About the activity
A full day devoted to the birds of the Serra Fluminense mountains, with Watrip providing 4x4 transport. We operate all over Nova Friburgo and the surrounding region: you choose the location when you book and we plan the day around the birds, with an early start, when they are most active.
Nova Friburgo on the world birding map
Nova Friburgo is well known among birders worldwide. Groups from the United States and Europe come to the town on birding trips through the Atlantic Forest, one of the regions with the most endemic birds on the planet, and Caledônia Peak is a must-stop on these itineraries.
The main reason is the Grey-winged Cotinga (Lipaugus conditus), a rare and threatened bird found only in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro state. The high-altitude forest on Caledônia Peak is one of the very few places where it is known to live and by far the easiest one to reach. On the same climb you can find other high-altitude specialties sought after by birders chasing rare records.
A bit of history
Nova Friburgo’s connection with birds goes back a long way. The town was founded in 1818 by Swiss settlers and, within a few decades, its name was already on specimen labels in European museum collections. The collector Carl Heinrich Beske, born in Hamburg and living in Nova Friburgo, sent fauna and flora material to Europe; one of the birds described to science in 1852 was most likely based on a specimen he supplied.
In the early 1850s the German naturalist Hermann Burmeister spent months in Nova Friburgo studying the nature of the mountains and recorded dozens of bird species. In 1900 Hermann von Ihering published a list of the birds observed in Cantagalo and Nova Friburgo. Today, surveys in the Macaé de Cima region have recorded around 350 species.
Highlights: Caledônia Peak and Macaé de Cima
Caledônia Peak: a 4x4 climb to over 2,200 metres, through high-altitude Atlantic Forest and highland grasslands, with wide views of the mountains and species typical of the highest elevations.
Macaé de Cima: a valley of preserved forest, clear rivers and easy trails inside the Macaé de Cima Environmental Protection Area, which covers about 40% of Nova Friburgo. Great to combine with Caledônia Peak on the same day.
Locations you can choose
- Caledônia Peak
- Caledônia Peak and Macaé de Cima
- Macaé de Cima
- Três Picos State Park
- Lumiar
- Stucky
- Sumidouro
- Caledônia Peak and the SBT Towers
- Caledônia Peak and Cascatinha
Groups
Each vehicle takes up to 4 people. Group size depends on the location:
- Caledônia Peak: up to 4 people (5 to 16 on request)
- Caledônia Peak and Macaé de Cima: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Macaé de Cima: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Três Picos State Park: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Lumiar: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Stucky: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Sumidouro: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Caledônia Peak and the SBT Towers: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
- Caledônia Peak and Cascatinha: up to 8 people (9 to 12 on request)
Prices
From R$ 450 with 1 vehicle (up to 4 people) and R$ 900 with 2 vehicles. The final price depends on the location and the size of your group and is confirmed on WhatsApp.
How to book
Pick a date on the calendar, choose the location and the number of people, and send your pre-booking. Watrip confirms availability and the price on WhatsApp and sends the deposit details; payment options for visitors from abroad are available. Your booking is confirmed once the deposit is paid.
