brazil travel and continue planning your trip:

Is Brazil Safe to Visit?

The 6 Best Hostels in Rio de Janeiro

The 11 Best Cities for Partying

Get your  free travel starter kit.

Enter your email and get planning cheatsheets including a step by step checklist, packing list, tips cheat sheet, and more so you can plan like a pro!

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

©Nat Photos/Getty Images

One of the world's most captivating places, Brazil is a country of powdery white-sand beaches, verdant rainforests and wild, rhythm-filled metropolises.

Best Time to Visit

Best places to visit, attractions, must-see attractions.

Parque Nacional da Tijuca

Rio de Janeiro

The Tijuca is all that's left of the Atlantic rainforest that once surrounded Rio de Janeiro. This 39-sq-km tropical-jungle preserve is an exuberant green…

Pão de Açúcar

Seen from the peak of Pão de Açúcar, Rio is undoubtedly a Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). There are many good times to make the ascent, but sunset on…

Copacabana Beach

A magnificent confluence of land and sea, the long, scalloped beach of Copacabana extends for some 4km, with a flurry of activity along its length: over…

Reserva Extrativista Baixo Rio Branco-Jauaperi

This newly minted extractive reserve is an outstanding place to immerse yourself in the best the Amazon has to offer, with excellent wildlife-watching –…

Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina

Spanning over 1520 sq km and containing within it innumerable species of plants and animals, deafening waterfalls and vast, rugged plains, Parque Nacional…

Parque Nacional Marinho de Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha

Covering around 70% of the main island and all the surrounding sea, Parque Nacional Marinho de Fernando de Noronha contains most of the archipelago's must…

Instituto de Arte Contemporânea Inhotim

Belo Horizonte

The world's largest open-air contemporary art museum, and greater Belo Horizonte's standout attraction, this sprawling, world-class complex of gardens…

Edifício Copan

Copan was designed by late modernist master Oscar Niemeyer. The building, with its serpentine facade and narrow brises soleil (permanent sunshades), is…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Best Things to Do

Whether you prefer magnificent nature or exciting cities, Brazil has an experience lined up for you. Here’s our guide to the top things to do in Brazil.

Things to Know

Visiting a community to better understand the lives of the people who live there – that's the sort of positive impact tourism is supposed to have. 

Transportation

Find your way around in Brazil with this guide to the country's transportation.

Visa Requirements

Brazil offers different visas depending on the purpose of travel and country of origin. Here’s everything you need to know about getting a visa for Brazil.

Money and Costs

Everything you need to know to make your money go further in Brazil.

Traveling with Kids

With top tips on safety and places to go, find the perfect activities for all age groups on your family trip to Brazil.

Best Road Trips

From coastal drives to winding mountain roads, getting behind the wheel in Brazil opens up a world of natural wonders. Here are Brazil's best road trips.

Plan with a local

Experience the real Brazil

Let a local expert craft your dream trip.

Latest stories from Brazil

Filter by interest:

• All Interests
• Adventure Travel
• Art & Culture
• Beaches, Coasts & Islands
• Food & Drink

Tips & Advice

Mar 1, 2024 • 9 min read

Don't get overwhelmed by the scale of Brazil – get organized! Here are our top 10 favorite places to visit in this South American sensation.

Dec 2, 2023 • 6 min read

Nov 9, 2023 • 4 min read

Nov 8, 2023 • 5 min read

Oct 7, 2023 • 7 min read

Oct 6, 2023 • 4 min read

Sep 28, 2023 • 12 min read

Sep 28, 2023 • 3 min read

Sep 20, 2023 • 9 min read

Mar 15, 2023 • 6 min read

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Brazil

Brazil and beyond.

10 Days in Brazil: The Perfect Brazil Itinerary

Ready to spend the perfect 10 days in Brazil? Plan your dream trip, charting vibrant cities, beaches, and national parks along the way. 

It’s been more years than I care to admit since my first visit to South America . But my experiences in Brazil as a young traveller helped lay the groundwork for my career and everything I love about travel. 

Stepping off the plane and into the endless multicultural neighbourhoods in São Paulo or seeing the skies turn deep shades of red and orange behind Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro from Sugarloaf Mountain are experiences I’ll never forget.

But the country also offers abundant wildlife and natural beauty, like the world’s largest waterfalls at Iguaçu and unspoiled white sand beaches in Ilha Grande, which you have to add to any Brazil Itinerary.

I know how hard it is to strike a perfect balance when planning a trip – especially to a country as large as Brazil. No worries – this itinerary will help you enjoy the natural beauty and urban charm of this spectacular country. Let’s go! 

10 Days in Brazil Itinerary 

Days 1-2: são paulo  .

Sometimes visiting large cities can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you only have a couple of days. But São Paulo stimulates the senses in the best possible ways with its action-packed nightlife, rich cultural and artistic traditions, and diverse neighbourhoods.

Keep your eyes open for street art in Little Italy, the twin spires at the neo-Gothic São Paulo Metropolitan Cathedral, and the beautiful art installations and architecture in Ibirapuera Park. 

I won’t lie, you’re not going to see everything São Paulo offers in 2 days. It’s a city of 22 million people covering over 1425 square km (550 square miles) with cultural landmarks dating back to the 16th century.  

But you’ll cover some of my favourite spots in the city, and I promise you’ll leave wanting to come back.   

Things to Do in São Paulo   

Head to ibirapuera park .

Sauntering through the lush and verdant expanse of the Parque do Ibirapuera, it’s difficult to believe you’re in the midst of one of Brazil’s busiest cities. Built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of São Paulo, it was designed by the world-famous architect Oscar Niemeyer and landscape artist Roberto Burle Marx. 

That’s great and all, but it’s the tranquillity that really draws in the crowds – well, that and the cultural institutions housed within the park’s borders. The Museum of Modern Art, the Afro Brazil Museum and the Oca exhibition space are all situated within the park. Plan to spend at least half a day in them and the park itself. 

See the Street Art in Batman’s Alley

Beco do Batman got its name back in the 1980s when the now graffiti-covered walls first featured drawings of the famed comic book character. It’s a long 3 blocks in Vila Madalena celebrating the street art, local culture, and expressing political views, and a must-see on your visit.

Bixiga (Bela Vista) is another excellent neighbourhood for street art, especially on Avenida Paulista. You can take a taxi in about 20 minutes from one area to another.

Marvel at the Catedral da Sé de São Paulo

São Paulo’s cathedral is a wondrous neo-gothic affair – and visiting doubles up as a peek into the city’s history. Officially named the Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo, it was completed in 1954. 

The exterior is nothing short of stunning – a complex tapestry of intricate carvings with two statuesque towers. The interior is no less impressive: large enough to house up to 8,000 people, its stained glass windows are some of the largest in Brazil. 

Be sure to head into the crypt to see the resting place of historical figures such as the indigenous chief Tibiriçá. 

Visit the Museum of Art of São Paulo

If you want to discover the finest collection of Western paintings and sculptures (with some excellent Brazilian artwork as well) visit this gorgeous museum designed by Lina Bo Bardi. Even the facade is worth stopping by to admire. It features large red pillars holding up the long, glass and concrete building.

Inside, you’ll find works by Van Gogh, Monet, and Cézanne, among 8,000 others, in the enormous collection.  ​​

Party it Up at Night 

I’m not going to lie, the nightlife in São Paulo is popping – so it would be a shame to spend time in the city and not make the most of one of the most vibrant after-dark scenes on the whole continent. From chic cocktail bars to pulsating nightclubs, it’s the perfect playground for your nocturnal adventures. 

Love classic cocktails? Head to Frank Bar. Named after none other than Frank Sinatra, it oozes with old-school charm – a charm that extends to the expertly-made drinks served with a creative twist. 

More of a clubber? D-Edge is a cool spot with cutting-edge electronic music and a futuristic design. Add to that a state-of-the-art sound system and a roster of well-known international DJs and you can see why it’s a winner. 

Shop and Eat at a Market

You can find some incredible street markets in São Paulo, showing rich Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American heritage through food, gifts, and clothing items. Mercado Municipal and Japan Town’s Liberdade Market are 2 of the best. 

If you can only hit up 1 of the markets, Mercadão is the most famous, and it’s in a gorgeous building with vaulted glass ceilings home to around 300 stalls.

Getting to São Paulo  

You can fly into Aeropuerto Internacional de São Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU) from locations across the world. Then, take a taxi to most hotels downtown for £18 to £26 ($20 to $30). 

Suggested Stay 

H4 La Residence Paulista offers casual but comfortable accommodations in Jardins, near many of the top attractions on your itinerary. Enjoy the on-site breakfast, outdoor pool, and fitness centre between sightseeing.

Check Prices and Availability for H4 La Residence Paulista on Booking.com Alternatively, Check All Accommodation in São Paulo on Booking.com

Days 3-4: Iguaçu Falls  

If you’re flying to South America , few places boast the stunning natural beauty of Iguaçu Falls. Spanning not 1 but 2 countries ( Argentina and Brazil), it’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls you’ll ever see.

What if I told you that Iguaçu Falls are twice as big as Niagara Falls… facts. The towering rapids feature a ridiculous 275 different falls, with the iconic Devil’s Throat featuring a jaw-dropping 80-metre fall (262 feet).

Hiking, sightseeing, and photography are all musts during your time here. 

Things to Do in Iguaçu Falls  

Take a boat ride under devil’s throat.

The 150-metre (490-foot) wide Devil’s Throat is one of the highlights of any trip to Iguaçu Falls, But a boat ride underneath the gushing waterfalls offers an up-close glance like no other. 

Getting There

Get off at the first bus stop in Iguaçu Falls Park, and take a safari boat tour to experience the insane flow rate that reaches over 12,500 cubic metres per second. 

Hike on the Brazilian Side of the Falls

If I told you that 80% of the waterfalls were on the Argentina side, you might think the one hike through Brazil isn’t worth it. Wrong. Brazil’s side of Iguaçu offers first-rate views of many of the waterfalls, including Devil’s Throat.

You get the best views of the waterfalls from across the border in Brazil on this easy-to-manage 2-mile round trip hike .

Nature Hike in Iguazú Falls National Park

On day 2, cross the border to Argentina and visit the other section of Iguazú Falls National Park.

You can choose from 6 trails, but I think this moderate trek is the best. You’ll get excellent views of some of the 2.7 km (1.7 miles) of waterfalls and chances to see monkeys, jaguars, and hundreds of birds in the park.

