Brazil: Pantanal (8 days)
Brazil's Pantanal is is the world’s largest wetlands covering 75,000 square miles and is home to one of the greatest concentrations of fauna in South America.
Birds are the most frequently seen wildlife. Other wildlife encounters could be giant river otters, anacondas, iguanas, jaguars, cougars, crocodiles, deer and anteaters. There are few people and no large towns outside the main city of Cuiaba. Unlike the Amazon, where the dense green foliage makes wildlife viewing more difficult, the Pantanal’s open wetlands, savannahs, and sparse forests provide excellent viewing opportunities. This vast alluvial plain is flooded each year between November and March. During the dry season viewing is most often by road. Birds and wildlife are often seen around water holes. As the dry season comes to an end in September/October travel may also be by boat as the wetlands create abundant feeding opportunities. Included in our Pantanal visit is a trip to the Chapada dos Guimareaes a stunning national park. Here we find a grassy plateau scattered with low trees, many waterfalls, fantastic rock formations, precipitous canyons some archaeological sites. Bird viewing is a highlight.
2013 Departure dates & cost
Daily departures based on 2 persons
January - June $ 2,075 USD per person from Cuiaba
July - December $ 2,240 USD
Itinerary
Day 1 CUIABA
Arrive at Cuiabá. On arrival you will be met in the arrivals area. Transfer to the Hotel Cerrados. Overnight.
Day 2 CUIABÁ / CHAPADA DOS GUIMARÃES (BLD)
Meeting at the Hotel in Cuiabá and transfer to Chapada dos Guimarães located 65 Km from Cuiabá by paved road. The trip goes through the continuous escarpment of reddish sandstone with drops of up to 400 meters. Arrival at the Hotel Turismo and accommodation. Lunch. At the end of afternoon appreciate the sunset at Belvedere of Geodesic Center, the equidistant point between Pacific and Atlantic ocean and visit the historic center of Chapada dos Guimarães with time to get souvenirs at the stores around the principal square. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Posada do Park.
Day 3 CHAPADA DOS GUIMARÃES (BLD)
After breakfast, an outing to visit the National Park where the Water Way begins. This is a track with a series of seven refreshing waterfalls. Time for a refreshing dip. During the trek it is possible to see the typical flora of Cerrado and its mountains, canyons and rivers. The trek ends at the Veu de Noiva a 90 meters fall. Lunch at local restaurant. Visit the Cidade de Pedra with its uncountable megaliths sculptured by the wind and the rain. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4 CHAPADA DOS GUIMARÃES / PANTANAL (BLD)
After breakfast an immediate transfer to Poconé, then to the Araras Lodge, arriving there 3 hours later. Lunch. Hike in the afternoon in the savannah. Dinner and a night safari - a drive using a vehicle equipped with a flashlight for highlighting to observe nocturnal fauna. We will look out for crab-eating foxes, ocelots, and many caiman.
Four nights will allow guests to hike the various trails, horseback ride, take boat rides and fish. You can observe monkeys, caimans, hyacinth macaws, jabiru storks, toucans, rheas, ibis, coatis, capybaras, anteaters, tapirs, and other animals. All outings are accompanied by a naturalist guide.
Day 5 PANTANAL (BLD)
After breakfast, horse riding through the flooding fields. The horse is the most versatile means of transportation, allowing both the crossing of the flood-plain and access to the distant forests. The Pantaneiro horse is extremely docile. Other animals are so used to it that they do not perceive the rider on the horse. After that, transfer through the fields and forests for a boat excursion, where flocks of birds are found. Enjoy a magical Pantanal sunset. Overnight.
Day 6 PANTANAL (BLD)
Breakfast. Horse riding through the flooded fields. The horse is the most versatile means of transportation, allowing both the crossing of the flood-plain and access to the distant forests. The Pantaneiro horse is extremely docile. Other animals are so used to it that they do not perceive the rider on the horse. Lunch. Afternoon explore the Pantanal by boat. This excursion will take us along the Lake Baía do Piuval, with its flocks of birds coloring the beautiful sunset. Dinner and Overnight.
Day 7 PANTANAL (BLD)
A terrestrial safari along the Transpantaneira park-road, to visit another region of the high Pantanal, where there is a river where we will take a boat trip appreciating diverse habitats (flooded fields, rivers, lakes, corixos, etc.) and seeing aquatic birds, monkeys and capybaras. Lunch on the way, return at the end of the afternoon for dinner and overnight at the Piuval lodge.
Day 8 PANTANAL / CUIABÁ (BL)
Breakfast. Hiking on one of the mound-hills (an "island of vegetation") that concentrates many mammals and nests of Hyacinth Macaws and Jabiru storks. Room check-out is at noon. We will store our luggage at the hotel and continue with another activity in the afternoon. After sunset, departure to Cuiabá with drop-off at the airport for the evening onwards.
Caiman Lodge Program
The Caiman ecological Refuge is located at 236km (147 miles) west of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. The Caiman Ecolodge is comprised of 3 lodges, each in various points of interest.
CAIMAN MAIN LODGE - Spanish-building has 11 apartments with private baths and air conditioning, a pool, a restaurant with home made meals and living room with TV and video.
BAIAZINHA LODGE - raised on wood stilts, it stands at the edge of a small cove of permanent wetland, facing a rooting site. This rustic style lodge has 6 rooms with private baths and terraces, selling fans, ample living room, home style restaurant and an observation tower. It is located 9 Km away from Caiman Main Lodge.
CORDILHEIRA LODGE - Build on stilts, this singular lodge is situated on the edge of a seasonal wetland, with a castle like tower with provides a more extensive view of the surrounding ridges. It has 6 apartments and 2 suites with private bath and terraces, ample living room and home style restaurant and ceiling fans. It is located 17 km from Caiman Main Lodge.
The Lodge offers 3 activities per day - morning / afternoon / evening - such as: boat tours, alligator spotting, video presentation, horse back riding, photo safari, Farm tour, ecological trek and others. Activities are not fixed and may vary according to the weather conditions.
Recommended stays of 4 and 5 night - Ask for prices and details!
