The Atlantic Forest present on the Southeast of Brazil is the paradise for tons of amazing colorful hummingbirds, many of then are endemic and can’t be seeing anywhere else in Earth.
Despite its diminished state, the Atlantic Forest still ranks as a global conservation priority. Although it is just a small fraction of the size of the great Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic Forest is still among the biologically richest and most diverse forests in the world. It is home  of around 830 bird species and 223 species are endemics, it being surpassed in South America only by the Amazonian forest.
 
In this tour we will have the opportunity to watch hummingbirds from the coastal region and the mountain forest as well. Because of the difference of altitude of this two regions the opportunity to see different species of hummingbirds and other bird is amazing. The hotels where we will stay have great feeders, easy pace trails what is perfect for watch and photograph.

 
 
Day 1: Welcome to Sao Paulo! Upon arrival at Guarulhos International Airport you will meet our wonderful English speaking guide who will drive you to Ribeirão Grande to check in at the Paraíso Eco Lodge. We will spend two nights here enjoying excellent food, a relaxed atmosphere and, most importantly, amazing birds. An unforgettable stop to make a first impression!
 
Day 2: Morning begins early with some of the best coffee you’ve ever had and a delicious breakfast. We then drive to stunning Intervales State Park. With an area of about 41.700 hectares, Intervales is considered one of the best birding sites in South East Brazil, especially known for the high concentration of desirable species there are on hand.
 
Day 3: After breakfast we will drive back to Intervales State Park to add more rare and endemic birds to our bucket list. This is a great place to see the Violet-Crowned Plovercrest (Stephanoxis loddigesii) and the Dusky-Throated Hermit (Phaethornis squalidus). After spotting a slew of local Hummingbirds, we will start our journey to Monte Alegre do Sul City where will spend two days  at Pousada da Fazenda Lodge. Your stay will take place on a Colonial Farm, a historic old coffee plantation that still has remnants of the old aqueduct system as well as a old antique barn and a beautiful belfry tower (home to a family of barn owls)! Besides being one of our favorite places to bird, the owner of the property is incredibly knowledgeable and his sister makes local food to die for!

Day 4: Pousada da Fazenda is a hummingbird paradise. Besides the great feeders which attract every species you are going to want to see, the location also gives you the opportunity to take a quick hike into the woods to see more species. The opportunity to see all kinds of birds besides hummingbirds is also a main feature including three resident barn owls who like to hide out in the old barn. Our main targets here are the Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) and Amethyst Woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina) and Monte Alegre do Sul is the best place in Brasil to see these species. 

Day 5: After another early breakfast we will continue our trip to the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains in Campos do Jordão. This is a hotspot for many hummers especially the Green-crowned Plovercrest (Stephanoxis lalandi). We will spend 2 nights here. 

Day 6: Campos do Jordão, a cozy village in the rolling hills of Sao Paulo. When we say  “Sao Paulo” we don’t mean the urban jungle which the city has become. We are referring to the rural countryside of the state itself which shares the name. We enjoy taking people to this region not only because of the stunning beauty, but also because this biome is home to plant species with a higher concentration sucrose in their nectar. This means more hummers and different hummers! One of our targets is the Green-crowned Plovercrest  (Stephanoxis lalandi). One of the highlights of this excursion will be the private location of one of our local guides who is a huge bird lover and who cultivates different species of hummingbirds. We are sure you are going to love this location and your bird photography is going to take some giant leaps.  

Day 7: After  breakfast we will drive to the beautiful coastal city of Ubatuba, which is internationally known as one of the World’s best bird hotspots. We will be spending two days to maximizing our opportunities to see different species including several endemics. Some main target hummingbirds are the Saw-billed hermit (Ramphodon naevius), the Sombre Hummingbird (Aphantochroa cirrochloris) and the incredible Brazilian Rubi (Heliodoxa rubricauda).

Day 8: Ubatuba is a great place to see hummers, but also other species of birds. While the main feature of this adventure is the search for amazing hummingbirds, we are going to also encounter some incredible passerines as well. Our main targets are the Saw-billed hermit (Ramphodon naevius), the Festive coquete (Lophornis chalybeus), the Sombre Hummingbird (Aphantochroa cirrochloris) and the Brazilian Rubi (Heliodoxa rubricauda). In the afternoon we will drive back to Guarulhos where we will stay the night in a Hotel next to the airport.

Day 9: Early in the morning after breakfast, we will drive to Guarulhos International airport  for a hour and a half flight to Vitoria, Espirito Santo State. As soon as we arrive,  we´ll go for a short drive to the Augusto Ruschi Marine Biological Reserve. This reserve holds dense parcels of rainforest and is an ideal place to see the very special Minute Hermit (Phaethornis idaliae) and the Blue-chinned Sapphire (Chlorestes notata) among many other hummers. We will spend most of the day here! Around  4pm we'll drive to a small mountain city called Santa Teresa, home to the precious Frilled Coquette.  We will be staying at Vita Verde Lodge which has incredible feeders where you’ll have chance to see and photograph many different kinds of hummingbirds. Our main target here is the Frilled Coquette (Lophornis magnificus).

Day 10: With your own eyes, binoculars and cameras, you will see that Pousada Vita Verde is a true mecca for hummingbirds lovers. Here you will have the opportunity to see an incredible amount of beautiful birds including the Glaucis hirsutus (Rufous-breasted Hermit)  and our main prize, the Frilled Coquette (Lophornis magnificus). Just seeing this amazing hummingbird is enough to make this amazing journey worthwhile, but of course, there is much, much more. We will spend the day at the feeders so we have the best opportunities to see and photograph these local hummingbirds. 

Day 11: After a morning breakfast depending on our flight schedule we will drive back to Vitoria International Airport to flight back to our final destination in Guarulhos International Airport.



Some hummingbirds we’ll have chance to see during this tour: The Sombre Hummingbird (endemic) Black the Jacobin, the White-vented Violetear, the Black-throated Mango, the Frielled coquete (endemic), the Violet-capped Woodnymph, the Rufous-throated Sapphire, the White-throated Hummingbird, the Versicolored Emerald, the Glittering-throated Emerald, the Sapphire-spangled Emerald, the Brazilian Ruby (endemic), the Stripe-breasted Starthroat (endemic), the Amethyst Woodstar, the Green-crowned Plovercrest (endemic) and much more.