ITINERARY:

Main Tour: The Pantanal & Chapada – 08th Oct – 17th Oct 
Day 1 – Cuiaba – 8th Oct
Please plan to arrive at Cuiaba Airport (code CGB), Brazil by mid afternoon on the 08th Oct. You will then be picked transfered to our nearby hotel, where our tour will begin with dinner tonight. (D)

Day 2 – Cuiaba – Chapada dos Guimaraes – 9th Oct
After breakfast we will start making our way towards the dry Chapada dos Guimaraes area for a two-night stay. Here, the high plains of central Brazil abruptly come to an end, with the habitat changing to reveal red rocky outcrops, canyons, riverine and cerrado forest with ferns, orchids and bromeliads. This stunning area offers excellent birding amidst spectacular scenery. A whole range of bird species await us and just a short distances away amongst the dry Chapada we will look for a variety of species such as Red-winged Tinamou, Channel-billed Toucan, King Vulture, American Swallow-tailed Kite, Crested Black-Tyrant, Peach-fronted and White-eyed Parakeets, Curl-crested Jay, Red-and-Green Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot,  Horned Sungem, Dot-eared Coquette, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Blue-crowned Motmot, the endemic Rufous-winged Antshrike, Chapadas Flycatcher, Plain-crested Elaenia, Southern Scrub Flycatcher, White-eared and Spot-backed Puffbird, Large-billed Antwren, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Masked Tityra, Band-tailed and Helmeted Manakins, White-bellied Warbler, Campo Flicker, Thick-billed Euphonia, Guira, Black-faced, Grey-headed, White-banded, Cinnamon, White-rumped and Swallow Tanagers, Stripe-tailed Yellow Finch, Coal-crested Finches, Collared Crescentchest and possibly the mighty Chaco Eagle amongst a host of other species. 
Night at Pousada in Chapada do Guimaraes (B,L,D)

Day 3 – Chapada dos Guimaraes – 10th Oct
We have a full day to explore this fabulous area where we could find such species as Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Laughing Falcon, Channel-billed Toucan, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Green-barred Woodpecker, Masked Tityra, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, Rusty-backed Spinetail, White-backed Fire-Eye and the fantastic Horned Sungem. Pheasant Cuckoos are also in the area but are incredibly difficult to see so we would need luck on our side to actually see one. Beside a wonderful waterfall we can see Biscutate and Great Sooty Swifts as well as White-eared Puffbird, Blue-shouldered Macaw and with luck the elusive Blue Finch. Another great area we plan to visit one evening holds the rare Yellow-faced Parrot, plus Chapada Flycatcher, Swallow-wing and both Least Nighthawk and Little Nightjar towards dusk. This is also a super place to see Red-legged Seriema. In another patch of woodland we plan to visit we have chances to see Band-tailed and Fiery-capped Manakins as well as White-backed Fire-eye, Channel-billed Toucan and Amazonian Motmot. 
Night at Pousada in Chapada do Guimaraes (B,L,D)

