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Parnaiba Headwaters National Park
Amazon Rainforest, Brazil
Hyacinth Macaw.
Photo: Pete
Oxford.
Land Price
4 days/3 nights US$ 1,285 5 days/4 nights US$ 1,625 6 days/5 nights US$ 1,945
Excursions depart daily from Barreiras, Brazil, which can be reached on weekday flights from the cities of São Paulo or Salvador da Bahia. We meet you in Barreiras to begin the five-hour drive through the wooded savannah, dry scrubland and the red mesas of Hyacinth Cliffs. The first four hours are bumpy, but the last hour between Corrente and the lodges is a scenic and driving pleasure. An optional charter flight from Barreiras to Corrente avoids the first four hours and is available at additional cost. Season: Hyacinth Macaw viewing is guaranteed only from 15 April to 15 July.
The land price includes escorted transfers, semi-private excursions with a naturalist guide, entrance fees, private bungalow with private bath, all meals except beverages, all transportation except air flights, and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see About Our Tours.
Intra-Tour Air Flights & Fares
An optional charter flight is available at additional cost:
Barreiras - Corrente - Barreiras
Hyacinth Cliffs and
Valley.
Photo:
Pete Oxford.
What Luxury Link has to say about Hyacinth Cliffs:
Saving the Amazon Rainforest in style...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com, April 2005
Inka's Empire Tours is like a generous, adventurous friend who's always at your side as you travel to some of the world's most enchanting destinations. With its Hyacinth Cliffs expedition, this gracious companion guides you into the compelling beauty of northeastern Brazil's Parnaiba Headwaters National Park. Your journey begins and ends in Barreiras with a stay at the luxurious Hyacinth Valley Lodge, established by South American conservationists to guard rare species. You'll find the surrounding backdrop of palm-studded valleys, red-rock cliffs and mesas ideal for close-up wildlife encounters and trophy photo opportunities.
From a discreet blind, you'll witness the ballet of Hyacinth Macaws, the world's largest parrots, as they gather to search for palm nuts. In the comfort of a hammock, you'll await the arrival of the endangered Maned Wolf. Tool-using Brown Capuchin Monkeys and flocks of Red-and-Green Macaws are among the other amazing creatures you'll observe. From chats with your native guides to swimming in the local river and enjoying evening caipirinhas, this is a unique adventure through the mysterious spirit of the Amazon.
Discover the wildlife treasures of the Amazon on this fascinating 5-night escape.
As featured on PBS: The Real Macaw.
Recently scientists caught a glimpse of wild monkeys
using tools in a surprisingly sophisticated way.
-- Jennifer Steinberg Holland
Tool Time, Monkey Style, National Geographic Magazine, January 2004
Hyacinth Cliffs
Location: Parnaíba Headwaters National Park, Brazil. Reserve size: 19,000 acres within and adjacent to the 1.8-million-acre Parnaíba Headwaters National Park. Wildlife it protects: Hyacinth Macaws, Red-and-Green Macaws, Blue-and-Gold Macaws, Burrowing Owls, Great Potoos, Maned Wolves, Jaguars, tool-using Brown Capuchin Monkeys and Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys.
Every half century or so, an amazing new wildlife destination bursts onto the South American scene. Such is the case for Hyacinth Cliffs of the sunny, dry forests of central Brazil. No other destination in Brazil offers so much charismatic wildlife in so little time -- and with so much comfort.
Maned Wolf scouting
for mice.
Photo:
Pete Oxford.
This new lodge complex is located at Brazil's new, 1.8-million-acre Parnaiba Headwaters National Park. At one-third the size of New Jersey, this park is Brazil's largest park outside the Amazon and protects far more dry tropical forest than any other reserve on Earth. Only 10% of the world's original dry tropical forest remains today, while half of all wet tropical forest still stands, so the Parnaiba Headwaters National Park is of exceptional conservation importance.
Brown Capuchin Monkey
wielding "hammer" rock to smash palm nuts.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
From the comfort of Hyacinth Cliffs, you can see some of the most exciting wildlife in Brazil. The Park harbors more than 1,500 Hyacinth Macaws -- 50-100 times more than any other national park. It also is the most important reserve for the endangered Maned Wolf, which is the world's largest and most beautiful wild canid. Finally, Parnaiba Park is the only place on Earth where Brown Capuchin Monkeys demonstrate the world's most complex tool use by nonhuman primates. This incredible display of intelligence was reported for the first time in 2004, initially in National Geographic Magazine and then worldwide in a BBC TV documentary. There is only one place to see all of these amazing creatures, and that is Hyacinth Cliffs.
