Southern Amazon

             With nearly 20 years of activity, attendant interested in nature and birds of the Brazilian Amazon, and a suitable structure to receive tourists and researchers, the Cristalino Jungle Lodge can be an excellent option for those who want to experience the Amazon forest for the first time, or even for those who want to look at some specific species of bird. With its 184,000 hectares located in the far north of the state of Mato Grosso, the Cristalino State Park protects forests and adjacent ecosystems to Rio Cristalino, whose black water coming from the top of the Serra do Cachimbo, flowing into the Teles Pires, who later finds themselves with the Juruena to form the Tapajós giant river. Our destination is a neighbor to the State Park that houses the Lodge. The owners of the Lodge also have a hotel that serves as a base in the city of Alta Floresta. There is a fragment of forest of about 60 hectares in this hotel, where a Harpy Eagle couple come to playing frequently. The couple recently became famous in television programs and provided a great opportunity study of long-term reproduction of the species. In addition to some tracks, the Hotel has a small lake, where there are good possibilities for bird watching such as parrots, aracaris and waterfowl.

         After exploring the hotel, a car journey takes about 1:30 pm to take us up to the banks of the Teles Pires River. A boatman Cristalino Jungle Lodge will be waiting for you at this point, for a 30 minutes boat trip, which begins in the muddy waters of the Teles Pires and end up in the black curve and beautiful Rio Cristalino where is the Cristalino Jungle Lodge. The site has more than 20 km of trails, exploring the most diverse ecosystems in the region. The firm land forests, visitors looking for beautiful corner of Musician Wren (Cyphorhinus arada), observe the Cryptic Forest-Falcon(Micrastur mintonii) described in the last decade, and Pavonine Quetzal (Pharomacrhus pavoninus). Other birds include the Snow-capped Manakin (Lepidothrix nattereri), the Banded Antbird(Dichrozona cincta), a new species of Antpitta, know as the Alta Floresta Antpitta (Hylopezus whitakeri), Long-tailed Potoo ( Nyctibius aethereus), Bare-eyed Antbird (Rhegmathorhina gymnops). There are good trails, exploring the bamboo groves, where is expected to find birds like the Manu Antbird (Cercomacra manu), possibly a new taxon, the shy Chestnut-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis cherriei) Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner (Anabazenops dorsalis) Dusky-tailed Flatbill(Ramphotrigon fuscicauda) among other gems.

           There are also good stretches of igapó forest on the banks of the river, where demand by the Flame-crowned Manakin (Heterocercus linteatus), the White-crowned Manakin (Dixiphia pipra) and Long-billed Woodcreeper (Nasica longirostris). Interesting ecosystems are rocky outcrops that form a saw on both sides of the Rio Cristalino. These mountains look more like gardens on top of small mountains, which require effort to climb, but we reciprocate with a beautiful panoramic view of the region and an incredible diversity of Honeycreepers and Tanagers, parakeets and puffbirds. From the lookouts one often observe birds of prey in flight, as well as woodpeckers and aracaris working in search of food on exposed branches. Several flowering plants attract the attention of various hummingbirds while walking by a completely different environment. The habitat is also ideal to look for poisonous frogs of the family Dendrobatids. Among them, a beautiful new species in yellow and black tones not yet described to science. They are also made boat trips frequently, which are great for relaxing tumbling down the river to the taste of the current, but also a great opportunity to observe the fauna. in the dry season, often more easily find mammals that come the riverbanks behind water.

           Also good are the chances of birding along the river, with birds such Capped Heron(Pilherodius pileatus), Pigmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle inda),  and Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus). At the boat, chances are good for wildlife photography.

           One of the highlights of any visit are the two observation towers, one on each side of the river, accessed after a trail through the woods, which allows the visitor to find, once upon the tower, 50 meters high surrounded by immensity of the woods on all sides. Even for the uninterested by the birds, worth the walk up the hundreds of steps to enjoy the sunrise above the forest canopy. As for those interested, the dawn turns the forest into a swarm of life on all sides. Toucans, aracaris, parrots, parakeets, mixed flocks of tanagers, woodpeckers and the will to get look at all sides at once. Suddenly a Black-girlded Barbet (Capito dayi) appears with your partner. On the other hand, White-bellied Parrot (Pionites leucogaster) are in flyby with his voice characteristics while the Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis) looking for fruit in another tree.

               The possibilities are endless and you can spend days on visiting the tower without observing the same animals. For the less courageous, the towers has other intermediate levels, between 20 and 30 meters, where you can also observe birds of the sub-canopy closer together. this is also the best opportunity for those interested in bird photography, making it possible to approach birds usually seen in the distance and against 'the light from the forest floor. The avifauna of the region already has nearly 600 species of birds recorded, and each visit reveals surprises and new discoveries, regardless of the visitor experience in the forest. The mammalian diversity is also great, there are 7 monkey species recorded and good chance of seeing otters, cats and the largest of the South American land mammals, South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris).