The Amazon in Brazil | Brazil | The South America Specialists™

Set within a part of the Amazon forest which has been largely cleared to make way for soya and cattle farms, Cristalino Rainforest Reserve is one of the best preserved areas of rainforest in Brazil and one of the most biodiverse locations in the Amazon for seeing birds, monkeys, butterflies and orchids. A large number of species which are endemic to the area such as the white-cheeked spider monkey, red-nosed saki, cryptic forest falcon, crimson-bellied conure, and black-girdled barbet, can be only be found within the reserve. It is so diverse in fact, that new species are still being discovered here.

Unlike the northern rainforest around Manaus, the southern Amazon region lies 300 – 450 metres above sea level, meaning it doesn’t generally flood. This, combined with the region’s proximity to the Pantanal and the Cerrado, results in very distinct types of vegetation and species. The reserve alone is home to six different types of vegetation, creating a rare mosaic of micro-ecosystems which are home to specific species of birds, mammals, plants and insects.

For birdwatchers, there are a total of 586 species of avifauna recorded in the area and around 50% of the total number of avifauna species found in the Amazon region can be found within the Cristalino Reserve. It is also home to a variety of mammals including those you would see in the Pantanal such as the Brazilian Tapir, white lipped and collared peccary and capybara. There are giant river otters to be spotted on the banks of Rio Cristalino and many species of monkey living amongst the trees, waiting to reward the patient observer. A model for responsible ecotourism, at Cristalino, any chance you get to see wildlife is completely natural, making it even more rewarding when you do.

Click here to view some video footage of the Southern Amazon area.