It is not just the allure of beaches, carnival and Samba that draws people from around the world to Rio; the wet rainforests along the southern coast of Brazil are a birder's delight. Separated from the Amazonian rainforests by the dry interior habitats that dominate much of the country, the birds here evolved in relative isolation. The net result of the isolation is that many spectacular and unique endemics evolved. Numerous spectacular antbirds, cotingas, flycatchers, and tanagers are found nowhere else, and this area is an absolute must for anyone with even the slightest interest in Neotropical birds. The forest in this region is one of the most threatened habitats in the world, and some scientists estimate as little as 5% of the original cover remains. On this tour we will concentrate on several of the best sites, staying three or four nights in most places so we can really get to know the areas.

Day 1: Arrival. We arrive in Rio, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and drive an hour and a half northeast to Reserva Ecológica Guapi Assu. This is a fantastic and extremely important 7,400 ha (18,500 a.) reserve located on the slopes of the Serra dos Orgãos; it protects one of the largest remaining blocks of forest in southeast Brazil. The reserve covers a wide elevational transect from lowlands up to 6900 ft (2100 m) and has an growing birdlist - currently standing at 402 species. We spend four nights at Guapi Assu Bird Lodge in the reserve. Originally a farm house, this former home has been transformed into a small but delightful lodge located near patches of lowland forest. The lodge has five double rooms with en-suite facilities, a dining room, a comfortable lounge with complete bird book library, and hummingbird and tanager feeding stations in the gardens.

Day 2: Guapi Assu. The forest patches right around our lodge can be very productive early in the morning, and we'll start with some easy birding right outside our doorway. Hooded and Burnished-buff Tanagers, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Crested Becard, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, and White-barred Piculet are all frequently seen, as well as a very local endemic, the stunning Crescent-chested Puffbird. Later, we'll drive a few kilometers to the start of a well-maintained forest trail and look for some more difficult birds like Unicolored Antwren and Shrike-like Cotinga. After lunch, we'll take a walk around a wetland that is currently being restored by the REGUA staff and look for a variety of herons, waterbirds, and with luck a rail or two.

Day 3: Sumidouro and Carmo. We'll take a day-trip to some drier forests on the other side of the mountain range. We will search especially for the endangered Three-toed Jacamar, but we'll check out anything else that might be around such as Red-legged Seriema, Blue-winged Macaw, White-eared Puffbird, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, and Long-billed Wren.

Day 4: Guapi Assu. We'll have another day birding the reserve. We'll likely concentrate on deep-forest trails today, trying to see some of the more secretive skulkers like Black-cheeked Gnateater, Star-throated and Salvadori's Antwrens, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, and Southern Antpipit. One of the trails eventually takes us to a lovely waterfall, where we can have a picnic lunch.

Day 5: Serra dos Orgãos. We'll head for the mountains today to a beautiful national park that allows access to slightly higher elevations. This is the only known spot in the world for the enigmatic Gray-winged Cotinga, but we would be quite lucky to see it. The fantastic Swallow-tailed Cotinga would be much more likely and certainly very welcome! Other possibilities include Hooded Berry-eater, Sharpbill, Pale-browed Treehunter, and Pin-tailed Manakin.

Day 6: Guapi Assu - Itatiaia NP. After some final birding in Guapi Assu, we'll drive for a few hours to Brazil's oldest and most famous park, Itatiaia. We'll stay at one of the several superb hotels within the national park. Hummer feeders near the hotel are great for Violet-capped Woodnymph, Brazilian Ruby, and even the endemic Frilled Coquette. When trees are in fruit, the hotel grounds offer unbelievable birding with a variety of toucans, tanagers, caciques, and thrushes all easy to see.

Days 7-9: Itatiaia NP. With three full days to explore the various elevations in the park, we'll have plenty to see. The gardens of the hotel alone can keep us busy for a while, but we'll want to spend a lot of time on the forest trails laden with bamboo. There are numerous species restricted to this bamboo habitat, and we will spend time looking for Bertoni's and Rufous-tailed Antbirds, White-collared Foliage-gleaner, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, and others. Roadside birding lower down may offer Rufous-capped Motmot, Surucua Trogon, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, and many more. We'll take a day trip to the Agulhas Negras road which passes through low treeline vegetation that is distinctly different from any other habitat that we'll visit. Here there are unusual birds like Itatiaia Thistletail, Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant, and Black-and-gold Cotinga.

Day 11: Perequê. We will spend part of the morning searching for the ultra-rare and critically endangered Black-hooded Antwren near the town of Perequê. Other birds we may see here include Buff-throated Purpletuft, Bare-throated Bellbird, and Red-eyed Thornbird. Later on we will drive along the coast to the pleasant coastal town of Ubatuba for a three-night stay.

Days 12-13: Ubatuba. The coastal lowlands of São Paulo state are home to some of the rarest Atlantic forest lowland endemics, now restricted to small patches of forest in several ranches and small parks. We'll spend our time targeting such rare species as Russet-winged Spadebill, Spotted Bamboo-Wren, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, Slaty Bristlefront, Atlantic Royal-Flycatcher, Bay-ringed Tyrannulet, Saw-billed Hermit, and Mantled Hawk.

Day 14: Departure. One last morning at Ubatuba to look for any remaining stragglers before driving to the city of São Paulo to catch our flights home.