Approximately half of the South American continent can be described in one fascinating word: Brazil! This exciting world of over 150 million Brazilians offers the discerning traveller a tremendous variety of experiences from the exotic city of Rio de Janeiro, to the verdant rain forest of the Amazon, and to the endless plains of the Pantanal. These unique habitats range from coastal rain forest and wet pampas to plateau grassland and mountain cloud forest.

Barry Griffiths, President of Quest Nature Tours, checked out this area with Brazilian guide Paulo Boute in November 2007 to review the route, timing and logistics of the tour and the quality of the hotels. He commented that this particular Quest tour to central Brazil allows us to explore four of the most diverse and exciting habitats in the world – all on the same tour!

(Breakfast - B, Lunch - L, Dinner - D)

Day 1
Depart North America
Today we will leave North America for our overnight flights to Sao Paulo.

 Day 2 
Arrive Sao Paulo
Our overnight flight will arrive in Sao Paulo late this morning. Paulo Boute will be waiting for us and after we have gone through customs and collected our luggage, he will drive us to the hotel, located close-by. There are no activities planned for this afternoon, but the hotel facilities will enable you to have a relaxing time after the overnight flight from Canada.


o/n Marriott Airport Hotel

Day 3 - 4
Chapada dos Guimares
This morning, we’ll go directly to the airport for the flight to Cuiaba, the capital of Mato Grosso. On arrival, we’ll be met by our driver and we’ll board our air-conditioned bus for the 1 ½ hour drive to to Chapada Guimares NP and our lodge, Pousada do Parque. Chapada dos Guimares is an area of wonderful formations of bright red rock interspersed with long canyons, some extremely dry and scrubby, others with magnificent waterfalls and luxuriant vegetation. The area of the Serra Azul is the watershed between the Amazon and Paraguay rivers. The wildlife here is quite different from anywhere else on our trip and one of the highlights, if we are lucky, is the sight of beautiful Red Macaws using the updrafts to soar along a cliff face. We are at the very centre of South America and we’ll have a scenic view over the vast Pantanal Plains. There may be time for a refreshing shower under one of the waterfalls in the area. We hope to watch the marvelous sunset at Echo Wall, another wonderful lookout point.

o/n Pousada do Parque, Chapada dos Guimares (B, L, D)

Day 5 - 7  
Amazonia Rainforest
Today, we will be making our way northwest across the country to the Amazon Rainforest. We will break our journey with frequent stops to admire the scenery, and if time permits we’ll hike the Orchid Trail, with its hummingbirds and flowers of every description. Our comfortable lodge is ideally situated for our activities in the rainforest. We’ll spend the next couple of days exploring the surrounding rainforest from our comfortable jungle lodge. Paulo and John will escort us deep into the transition zone between the Savannah and the Rainforest along trails that teem with wildlife. We’ll look for such birds as Solitary Tinamou and Royal Flycatcher. The area was also one of the most important rubber tapping areas in Brazil in the late 1800s. We’ll learn all about this important historic industry and how the rubber was extracted from the trees and brought to market. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and relax in thoughtfully provided hammocks in the shade of the forest. Afterwards, refreshed and ready for more explorations, we’ll embark for a boat cruise on the Rio Claro River and to Anaconda Lake. If we are lucky we may see one of the giant Anacondas asleep on a log or small island. We also explore the Angelim nature trail with its feast of gorgeous butterflies. The late evening is a magical time when the low sun turns to gold and orange and the waters and trees reflect these colours. We have a special location where we’ll view the sunset and also enjoy the thrilling spectacle of Blue and Yellow, Chestnut-fronted and Red-bellied Macaws returning to their roosts after spending the day feeding in the forest.

o/n Pousada Jardim da Amazonia (B, L, D)

Days 8 
Drive to the Pantanal
After breakfast we’ll depart for the Pantanal, one of the world’s largest wetlands. The name Pantanal translates as a “large swamp”. It is not a swamp in the true sense of the word, but rather, a large alluvial plain that floods in the wet season and dries out in the dry season. An area of this size never completely drains and there are a number of ponds and lakes, called baías, left over before the onset of the next wet season. It is here that the wildlife congregates in great numbers, gorging on stranded fish. This makes it easy for us to observe this spectacle. Just before arriving at the gate to the Transpantaneira Highway, we will visit a farm where there is a pair of nesting Hyacinth Macaws. This magnificent bird, with its rich, blue plumage, is the largest parrot in the world. It is severely threatened and is estimated to have a total population of less than 3000 birds. Afterwards, we will drive to the nearby Pousada Piuval. This is a very comfortable lodge, with a large swimming pool shaded by large palm trees – an excellent place to relax after our drive from the Amazon.

o/n Pousada Piuval (B, L, D)

