General Tour Information
ENTERING BRAZIL: A passport and visa are required for Americans traveling to Brazil for any purpose. Non-US citizens should check with their Brazilian Embassy to determine current visa requirements. Brazilian visas can be obtained in advance from the Brazilian Embassy, 3009 Whitehaven St. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008; telephone (202) 238-2818, e-mail consular@brasilemb.org, or from a visa service such as CIBT.
MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Brazil in the University of Texas series here. Click on the lower right of the map to adjust size. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Brazil here.
HEALTH: The CDC currently recommends vaccination or other protection against Hepatitis A, such as immune globulin (IG); typhoid; yellow fever; and as needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.
Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for areas we will visit on this tour. You can review the latest CDC advisories here.
PACE OF TOUR AND DAILY ROUTINE: As this is a birding trip, one can expect early mornings almost every day. There are a few walks that may last most of the morning, some on trails and some on roads, though none are particularly long (a couple of miles at most). People having difficulty walking slowly and standing for long periods (on occasion, we’ll be away from the vehicles up to four or five hours at a time) may wish to bring a small, portable folding stool. Some of the surfaces we walk on may be rocky or uneven, with the possibility of needing to walk up or down a short, steep bank from time to time. Those with weak joints or balance issues should consider bringing a hiking stick. We try to schedule at least an hour before dinner every evening, sometimes more in the heat of the afternoon, for time to shower and relax, but on travel days we may arrive at the hotel late and schedule dinner immediately after arrival. At locations where we are more than two nights at a hotel, we may return for lunch, take a break at the hotel, then head out again for the late afternoon hours before dinner. On some evenings we will schedule optional owling before or after dinner. Any outing where we return to the same hotel is optional, and those needing more rest may feel free to stay in.
ALTITUDE: Locations visited during this tour are at low elevations, from sea level to about 1,600 feet.
CLIMATE: We’ll be in northeastern Brazil near the end of the dry season and beginning of the rainy season; therefore we may encounter rain at any time during the tour. As we’ll be at lower elevations at tropical latitudes during the entire tour, mid-day will be hot, especially in the sun.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We’ll be staying in moderately basic to high-quality hotels or lodges throughout the tour. All rooms will have a private shower and toilet.
DRESS: Dress will be informal throughout the tour. The Brazilian people tend to dress up, especially when going out to dinner, so shorts are not appropriate in hotel restaurants in the evenings.
TRANSPORT: A combination of buses and vans will be used. Some roads may be quite bumpy and full of potholes, though not particularly curvy; still, anyone very susceptible to motion sickness should bring an appropriate remedy. For those doing both Northeastern Brazil tours, an internal flight from Fortaleza to Salvador is included in the tour price.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour. Please note that except as noted in the tour descriptions, meals are not included in the cost of our tours in the United States and Canada.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Brazil will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary.
Updated: March 2007