Day 4 – Pousada do Parque – The Famous Pantanal – 11th Oct
After breakfast we will leave Pousada do Parque and drive to the famous Pantanal and our first lodge where we will stay for 2 nights. Our drive will take us to the first part of the 120km long Transpantaneira, a dirt road that goes into the heart of this magnificent wetland. We should get our first taste of this truly magical area and will soon be able to see patches of natural forest surrounded by dry floodplain and savannas. Here we will keep a look out for Greater Rhea, Red-legged Seriema plus Buff-necked Ibis, Plumbeous Ibis, and the huge Jabiru, as well as Golden-collared Macaws, Long-tailed Ground-Dove and odd looking Guira Cuckoos. As we progress further passing through the scrubby forest and surrounding area should hold Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Rufous Cachalote, Chaco Chachalaca, Chestnut-eared Aracari, White Woodpecker, Masked Gnatcatcher, Black-fronted Nunbird, Planalto and Matto Grosso Antshrikes, Yellow-billed and Red-crested Cardinals plus a host of other species. The many roadside ponds hold numerous Yacare Caimen and we can search for smart looking Capped and Whistling Herons and possibly our first Southern Screamers. It is then just a short distance to our first lodge where mammals and birds abound. We will explore the grounds and surrounding area where we could see Scarlet-headed Blackbirds, Pale-crested, Crimson-crested, and Golden-green Woodpeckers, plus Rufous Casiornis, Rufous Cacholote and Black-collared Hawk. Many species of dragonfly and butterfly frequent the area while mammals are never predictable but this is one of the most reliable sites in the Pantanal for Brazilian Tapir. Over years we have also connected with Giant Anteater, Puma and Ocelot, and at night we could also add Common Potoo.  
Night Pousada Piuval Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 5 – Piuval Lodge – 12th Oct
This excellent lodge is located in the northern region of the Pantanal, which is one of the world’s largest tropical wetland areas. Of course this means it is one of the very best places for birding. This morning we will take a pre-breakfast walk, followed later by a more thorough search by vehicle of this wonderful area. Along weedy river edges we can hope to get close and personal with many species such as the often absurdly approachable Sunbittern, the incredibly shy Agami Heron, and the secretive Sungrebe, which is always a challenge to spot. This is also the only place on our trip to find special birds like the Black-bellied Antwren and White-fronted Woodpecker. As the day progresses we will search for species such as Blue-throated Piping Guan, Bare-faced Curassow, Chestnut-bellied Guan, Pale-legged Hornero, huge Jabiru, Grey-cowled Wood-Rail, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Green Ibis, Black-collared Hawk, Blue-crowned Trogon, Cocoi Heron, Roseate Spoonbill and a few other creatures such as Yacare Caiman, Capybara, Black-and-gold Howler Monkeys and if were lucky the superb Giant River Otter. Our continumg search of some of the nearby forests and open habitat will help us find a multitude of species such as Whistling Heron, Plumbeous Ibis, Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Campo Oriole, Greater Thornbird, Rufous Cacholote, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Mato Grosso Antbird, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Dull-capped Attila, Forest Elaenia, Pale-crested and Golden-green Woodpeckers, Campo Flicker, Rusty-backed Spinetail and the gorgeous Helmeted Manakin. This excellent lodge is also one of the best places for large mammals and quite possible to even see Jaguar while we drive around. Its also good for Giant Anteater and several other exciting mammals.  
Night Pousada Piuval Lodge  (B,L,D)

 Day 6 – Piuval Lodge – Pantanal Norte (Porto Jofre) – 13th Oct
After breakfast we will continue along the transpantaneira heading towards the Cuiabá River which is basically the end of this long dusty road. There will be a lot of stops along the way and certainly a lot of photo opportunities. Birds are literally everywhere, and  we may find  Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Aplomado and Bat Falcons, Pearl and Snail Kites, Crane and Black-collared Hawks, Sunbittern, Buff-necked, Plumbeous and Green Ibises, Southern Screamer, Brazilian Teal, Capped and Cocoi Herons, Maguari Stork, Great Horned Owl, Red-and-Green Macaw, Peach-fronted, Yellow-chevroned and Monk Parakeets, Turquoise-fronted Amazon, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Red-billed Scythebill, White Monjita, Gilded Hummingbird, Buff-bellied Hermit, Glittering-throated Emerald, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Black-capped Donacobius, Yellowish Pipit, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-crowned Trogon, Solitary Black Cacique, Thrush-like Wren, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Purplish Jay, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Unicoloured and Scarlet-headed Blackbirds, Greater Thornbird, Amazonian Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Striped Cuckoo, Lesser Seed-Finch, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Crested Oropendola, Fuscous Flycatcher and Green-barred Woodpecker, Band-tailed Antbird, Little Woodpecker, Rusty-collared Seedeater, Masked Gnatcatcher, Large Elaenia, Wattled Jacana, White-wedged Piculet, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Red-pileated Finch, and with our guides intimate knowledge of the area both Subtropical Doradito or Bearded Tachuri, both species rarely seen by any other company. After we arrive at our lodge we can spend the rest of the afternoon looking around the grounds where the star bird is the Hyacinth Macaw the largest parrot in the world. There will be plenty of other birds to look for including close views of Toco Toucan, Red-billed Scythebill  and maybe a perched Nacunda Nighthawk. If time permits we may venture out on our first boat trip to try and see the magnificent Jaguar. 
Night Porto Jofre  (B,L,D)