Dinner at Empório com Arte

One of the best restaurants in the bustling tourist town of Foz do Iguaçu is Empório com Arte, which offers excellent Brazilian fare in a rustic but fashionable space.

Order a caipirinha and try vegan or meat-filled pastries like the delicious Coxinhas (similar to croquettes).

Getting to Iguaçu Falls 

Most visitors find it easy to get to the park, with an international airport and convenient bus system connecting the 2 areas. 

Fly from São Paulo to Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) in a little under 2 hours. Once you land, it’s only 12 km (7 miles) to Foz do Iguacu, where you can find plenty of accommodation options.

From there, you can take a bus, taxi, or private tour to either side of the park.

I recommend splurging on a taxi or private transfer as they run from around £50 to £100 ($60 to $125) round trip and can save you hours.

Stay at Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel in Iguaçu National Park, which offers 5-star accommodation just minutes from the Brazil side of the park.

The rooms are as nice as you’ll find near the falls, and the hotel shuttle conveniently gets you to the bus station for either side of the park.

Check Prices and Availability for Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel, on Booking.com Alternatively, Check All Accommodation in Iguaçu Falls on Booking.com

Days 5-7: Rio de Janeiro 

When it comes to Rio de Janeiro , what’s not to love? The thriving city between the Atlantic Ocean and tree-lined cliffs like Tijuca Peak and Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the greatest vacation destinations in the world.

You’ll see famous landmarks like the 30-metre (98-foot) Christ the Redeemer statue up on Corcovado Mountain and hidden gems like the dark orange sands and mountain vistas from the beach of Praia Vermelha.

Of course, you can’t leave Rio without experiencing the party. So take time to explore the nightlife in Lapa and dance the samba until the sun comes up at Rio Scenarium. Trust me.

Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro 

Take a cable car up sugarloaf mountain .

The short ride up the 391-metre (1,283 foot) peak in Rio de Janeiro isn’t cheap at R$160 (£24), but you won’t find better panoramic views of Guanabara Bay, Downtown Rio, and Christ the Redeemer Statue anywhere. If you can visit around sunset, you’ll get the best views of the statue.

Walk a few blocks west from Praia Vermelha, one of my favourite beaches in the city.

See the Escadaria Selarón

Visit Escadaria Selarón to see how Artist Jorge Selarón turned what was a rather plain staircase in the Lapus and Saint Teresa neighbourhoods districts in Rio de Janeiro into the iconic 710 metre (2,330-foot) Escadaria Selarón using the colours of Brazil’s flag. It’s stunning.

Do the stairs look familiar? They featured in the classic Snoop Dogg video for Beautiful with Pharell Williams and Mr Charlie Wilson. 

Soak Up the Nightlife in Lapa

Lapa makes a strong case as the best place to grab a cocktail, watch a live concert, or dance to Samba in the country. Go to my favourite spot, Rio Scenarium , and dance until the sun rises while listening to the iconic Samba music.

Sunbathing on Ipanema Beach

Grab some upscale beachwear at Forum de Ipanema before laying out on the sand and sun tanning or taking surf lessons at this beautiful stretch of beach made famous by “The Girl from Ipanema,” from ​​Bossa Nova legend João Gilberto.

Try Feijoada at Bar do Mineiro 

Looking to try the national dish of Brazil? ​​Bar do Mineiro in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most popular places to taste it. 

For over 30 years, hungry locals and tourists have enjoyed the Brazilian specialty in a small but lively setting in the Santa Teresa district. It’s a fun place to have a cocktail and see what all the fuss is about with the slow-cooked black beans, pork, and beef at the local stand by.

Getting to Rio de Janeiro 

Getting to Rio de Janeiro from Iguazú Falls is a breeze. Fly into Galeão International Airport (GIG) from Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) in about 2 hours, and take a taxi to your hotel, which usually takes around 30-45 minutes.

Stay at Arena Ipanema Hotel , which features an outdoor pool and restaurant with rooftop views just steps from the iconic Ipanema Beach.

Check Prices and Availability for Arena Ipanema Hotel on Booking.com Alternatively, Check All Accommodations in Rio de Janeiro on Booking.com

Days 8-10: Paraty and Ilha Grande 

Paraty is the coastal village that many tourists use as a hub when visiting Ilha Grande, but it’s a cool destination in its own right. Picture  a stunning colonial town with clear (and often tragic) influences from its time as part of the Caminho do Ouro, or Gold Route to Europe and you’re on the right track. 

You’ll find whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets along the 18th-century town on the Atlantic coast alongside great restaurants and bars like the popular Refúgio Restaurante offering inexpensive (and delicious) caipirinhas.

But the UNESCO Site of Ilha Grande is literally a tropical paradise, which is saying a lot, considering that Brazil is home to the Amazon Rainforest, Iguaçu Falls, and over 2,000 official beaches. 

You’ll discover secret stretches of coastline tucked away in places like Parnaioca Beach or Lopes Mendes Beach, where the warm, clear waters and white sands are enough to make you never want to leave.

But there is more to do here than swim and sunbathe (not that I think you need many other reasons to visit). The hiking trails will appeal to nearly any outdoor adventurer, with gems like Parrot Peak offering a bird’s eye view (hehe) of the tropical paradise below.

Things to Do in Ilha Grande 

Hang out in paraty.

Paraty is now one of the most beautiful areas in Brazil, with idyllic shores like Vermelha Beach that offer kayaking, swimming, and surfing. Explore the Centro Historico neighbourhood or take a swim in the tranquil pools below the Cachoeira da Pedra Branca waterfalls before heading to Ilha Grande.

Hike to the Top of Parrot Peak

One of my favourite hiking trails in Brazil, this 6-mile out-and-back trail offers incredible panoramic views of the quiet beaches and lush forests that make up the island.

If you can muster up the energy and have a good torch, hike up to the top for the best sunrise views.

Soak Up the Sun on Lopes Mendes Beach

There are many, many great beaches on Ilha Grande (around 100), but Lopes Mendes is the one that put this island on the map. Regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world, the secret is out on the calm blue-green waters and white sands framed by rolling green hills and coconut trees.

Diving at Sitio Forte

Scuba divers will want to pack their gear for Sitio Forte, where you can check out tropical fish, sea horses, and the Navio Pingüino shipwreck off the coast of Ilha Grande.

Getting to Ilha Grande 

Ilha Grande is about 150 km (93 miles) from Rio de Janeiro. Head to Angra dos Reis by bus or taxi and take a ferry to Ilha Grande, which takes around 30 minutes.

Located on Praia Vermelha beach, Pousada e Mergulho Dolce Vita is a chill spot that’s ideal for travellers who want low-maintenance beachside accommodations at a reasonable price.

Opt for a sea view suite, where you can overlook the Atlantic Ocean from a private patio on your hammock between adventures.

Check Prices and Availability for Pousada e Mergulho Dolce Vita on Booking.com Alternatively, Check All Accommodations in Ilha Grande on Booking.com

Have More Time? Add These To Your Itinerary 

If you can expand your Brazil itinerary past 10 days, by all means, do it. There are so many cool places you can add as a day trip or overnight if you have enough vacation time saved up.

Want a couple of my favourites? For starters, Salvador is one of the coolest cities anywhere in South America.

The Afro-Brazilian shops and restaurants and Capoeira performances in the parks in neighbourhoods like Pelourinho are great places to see the unique culture of Bahia, Brazil.

But if you’d rather spend your time chilling on the beach, explore Northern Brazil. The coastal sand dunes in Natal and crystal clear waters at Ipioca Beach and Praia do Gunga near Maceió are welcome additions to your Brazil itinerary.

If you have more than a few extra days, Pantanal is a must. The Amazon Rainforest may get more acclaim than this large national park on the border of Bolivia and Paraguay. However, exploring the lush wetland forests and rivers in Pantanal gives you the best chances to see wildlife like crocodiles and jaguars.

Handy Tips for Planning Your 10 Days in Brazil 

What to pack.

No matter when you visit, most of the spots in this Brazil travel planner are warm year-round. As such, you’ll want to pack beachwear, some nice dresses, slacks, lightweight shirts, and comfortable footwear like these everyday walking shoes .

Also, pack anti-insect sleepwear , bug spray, and hiking trainers for the national parks. You can get around most places with a daypack , you may want an anti-theft backpack for the busier areas.

Best Time to Visit 

What’s the best time for this Brazil itinerary? September and October are my favourite because you’ll have the best wildlife viewing opportunities at Pantanal, and the crowds are smaller in the cities and at Iguaçu Falls.

But I can’t blame you if you want to go to Carnival in February, when you’ll still enjoy warm weather and a great time everywhere on this list.  

Getting Around 

As I touched on for each destination, flying into the nearest city and taking a taxi or guided tour is the best way to get around Brazil.

I’ve never had too much trouble, but some areas experience higher crime levels, so it’s always best to avoid walking late at night or taking public transportation in unfamiliar areas.

Brazil Itinerary – Map 

Read More Brazil Guides

• The Insider’s Brazil Travel Guide
• The Best Things to do in Brazil
• Famous Landmarks in Brazil You Need to See

Love This? Save and Share on Pinterest

I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

Related Posts

18 Famous Landmarks in Brazil You Need To See to Believe

The Best Things to do in Rio de Janeiro

19 Incredible Things to Do in Brazil 

A Perfect Weekend in Rio de Janeiro: An Epic 2 Days in Rio Itinerary

Follow me on Instagram for travel inspiration, tips, and guides.

3 Weeks In Brazil Itinerary

DISCLAIMER: This post might have links to travel services and products that we enjoy. We might make a commission from it at no extra cost to you.

I wasn’t originally going to Brazil. I was coming from Europe and wanted to see Peru or Colombia. But the most affordable flight that I could find with fewer connections was direct to Brazil from Europe. I mean, I know what Brazil is known for, but for some reason, it wasn’t on my top list.

That changed, though, after I realised that I would land in Fortaleza (northern region) and I could go to the local’s favourite destination called Jericoacoara. Instead of just doing a layover, I decided to stay for a few days.

That was in 2018. I loved it so much that a few years passed, and I finally decided to come back and dedicate a 3-week trip to Brazil. This itinerary will help you plan where to go around Brazil, the cost, how to get around, what to see, and even what to eat.

Brazil is the largest country both in the south and Latin America. It is also the fifth-largest country by area and the sixth-most populous country in the world. Since it is a large country, it has four time zones.

It is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language. In this itinerary of 3 weeks in Brazil, I will take you to stunning beaches, delicious local dishes, and of course – the Amazon River.

Brazilians are well known for their love of football. If you are familiar with the World Cup, FIFA 2014 was held in Brazil. They also currently have the most wins in FIFA. Aside from their love of the sport, Brazil is also known to have the largest carnival in the world.

These reasons alone are enough to start planning a trip to Brazil but don’t worry because there are still a billion other things to see and experience in this country.

Brazil is also the world’s largest exporter of coffee a perfect destination for all the coffee lovers out there. These don’t even cover half of the sights, sceneries, and activities that you could do here.

There’s no denying that Brazil is a popular destination. If you have 3 weeks in South America and want to maximise your time, make sure to include Brazil.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING BRAZIL

Here is some basic yet important information that you must know before planning a trip or booking anything. It covers when to go, transportation, visa, and more:

Best time to go to Brazil

Brazil has four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Because it is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are the other way around here.

Summer lasts from December to March and is the busiest time to visit Brazil as there are tons of activities you could do. This includes island hopping, surfing, spending time on the beach, and even visiting the Amazon River. You can also visit botanical gardens, go paddleboarding, watch the sunset or go to the Iguazu Falls.

The shoulder seasons in Brazil are typically April to June and August to October. These periods are considered the best times to visit due to milder weather and fewer tourists compared to the peak season.

During these months, the temperatures are more comfortable, especially in northern regions like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, where summer can be particularly hot. Additionally, prices for accommodation and travel are often lower.

The rainy season in Brazil varies by region but generally occurs from December to March, particularly in the southern and southeastern parts of the country. It’s advisable to avoid this season for holidays due to frequent heavy rainfall, which can lead to flooding, transportation delays, and hinder outdoor activities.

In the Amazon, the wet season extends from December to May, causing river levels to rise significantly, which can restrict access to certain areas and activities.

Getting around

Metro and subway are the most common mode of transportation around the city, you may also use Uber to get around. There are airports in almost every major city around Brazil for domestic flying.

Due to the size of the country, the cost varies but is still affordable. For example, the Rio to Brasilia flight ticket costs $30 to $100 for one way.

• Fastest: Domestic flights are the quickest way to travel between major cities and long distances due to Brazil’s vast size.
• Most Affordable: Buses are the most economical option for intercity travel. They are extensive and can reach most destinations across the country.
• Around the City: Metro systems in major cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are efficient for urban travel. Buses are also widely available and cover extensive routes.
• Ride-Hailing Apps: Uber, 99 (formerly 99Taxis), and Cabify operate in many cities, offering convenient options for getting around. They are often preferred for their ease of use and safety features compared to traditional taxis.

RELATED POST: 3 weeks in Central America

Are 3 weeks enough for Brazil

20 days in not much for a country of this size. However, if you know where you want to go and what you want to see, it can help you maximise your time. Every region offers various experiences, so drill down on what you want to experience first.

There are so many places to see, and transportation can take longer if you travel by land. Best if you choose around 4-5 cities to cover and pick the ones not too far from one another or have a direct bus or air travel route.

Another thing to consider is your mode of transportation. Taking the bus might be more affordable, but it’s slow and will take up a lot of your time.

Average cost of 20 days in Brazil

Budget travellers can expect to spend around $1,200 – $1,800 for three weeks . This involves staying in hostels or budget accommodations, eating at local eateries, using public transportation, and focusing on free or low-cost attractions.

For a comfortable experience, a mid-range budget is between $2,000 – $3,000 . This allows for stays in 3-star hotels, dining in a mix of budget and mid-range restaurants, participating in some guided tours, and occasionally using taxis or renting a car for convenience.

For a luxurious experience, plan to spend upwards of $5,000 – $7,000 or even more. This includes staying in 5-star hotels or resorts, dining at high-end restaurants, taking private tours, and using comfortable and convenient transportation options.

Visas for tourists in Brazil are pretty easy; they used to require a visa, but have updated that since. Now, nationalities from all of America, Europe, Oceania, and some places in Southeast Asia are free of visas for 90 days.

Travellers from most of Africa, South Asia, and some East and Central Asia must apply for a visa before arrival in Brazil.

Other basic travel tips

These are the sites and travel tools I use whenever I’m travelling anywhere in the world. These services are quite flexible, offering free or reduced prices if you need to cancel for whatever reason.

I recommend you book your accommodation and flight in advance though because the prices rise up as the dates come closer.

PINNED MAP OF THE MUST-SEE PLACES IN BRAZIL

Click the icon on the top right to enlarge the map. Credit: Map data: Google

3 WEEKS IN BRAZIL ITINERARY

Brazil is among the world’s most biodiverse countries with around 4 million plant and animal species. The country’s highest mountain wasn’t discovered until 1950 because it is almost always shrouded by clouds.

This is a great destination for those who want to explore South America’s nature and wildlife. However, planning is important because getting from one place to another can be tricky.

This itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors to Brazil. You don’t have to follow this plan religiously. You can choose bits and pieces and fill out the gaps depending on what you want to see and do.

Day-to-day overview

• Day 1 : Arrive in Rio de Janeiro, travel from the airport to your hotel bus or a private transfer , catch up with sleep and maybe get a local sim card with data
• Day 2-3: Explore Rio’s top attractions and check out the Ipanema beach
• Day 4: Day trip to Paraty/Ilha Grande or Angra dos Resis
• Day 5 : Go paragliding or hang gliding
• Day 6 : Get to Sao Paulo from Rio by bus , 6-7 hour trip
• Day 7 : Explore Sao Paulo
• Day 8 : Travel from Sao Paulo to Brasilia, book a 1 hour and 45-minute flight , the drive is over 12 hours
• Day 9-10 : Discover Brasilia
• Day 11: Travel from Brasilia to Manaus to reach the Amazon River/Forest, there’s a direct 3-hour flight
• Day 12-15 : Cruise along the Amazon River and stay in a lodge
• Day 16-18 : Chase waterfalls and explore the caves, go piranha fishing and spot alligators
• Day 19 : Explore Manaus town proper or travel from Manaus to your city of departure
• Day 20 : Board your flight home or to your next destination

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo for 8 days

To simplify, Sao Paulo is like a business hub of Brazil so it’s perfect for those who prefer tourist spots with a modern vibe while Rio de Janeiro has a more laid-back vibe

Rio is a great place to start since many flights will land here. From Rio, you can pretty much get anywhere in Brazil, whether by plane or land.

Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities that don’t need any introduction. It is popular for its chill and relaxing vibe filled with people who are enjoying a suntan, surfing, football on the beach, and other water activities.

For the ultimate experience, you could actually stay in both places. In terms of food, Sao Paulo is what you can call a gastronomical spot as this business district has attracted immigrants all throughout the years while Rio de Janeiro is more well-known for its beautiful scenery.

What to do in Rio de Janeiro

• Christ the Redeemer – get your ticket and cog train ticket
• Copacabana Beach
• Rocinha Favela – you can join a walking tour
• Tijuca National Park
• Angra dos Resi boat trip
• Sugarloaf Mountain – buy a ticket
• Stroll around Ipanema
• Don’t miss the annual Carnival – get a ticket
• Jardim Botanico
• Fly with hang gliding experience over the city
• Santa Tereza and Escadaria Selaron
• Enjoy an exhilarating helicopter tour over the city
• Combo tour – Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, and Selaron Stairs with BBQ lunch or without BBQ but with sunset
• Day trip to Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis – check the tour price

Where to stay in Rio

• Affordable: Rio Way Beach or Maracana Hostel Vila Isabel or Hostel Estacao Maracana
• Mid-range: Venit Barra Hotel or REF House or Vila Gale
• Luxury: Radisson Hotel and Resort or Venit Mio Hotel or Ritz Copacabana Hotel

Sao Paulo is the capital of the largest state of Brazil. It has numerous cultural institutions and a rich architectural heritage. And since Brazilians are well known for their love of football, they have their own football club called Corinthians. They also hosted the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

You can travel from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo via bus, plane, rideshare, or by driving a car. If you want the fastest route, then flying is recommended. It will take 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach your destination.

Meanwhile, if you prefer the cheapest option, then riding a bus is your best bet, but it would take a longer time to reach Sao Paulo, around 6 hours and 15 minutes.

What to do in Sao Paulo

• Museu de Arte
• Museo de Futbol
• Se Cathedral / Sao Paulo Cathedral
• Sao Paulo city tour
• Avenida Paulista – high street
• Parque do Ibirapuera
• Join historical bike tour
• Beco do Batman – graffiti street
• Explore Santos, Sao Vicenta, and Guaruja
• Mosterio de Sao Bento
• Exciting 20-minute helicopter over the city tour

Where to stay in Sao Paulo

• Affordable: Lamparina Hostel or O de Casa Hostel or Hostel Ipe
• Mid-range: Nikkey Palace Hotel or Paulista Suites or Hotel Itamarati
• Luxury: INNSide by Melia or Hotel Transamerica Berrini or Cozzy Suites Paraiso Hotel or Radisson Pinheiros

Brasilia for 3 days

After the 9-day stay in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, next in our 3 weeks in Brazil. We are now heading to the capital city of the country. The flight from Rio or Sao Paulo to Brasilia is less than 2 hours. There are many flights throughout the day.

Brasilia was chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its modern architecture. There are also interesting cultural institutions like museums, galleries, and theatres. But what I liked the most about stopping in Brasilia is because it’s not as touristy as Rio or Sao Paulo.

I was able to take a bit of a break from a busy itinerary . I walked around downtown and visited cafes where I could process my first week in Brazil. But at the same time, since I’m heading north, this is a great stop while chopping a long flight into two.

It has a tropical savanna climate with two distinct seasons. The rainy season lasts from October to April, and the dry season is from May to September.

What to do in Brasilia

• Praça dos Tràs Poderes
• Palacio dos Arcos
• Catedral Metropoletana Nossa Senhora Aparecida
• Memorial JK
• Santuario dom Bosco
• Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge
• Congresso Nacional
• Parque Nacional de Brasilia
• Pontão do Lago Sul

Where to stay in Brasilia

• Affordable: KzaZendf Cama e Cafe Asa Sul or Hotel Diplomat or Joy Hostel & Suites
• Mid-range: Grand Mercure or Manhattan Plaza or St Paul Plaza Hotel
• Luxury: Melia Brasil 21 or Windsor Brasilia Hotel or B Hotel Brasilia or Brasilia 21 Convention

Amazon River/Forest for 7 days

One of the most amazing places in Brazil is the Amazon Rainforest. It is the world’s largest river and one of the fascinating things about it is the amount of biodiversity found in the area. There are around 16,000 tree species and 2.5 million insect species in the Amazon River.

