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Wow, what can I say, great holiday. Naturetrek took care of everything. The experience of seeing Jaguars in the wild was fantastic, the guide could not have been better and great people on the tour.
T.P. Kent, Oct 19
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Brazil - Mammals of the Pantanal
Tour Code: BRA11A 10-day holiday to the world-famous wetlands of the Pantanal in search of its special mammal species including Jaguars and Giant River Otters.
10 days
from
£4,095 (Inc flights)
£4,095 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£3,495
£3,495
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
This holiday concentrates on maximising time in the best area of the Pantanal for mammal-watching and includes 2 nights at Pouso Alegre, three nights at Fazenda Jofre Velho and finishes with two nights at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Located in the ‘Jaguar Zone’, Fazenda Jofre Velho offers guests a wonderful opportunity to watch both Jaguars and Giant River Otters and these species are found in greater density here than anywhere in the Americas, and we will spend our mornings and afternoons on dedicated boat safaris looking for these target species. During our two nights at Pouso Alegre and three nights at Fazenda Jofre Velho Lodge we will explore the surrounding area through a mix of walks, night drives and boat trips on the Pixaim River, hoping to encounter a troop of Howler Monkeys or a lone Brazilian Tapir bathing in the river.
- Network of spotter boats at our disposal
- Excellent chance of finding Jaguar & Giant River Otters
- Visit the new Ocelot hide at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
- Families of Capybara & huge numbers of Yacaré Caiman, storks, herons & ibises
- The Pantanal offers some of the finest mammal and bird watching in South America
- Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua & Brazilian Tapir all possible
- Led by expert naturalist guides and directly contributing to Jaguar conservation.
Grading
A range of gentle walks, vehicular safaris and boat rides.The Brazilian Pantanal undoubtedly offers some of the finest bird and mammal-watching in South America. With the onset of the dry season, this enormous wetland gradually begins to dry out, leaving its inhabitants with ever-diminishing pools around which to congregate and feed. Families of Capybara, the world’s largest rodent, often end up vying for position alongside huge numbers of Yacaré Caiman, storks, herons and ibises … and all under the watchful gaze of numerous predators, both avian and mammalian. It is no secret that the north Pantanal currently offers the best chance of seeing Jaguars and Giant River Otters anywhere in the Americas, but the area is also excellent for Giant Anteater, Brazilian Tapir and Ocelot. With such an all-star cast, it is perhaps not surprising that the limited number of lodges and guides in the area charge a premium for their services, particularly when you consider the large number of boat trips included in the most successful itineraries. Building on the success of our ‘Brazil — Just Jaguars!’ holiday, and utilising our excellent relationship with our local partners, this tour is designed to provide a slightly more affordable option for visiting the Pantanal while still providing the opportunity to see the star mammals as the specific focus.
This 10-day itinerary includes 2 nights at Pouso Alegre, 3 at Fazenda Jofre Velho, finishing with 2 nights at SouthWild’s Pantanal Lodge.
Starting at Pouso Alegre we will utilize the 7 km private driveway of our lodge and this wildlife-rich location offers the perfect introduction. This is perhaps our best opportunity to find Giant Anteater, while Tapir visit regularly to the numerous water holes while South American Coati’s and Swamp Deer can be found with regularity.From here we move to our next lodge, located within the ‘Jaguar Zone’ at Fazenda Jofre Velho. This lodge offers guests a fantastic chance of seeing both Jaguars and Giant River Otters and we will spend our mornings and afternoons on dedicated boat safaris looking for these target species. With a network of spotter boats at our disposal, we have an excellent chance of finding our quarry and, with luck, we may be able to observe a Jaguar stalking its prey along the edge of the river, or a family of Giant River Otters squabbling noisily in the shallows over a caught fish. By staying here we are also directly contributing to the conservation of Jaguars as this is the research base for the Panthera Foundation group and some superb work is being carried out at this ranch.
During our final two nights at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge we will explore the surrounding area through a mix of walks and boat trips on the Paxaim River, hoping to encounter a troop of Howler Monkeys or a lone Brazilian Tapir bathing in the river. With the addition of a new Ocelot that has been getting some incredible results, SouthWild Pantanal Lodge will be the perfect finale to this most exciting holiday.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Sao Paulo
Day 2/3
Fly Cuiabá and transfer to and take excursions from Pouso Alegre Lodge
Day 4/6
Transfer to and take excursions from Fazenda Jofre Velho Lodge
Day 7/8
Transfer to and take excursions from SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
Day 9
Fly Sao Paulo and on to London
Day 10
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
- Food: All included in the price.
