Atlantic Forest Photo Tour

Departure from Sao Paulo to our first birding location: the southern Brazilian Atlantic forests, the most important endemic hotspot in the country. During the next few days, we will visit different lodges and reserves, allowing us to maximize our photo opportunities without using too much energy. Intervales Park protects many of these lush forests where an extraordinary number of endemic species live. We will start this first afternoon by exploring the main road and the areas around our lodge, by day and at night. We will spend two nights in a charming lodge.

Dinner and overnight stay in a comfortable lodge.

Intervales Park, located in the Serra de Paranapiacaba mountain range, is famous for its well-preserved forest and hundreds of bird species. Accompanied by a local guide, we will search for specialty species at various hotspots, including the numerous feeding stations and hides. Inside the park, even the densest forest is suitable for wildlife and bird photography: the trails are wide enough to let in a decent amount of light, allowing us to photograph many birds in optimal conditions. Night birding is also promising; we will take night walks in search of nocturnal birds every evening.

Dinner and overnight stay in a comfortable lodge.

Early in the morning, we will head to a new observation area for a photographic session of some rare understorey species that regularly come to the feeders, including antpittas and woodcreepers. During the rest of the day, we will explore new ecosystems to maximize the different species we can observe and photograph. We will also try to find some waterbirds around the lagoon. For this last night, we’ll explore the forests around the lodge before dinner.

Dinner and overnight at the same lodge.

Today, we’ll have an early breakfast to go up to the highest trails on the reserve for our final species before heading north to our new destination, the private reserve Trilha dos Tucanos. After a three-hour drive, we’ll arrive at the lodge, where we will quickly settle in to enjoy the various facilities installed for birders and photographers. The different feeders for fruit, seeds, and nectar attract a wide range of colorful species, some of which are endemic and much sought after by photographers. Here, you can see callistas, aracaris, tanagers, woodpeckers, toucanets, many hummingbirds, and even some mammals.

Dinner and overnight in Trilha dos Tucanos Eco-Lodge.

The 70 hectare private reserve of Trilha dos Tucanos Lodge is historically an important conservation area. It is home to a similar but complementary fauna to that of our previous lodge. We will plan this day according to the species missing from our photographic record. We will spend time on the trails of the reserve but also in the special hide to target some of the undergrowth birds. At night we will be meeting some new species of owls.

All meals and overnight at the same lodge.

This is our last day in the Brazilian Atlantic forests, and we will use it to fill our portfolio with as much of the local endemic fauna as possible. The pace of the day will depend on the climate and the group’s wishes. Between trails, viewpoints, hides, or feeders, we will have the whole day to work on our shots of Brazilian birdlife.

All meals and overnight at the same lodge.

This morning, at dawn, we’ll have a final few hours around the lodge before returning to São Paulo International Airport for our return flight.