Day 7 – Porto Jofre – 14th Oct
Our well positioned base allows us ample opportunities to find some of the areas best birds including the world’s largest parrot, the fantastic and noisy Hyacinth Macaw, which is often in the palm trees just outside our rooms. This is sure to be a memorable experience and one of the major highlights of the tour, as we watch these spectacular birds feeding and flying to and from their roosting trees. The main focus of today however, will be to embark on a morning and afternoon boat trip onto the Cuiaba River where our primary target species is the magnificent Jaguar, and absolutely awesome predator that is on most wildlife watchers wanted list. In the heat of the day these animals come down to the river banks to rest in the cool breeze that comes off the water’s surface. The success rate of seeing Jaguars here has improved enormously over the last few years as the local guides knowledge on how to find them has also improved. We stand a very good chance, but no guarantees as it is nature and not a zoo! There will be plenty of avian distractions as we search for Jaguars and we can expect species such as Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns, Black Skimmer, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Wattled Jacana, Pied Lapwing and Collared Plover. We could also come across Giant River Otters or maybe Yellow Anaconda. Depending on how well we are doing in our search for Jaguar we will return to the lodge for lunch and then go out again in the afternoon for more chances of Jaguar and other creatures. As it gets towards dusk we will use our spotlights as there is better chances of Brazilian Tapir and Crab-eating Racoon and Band-tailed Nighthawks will appear over the river along with Greater and Lesser Fishing Bats. 
Night Porte Jofre  (B,L,D) 

Day 8 – Porte Jofre – Aymara Lodge – 15th Oct
After an early morning walk around the lodge grounds we will have breakfast and then continue on our journey, where we once again we will have a number of opportunities to stop the vehicle and photograph close species like Snail Kite, Capped Heron and Sunbittern. After our bird filled drive we will arrive at Aymara Lodge, a cosy place located amid the trees and along a narrow river full of wildlife, and considered one of the best spots for birding and nature photography in the entire Pantanal. Offering a great nature experience we will look for species such as Nanday and Blue-crowned Parakeets as well a few tanagers and both Chaco Chachalaca and Chestnut-bellied Guan. Down by the rivers edge we could find Rufescent Tiger-heron, Sunbittern, Buff-necked and Green Ibis, Capped and Cocoi Heron, Boat-billed Heron, Blue-throated Piping Guan, Bare-faced Curassow, Toco Toucan, Blue-crowned Trogon, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Pale-legged Hornero, Black-capped Donacobius and Yellow-chinned Spinetail. 
Night at Aymara Lodge  (B,L,D)