Days 9 – 10
The Pantanal
After spending the morning driving on through part of the Pantanal, we will check in at the Mato Grosso Hotel Pantanal, about 50km south of the entrance to the highway, where we will have lunch and, perhaps a siesta. After dinner we’ll have a night walk to see what may turn up around the lodge. Perhaps a wary Jaguar or Giant Otter will come our way. The latter is making a comeback in the Pantanal after nearly being hunted to extinction. As we travel down the highway each day to explore the wetlands of the Pantanal, we’ll be making plenty of stops to observe and photograph the abundant wildlife of the area. The raised roadbed makes an ideal viewing platform to look for the Jabiru, the world’s largest stork, as well as the ubiquitous caiman that lurk in every body of water both large and small. Capybaras are spread throughout these wetlands as are the Chaco Chachalacas, Black-collared Hawks and all five species of South American kingfishers. During our stay at the lodge we will have a number of activities planned. There is the option of horseback riding across the grasslands or trying our hand at fishing for Piranha. A late afternoon cruise along the Rio Clarinha to explore the mangroves and forests along the banks will give us a true feeling of the magnitude of the wetlands. Each morning, those of us who choose to get up early will be treated to a fabulous sunrise.

Our destination and hotel is the Santa Tereza Lodge which is located along the Pixaim River.   During our stay at the lodge we will have a number of activities planned.  We’ll have a boat ride when we’ll hope to see the Giant River Otter which is making a comeback in the Pantanal after nearly being hunted to extinction.  We’ll also have a night walk to see what may turn up around the lodge.  Perhaps a wary Ocelot will come our way! Each morning, those of us who choose to get up early will be treated to a fabulous sunrise.

o/n Mato Grosso Hotel, Pantanal (B, L, D)

Day 11
Drive to Cuiaba
Today, after another morning in the Pantanal, we‘ll make our way back to Cuiabá where we will stay in a pleasant boutique hotel close to the airport.

o/n Hotel Cerrados (B, L, D)

Day 12 Fri. Oct 24
Flight to Rio de Janeiro
We’ll fly to Rio de Janeiro today and, after checking in to our hotel, we’ll start our explorations of this well-known city. Our activities will be dependent on the time of our arrival from Cuiaba.

o/n Praia Ipanema Hotel, Rio de Janeiro (B, L, D)

Day 13
Corcovado / Sugar Loaf / Ipanema Beach / Rio de Janeiro
Today, after a hearty breakfast, we’ll drive along the famous beaches of Rio and take the Reboucas tunnel that links the north and south parts of the city. Our destination is Corcovado Mountain with its well-known statue of Christ on the top. We’ll take a train and steps to the top for spectacular views of the city, the ocean and Guanabara Bay. We’ll go back down hill by coach and head to the shores of Guanabara Bay where lunch will be served at a top Brazilian barbecue restaurant, Porcao Rio. Rio de Janeiro is the birthplace of the most generous kind of barbecue: the rodízio, or the all-you-can-eat barbecue. A seemingly endless variety of spit-roasted meats is served, and is consumed at the pace set by the diner. An assortment of side dishes includes French fries, rice, onion rings and fried bananas. After lunch, a short drive will take us to the Sugar Loaf. The top is reached by a modern two-stage cable car ride lasting less than half an hour, giving us a fabulous view over the city, its mountain range in the back, the bay cut by the great bridge over to Niterói and the ocean. After a very full day we’ll return to our hotel and dinner.

o/n Praia Ipanema Hotel, Rio de Janeiro (B, L, D)

Days 14 – 16
Itatiaia National Park
Today we’ll leave Rio and drive to Brazil’s oldest national park. The Itatiaia National Park was created in 1937 and is now regarded as the first natural area to be protected in Brazil. The habitats in the park range from the Atlantic Rainforest to the treeless summit of Agulhas Negras, the second highest mountain in Brazil. The park, developed from a field research station of the Rio de Janeiro botanical gardens, has amazing biodiversity. The forest changes as we ascend to the higher levels. We'll delight in huge Jequitibá trees, giant prehistoric ferns, and stands of bamboos originally brought to the area by Portuguese settlers who used them for fence posts. Orchids and bromeliads are everywhere. We’ll be on the lookout for Quatis, Brazil’s answer to the Racoon and Antas, a type of rodent. Monkeys that frequent the park are Muriqui, the largest Neo-tropical Monkey, Brown Capuchins, and the tiny Tufted-eared Marmoset. As might be expected in such lush surroundings, the bird life is astounding. We’ll spend the next two days here exploring the natural wonders of this beautiful national park from the many trails in the area.

 o/n Itaiaia Park Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 17
Rio de Janeiro / Sao Paulo: Flights home              
This morning, we drive to Sao Paulo International for our flight to Canada. (B, L) Note: For those participants who are taking the trip extension to Igaussu Falls, you will be taken to the Marriott Airport Hotel for the night.

Day 18
Arrive North America