Day notes
Transfer from Guarulhos airport to the Hampton by Hilton
Transfer from Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU] to Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport
Transfer
Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport
Check-in to Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport
Day notes
Return to the airport for a short flight to Tancredo Neves International Airport where your guide will meet you and drive you to São Roque de Minas (5 hours) with lunch en route.
Canastra National Park is located in the southeast of Brazil in the Canastra Mountains situated between the Sao Francisco and Parana rivers. The park comprises of rocky fields in the higher elevations with highlands and cliffs creating stunning landscapes with dense high forest savannahs.
The hotel has a pretty garden area that attract many species of birds. Rooms are simple but comfortable, en-suite with a small balcony.
Each day will be a full safari day exploring the grasslands, woodlands, rivers and waterfalls.
Typical Day. Morning start early with a 0430 wake up call, breakfast at 0500 and depart at 0530. The best chance of Maned Wolf and Giant Anteater sightings are at dawn and dusk. Lunch is taken in a local restaurant just outside the park gates and you will rest here for a couple of hours to let some of the heat of the day subside to have a better chance of bird sightings. Return to the town after dusk. The hotel does not serve dinner and your guide will drive you to a local restaurant and then return you to the hotel.
Transfer from Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport to Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
Transfer
Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport
Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
Scheduled Flight from Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU] to Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
LATAM Airlines Brasil [JJ]
Scheduled Flight
Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
Transfer from Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF] to Hotel Chapadao da Canastra
Transfer
Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
Hotel Chapadao da Canastra
Stay at Hotel Chapadao da Canastra
Expert tips:
Mammal species that you may see includes Pampas Deer, Maned Wolf and Giant Anteater.
Otter, Titi Monkeys, Giant Armadillo, Cougar and Bush Dog (Savannah Dog) are present but rare to see.
This is a great birding destination with a species count of 350. Common sightings include Toco Toucan, King Vulture, Crested Caracara, Red-legged Seriema, Cock-tailed Tyrant, Campo Flicker, numerous Tanagers, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Red-winged Tinamou. Look out for hummingbirds here - White-vented Violetear and Planalto Hermit were spotted on our trip in 2023.
You may also see the Brazilian Merganser, a South American diving duck in the Mergus genus. It is one of the most threatened waterfowl species in the world. It's habitat is fast-flowing rivers and the guide will take you to the area where they have been spotted in the past.
Day notes
The Caraça Sanctuary was founded in 1774 to be a guest house to welcome pilgrims and visitors. It was later converted into a seminary and is today both a religious and nature sanctuary, a Private Natural Heritage Reserve.
Caraça is surrounded by the forest-covered mountains of the Serra do Espinhaço mountain range. It lies at the meeting point of two biomes, the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado or grassland, which means it is home to a unique mix of wildlife species from both habitat types.
There are several trails in the reserve, which has a fantastic variety of bird species due to its habitat. Even the gardens around the church full of birds! There are over 386 species identified including Tanagers, Hummingbirds, Parakeets, Tyrants.....
Each evening after dinner (around 1900-1930), you will spend time waiting for Maned Wolves, who visit the churchyard after dark to eat food left for them (this tradition started with the monks over 40 years ago). This requires time and patience sitting in silence and of course, the Wolves may not appear.
Other nocturnal animals that may be spotted include Tapir, Striped Hog-nosed Skunk and Crab-eating Fox.
Transfer from Hotel Chapadao da Canastra to Pousada do Caraça
Transfer
Hotel Chapadao da Canastra
Pousada do Caraça
Stay at Pousada do Caraça
Expert tips:
In 2023, we saw Tapir on one evening by the church and a Maned Wolf on the second evening. Tapirs visit about once a month so one may be very lucky to see them. Maned Wolves normally appear, on average, every two nights.
On the trails we spotted a Tayra and several troops of Titi Monkeys.
Birding is excellent in this habitat, both on the trails and around the manicured gardens. Our 2023 bird list included some interesting sightings: Collared Forest Falcon, Dusk-legged Guan, White-throated Hummingbord, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Brazilian Ruby, Gilt-edged Tanager, Surucua Trogon (Orange-bellied) and the astonishingly beautiful and endemic Hyacinth Visorbearer
Day notes
Transfer to the airport (3 hours drive) for a flight to Campo Grande (possibly via Sao Paulo depending on flight schedules at the time of booking)
Transfer to Hotel Mohave.