Day 9 – Aymara Lodge – 16th Oct
Here we have a full day to explore the property with its many birding and photo opportunities. Among the regular visitors to the lodge grounds are Grey-cowled Woodrail, Bare-faced Curassow, Chestnut-bellied Guan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Toco Toucan, Blue-fronted Parrot, White-eyed Parakeets, Yellow-collared and Hyacinth Macaw (nesting near the rooms!, Crimson-crested and Pale-crested Woodpeckers, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Silver-beaked Tanager and many more! Mammals commonly seen here here include Hooded Capuchins, Black and-Gold Howler Monkeys, South American Coati, Azara’s Agouti and Paca. The narrow river that flows by the lodge is bordered by gallery forest and full of life. We will quietly search the river looking for Great and Snowy Egrets, Cocoy, Striated and striking Agamy Herons, Sungrebe, Sunbittern, Black-collared Hawks, all five species of South American Kingfishers, Black-capped Donacobius, Yellow-billed Cardinal, as well as Yacare Caiman and Giant River Otters. The trails in the property offer the best birdwatching opportunities with Undulated Tinamou, Bicolored Hawk, Blue-throated Piping-guan, Buff-bellied Hermit, Blue-crowned Trogon, White-wedged Piculet, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Large-billed Antwren, Mato Grosso Antbird, White-lored Spinetail, Strip-necked and Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrants, Dull-capped Attila, White-napped Xenopsaris, Helmeted and Band-tailed Manakins, Green-backed Becard, Hooded and Gray-headed Tanagers, Flavescent Warbler, Rusty-collared Seedeater, Orange-backed Troupial, just to name a few! 
Night Aymara Lodge (B,L,D)

End of Main Tour – Extension to Jardim da Amazonia – 17th Oct – 21st Oct 
Days 10 – 13 Aymara Lodge – Cuiaba or continue to Jardim da Amazonia – 17th – 20th Oct
After breakfast we will start making our way back towards Cuiaba where those finishing the main tour will be dropped off at the Airport (code CGB). Those continuing on will set off on the 3hr drive to the wonderful Jardim da Amazonia Lodge. We will have the rest of today and 3 full days to explore this fabulous area, and believe me there is a lot to see. On one day we will take a boat trip up river to reach an area of oxbow lakes where the critically endangered Cone-billed Tanager will be our main target. After its discovery in 1938 based on a single male specimen collected in Mato Grosso, Brazil, no other individuals were collected or seen until 2003. And then In 2006 another population, of about a 100 individuals, was found 900 km away along the Alto Rio Juruena, Mato Grosso. We will visit the only really accessible site to see this very rare bird in the world. There should be plenty of other things to distract us from our task including Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Red-necked Aracari, Spotted Puffbird, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Black-fronted Nunbird, White-banded Swallow, Red-necked Woodpecker, American Pygmy Kingfisher and even Greater Yellow-headed Vultures drifting slowly overhead. With the lodge situated in a diverse ecozone area beside a beautiful river we have ample time to check several trails that will produce a whole range of new species. We will be looking for Crested Eagle, Zigzag Heron (at dusk), Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, Black-bellied Thorntail, Blue-tufted Starthroat, Black-throated Mango, Black-girdled Barbet, Gould’s Toucanet, Large-billed Antwren, Tooth-billed wren, Pink-throated Becard, White-browed Purpletuft, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Blue-cheeked Jacamar, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Snow-capped and Fiery-capped Manakin, Blue-necked and Dotted Tanager, Slaty-capped Shrike Vireo, and the recently described Cryptic Forest Falcon. Many of the species here are not available on the main Pantanal trip so almost everything we see will be new. On the trails beside the lodge we can add Black-faced Antbird, Amazonian Antshrike, Elegant Woodcreeper, Gould’s Toucanet, White-bearded and Flame-crested Manakins, Wing-barred Piprites, Rufous-winged Antwren, Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant and if we find a fruiting tree there could be Blue-necked and Masked Tanagers, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Bronzy Jacamar, White-browed Purpletufts, and maybe Pompadour Cotinga or some Gilded barbets. There are a few skulkers that we will need to work on such as Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird and Little Tinamou, and in the evening we can look for Blackish Nightjar and maybe an owl or two. 
Nights Jardim da Amazonia (B,L,D)

Day 14 – PJardim da Amazonia to Cuiaba Airport – 21st Oct
After breakfast we will leave our wonderful lodge and drive to Cuiaba Airport (CGB) in time for everyone’s departing international flight. (B)