Another i nteresting fact is that this rainforest is so large that if it were to become a country, it would be the 14th largest in the world. It’s even bigger than Mexico! With that being said, as there’s a lot to explore in the Amazon, you can stay here for 7 days during your 3 weeks in Brazil.

Amazon River Cruise

If you have 3 weeks in Brazil and going to the Amazon Forest, you must do a cruise. There are various types of river cruises that you could avail yourself of. The prices depend on the duration of your trip and the places on Amazon that you would explore.

They have the 4 days Amazon jungle adventure tour, Manaus to Santarem by riverboat, which lasts for 3 days, the Rio negro half-day expedition tour, and the Amazon adventure night tour, which lasts for 5 hours. Here are popular Amazon tours and accommodations:

• Anaconda Lodge Tour and Accommodation (2, 3, 4 days)
• Juma Floating Lodge Tour and Accommodation (2, 3, 4, 5 days)
• Juma River Guest House Tour and Accommodation – (3 or 4 days)
• Waterfalls and Caves Day Tour
• Manaus City Tour
• Piranha fishing and Alligator Watch Evening Tour

MUST-TRY BRAZILIAN FOOD AND DRINKS

During your visit to Brazil, make sure to stop and try some traditional drinks and food. You should be able to find these dishes in almost any restaurant across the country.

• Feijoada – Brazil’s national dish, a hearty stew of black beans with pork or beef, traditionally served with rice, collard greens, and orange slices.
• Moqueca – A flavorful fish stew made with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, and coriander, cooked slowly in a clay pot.
• Churrasco – Brazilian barbecue, featuring a variety of grilled meats often served with farofa (toasted cassava flour mixture) and vinaigrette salsa.
• Acarajé – Fried balls made from black-eyed peas and onions, stuffed with vatapá (spicy shrimp paste) and caruru (okra).
• Pão de Queijo – Cheese bread made from cassava flour and cheese, warm and gooey from the oven.
• Coxinha – A popular snack of chicken wrapped in dough shaped like a teardrop, then breaded and fried.
• Pastel – Thin-crust pies filled with a variety of fillings such as cheese, meat, or seafood, fried until crispy.
• Bobó de Camarão – A shrimp dish made with cassava, coconut milk, and dendê oil, resembling a thick, flavorful stew.
• Pamonha – made from boiled sweet corn and coconut milk, is sometimes compared to tamales but it’s quite different.
• Brigadeiro – A small, chocolate ball coated in chocolate sprinkles, made from condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate.
• Quindim – A glossy, yellow dessert made primarily from sugar, egg yolks, and ground coconut.
• Beijinho – Similar to brigadeiro, but made with coconut instead of chocolate, often topped with a clove.
• Caipirinha – Brazil’s national cocktail, made with cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar, and lime.
• Guaraná – A soft drink made from the guaraná fruit, very popular among Brazilians and known for its refreshing taste.
• Cachaça – A distilled spirit from sugarcane juice, often drunk straight or used in cocktails like the caipirinha.

SUMMARY OF 3 WEEKS IN BRAZIL

Aside from the famous landmarks and attractions, there are still a lot of hidden gems for you to discover during your three weeks in Brazil, as it has diverse landscapes spread out over a large landmass, both man-made and natural.

From the rainforests of the Amazon to the beaches of Rio and the urban architecture of Brasilia, you’ll definitely never run out of places to explore. Besides that, they even have a very eventful festival called Carnival, which lasts 5 days.

Most of the tourists love the Brazilians’ vibrance. The streets of Rio are filled with Brazilian samba and jazz music, making it seem like it’s a holiday all year round.

Another thing that you need to know about this country is that most people don’t speak English. That’s why it’s handy to be familiar with a couple of Portuguese phrases, especially the ones we usually use when communicating while travelling. Such as “how much is this”, “restaurant”, “airport”, and “thank you”.

They also have a lot of exotic fruits, that’s why their fruit juices taste amazing, so if you’re the type of traveller who doesn’t shy away from trying out new foods or drinks then these fruits and drinks are highly recommended.

I hope that you found this travel guide for 3 weeks in Brazil helpful in writing or creating your own holiday itinerary . If you have any questions, leave us a comment below.

SAVE THIS ITINERARY ON YOUR PINTEREST:

A Field Guides Birding Tours Report

Nowhere but northeast brazil ii 2022, march 11-28, 2022 with bret whitney & marcelo barreiros guiding.

WOW, was it ever great to be back on tour and seeing lots of great birds in Brazil! The last tour that Marcelo and I had guided was the January-February 2020 “Nowhere but Northeast Brazil” tour, which ended just as the global pandemic started. Even this year, 2022, started rocky, as we had had to move both the Northeast and Bahia Birding Bonanza tours from their planned Jan-Feb start dates to March-April. Along with that timing shift, late 2021 and early 2022 proved to be atypical for weather, with persistent rains starting in November, 4-6 weeks ahead of normal, thence becoming increasingly heavy and widespread, causing rupture of dams and landslides in some regions of the interior. Fortunately, our tour route and birding progress were not interrupted, but it was clear that this unusual commencement of the rains had stimulated many species of birds to breed abnormally early, such that song activity and response to playback were subdued for most species, held steady for a few others, by tour time. Now, fasten your seat-belts and get ready for an exciting trip report!

For the first time in something like 15 years (Bret has been guiding the Northeast Brazil tour since its inception, in 1993!), we opened our program with a two-day pre-tour extension to the Fernando de Noronha islands some 375 kilometers out in the tropical Atlantic. This small archipelago of ancient, volcanic peaks jutting out of the ocean depths is not only scenically spectacular, but is also a critically important, carefully protected haven for marine life, ranging from endemic invertebrates to several species of beach-nesting turtles to dolphins and whales, and including a fabulous assemblage of birds. Pictures are indeed worth at least a thousand words, and video more than twice that amount, so we’ll direct you to check out the imagery embedded in this triplist, below, and a more extended coverage of the Fernando de Noronha experience in a forthcoming episode of OutBirding with Field Guides that Bret will produce.

On 12 March, our tour group assembled at a gorgeous, beach-front hotel in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, and birding got underway that first warm, tropical afternoon at a nearby forest patch. I tell you, just stepping out of the vans with our binoc’s on, walking along a road bordering the forest and a sugarcane field, we all felt the happiness and excitement of finally being in the field and seeing new birds in the company of like-spirited companions. Our group of 11 birders and two guides soon grew to be an exceptionally well-bonded, considerate bunch, which made this tour all the more fun for everyone. We made sure to get to bed early, as Brazil has now done away with Daylight Savings Time, and consequently the next days would see us up for very early breakfasts and important mornings of birding in some of the most significant forest remnants of the Pernambuco Center of Endemism. Birding was highly rewarding as we racked up several rarities, including White-collared Kite (perched and flying right overhead!), Golden-tailed Parrotlet (several perched very low and close), Jandaya Parakeet, Long-tailed Woodnymph, Alagoas Tyrannulet, Pinto’s Spinetail, Willis’s and Scalloped antbirds, and Black-cheeked Gnateater. Also, the local mayor’s office and municipal cohort came up to the Frei Caneca Reserve to receive us for a great picnic lunch, underscoring their appreciation of our regular visits to the area. We thanked them for continuing to protect this critically important reserve, and promised we would be back every year for many more to come!

Next on our route was a north-south traverse of the state of Ceara, farther up the coast from Pernambuco. Birding started in the mountains of the Serra de Baturite, a couple of hours or so south of the capital city of Fortaleza. Birding there, along open roads in a refreshingly cool, montane climate, we enjoyed fine views of the rare Gray-breasted Parakeet, Gould’s Toucanet (endemic subspecies baturitensis), Ochre-backed Woodpecker, Ochraceous Piculet, Buff-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Band-tailed Manakin, Ceara Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Black-capped Antwren, Ceara Gnateater, Gray-headed Spinetail, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, and our first, stunning Red-necked Tanagers. What a haul! As we descended the mountains to the south, heading for our first caatinga birding near Quixada, the greenery of the landscape was amazing! Those early and persistent rains had provided an unusual abundance of cover and food for birds, which conditions, however, made for more dispersed distribution of almost all species, instead of normal, drier weather that serves to concentrate birds near water sources. For one example, White-crested Guan was not to be found, save for a domesticated but free-ranging bird at our pousada surrounded by good guan habitat; the guans will probably have returned in force by tour time next year. On the other hand, Scarlet-throated Tanagers and Green-backed Becard, species usually absent from the driest caatinga, were present and vocal. Our first encounters with such great birds as Pygmy Nightjar (during the day, in their predictable place), Biscutate Swifts, Cactus Parakeets, Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Black-bellied Antwren, and Long-billed Wren were harbingers of more to come in the following days. In fact, by the time we had departed the state of Ceara and traveled south to the Rio Sao Francisco, there were very few caatinga birds still at large, and we had enjoyed terrific encounters with such iconic species as Buff-fronted Owl (Wow!), Great Xenops, Red-shouldered Spinetail, and both Greater and Lesser wagtail-tyrants.

Crossing the great Sao Francisco into the state of Bahia on a sunny morning, we made our way to the little town of Canudos, gateway to the extensive redrock canyonlands of the Raso da Catarina, world stronghold of Lear’s Macaws. An afternoon walk in an extensive patch of caatinga produced extraordinarily fine views of two often-difficult hummers, Broad-tipped Hermit and Long-billed Starthroat. The next morning, our (very!) early arrival at the macaws’ nesting cliffs was incredibly exciting. Seven-something billion people on the planet, and we were absolutely the only ones out there to witness the awakening of dozens of Lear’s Macaws. This unusually rainy period had been a boon for the macaws, producing lots of food (mainly licuri palm nuts), and the macaws appeared to be experiencing a highly successful nesting season. It was all-around happiness out there. As the sun hit the cliffs in front of us, there were brilliant blue macaws on all sides, many of which were perched atop the cliff faces or at the entrances to nest cavities in the redrock walls. We could see a couple of well-developed youngsters that would soon be taking their inaugural flights. Our visit was punctuated with the appearance of a Bat Falcon. The drive back to town was also quite memorable, and one of our vehicles was only 2-wheel drive, so had to keep up speed to avoid getting bogged down in patches of deep, silty, sand (check out the video, below)!

Two rare and declining antbirds – Pectoral Antwren and Fringe-backed Fire-eye -- were the next endemic species we hoped to find, and luck was with us as we had nice, close views of both of them. Then it was way out to the west, in interior northern Bahia, to scenic Chapada Diamantina National Park, where we birded a variety of habitats including “campo limpo” (flat grassland/savanna with no rocky outcrops) and “campo sujo” (shrubby savanna on rocky ground) cerrados, and also more humid forest enclaves. Among the many highlights in that region were Hooded Visorbearer, Horned Sungem, Gray-backed Tachuri, Rufous-sided Pygmy-Tyrant, Sincora Antwren, Diamantina Tapaculo, Collared Crescentchest, and Sao Francisco Sparrow. The final birding highlight of the tour came on the drive back to Salvador – a lone Greater Rhea right off the side of the highway allowed nice views as it foraged for (most likely) grasshoppers in a wide expanse of shrubby grassland.

Our tour ended in the old, colonial part of the city of Salvador, called Pelourinho. Whitney and Marcelo had returned to Salvador ahead of the rest of us, as they had to catch earlier flights home, and we were joined that evening by four folks who had come in for the new Bahia Birding Bonanza tour. All enjoyed a festive walk through Pelourinho, guided by our longtime local agent, Conor O’Sullivan (from County Cork, Ireland), to have dinner at a restaurant specializing in moquecas – coconut-milk stews of shrimp/fish, and vegetables with a west African flavor – with, for most folks, caipirinhas (if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry, we’ll fill you in when you come on the tour – or any tour to Brazil!).

Thanks so much to everyone in our jovial group for joining us for this productive run of our Nowhere but Northeast Brazil tour. Marcelo and I certainly had a lot of fun birding with you, and we look forward to doing it again, whenever the touring stars next align!

KEYS FOR THIS LIST One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Tinamidae (Tinamous)

SMALL-BILLED TINAMOU (Crypturellus parvirostris) [*]

TATAUPA TINAMOU (Crypturellus tataupa) [*]

RED-WINGED TINAMOU (Rhynchotus rufescens) [*]

Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)

WHITE-FACED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna viduata)

Seen well a few times along the roads.

BRAZILIAN TEAL (Amazonetta brasiliensis)

Nice looking birds while flying.

WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAIL (Anas bahamensis)

At least two birds seen near Petrolina.

Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows)

WHITE-BROWED GUAN (Penelope jacucaca)

A single one seen at Pedra dos Ventos hotel. That bird was release to nature to join the local population, spending the days around the hotel and going to roost in the woods.

Podicipedidae (Grebes)

LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus)

PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)

Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)

ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia)

SCALED PIGEON (Patagioenas speciosa)

A nice looking pigeon seen probably close to its nest near Tamandaré.

PICAZURO PIGEON (Patagioenas picazuro)

PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND DOVE (Columbina minuta)

RUDDY GROUND DOVE (Columbina talpacoti)

SCALED DOVE (Columbina squammata)

PICUI GROUND DOVE (Columbina picui)

A common bird in the Caatinga habitat.

BLUE GROUND DOVE (Claravis pretiosa)

Seen a couple of times.

WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi)

GRAY-FRONTED DOVE (Leptotila rufaxilla)

EARED DOVE (Zenaida auriculata)

EARED DOVE (Zenaida auriculata noronha)

The race "noronha" is another nice reason to visit the island.

Cuculidae (Cuckoos)

GUIRA CUCKOO (Guira guira)

GREATER ANI (Crotophaga major)

SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani)

STRIPED CUCKOO (Tapera naevia)

SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana)

DARK-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccyzus melacoryphus)

Great looks near Petrolina.

PEARLY-BREASTED CUCKOO (Coccyzus euleri)

Two birds seen very nicely on the Remanso Hotel entrance road.

Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)

LEAST NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles pusillus)

PYGMY NIGHTJAR (Nyctipolus hirundinaceus) [E]

This master of camouflage is always a highlight moment at Pedra dos Ventos hotel.

SCISSOR-TAILED NIGHTJAR (Hydropsalis torquata)

Nyctibiidae (Potoos)

COMMON POTOO (Nyctibius griseus)

A single bird flew over our heads near Crato.

Apodidae (Swifts)

WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT (Streptoprocne zonaris)

BISCUTATE SWIFT (Streptoprocne biscutata)

SICK'S SWIFT (Chaetura meridionalis)

FORK-TAILED PALM-SWIFT (Tachornis squamata)

Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

BLACK JACOBIN (Florisuga fusca) [E]

RUFOUS-BREASTED HERMIT (Glaucis hirsutus)

This one is now coming to the feeders at Frei Caneca reserve.

BROAD-TIPPED HERMIT (Anopetia gounellei) [E]

YEAH!! One of the most special birds on the tour seen a couple of times.

REDDISH HERMIT (Phaethornis ruber)

Tiny little bird seen buzzing around a few times.

PLANALTO HERMIT (Phaethornis pretrei)

A perched bird seen on our first morning at Serra de Baturité.

HOODED VISORBEARER (Augastes lumachella) [E]

What a bird!! A top 5 hummingbird in the country, for sure!! We had some fantastic looks at Pai Inácio mountain.

WHITE-VENTED VIOLETEAR (Colibri serrirostris)

HORNED SUNGEM (Heliactin bilophus)

This is not a common bird on this tour but this year we were very lucky.

BLACK-EARED FAIRY (Heliothryx auritus)

RUBY-TOPAZ HUMMINGBIRD (Chrysolampis mosquitus)

A full adult male seen foraging by the trail at Pedra dos Ventos hotel.

BLACK-THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax nigricollis)

STRIPE-BREASTED STARTHROAT (Heliomaster squamosus) [E]

Great bird! At least two males seen very nicely near Canudos.

AMETHYST WOODSTAR (Calliphlox amethystina)

An adult male seeing briefly near Mucugê.

GLITTERING-BELLIED EMERALD (Chlorostilbon lucidus)

SWALLOW-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Eupetomena macroura)

FORK-TAILED WOODNYMPH (Thalurania furcata)

LONG-TAILED WOODNYMPH (Thalurania watertonii) [E]

This bird has a tiny world range, only found in some remaining forests in Northeast Brazil. Luckily, there are some people working hard to save those birds. Now a days we can see it visiting the feeders in a few reserves.

VIOLET-CAPPED WOODNYMPH (Thalurania glaucopis)

SOMBRE HUMMINGBIRD (Aphantochroa cirrochloris) [E]

PLAIN-BELLIED EMERALD (Amazilia leucogaster)

VERSICOLORED EMERALD (Amazilia versicolor)

GLITTERING-THROATED EMERALD (Amazilia fimbriata)

Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)

BLACKISH RAIL (Pardirallus nigricans)

GRAY-COWLED WOOD-RAIL (Aramides cajaneus)

COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)

PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)

RUFOUS-SIDED CRAKE (Laterallus melanophaius)

A great moment in a marsh at Patrolina!! A pair of birds came out in the open for us for a few minutes.

Aramidae (Limpkin)

LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)

Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)

BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)

Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)

SOUTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus chilensis)

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus)

Jacanidae (Jacanas)

WATTLED JACANA (Jacana jacana)

Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)

WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus)

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)

SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)

SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria)

GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)

Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)

BROWN NODDY (Anous stolidus)

BLACK NODDY (Anous minutus)

WHITE TERN (ATLANTIC) (Gygis alba alba)

Beautiful bird to see and the island of F. de Noronha is the best place in the country to do it.

SOOTY TERN (Onychoprion fuscatus)

Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)

WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon lepturus)

RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon aethereus)

Tropicbirds are beautiful and elegant to look at, especially in flight.

Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens)

Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets)

MASKED BOOBY (Sula dactylatra)

BROWN BOOBY (Sula leucogaster)

RED-FOOTED BOOBY (Sula sula)

The most beautiful of the three species of booby seen during the F. de Noronha pre-tour.

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)

NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)

Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)

STRIPE-BACKED BITTERN (Ixobrychus involucris)

Another highlight of the tour! At least five birds seen well near Petrolina.

RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON (Tigrisoma lineatum)

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)

SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)

CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)

SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

GREEN IBIS (Mesembrinibis cayennensis)

BARE-FACED IBIS (Phimosus infuscatus)

Nice looks at Petrolina.

Cathartidae (New World Vultures)

KING VULTURE (Sarcoramphus papa)

BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)

TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)

LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (Cathartes burrovianus)

Common along the Caatinga habitat.

Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)

WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus)

WHITE-COLLARED KITE (Leptodon forbesi) [E]

One of the rarest raptors in the world, only found in Northeast Brazil. We were so lucky to get a perched bird in the scope and flying over our heads later. Congratulations, guys!!!

BLACK HAWK-EAGLE (Spizaetus tyrannus) [*]

SNAIL KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis)

CRANE HAWK (BANDED) (Geranospiza caerulescens gracilis)

SAVANNA HAWK (Buteogallus meridionalis)

Seen along the roads during our long driving periods.

ROADSIDE HAWK (Rupornis magnirostris)

HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus)

WHITE-TAILED HAWK (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)

BLACK-CHESTED BUZZARD-EAGLE (Geranoaetus melanoleucus)

GRAY-LINED HAWK (Buteo nitidus)

SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus)

ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus)

Strigidae (Owls)

TROPICAL SCREECH-OWL (Megascops choliba) [*]

FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium brasilianum) [*]

BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia)

BUFF-FRONTED OWL (Aegolius harrisii)

We did it again!!! Five years later, we've seen this rare owl one more time on the NE Brazil tour.

Trogonidae (Trogons)

GREEN-BACKED TROGON (Trogon viridis)

BLUE-CROWNED TROGON (Trogon curucui) [*]

Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)

RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquata)

AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona)

GREEN KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle americana)

Bucconidae (Puffbirds)

SPOT-BACKED PUFFBIRD (Nystalus maculatus)

Great bird seen well a few times.

Galbulidae (Jacamars)

RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbula ruficauda)

Ramphastidae (Toucans)

LETTERED ARACARI (Pteroglossus inscriptus) [*]

GOULD'S TOUCANET (Selenidera gouldii)

This isolated population (Selenidera gouldii baturitensis) is only found at Serra do Baturité mountain range and it's always great to see it.

Picidae (Woodpeckers)

GOLDEN-SPANGLED PICULET (PERNAMBUCO) (Picumnus exilis pernambucensis)

Seen in a mixed species flock.

GOLDEN-SPANGLED PICULET (BAHIA) (Picumnus exilis exilis)

SPOTTED PICULET (Picumnus pygmaeus)

Great looks at a pair of birds on our way to Catu.

OCHRACEOUS PICULET (Picumnus limae) [E]

Recently lumped with Tawny Piculet; both races showed nicely for us.

WHITE WOODPECKER (Melanerpes candidus)

Seen by a few people in our nice hotel at Tamandaré.

LITTLE WOODPECKER (Dryobates passerinus)

RED-STAINED WOODPECKER (Dryobates affinis)

LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus)

OCHRE-BACKED WOODPECKER (Celeus ochraceus) [E]

We saw a gorgeous male near Guaramiranga.

GREEN-BARRED WOODPECKER (Colaptes melanochloros)

Cariamidae (Seriemas)

RED-LEGGED SERIEMA (Cariama cristata) [*]

Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)

COLLARED FOREST-FALCON (Micrastur semitorquatus) [*]

SOUTHERN CARACARA (Caracara plancus)

YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA (Milvago chimachima)

LAUGHING FALCON (Herpetotheres cachinnans)

AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)

APLOMADO FALCON (Falco femoralis)

Nice views a couple of times.

BAT FALCON (Falco rufigularis)

Fantastic looks at the Lear's Macaw canyons.

PEREGRINE FALCON (TUNDRA) (Falco peregrinus tundrius)

One of first birds seen by the group on the first morning. A bird was seen sitting on a tower while eating a small bird.

Psittacidae (New World and African Parrots)

GOLDEN-TAILED PARROTLET (Touit surdus)

I'm sure we'll remember that moment for a long time. We heard the birds calling far away up on the hill, as we usually do, and four birds came down and landed right in front of us, responding the tape.

PLAIN PARAKEET (Brotogeris tirica) [*]

YELLOW-CHEVRONED PARAKEET (Brotogeris chiriri)

BLUE-HEADED PARROT (REICHENOW'S) (Pionus menstruus reichenowi) [E]

A nice looking parrot seen in the scope near Tamandaré. This race (reichenowi) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest.

ORANGE-WINGED PARROT (Amazona amazonica)

A group of 6 birds seen in a perfect light on the way to the Fringe-backed Fire-Eye area.

BLUE-WINGED PARROTLET (Forpus xanthopterygius)

Many good views during the tour.

MAROON-BELLIED PARAKEET (Pyrrhura frontalis) [*]

GRAY-BREASTED PARAKEET (Pyrrhura griseipectus) [E]

Thanks to a massive and very successful conservancy program, these birds are becoming easier to see every year all over the Serra do Baturité area. The area around our hotel has a good population now a days.

INDIGO MACAW (Anodorhynchus leari) [E]

In 1978, the scientists who made the rediscovery of this bird counted 41 birds in that area and, now, due to the hard work of scientists and the locals, the whole population is over 1700 birds. It's always a great moment to see those birds waking up, calling and flying through the canyons.

PEACH-FRONTED PARAKEET (Eupsittula aurea)

CACTUS PARAKEET (Eupsittula cactorum) [E]

A great Caatinga endemic.

JANDAYA PARAKEET (Aratinga jandaya)

Great bird and very nice moment in Tamandaré. We saw a family foraging close to us for several minutes.

BLUE-CROWNED PARAKEET (Thectocercus acuticaudatus)

RED-SHOULDERED MACAW (Diopsittaca nobilis)

Thamnophilidae (Typical Antbirds)

GREAT ANTSHRIKE (Taraba major)

It's always nice to see this big antbird.

SILVERY-CHEEKED ANTSHRIKE (Sakesphorus cristatus) [E]

Another great Caatinga endemic, this nice looking bird will soon belong to its own genus (Sakesphoroides).

BARRED ANTSHRIKE (CAATINGA) (Thamnophilus doliatus capistratus) [E]

This race, also endemic to the Caatinga, has spots instead of bars and a nice red eye in contrast with the black one of the other races.

RUFOUS-WINGED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus torquatus) [*]

PLANALTO SLATY-ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus pelzelni)

SOORETAMA SLATY-ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus ambiguus) [E]

VARIABLE ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus caerulescens cearensis) [E]

PLAIN ANTVIREO (Dysithamnus mentalis)

WHITE-FLANKED ANTWREN (SILVERY-FLANKED) (Myrmotherula axillaris luctuosa) [E]

A nice potential split seen well a few times.

STRIPE-BACKED ANTBIRD (Myrmorchilus strigilatus strigilatus) [E]

The Caatinga habitat has some great specialties and this is one of those, for sure.

CAATINGA ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus sellowi)

Great bird and great looks a few times during the tour. A bird only describe to science in the 90's.

BAHIA ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus pileatus) [E]

Easier to see on the Bahia Bonanza Tour; we saw it near Catu.

BLACK-CAPPED ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus atricapillus)

PECTORAL ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus pectoralis) [E]

A great bird to see, endemic to Northeast Brazil. This bird has lost a lot of habitat and now a days is only found in small fragments of natural forest.

RUFOUS-WINGED ANTWREN (NORTHERN) (Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus frater) [E]

Nice looks at Frei Caneca reserve.

WHITE-FRINGED ANTWREN (Formicivora grisea)

BLACK-BELLIED ANTWREN (Formicivora melanogaster)

Seen nicely a couple of times.

SINCORA ANTWREN (Formicivora grantsaui) [E]

YES!!! This is a main target for the tour, for sure. We saw it very well near Mucugê and the photographers became extremely happy!!

ORANGE-BELLIED ANTWREN (Terenura sicki) [E]

Another endemic for the Pernambuco Center of endemism seen at Frei Caneca reserve.

WILLIS'S ANTBIRD (Cercomacroides laeta sabinoi) [E]

The "sabinoi" race is only found in NE Brazil.

FRINGE-BACKED FIRE-EYE (Pyriglena atra) [E]

What a bird!! Every year we have a couple of hours to see this rare bird near Catu. This year was very, very good! A pair of birds came right next to the road and remained close to the group for a while.

SCALLOPED ANTBIRD (Myrmoderus ruficauda) [E]

With all the fragmentation and habitat loss in NE Brazil, this bird has become much harder to see through the years. We were very lucky to have had a pair of birds tossing leaves on the ground at Frei Caneca.

Melanopareiidae (Crescentchests)

COLLARED CRESCENTCHEST (Melanopareia torquata)

A special bird to see in Central and NE Brazil. Usually walking on the ground or jumping over the rocks, this nice looking bird goes to the short bushes to sing.

Conopophagidae (Gnateaters)

BLACK-CHEEKED GNATEATER (Conopophaga melanops nigrifrons) [E]

A female seen at Frei Caneca.

CEARA GNATEATER (Conopophaga cearae) [E]

A recent split from Rufous Gnateater, we had great looks near Guaramiranga.

Grallariidae (Antpittas)

WHITE-BROWED ANTPITTA (Hylopezus ochroleucus) [E]

A special bird and very special moment for all of us at Chapada do Araripe area.

Rhinocryptidae (Tapaculos)

DIAMANTINA TAPACULO (Scytalopus diamantinensis) [E]

Like a mouse walking through the roots, this little guy is another NE Brazil specialty. With a tiny range and restricted habitat, it's a pleasure to see it after 2 long years.

Formicariidae (Antthrushes)

RUFOUS-CAPPED ANTTHRUSH (Formicarius colma) [*]

SHORT-TAILED ANTTHRUSH (Chamaeza campanisona) [*]

Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers)

RUFOUS-BREASTED LEAFTOSSER (CEARA) (Sclerurus scansor cearensis) [E]

Fantastic looks near Guaramiranga.

OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (REISER'S) (Sittasomus griseicapillus reiseri) [E]

OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (OLIVACEOUS) (Sittasomus griseicapillus olivaceus)

PLAIN-WINGED WOODCREEPER (PERNAMBUCO) (Dendrocincla turdina taunayi) [E]

A hard bird to see now a days. We saw a single one flying over.

CEARA WOODCREEPER (Xiphorhynchus atlanticus) [E]

Another recent split.

BUFF-THROATED WOODCREEPER (BUFF-THROATED) (Xiphorhynchus guttatus guttatus) [*]

STRAIGHT-BILLED WOODCREEPER (Dendroplex picus)

RED-BILLED SCYTHEBILL (Campylorhamphus trochilirostris major)

Seen at Guaramiranga after many years on the tour.

NARROW-BILLED WOODCREEPER (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris)

PLAIN XENOPS (Xenops minutus)

WING-BANDED HORNERO (Furnarius figulus)

PALE-LEGGED HORNERO (Furnarius leucopus)

RUFOUS HORNERO (Furnarius rufus)

GREAT XENOPS (Megaxenops parnaguae) [E]

One of the main reasons for the birders come to NE Brazil. Great looks in the Chapada do Araripe.

RUFOUS-FRONTED THORNBIRD (RUFOUS-FRONTED) (Phacellodomus rufifrons rufifrons)

GREATER THORNBIRD (Phacellodomus ruber)

Nice bird seen at Petrolina.

GRAY-HEADED SPINETAIL (Cranioleuca semicinerea) [E]

Nice looking bird seen very well a few times on the tour.

CAATINGA CACHOLOTE (Pseudoseisura cristata) [E]

YELLOW-CHINNED SPINETAIL (Certhiaxis cinnamomeus)

OCHRE-CHEEKED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis scutata)

RED-SHOULDERED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis hellmayri) [E]

A big spinetail endemic to NE Brazil.

PINTO'S SPINETAIL (Synallaxis infuscata) [E]

SPIX'S SPINETAIL (Synallaxis spixi)

PALE-BREASTED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis albescens)

SOOTY-FRONTED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis frontalis)

Pipridae (Manakins)

PALE-BELLIED TYRANT-MANAKIN (Neopelma pallescens)

We had some great looks at Chapada do Araripe.

ARARIPE MANAKIN (Antilophia bokermanni) [E]

Maybe a "Top 3" bird for this tour, this one never disappoints! We saw 3 different birds, including a young one.

