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Focus on Brazil


Brazil is a vast country with several distinctly different biomes. Discover them all with Focus Tours: Brazil

Focus on Argentina

The 8th largest country in the world, Argentina offers a wealth of experiences. From the subtropical rain forests of Iguazú Falls to the high Andes. Discover more with Focus Tours: Argentina 

Focus on Bolivia

Bolivia, nestled between Brazil, Peru, Chile and Paraguay, is the poorest and least developed country in South America, but also biologically and culturally the richest, safest and friendliest. Discover more with Focus Tours: Bolivia

Focus on Chile

Chile is the only truly temperate country in the Neotropics, and occupies more degrees of latitude than any other nation worldwide. Perhaps it is not surprising that Chile offers several extremes of the natural world. Discover more with Focus Tours: Chile

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Jaguar Tours

The northern Pantanal is the richest area in the world for spotting Jaguars in the wild and, our naturalist guides are some of the best. Together with our boatmen we can take you into the best areas for jaguars and many other creatures. Read more about Jaguar Tours.

Bird Watching Tours

Douglas Trent is a scientist, bird watcher and wildlife photographer and his be operating Bird Watcing Tours for around two decades now. The tour possibilities in South America are many. Read more about Bird Watching Tours.

Wildlife Photography Tours

Douglas Trent is a wildlife photographer and guides groups of professional, or enthusiastc amateur, photographers and film crews on focused wildlife tours. Read more about Wildlife Photography Tours 

Funding Conservation

 

A percentage of our profits has been funding in-country conservation projects since 1981. They directly benefit the local communities we visit and, when possible, are self-sustable, generating benefits long after our initial donation. Your visit will benefit you, the environment and your hosts.

ITATIAIA NATIONAL PARK: Cloud Forests and the Brazilian Alpine


Itatiaia National Park is Brazil's oldest, established in 1937. Situated on a forested slope, the park extends up to 9,104'. Rich Atlantic coastal rain forest covers the lower area where the hotels are situated. Moving up the mountains the vegetation changes and at around 5,500' a very different flora provides habitat to an almost complete change of fauna. At around 7,000' the forest opens into granite walled meadows and yet another change of fauna. The different altitudes and habitats within this park make it one of the most popular places in South America for ecotourists and bird watchers. Comfortable accommodations, world class wildlife and easy accessibility make this an ideal destination for those interested in nature.

Itatiaia is the most famous reserve in the Atlantic forest region. (Refer to the Caraça & the Caratinga Biological Station tour description for a description of the Atlantic forests.) It sits just 70 miles from the sea, and is easily accessible from Rio de Janeiro. Being closer to the sea, it receives more moisture than the forests in Caraça and the Caratinga Biological Station. The vegetation is exuberant, as is the avifauna. Itatiaia provides the last stronghold for many of Brazil's endemic species.

Specialties in the park include Spot-billed and Saffron Toucanets, Variegated Antpitta, Mantled Hawk, Plovercrest, Surucua Trogon, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Itatiaia Spinetail, Slaty Bristlefront, Giant and Large-tailed Antshrikes, Swallow-tailed, Shrike-like and Black-and-Gold Cotingas, White-collared Foliage-gleaner, Black-billed Scythebill, Rufous-tailed, Scaled, Ochre-rumped, Dusky-tailed, Ferruginous and Bertoni's Antbirds, Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant and a fabulous variety of hummingbirds.

Even if you are not a bird watcher, Itatiaia is worth a visit for its vegetation and spectacular scenic beauty. Trails wind up mountainsides affording views of the forests and valley below. The transitional elfin forest in the upper reaches gives way to marshes fed by clouds, rain and an occasional snowstorm. The tall rocky mountains up here are known as the "Black Needles" (Agulhas Negras) reach above 9,000'.

Itatiaia is a popular tour both for those with just a few extra days when in Rio and as a part of a longer tour. Birders may want to spend 6 or more days here, as the park is a center of Brazilian avifauna endenism.


Itatiaia National Park is Brazil's oldest, established in 1937. Situated on a forested slope, the park extends up to 9,104'. Rich Atlantic coastal rain forest covers the lower area where the hotels are situated. Moving up the mountains the vegetation changes and at around 5,500' a very different flora provides habitat to an almost complete change of fauna. At around 7,000' the forest opens into granite walled meadows and yet another change of fauna. The different altitudes and habitats within this park make it one of the most popular places in South America for ecotourists and bird watchers. Comfortable accommodations, world class wildlife and easy accessibility make this an ideal destination for those interested in nature.

Itatiaia is the most famous reserve in the Atlantic forest region. (Refer to the Caraça & the Caratinga Biological Station tour description for a description of the Atlantic forests.) It sits just 70 miles from the sea, and is easily accessible from Rio de Janeiro. Being closer to the sea, it receives more moisture than the forests in Caraça and the Caratinga Biological Station. The vegetation is exuberant, as is the avifauna. Itatiaia provides the last stronghold for many of Brazil's endemic species.

Specialties in the park include Spot-billed and Saffron Toucanets, Variegated Antpitta, Mantled Hawk, Plovercrest, Surucua Trogon, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Itatiaia Spinetail, Slaty Bristlefront, Giant and Large-tailed Antshrikes, Swallow-tailed, Shrike-like and Black-and-Gold Cotingas, White-collared Foliage-gleaner, Black-billed Scythebill, Rufous-tailed, Scaled, Ochre-rumped, Dusky-tailed, Ferruginous and Bertoni's Antbirds, Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant and a fabulous variety of hummingbirds.

Even if you are not a bird watcher, Itatiaia is worth a visit for its vegetation and spectacular scenic beauty. Trails wind up mountainsides affording views of the forests and valley below. The transitional elfin forest in the upper reaches gives way to marshes fed by clouds, rain and an occasional snowstorm. The tall rocky mountains up here are known as the "Black Needles" (Agulhas Negras) reach above 9,000'.

Itatiaia is a popular tour both for those with just a few extra days when in Rio and as a part of a longer tour. Birders may want to spend 6 or more days here, as the park is a center of Brazilian avifauna endenism.