Reviews
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We regularly travel on natural history tours and this was one of the best. Our first time to South America and our experience was great.
P.A. Bedfordshire, Oct 19 -
The holiday was a wildlife, photographic for us, trip to the Pantanal, Matto Grosso. It is a long journey from LHR; some 11 hours to Sao Paulo, 2.5 hours internally to Cuiaba, then approx. 3.5 hours via Pocone, to the first lodge at the South Wild Centre. Here you are on the banks of the Cuiaba River and a host of mammals and birds to sate the most demanding of expectations. This is, of course, after stop/starting on the Transpantaneira en-route to photo an amazing amount of wildlife. At South Wild we had boat trips both early morning to see jaguars before breakfast... most unexpected, and later for giant river otter, etc, etc, etc. In the evening we were spoilt by being able to view the rare ocelot from a specialy constructed hide which is quite new. We then travelled on to Porto Jofre and the main river again... actually the huge area is a confluence of the Cuiaba, the Piquiri, and Three Brothers rivers, all teeming with wildlife. Staying on the eponymous Flotel, providing more than adequate comfort, accommodation and food, we had morning and afternoon 3 hour boat trips exploring this vast area of wetland for 3 days. Apart from the myriad of birdlife, ant eaters, river otters, deer, agouti ,etc., the prime target species is of course the jaguar... and we were not disappointed. Including the 'bonus' two we have seen at South Wild, we had 17/18 sightings of these fabulous creatures, with some excellent photographic opportunities. This is our second trip to the Pantanal and it exceeded the first. We are very pleased to recommend this trip to anyone.
C.A. London -
The flights and connections went as clockwork and we were met at our destination by Paulo Ribeiro, our Naturetrek guide. Even the three hour drive from the airport to our first accommodation was an adventure as we spotted a giant anteater, a tapir, a crab-eating fox and a family of coatis! Both SouthWild Lodge and the Jaguar Flotel offered very comfortable twin-bedded rooms with air conditioning and private facilities; we enjoyed excellent meals (loved the fresh fruit!) served in beautiful settings. Nothing about this holiday disappointed; we had several boat rides from both sites, saw fifteen different jaguars (!) and a panoply of other wildlife; walks around the lodge were also interesting as we saw various colourful birds, like toucan and humming birds, amphibians and the ever present capybara. I rate this holiday highly because, as it was slightly shorter than some similar trips, it was affordable for us and yet we felt that we had made a great deal of our eight days; we saw every target animal and bird that we were hoping to see and I came home with hundreds of photographs, including those of jaguars and an ocelot.
K.F. Cardiff -
The guide had excellent knowledge and was able to identify the birds and mammals with ease. The visit to the 'fishing lodge' was a welcome visit as it was an opportunity to see Hyacinth Macaws, as well as other species of mammals and birds up close.
J.C. Cheshire
Extensions
Iguazú Falls Extension
Located on the Brazilian border with Argentina and Paraguay, Iguazu is often regarded as one of the greatest waterfalls in the world. Standing over 30 metres taller than the Niagara Falls, their location within the Iguazu National Park surrounds them with a wealth of wildlife and bird species, many of which can be observed via exploring the park’s extensive network of walking trails. Exploring the park on both the Brazilian and Argentina sides of the border is highly recommended in order to get the most out of your stay here. Residing in the heart of the forest for the duration of your stay, you will become immersed in an environment so very different from that encountered in the Pantanal; Iguazu National Park really is a worthy addition to any Brazilian venture!
4 days from £595
Rio de Janeiro Extension
A stark contrast from the wilderness of both The Pantanal and Iguazú Falls, the visit to the city of Rio de Janeiro offers a cultural experience which is hard to rival elsewhere in Brazil. Often dubbed as the ‘Marvelous City’ Rio acted as the capital of Brazil until 1960 and is home to some of Brazil’s most famous tourist attractions such as Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) and the Christ the Redeemer statue (Corcovado). However, the cosmopolitan hustle and bustle cannot detract from city which is surrounded by natural; nestled between the lush, green rolling mountains and the crystal depths of the Atlantic Ocean, a stay in Rio will allow you to capture the essence of Brazil as found nowhere else in the country.
