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Brazil - Northeast (Relaxed)

© Lear's Macaw by Lev Frid
Brazil - Northeast (Relaxed) 2027

06 Jul 2027 - 21 Jul 2027 (16 days)

BRL44,000 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Lev Frid

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): BRL44,000 * USD7,687 * GBP5,767 * EUR6,731 * AUD12,076

Northeast Brazil is a land of outstanding contrast: from gorgeous white-sand beaches, to arid, cactus-topped plateaus, and the humid montane slopes in between. This region has all the beauty and diversity that any birder could ever hope for. Perhaps what this area is best known for, however, is the stunning array of beautiful endemics that flourish in the diverse habitats of Ceara, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia and Espiritu Santo. Our tour explores several key sites in this fascinating region and offers an impressive bird list that includes the sought after Lear’s (Indigo) Macaw and the striking Araripe Manakin.

We begin in the state of Ceara, visiting Serra de Baturite for Grey-breasted Parakeet and Ceara Gnateater, before heading to Quixada for the rarely recorded Pygmy Nightjar and White-browed Guan. Chapada do Araripe puts us in position for the recently described Araripe Manakin and other superb species such as White-browed Antpitta in advance of our visit to Canudos for the Critically Endangered Lear’s Macaw.

The next featured location is one of the best birding sites in Brazil, Chapada Diamantina. Hailed as perhaps the most breathtakingly beautiful of all Brazilian National Parks, it hosts several localised endemics including Hooded Visorbearer, the recently described Sincorá Antwren and Grey-backed Tachuri.

We then head towards the coast and Boa Nova. Located in the southwest of Bahia state where the Montane Atlantic forests meet Caatinga, this diverse location hosts over 430 bird species. Here we shall search diligently for the Bahia Spinetail and Pin-tailed Manakin. We spend some time in the delightful Serra Bonita Reserve, host to Pink-legged Graveteiro, Bahia Tyrannulet and Crescent-chested Puffbird before taking in the coastal lowlands of Porto Seguro where targets include White-winged Cotinga, Bahia Antwren, Ochre-marked Parakeet, Red-browed Amazon and the rare Banded Cotinga.

Top Birds

Lear’s (Indigo) Macaw; Araripe Manakin; Grey-breasted Parakeet; Ceara Gnateater; Pygmy Nightjar; White-browed Guan; White-browed Antpitta; Great Xenops; Bahia Spinetail; Hooded Visorbearer; Sincorá Antwren; Grey-backed Tachuri; Pink-legged Graveteiro; Crescent-chested Puffbird; Diamantina Tapaculo; Band-tailed, Blue & Pin-tailed Manakins; White-winged Potoo; White-winged & Banded Cotingas; Red-browed Amazon; Red-necked, Scarlet-throated, Cinnamon, Shrike-like, Gilt-edged, Rufous-headed, Green-headed, Brazilian, Golden-chevroned & Azure-shouldered Tanagers.

Habitats Covered

humid and semi-deciduous forests, Atlantic Rainforest, chapada, cloud forest, lowland forest, dry forest, scrub, caatinga and cerrado

Expected Climate

warm to hot and humid, cooler in the higher lying areas

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking

MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.

Moderate. Suitable for most birding / wildlife interest levels. Our Relaxed series of tours are designed to focus on having an enjoyable holiday with a bird and wildlife focus. Where possible; we have reduced or removed long drives, single night stays and poor/rustic accommodation. We have also sought to reduce or remove difficult hikes, narrow/muddy trails and otherwise oppressive environmental conditions. Early starts and night birding are mostly optional, and we will not spend much time searching for difficult and/or skulking species. These tours are not suitable for hardcore birders and listers, or dedicated photographers.

Accommodation

Mostly comfortable, some lodges are simple, not all lodges have enough rooms for Single rooming.

Ease of Birding

Moderate. Forest birding means some species are difficult to find or visuals aren’t always of great quality. Forest edge & caatinga birding is more rewarding.

Photographic Opportunities

Reasonable to good. Internal forest photography is challenging, several fruit & hummingbird feeders.

What our clients say about us

Tuomas Seimola
RB - Manaus Ext 2022

WOW – this was an entirely different trip than the main trip. The Pousada facility was a little more rustic than some of the other accommodations but nothing we couldn’t handle. It was certainly better than a hammock at the guard headquarters which Bradley indicated was the only thing available prior to Pousada. This portion required what seemed like a lot more walking and climbing over tree falls than anywhere else on the trip. It seemed that more of the birds were skulkers but then we were focusing on “ant-somethings” which are notoriously secretive. Again, it was disappointing there was not a single ant swarm and the mixed flocks were generally small and moved away from the trails fairly quickly. It was also frustrating that the best of the three trails (Capelinha) in the park was not available to us due to an on-going mammal-use survey. But, none of these things were within the control of Tuomas, Bradley, or our local guide. They were pros at adapting and modifying to take advantage of the trails that were available to us. By my count the main trip list was about 446 and we gained 81 sp on the extension, however, 40% of those were lifers, so worth the effort and expense, in my opinion. Our local guide, Gilberto, was indispensable. His recent knowledge was invaluable to know where to go for the target species.

Tuomas Seimola
DB & PB, Brazil 2022

Very productive and relaxing tour

Robert Wilcox
JG & AS - Pantanal 2022

We really appreciated our trip. Our Rockjumper guide, Bobby Wilcox, and the local guides were awesome; always on the lookout for new birds and other animals, even on the long drives. The organization was flawless, the lodges were great and perfectly located. Our triplist and lifers goals were exceeded! The group was great and always well controlled by Bobby. Very well done! Our long sighting of a female jaguar was certainly the peak of this trip !!!

Tuomas Seimola
RB - Manaus 2022

Overall we were very pleased with the trip. We have been to the tropics in various places in SA but hadn’t really experienced the heat of the Amazon. At first I was concerned about the siesta in early afternoon and the loss of bird time but by the third day I looked forward to it!! The lack of ant swarms, foliage-gleaners and mixed foraging flocks was disappointing. Some of the key target species had not been seen by local guides for several months to over a year. We hope it is not an on-going trend due to climate change but it may be. We felt fortunate to have had the opportunity and hope that others can continue to have this experience. We were pleased with the “tag-team effort” by Tuomas and Bradley. They worked well together with making sure the logistics flowed, everyone had their needs met as much as possible, and kept the pace moving. We were fortunate to have 8 people that had all travelled in groups before and were tolerant of various personalities and their strengths and weaknesses. Both Tuomas and Bradley were patient and talented in getting everyone (usually) in the group to see the target species. I will be giving a presentation to the local Audubon Chapter in November and will be recommending Rockjumper and their various trips to the group.

Tuomas Seimola
IS - Manaus 2022

Guides - in addition to Tuomas we a great local guide - whose bird-finding skills were fully up to Rockjumper standards, so had all the resources needed to get us onto the birds. Highlight of the trip was undoubtedly birding in comfort and style on the river cruise section. Being paddled in a canoe through flooded varzea forest must be the height of birding luxury. Land-based sections of the tour were also rewarding despite the inevitable heat and chiggers (fortunately minimal rain). Overall a very satisfying tour, with more lifers for me than on a longer trip to Colombia in 2019 that also included Amazonian habitat on the Vaupes River. A great bunch of people too.

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