There is no doubt that the cat family occupies a special place in human affections. Whether it is a domestic tabby purring contentedly on its favourite choice of bed or a magnificent Tiger ‘burning bright’s as it pads through the forest undergrowth, there is a unique charisma about these creatures which instils both primitive fear and intense admiration. Naturetrek clients have always enjoyed a wide choice of tours offering the opportunity to observe ‘big cats’s, including our unrivalled ‘Just Tigers!’s tour, but until now the beautiful Jaguar has remained just an enigmatic possibility on a few of our South American tours. Notoriously shy and elusive, this supreme predator is adept at concealment but, in the Pantanal region of Brazil, where Jaguar numbers are probably higher than anywhere else on the continent, the chances of encountering one greatly increase during the dry periods of June and July. This is the season when the Pantanal waters are in recession, concentrating both prey and predator into the disappearing wet areas, and it is the time when Jaguars are most easily located. Consolidating the experience gained from our previous Pantanal holidays, this exciting tour makes the search for the elusive Jaguar its principal focus. Even at this most favourable season, it cannot be guaranteed that we will find our quarry. However, great effort will be made to maximise our chances of achieving our objective, with evening spot-lighting and boat trips adding extra frisson to our searches. Even if the Jaguars fail to oblige there is a wealth of wildlife to enjoy in the Pantanal. Resident mammals include the bizarre Giant Anteater, Brazilian Tapir, Tayra, Marsh Deer, Crab-eating Fox and Giant River Otters whilst the exotic avifauna features a fine selection of waterbirds and the gorgeous Hyacinth Macaw.
We begin the holiday by flying, via Sao Paulo, to Cuiaba in southern Brazil. From here we follow the Transpantaneira road to Pixaim where we stay for three nights. We would have to be very lucky to find a Jaguar in this part of the Pantanal but we will use our time to simply enjoy the abundance of wildlife frequenting this magical place, particularly the great concentrations of herons, storks, ibises and wildfowl which feed under the baleful surveillance of Paraguayan Caiman that lie, scattered like logs, across the marshes. This is the haunt of snakes, countless amphibians and a myriad of insects, including colourful butterflies and gaudy dragonflies. Marsh Deer may be observed browsing the vegetation and we will employ boats to look for the Giant River Otters which pursue fish in the river systems. During the heat of the day we will seek the comfort of our hotel and focus our field activities on the cooler early morning and afternoon periods when rewards may include such elusive creatures as a shy Brazilian Tapir or maybe a Jaguaroundi or Ocelot, two smaller cats to whet the appetite.
Our final Pantanal destination is Porto Jofre, but distractions en route may include a family party of Black Howler Monkeys or perhaps a grazing party of Capybara, the world’s largest rodent. During our stay we will use boats to explore the Cuiaba, Negrillo and Piquiri Rivers, carefully scanning the dense riverine forest edge and rush-beds for an evening appearance by a Jaguar patrolling the river bank. Our exact itinerary will be dictated by the latest sightings from local guides and, as on previous days, the search for our objective will be far from a single-species quest, for we will encounter a tremendous plethora of birds and wildlife frequenting this unspoilt wilderness. One of the most spectacular birds is the huge Hyacinth Macaw, a truly impressive parrot with an appropriately loud screeching call to announce the first light of dawn. The riverine forests around Porto Jofre represent one of the main strongholds for Jaguars; but, even here this shy and mainly nocturnal hunter is a master at remaining concealed, although we hope for more extrovert behaviour, particularly as this is the time of year when the relentless desiccation of the wetlands forces the predators to explore new territories in their search for prey.
All too soon we will have to return to Cuiaba and begin the long journey back to Europe but, as we take our leave, the mighty Jaguar and all the many other fascinating creatures of the Pantanal will be facing yet more challenges as the waters continue to retreat, although the older animals will be instinctively aware that eventually the onset of rains will once again replenish the marshes to continue the cycle of life into another year.
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Sat 15th June 2013 - Wed 26th June 2013
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Flights: Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Sat 6th July 2013 - Wed 17th July 2013
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Flights: Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
Room sharing options: Male sharing is available
Sat 13th July 2013 - Wed 24th July 2013
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Sat 10th August 2013 - Wed 21st August 2013
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Sat 7th September 2013 - Wed 18th September 2013
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Sun 22nd September 2013 - Thu 3rd October 2013
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Sat 19th October 2013 - Wed 30th October 2013
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £2995
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Fri 18th July 2014 - Tue 29th July 2014
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sun 27th July 2014 - Thu 7th August 2014
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 23rd August 2014 - Wed 3rd September 2014
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
Room sharing options: Female sharing is available
Sat 30th August 2014 - Wed 10th September 2014
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 6th September 2014 - Wed 17th September 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Thu 11th September 2014 - Mon 22nd September 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Thu 18th September 2014 - Mon 29th September 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 27th September 2014 - Wed 8th October 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 4th October 2014 - Wed 15th October 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 11th October 2014 - Wed 22nd October 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 18th October 2014 - Wed 29th October 2014
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Land only cost: £3300
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Wed 17th June 2015 - Sun 28th June 2015
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Land only cost: £2995
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Mon 29th June 2015 - Fri 10th July 2015
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Land only cost: £2995
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Wed 8th July 2015 - Sun 19th July 2015
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Land only cost: £2995
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Mon 20th July 2015 - Fri 31st July 2015
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Land only cost: £2995
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Sat 22nd August 2015 - Wed 2nd September 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 29th August 2015 - Wed 9th September 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 5th September 2015 - Wed 16th September 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 12th September 2015 - Wed 23rd September 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 19th September 2015 - Wed 30th September 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 26th September 2015 - Wed 7th October 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 3rd October 2015 - Wed 14th October 2015
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Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 10th October 2015 - Wed 21st October 2015
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Flights: Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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Sat 17th October 2015 - Wed 28th October 2015
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Flights: Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures: Regional Departures are available. Call 01962 733051 for details
Land only cost: £3300
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