BLUE-BACKED MANAKIN (Chiroxiphia pareola)

WHITE-BEARDED MANAKIN (Manacus manacus)

BAND-TAILED MANAKIN (Pipra fasciicauda)

Male and female seen well at Serra do Baturité. This race is isolated in the northeast Brazil.

RED-HEADED MANAKIN (Ceratopipra rubrocapilla)

Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)

WHITE-NAPED XENOPSARIS (Xenopsaris albinucha)

A great bird, hard to see anywhere. This year, maybe because of the heavy rains before the tour, we saw it more than usual.

GREEN-BACKED BECARD (Pachyramphus viridis)

A nice looking Becard seen very well at Pedra dos Ventos hotel.

WHITE-WINGED BECARD (Pachyramphus polychopterus)

CRESTED BECARD (Pachyramphus validus)

Oxyruncidae (Sharpbill, Royal Flycatcher, and Allies)

BLACK-TAILED FLYCATCHER (BLACK-TAILED) (Myiobius atricaudus snethlagei) [E]

Another subspecies endemic to the Northeast Brazil, the "snethlagei" race is always nice to see.

Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

WHITE-THROATED SPADEBILL (Platyrinchus mystaceus)

ALAGOAS TYRANNULET (Phylloscartes ceciliae) [E]

Fantastic Northeast Brazil endemic! It was not easy to see (as usual!) but we saw two quiet birds foraging way up in the canopy.

PEARLY-VENTED TODY-TYRANT (Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer)

BUFF-BREASTED TODY-TYRANT (Hemitriccus mirandae) [E]

The Serra do Baturité mountain range has some special endemic birds and this is one of those. This little bird was seen a couple of times during our two days there.

OCHRE-FACED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Poecilotriccus plumbeiceps)

SMOKY-FRONTED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Poecilotriccus fumifrons)

Nice looks on the very first afternoon with the whole group.

COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum cinereum)

GRAY-CROWNED FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias poliocephalus)

YELLOW-BREASTED FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias flaviventris)

CLIFF FLYCATCHER (SWALLOW) (Hirundinea ferruginea bellicosa)

SOUTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma obsoletum)

SUIRIRI FLYCATCHER (Suiriri suiriri bahiae)

Fantastic moment near Petrolina! A pair of birds seen displaying.

MOUSE-COLORED TYRANNULET (Phaeomyias murina)

YELLOW TYRANNULET (Capsiempis flaveola)

GRAY-BACKED TACHURI (Polystictus superciliaris) [E]

Nice bird!! Two birds were seen well during a great morning in a patch of Cerrado habitat near Mucugê.

GRAY ELAENIA (Myiopagis caniceps) [*]

GREENISH ELAENIA (Myiopagis viridicata)

PLAIN-CRESTED ELAENIA (Elaenia cristata)

YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster)

LARGE ELAENIA (Elaenia spectabilis)

Seen a few times.

NORONHA ELAENIA (Elaenia ridleyana)

One of the 2 endemic species of Fernando de Noronha island.

LESSER ELAENIA (Elaenia chiriquensis)

WHITE-CRESTED ELAENIA (Elaenia albiceps)

At least two birds seen near Canudos.

PLANALTO TYRANNULET (Phyllomyias fasciatus)

GUIANAN TYRANNULET (Zimmerius acer)

TAWNY-CROWNED PYGMY-TYRANT (Euscarthmus meloryphus)

RUFOUS-SIDED PYGMY-TYRANT (Euscarthmus rufomarginatus)

This year was easier than usual and we were able to see at least 2 pairs near Mucugê.

LESSER WAGTAIL-TYRANT (BAHIA) (Stigmatura napensis bahiae) [E]

Both Lesser and Greater Wagtail-tyrants were seen very very well this year and we had both side-by-side near Petrolina.

GREATER WAGTAIL-TYRANT (CAATINGA) (Stigmatura budytoides gracilis) [E]

FUSCOUS FLYCATCHER (Cnemotriccus fuscatus)

SOUTHERN SCRUB-FLYCATCHER (Sublegatus modestus)

VELVETY BLACK-TYRANT (Knipolegus nigerrimus)

BLACK-BACKED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola albiventer)

Nice looks along the tour.

MASKED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola nengeta)

WHITE-HEADED MARSH TYRANT (Arundinicola leucocephala)

DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer)

BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus)

CATTLE TYRANT (Machetornis rixosa)

GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus)

BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarynchus pitangua)

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes similis)

STREAKED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes maculatus)

PIRATIC FLYCATCHER (Legatus leucophaius)

VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER (Empidonomus varius)

TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)

Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)

RUFOUS-BROWED PEPPERSHRIKE (Cyclarhis gujanensis)

GRAY-EYED GREENLET (Hylophilus amaurocephalus) [E]

CHIVI VIREO (MIGRATORY) (Vireo chivi chivi)

NORONHA VIREO (Vireo gracilirostris)

Another endemic to the Fernando de Noronha island.

Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)

WHITE-NAPED JAY (Cyanocorax cyanopogon) [E]

Donacobiidae (Donacobius)

BLACK-CAPPED DONACOBIUS (Donacobius atricapilla)

Hirundinidae (Swallows)

SOUTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis)

PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)

GRAY-BREASTED MARTIN (Progne chalybea)

BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN (Progne tapera)

WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW (Tachycineta albiventer)

BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)

LONG-BILLED GNATWREN (Ramphocaenus melanurus)

TROPICAL GNATCATCHER (Polioptila plumbea)

Troglodytidae (Wrens)

HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon)

MOUSTACHED WREN (Pheugopedius genibarbis)

LONG-BILLED WREN (Cantorchilus longirostris bahiae) [E]

Nice bird seen well.

Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)

CHALK-BROWED MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus saturninus)

TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus gilvus)

Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)

PALE-BREASTED THRUSH (Turdus leucomelas)

WHITE-NECKED THRUSH (Turdus albicollis)

RUFOUS-BELLIED THRUSH (Turdus rufiventris)

Estrildidae (Waxbills and Allies)

COMMON WAXBILL (Estrilda astrild)

Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus)

Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)

YELLOWISH PIPIT (Anthus lutescens)

Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)

PURPLE-THROATED EUPHONIA (Euphonia chlorotica)

VIOLACEOUS EUPHONIA (Euphonia violacea)

YELLOW-FACED SISKIN (Spinus yarrellii) [E]

YES!!! Great bird and great looks in the scope near Tamandaré.

Passerellidae (New World Sparrows)

GRASSLAND SPARROW (Ammodramus humeralis)

PECTORAL SPARROW (Arremon taciturnus)

SAO FRANCISCO SPARROW (Arremon franciscanus) [E]

Fantastic bird, hard to see anywhere; we had a great look at Chapada Diamantina area.

RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROW (Zonotrichia capensis)

Unusual bird to see on the tour; we had a couple of nice looks this year.

Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)

WHITE-BROWED MEADOWLARK (Leistes superciliaris)

SOLITARY BLACK CACIQUE (Cacicus solitarius)

EPAULET ORIOLE (Icterus cayanensis)

CAMPO TROUPIAL (Icterus jamacaii)

SHINY COWBIRD (Molothrus bonariensis)

CHOPI BLACKBIRD (Gnorimopsar chopi)

PALE BAYWING (Agelaioides fringillarius)

CHESTNUT-CAPPED BLACKBIRD (Chrysomus ruficapillus)

Parulidae (New World Warblers)

TROPICAL PARULA (Setophaga pitiayumi)

GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (Basileuterus culicivorus)

FLAVESCENT WARBLER (Myiothlypis flaveola)

Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

ULTRAMARINE GROSBEAK (Cyanoloxia brissonii)

Both male and female seen this year.

Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)

RED-COWLED CARDINAL (Paroaria dominicana) [E]

CINNAMON TANAGER (Schistochlamys ruficapillus)

Nice bird seen a couple of times.

WHITE-BANDED TANAGER (Neothraupis fasciata)

A Cerrado specialty seen well near Mucugê.

SCARLET-THROATED TANAGER (Compsothraupis loricata) [E]

This was the best tour for this bird in many years.

HOODED TANAGER (Nemosia pileata)

ORANGE-HEADED TANAGER (Thlypopsis sordida)

An adult male seen well on our first afternoon.

FLAME-CRESTED TANAGER (Tachyphonus cristatus)

WHITE-LINED TANAGER (Tachyphonus rufus)

BRAZILIAN TANAGER (Ramphocelus bresilius) [E]

One of the great colorful birds in the country.

SAYACA TANAGER (Thraupis sayaca)

PALM TANAGER (Thraupis palmarum)

BURNISHED-BUFF TANAGER (Stilpnia cayana)

TURQUOISE TANAGER (WHITE-BELLIED) (Tangara mexicana brasiliensis)

Nice looks near Catu.

SEVEN-COLORED TANAGER (Tangara fastuosa) [E]

Another great target to see in NE Brazil. We saw a family foraging at Frei Caneca reserve.

RED-NECKED TANAGER (Tangara cyanocephala cearensis) [E]

BLUE DACNIS (Dacnis cayana)

RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER (Cyanerpes cyaneus)

Nice looking bird seen a few times.

GREEN HONEYCREEPER (Chlorophanes spiza)

GUIRA TANAGER (Hemithraupis guira)

RUFOUS-HEADED TANAGER (Hemithraupis ruficapilla)

Male and female seen foraging with a canopy flock near Catu.

BICOLORED CONEBILL (Conirostrum bicolor)

STRIPE-TAILED YELLOW-FINCH (Sicalis citrina)

We had some great looks near Mucugê. Two males doing the aerial display close to the trail.

ORANGE-FRONTED YELLOW-FINCH (Sicalis columbiana)

SAFFRON FINCH (Sicalis flaveola)

GRASSLAND YELLOW-FINCH (GRASSLAND) (Sicalis luteola luteiventris)

WEDGE-TAILED GRASS-FINCH (Emberizoides herbicola)

PALE-THROATED PAMPA-FINCH (Embernagra longicauda) [E]

Nice looks in the scope near Mucugê.

BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina)

WHITE-BELLIED SEEDEATER (Sporophila leucoptera)

COPPER SEEDEATER (Sporophila bouvreuil)

YELLOW-BELLIED SEEDEATER (Sporophila nigricollis)

PLUMBEOUS SEEDEATER (Sporophila plumbea)

WHITE-THROATED SEEDEATER (Sporophila albogularis) [E]

Nice NE Brazil endemic.

