Brazil - A Wildlife Cruise to the remote Pantanal National Park

TThis unique and exclusive wildlife cruise will give us special access to some little-visited and remote regions of the Pantanal and Pantanal National Park. During it, we will explore a land of waterways laden with giant water lilies, above which tower spectacular granite peaks that rise to over 900 metres, as we search for some of South America’s most spectacular wildlife.

Our home for these six nights will be the exceptionally comfortable ‘Panoramico’, a traditional Brazilian houseboat which offers 12 spacious, air-conditioned guest rooms and wonderful hospitality from her friendly crew. The Jaguar, of course, will be high on our ‘wish-list’, and we will search the very best areas comprehensively for this king of South American cats, transferring to smaller boats in order to search the narrower channels. We will also hope to find Giant Otters, time spent in their presence being another potential treat, while Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater and Ocelot may all be seen. Thousands of Yacare Caiman, Capybara and a whole host of special birds will also be enjoyed, amongst them Hyacinth Macaw, Jabiru Stork, all five of South America’s kingfishers, a range of herons, storks, raptors and much more.

Following a direct flight to São Paulo, we will take a domestic flight to Cuiabá and after a night in a rural hotel on the edge of the city, we travel from there to Porto Jofre. The drive will take us along the famous Transpantaneira Road, through open savannahs and wetlands teeming with life, and is a fascinating and rewarding wildlife safari in itself. Bare-faced Curassows and Chestnut-bellied Guans are often to be seen on the road, while Toco Toucans and Ringed Kingfishers may be seen in wayside trees. Red Brocket and Swamp Deer are commonly seen on this journey, and we will even have a chance of seeing Brazilian Tapir and Giant Anteater! On reaching Porto Jofre, we will board the Panoramico and cruise to one of the very best areas for Jaguars, where we will stay for two days. This will give us a wonderful opportunity to find these mighty cats as they hunt for caiman and Capybara along the raised riverbanks. Once found, sightings can often be prolonged and spectacular, and we will make the most of every encounter. Families of vocal Giant Otters will be enjoyed too, whilst Great Black and Black-collared Hawks, Jabiru Storks, Sungrebes, Black Skimmers, Green Ibis and Rufescent Tiger, Capped and Boat-billed Herons are likely to be amongst a plethora of bird species seen.

Next, our vessel will enable us to journey deeper into the heart of the Pantanal than we have ever been before. This will be a long journey — around 140 kilometres — into a pristine wilderness that is seldom reached by other tourists. It will take us into the Pantanal National Park, which protects just a small 340,000-acre core in the heart of this great wildlife region. The national park is spectacular, with its mosaic of clear waterways, crowned with carpets of giant water lilies, adjacent to a breathtaking range of imposing granite mountains. Within it is a unique mosaic of habitats, including a wetland of international importance. As well as exploring the park in small boats to access the smaller channels, we will have the chance to explore on foot here too, walking on the Caracara Hill (Morro do Caracará), an imposing 245-metre outcrop with commanding views of the park. Little and White Woodpeckers, Orange-backed Troupial, Squirrel Cuckoo and various woodcreepers are just some of the species we may find in the dry woodland habitat, alongside the extremely localised Green-cheeked Parakeet. As well as Jaguars, other mammals that may be seen in the gallery forest lining the waterways here include Black Howler and Black-capped Capuchin Monkeys, and maybe even Brazilian Porcupine. We will watch overhead for King and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, and in the forest for Blue-fronted and Scaly-headed Parrots, while in the evenings Band-tailed Nighthawks and Pauraques hunt over the water. Indeed there is a truly wonderful range of species to be seen and we will enjoy everything about this special wetland during our privileged stay within it.

Leaving the national park, we will cruise back to Porto Jofre, using our small spotting boats there to further explore some of the smaller channels rich in wildlife. This is where we must disembark, bidding farewell to the Panoramico and heading back up the famous Transpantaneira, off which we will break our journey in a wildlife lodge from which an excursion to a hide to watch for Ocelot will be a fitting finale to this special itinerary.

Those not wishing to stay longer in Brazil will fly homeward on arrival in Cuiabá. But for those of you wishing to extend your holiday with further wildlife exploration, we should be delighted to organise bespoke extensions before or after the cruise. Popular options include further nights in one or more of the wildlife lodges on the Transpantaneira, a quest for the magnificent Harpy Eagle in the southern Amazon rainforest, visiting the Iguazú Falls or just relaxing in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

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