A private bungalow at
the Hyacinth Valley Lodge.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Hyacinth Cliffs are the only visitor infrastructure at the Parnaiba Headwaters National Park. The lodge complex is divided into three strategically-located compounds, separated by scenic drives of 60-90 minutes: Hyacinth Cliffs Lodge, Hyacinth Valley Lodge, and Greenwing Valley Camp. Each of the two lodges has seven double-occupancy bungalows with private bathrooms, while the camp has walk-in tents equipped with full beds and shared bathrooms. With its green, open, palm-studded valleys rimmed by 300-600-foot-tall, red-rock cliffs and mesas, the scenery at our locales looks remarkably like verdant parts of the American southwest.
Scientifically-designed
photo blind near the flock of Hyacinth Macaws.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Excellent sunlight for photography, superb scenery, and extraordinarily exotic animals create a unique opportunity to become the nature photographer of your dreams. Scientifically-designed observation blinds deliver unbelievable photo opportunities, including dozens of Hyacinth Macaws and Greenwinged (Red-and-Green) Macaws at only 30 feet (9 m), Maned Wolves at only 10 feet (3 m) and tool-using Brown Capuchin Monkeys at 30 feet. Additionally, we are often rewarded with excellent views of Red-legged Seriemas, Blue-and-Gold Macaws, Greater Rheas, White Woodpeckers, Jenday Conures, and Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys.
Hyacinth Macaws gather
to search for ground-level palm nuts.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Hyacinth Cliffs surprised the world by instantly shouldering aside the Pantanal as the best wildlife destination in Brazil. The Parnaiba Headwaters Park is three times larger than all the protected areas in the Pantanal combined, and no lodge or combination of lodges in the Pantanal can provide so much charismatic, colorful wildlife at such close range and in as little as three or four nights!
Greenwinged (Red-and-Green)
Macaws.
Photo:
Pete Oxford.
The distant herons and caimans of the Pantanal, while wonderful, simply cannot compare with charismatic wolves, "Einstein monkeys", and close-up macaws. Moreover, Hyacinth Cliffs is easy and fun to visit at any time of year, as it never floods and is virtually free of mosquitoes.
Burití palms
(Mauritia flexuosa).
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Hyacinth Cliffs allows you to visit the world's largest and most spectacular dry forest park and enjoy some of the rarest and most beautiful wildlife of the Americas. Your friends will never have seen anything like the quality of wildlife photos and video that you'll bring home. Enjoy a wildlife experience you thought was available only to National Geographic photographers, and at a surprisingly affordable price.
Blue-and-Gold Macaw.
Photo: Pete
Oxford.
Hyacinth Cliffs consists of three separate lodging locations, separated by scenic, 60-90 minute drives. You reach the lodges by flying on large turboprop planes from the cities of Sao Paulo or Salvador da Bahia to the city of Barreiras and then driving 5 hours north. This region of Brazil has no malaria and almost no mosquitoes or other biting flies.
Red-legged Seriema.
Photo: Pete
Oxford.
We recommend 3-6 nights at a combination of the three sites to properly view all four of these unique spectacles: Maned Wolves, tool-using Brown Capuchin Monkeys, and separate, large flocks of Hyacinth and Greenwinged (Red-and-Green) Macaws at close range. All the additional wildlife and world-class cliff scenery represent "icing on the cake". These attractions peak during the long, cooler dry season, running from April through October, but there is excellent wildlife viewing in every month of the year.
Brown Capuchin Monkey
with palm nuts.
Photo:
Pete Oxford.