PILEATED FINCH (Coryphospingus pileatus)

BANANAQUIT (Coereba flaveola)

BLACK-THROATED SALTATOR (Saltatricula atricollis)

BUFF-THROATED SALTATOR (Saltator maximus)

BRAZILIAN FREE-TAILED BAT (Tadarida brasiliensis)

TUFTED-EAR MARMOSET (Callithrix jacchus) [E]

DUSKY TITI MONKEY (Callicebus moloch)

GUIANAN SQUIRREL (Sciurus aestuans)

ROCK CAVY (Kerodon rupestris) [E]

RED BROCKET DEER (Mazama americana)

Totals for the tour: 349 bird taxa and 6 mammal taxa

How do Eagles’ players feel about their trip to Brazil? ‘No comment’

• Updated: Aug. 29, 2024, 1:26 p.m.
• | Published: Aug. 29, 2024, 1:25 p.m.

Eagles wide receivers DeVonta Smith (left) and A.J. Brown (right) know they aren't headed to Brazil for a vacation next week. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

• Bob Brookover | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles , in case you hadn’t heard, are opening their season against the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil next Friday night.

Excited? Energized?

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Climate in Brazil

Brazil's weather is quite diverse as there are five different climatic regions: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical and subtropical. Cities such as São Paulo and Brasilia, on the plateau, have a mild climate with temperatures averaging 66°F (19°C). Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Natal and Salvador on the coast have warmer climates balanced by the Trade Winds. Rio, for example, has an average temperature of around 80°F (26°C), which will climb to over 100°F (38°C) during the summer months, between December and February.

In the southern Brazilian cities of Porto Alegre and Curitiba, the subtropical climate is similar to parts of the US and Europe, with frosts occurring in the winter months, between July and August, when temperatures can fall below freezing. Summers are hot, though. Despite the popular image of the Amazon as a region of blistering heat, temperatures rarely rise above 90°F (32°C), and days are generally warm, wet, and humid. The region has two seasons: a rainy season (November to May) and a not-so-rainy season (June to October).

Florianopolis

Rio de janeiro, salvador da bahia, dialog title, are you a travel professional.

Sign up to send personalised, advertisement-free versions of our travel guides to your customers.

Register for a free trial

Already a member?

Trip Report: Milan-São Paulo in LATAM Brasil’s 777-300 Economy class

João Machado

It was time to go home for Christmas after over a year away, and luckily LATAM Brasil had just restarted its Milan operation – it was the first route to be axed due to COVID.

I almost lost my flight, though; there was only one train from Siena that day that arrived in Malpensa in time, including three train changes, in Empoli, Florence and in Milan; the high-speed train from Florence to Milan got 30 minutes late and I lost the train to the airport. I had to wait another 30 minutes for the next one.

I had to run with two heavy luggages and – Murphy intensifies – one of my shoes that gave up the minute I stepped off the train.

Ultimately I arrived in the check-in area just in time. I was one of the last passengers to be checked in, and they even let me open my bag, find a new pair of shoes and change it there.

Boarding would start very soon, so I went through security (the entry was nearby at least), which was quite fast. What I don’t like in Malpensa is the long walk to the extra-Schengen gates, but that’s all right.

And there was our bird for that day: PT-MUC.

LA8073 MXP-GRU

There was an enormous line for boarding – with the gate agents inspecting each passengers’ documents a second time -, so I could sit down and wait some more. Five more minutes and I was in line ready to board the 777.

Uniform Charlie is one of LATAM Brasil’s ten 777-300, all of which were delivered in the TAM years. As the largest aircraft in Brazil – and for that matter, in Latin America – it shines bright as LATAM’s flagship.

This ship specifically was delivered to TAM brand new in December 2008, according to Planespotters.net .

Remember that, in 2019, the airline invested millions of dollars in a retrofit of its Triple Seven fleet, showcasing a state-of-the-art Business cabin.

With that, you would expect the Economy cabin to be in line with the best products of the market… which, unfortunately, was not the case.

By the way, I was automatically assigned a middle seat and couldn’t get to change it on the website nor on the app – the page would always crash – and, since the flight was full, they couldn’t change it in the check-in counter.

So this was the view from my seat:

Awaiting for the passengers in our seats was a blanket and the headset, of which only one side worked.

The flight was really packed. I don’t know about Business class – which has 38 seats and which LATAM labels “Premium Business” – but Economy, which has 372 seats, including 50 “LATAM+”, with a larger pitch, was completely full, with little to no seats free.

Despite the lenghty documents check upon boarding, the flight left relatively on time. Pushback was started around 12h20, about 15 minutes after scheduled departure.

I kinda like LATAM’s safety instrucions video.

It’s been the same since 2017 – you can watch it with English subtitles below.

With little traffic in Milan, taxi to the active runway didn’t take long (relatively), and at 12h45 LA8073 was airborne for that long journey across the Atlantic. That was my first flight in a 777-300 and I really liked how smooth the ride was. It was also quiet, even though my seat was by the engine.

The views from the window also didn’t disappoint. Luckily my seatmate was nice enough to let me snap some pictures.

While it wasn’t yet lunch time, I started to explore the entertainment system, labeled LATAM Play.

It’s really a shame and a missed opportunity that they didn’t update the system in Economy, but that’s the way it goes I guess.

The screen was not really responsive – there was no remote control – and looked really outdated, although the selection of shows was really good.

But the cabin feeling was good overall – you could hardly ever beat a 777 in this respect.

Soon the catering service started being distributed. It didn’t take long until my row was served, luckily, so they hadn’t yet ran out of meals.

To drink, the normal soft drinks choice, plus beer and white/red wine, so not a bad selection for Economy class.

Between pasta and chicken, I chose the chicken option, and my tray arrived like this.

At least the cutlery was not bad, albeit of plastic, so it didn’t break.

This is what the main course looked like (and I apologise for the bad photo), and it was absolutely tasteless, which is unfortunate as it looked good for airplane food.

I tried getting some sleep – I couldn’t – so I got another round of wine.

For situations like these, the seat setup helps. You don’t need to open the tray table if you’re just having a drink.

After the second wine was gone, I then went to the back of the cabin to stretch my legs. The cabin was dark as most windows were closed, and flight attendants seemed to enforce this.

The crew, by the way, was perhaps the best point of flying LATAM long-haul. In both flights (from and to Milan), they were really cool and attentive.

With that said, on the later half of this flight, my screen froze and I could not operate it anymore. When I asked the FA to reset it, she said she would do it, but as it happens… nothing happened; I didn’t hear from her afterwards and I don’t think the screen was resetted, as it didn’t turn off in any point.

So it was quite a boring flight, despite the excitement of being back home after so long.

But I give them the benefit of the doubt, as they seemed to be so attentive to everyone in both flights, apart from this small problem.

Back to the flight, since I was stretching my legs, I went to the lavatory, one of the many the Triple Seven has — and it was quite tight; not that it’s a bad thing, it looked like a lavatory you’d see in a low cost 737. Throughout the flight, it was kept organized.

Miraculously it happened that I managed to take a nap – quite a long one for that; I woke up some minutes before we were over the Fernando de Noronha archipelago.

Much to my surprise, this flight had two full courses – not a light one and a main course, as is usual, so I wouldn’t need to pay scam prices for dinner during my short layover in Guarulhos.

Here’s a confession, though: in the end I had a Cheddar McMelt sandwich at Guarulhos’ McDonald’s, since it’s a Brazilian exclusive and my favorite junk food meal in the entire world…

Anyway, the second meal service was composed of the same drinks as before, and to eat, chicken salad (cold) or pasta. I took the chicken option, which arrived like this.

Contrasting with the first meal, this one was spectacular. And it looked good too.

After being done, I mastered Angry Birds (despite the bad touchscreen) and then, when trying to open the flight map, the screen froze in the main menu, as I explained before.

So a couple more hours trying to rest and, as we approached São Paulo, we started our descent into Guarulhos International – a shaky one.

Uniform Charlie made a smooth landing in Brazil’s largest gateway at 20h23 local time – 23 minutes late; a long taxi to Terminal 3 succeeded, finishing my journey back to my country.

As nothing in Brazil is easy, even though my connection to Porto Alegre was in the same booking, I had to take my luggage and redispatch it. Though domestic flights leave from another terminal, airlines have their dedicated dispatch area post-customs, so in half an hour I had them sent to POA (though the experience was quite disappointing, as the check-in agent did not acknowledge me at any point. I was waiting in front of her and a colleague had to tell her that I was there…).

My flight left at 23h00 so I still had time to greet a friend I hadn’t seen in two years and to go through McDonald’s.

I also passed in front of this melancholic sight… Itapemirim’s check-in counters. The airline had gone bust two weeks prior to that.

When I got to the gate boarding was already in progress. I was so tired I only had the patience to tweet a logbook entry on my flight – but it was good to be back home.

https://twitter.com/joaointhesky/status/1474193385158332419

Final Remarks

With Alitalia gone, it’s easy to say I’d have this flight anytime, as LATAM Brasil is the remaining nonstop player in the Italy-Brazil market.

Did they do a good job? I think so, although it bugs me why they didn’t take the retrofit opportunity to also completely refurbish the 777’s Economy class. I mean, they did add power outlets and standardized the seats’ design, but there is still some work to be done, as the entertainment system was quite outdated.

But apart from that, crew was really great (despite the screen resetting misunderstading) and the food was decent, though the first meal lacked some flavour.

It’s nice to compare these long-haul products as, when it’s down to price, you can have some idea on which airline to ultimately choose; to LATAM’s product, although I cannot wait to try other long-haul products in my Europe years, I definitely wouldn’t say “no”.

Deja un comentario Cancelar la respuesta

Últimas noticias.

Delta Air Lines deja de volar entre Bogotá y Nueva York/JFK

Se normalizan las operaciones en Aeroparque después de las medidas de fuerza de gremios

Paranair unirá a Jujuy con Paraguay

La transformación de los 9 mil millones de dólares: el aeropuerto de Dallas/Ft. Worth empezó las obras para potenciar su rol global

Serbia adquiere 12 aviones de combate Rafale de Dassault Aviation por 2.700 millones de euros

Gremios cambiaron los horarios de las protestas en Aeroparque y habrá muchas complicaciones

“A321XLRmanía”: Japan Airlines también considera incorporarlo

SOMOS EL medio especializado en aviación líder en idioma español

[email protected]

© 2024 Aviacionline. todos los derechos reservados.