Hotel Mohave is an airport hotel with comfortable rooms. Despite the rather basic looking restaurant, the food is good and plentiful and they make an excellent Caipirinha!
Check-out from Pousada do Caraça
Transfer from Pousada do Caraça to Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
Transfer
Pousada do Caraça
Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
Scheduled Flight from Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF] to Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
LATAM Airlines Brasil [JJ]
Scheduled Flight
Tancredo Neves International Airport [CNF]
Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
Transfer from Campo Grande International Airport [CGR] to Hotel Mohave
Transfer
Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
Hotel Mohave
Check-in to Hotel Mohave
Day notes
Transfer to Emas National Park (4 hour drive with stop for lunch en-route) and your home for 4 nights at Pousada do Gloria. Your driver will act as a translator as the team here speak little English, but Anna, the owner, is a remarkable lady with great knowledge of this area.
The park is home to the world's largest concentration of termite mounds that provide an interesting setting for the Pampas Deer, Giant Anteater and Great Rhea seen in the grasslands. The Park also holds the greatest concentration of Blue-and-Yellow Macaws outside Amazonia.
Your days will be spent exploring the park in a vehicle with early starts to help our search for Maned Wolves, Giant Armadillos, Tapir Armadillo and Fox. You will cover a variety of areas to maximise your opportunities for wildlife spotting, returning to the lodge for a late lunch. Afternoon game drives tend to happen later in the day and you can expect to be out late (perhaps around 10pm or even later if you wish and sightings are good) so dinner tends to be a snack taken on the car (we took wine with us too!). Don't worry, breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea are plentiful so you won't be hungry.
As well as mammals, the park has a number of bird specialities. Bearded Tachuri, Black-masked Finch, Yellow-faced Parrot, Sharp-tailed Tyrant and Cock-tailed Tyrant. After dark you will look out for Great Horned Owl, Little and Spot-tailed Nightjar and Band-tailed Nighthawk.
Transfer from Hotel Mohave to Pousada do Glória
Transfer
Hotel Mohave
Pousada do Glória
Stay at Pousada do Glória
Expert tips:
Depending on the time of year of your visit, the park is home to a strange phenomenon of bioluminescent termite mounds. To see the bioluminescence, it needs to have rained, followed by a dry and wind-free day. The larvae of a beetle species wait for the first rains which trigger the flight of millions of termites, the favourite meal of the beetle larvae. With the rain, the larvae emerge and, with bioluminescence, attract the termites. When the termites fly close to the glowing larvae, they grab and devour the unsuspecting insects. Each mound may have a hundred or more larvae, and mounds sit side by side for miles.
Bioluminescent termite mounds are a unique and fascinating natural phenomenon. These termite mounds are inhabited by a particular species of termites called Neocapritermes opacus, found in the cerrado. The bioluminescence in these mounds is caused by the presence of a specific type of fungus called Pyronema omphalodes.
The relationship between the termites and the fungus is mutualistic, meaning that both organisms benefit from their interaction. The termites bring organic matter and wood debris to the fungus, which in turn provides nutrients for the termites by breaking down the organic material. As the fungus grows and metabolizes the nutrients, it emits a greenish-blue light, which is the bioluminescence visible in the termite mounds.
The bioluminescent termite mounds are not only visually stunning, but they also serve a functional purpose for the termites. The light emitted by the fungus attracts insects, particularly nocturnal insects, towards the mounds. These insects become an additional food source for the termites, providing them with a continuous supply of nutrients.
Visiting these bioluminescent termite mounds can be an amazing experience, especially during the night when the bioluminescence is most visible. This captivating natural display serves as a reminder of the incredible diversity and complexity of the natural world.
Day notes
Drive back from Emas National Park to Campo Grande and overnight back at Hotel Mohave.
Check-out from Pousada do Glória
Transfer from Pousada do Glória to Hotel Mohave
Transfer
Pousada do Glória
Hotel Mohave
Check-in to Hotel Mohave
Day notes
Return to Sao Paulo airport.
Check-out from Hotel Mohave
Transfer from Hotel Mohave to Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
Transfer
Hotel Mohave
Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
Scheduled Flight from Campo Grande International Airport [CGR] to Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
LATAM Airlines Brasil [JJ]
Scheduled Flight
Campo Grande International Airport [CGR]
Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International [GRU]