Highlights
Hyacinth Valley Lodge
Day 1: Barreiras - Corrente - Hyacinth Valley. Upon your arrival in Barreiras from São Paulo or Salvador da Bahia, we will meet you in the airport to begin the four-hour drive in a 4 x 4 to Corrente, the biggest city in Brazil's northeastern state of Piauí, then an hour more to Hyacinth Valley, accessed by way of the tiny hamlet of São Gonzalo do Gurguéia. After a day of traveling, have a relaxing dinner and discover how the conservation project works by chatting with the local guides, whose livelihood depends on the success of the enterprise, which in turn relies on their incredible knowledge of the fauna in the reserve. Iced mineral water, soft drinks and beer will be available at the camp. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, try Brazil's famous "caipirinha", made from local rum known as cachaça. We turn in early, by 9 pm, to be well rested for our early start the next day.
Burrowing Owl.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Day 2: Hyacinth Valley. Coffee and light breakfast are served when guests are awakened at 4:30 am. Daybreak is about 5:30 am and we aim to be in the blind at this time, before the first macaws arrive to eat palm nuts at this dry forest clearing. The blind, which accommodates up to 16 people, with eight front-row seats, overlooks a feeding site for a large flock of Hyacinth Macaws. Viewing dozens of the world's largest and most spectacular parrots in their natural environment is pure magic. And the perfect photo conditions will ensure the time you spend in this natural playground will stay with you forever. Rays of soft light illuminate the birds as they feed, rendering pictures of azure splendor. We watch them feed on their staple palm nuts and playfully jockey for position on favorite perches in the trees that surround the blind.
Just a few years ago, these same birds were targeted by trappers. The success of the project ensures that these birds can now nest in unblemished cliffs and feed in the preserved dry forest without any interference. The birds usually arrive at 6 am and leave by 8:30 or 9 am. We then return to camp for a full, relaxing breakfast. The balance of the day is enjoyed hiking from the camp to look for birds or swimming in a nearby crystalline river. In the afternoon, we return to the Hyacinth blind, where the birds return to feed between 3:30 and 6 pm.
Maned Wolves scouting
for mice.
Photo:
Pete Oxford.
Day 3: Hyacinth Valley - Hyacinth Cliffs - Hyacinth Valley. We rise early again to view the Hyacinths. After lunch, we grab our daypacks for the journey out to the Hyacinth Cliffs Lodge, BioBrasil's other property. On the leisurely, two-hour journey to the Hyacinth Cliffs, travelers may encounter Burrowing Owls, Red-legged Seriemas, Greater Rheas, Toco Toucans, Red-bellied Macaws, Amazon parrots, Sun Parquets, large hawks or any of the other over 200 bird species that call the reserve home.
We arrive at dusk and enjoy the extreme isolation of this lovely spot, where the nearest people are at least 10 miles (16 km) away. Before dark, at 4:00 pm, we will return to Hyacinth Valley. After dinner, we will wait for the elusive Maned Wolf, who usually makes us stay up late before putting in an appearance. Hammocks are provided to ease the wait. It is well worth it, however, since this graceful animal is as beautiful as it is elusive.
Blue-fronted Parrot.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Greenwing Valley Camp
Day 4: Hyacinth Valley - Greenwing Valley. On this day, we will go to the breathtaking Greenwing Valley site. From here, we head to a blind to watch the antics of the Brown Capuchin Monkeys, who demonstrate why their reputation as the chimpanzee of the New World is well deserved. They use stones to crack open nuts in an unparalleled display of manual dexterity -- all within 30 feet (9 m) of the visitor. We will overnight in a tented camp close to the Capuchins and other creatures, such as the Great Potoo or Horned Screamer as well as Greenwinged (Red-and-Green) Macaws.
Brown Capuchin Monkey
smashing palm nut.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Hyacinth Valley Lodge
Day 5: Greewing Valley - Hyacinth Valley. We're again enchanted by Capuchin and Greenwinged (Red-and-Green) Macaw activity in the morning. After lunch, we head back to the Hyacinth Valley Lodge. On the way, we stop at a lovely century-old mango grove, where groups of Black Howler Monkeys perch on trees, curiously scrutinizing our bewildered stares.
Day 6: Hyacinth Valley - Corrente - Barreiras - Home. We have a final chance to visit the Hyacinth Macaw blind and explore the area around the lodge. After an early lunch, we will set off on the return journey to Barreiras just in time to take the flight back home.
By Charles A. Munn, ornithologist and vice president of the BioBrasil Foundation.
Thank you for choosing Inka's Empire Tours.
© 2008 Inka's Empire Corporation, Luxury Peru Tours & Travel. All rights reserved.