4 days from £875
Giant Anteater Extension - Campo Grande
Campo Grande, known locally as the Cidade Morena for its red earth, lies near the headwaters of the Anhanduí River, in the Maracaju Mountains at 540m above sea level. The aim of this extension is to observe the incredible Giant Anteater in stunning open scenery, and maybe even to walk with them! Of course Giant Anteaters will be the main focus on each outing, but there is much more besides in this area, with both Six and Nine-banded Armadillos possible and Southern Tamandua if we are lucky, with a range of different birds and Red-legged Seriema being far more widespread in this area than on the main tour.
4 days from £695
Harpy Eagle and Southern Amazon Extension
As recently as January 2017 a Harpy Eagle biologist Everton Miranda learned that a huge chunk (around half the size of the UK) of the southern Amazon is blessed with an extensive network of forest workers who criss cross the forest but do not hunt at all. These non-hunting informants have shown us previously unknown concentrations of large, charismatic, and extremely habituated animals that include such photographers’s holy grails as Harpy Eagles, Brazilian Tapirs, Scarlet, Blue-and-Gold, and Red-and-Green Macaws, and four particularly beautiful and elusive primates: Woolly Monkeys, Black-faced Spider Monkeys, Red Howler Monkeys and the endangered White-nosed Saki..
5 days from £1,795
Giant Anteater Extension - Piuval
With expert guidance, early morning and evening sessions will see you go out in search of Anteaters in Piuval and with our guide we can give you the best chance of success as well as enjoying a whole host of other wildlife. Our base has lovely grounds, a swimming pool and Wi-Fi providing a perfect place to relax between morning and late afternoon searches. The Caipirinha is very good here also!
3 days from £695
Extension: Iguazú Falls Extension
4 days from £595
Located on the Brazilian border with Argentina and Paraguay, Iguazu is often regarded as one of the greatest waterfalls in the world. Standing over 30 metres taller than the Niagara Falls, their location within the Iguazu National Park surrounds them with a wealth of wildlife and bird species, many of which can be observed via exploring the park’s extensive network of walking trails. Exploring the park on both the Brazilian and Argentina sides of the border is highly recommended in order to get the most out of your stay here. Residing in the heart of the forest for the duration of your stay, you will become immersed in an environment so very different from that encountered in the Pantanal; Iguazu National Park really is a worthy addition to any Brazilian venture!
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Sao Paulo to Iguazu and Brazilian Falls
Day 2
Full day exploring the falls in Argentina
Day 3
Morning at leisure and transfer to airport
Day 4
Land in UK
EXTENSION NOTES
This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051.An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour
Extension: Rio de Janeiro Extension
4 days from £875
A stark contrast from the wilderness of both The Pantanal and Iguazú Falls, the visit to the city of Rio de Janeiro offers a cultural experience which is hard to rival elsewhere in Brazil. Often dubbed as the ‘Marvelous City’ Rio acted as the capital of Brazil until 1960 and is home to some of Brazil’s most famous tourist attractions such as Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) and the Christ the Redeemer statue (Corcovado). However, the cosmopolitan hustle and bustle cannot detract from city which is surrounded by natural; nestled between the lush, green rolling mountains and the crystal depths of the Atlantic Ocean, a stay in Rio will allow you to capture the essence of Brazil as found nowhere else in the country.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Rio de Janeiro
Day 2
Guided city tour of Rio de Janeiro
Day 3
Day at leisure
Day 4
Transfer Airport
EXTENSION NOTES
This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051.An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour
Extension: Giant Anteater Extension - Campo Grande
4 days from £695
Campo Grande, known locally as the Cidade Morena for its red earth, lies near the headwaters of the Anhanduí River, in the Maracaju Mountains at 540m above sea level. The aim of this extension is to observe the incredible Giant Anteater in stunning open scenery, and maybe even to walk with them! Of course Giant Anteaters will be the main focus on each outing, but there is much more besides in this area, with both Six and Nine-banded Armadillos possible and Southern Tamandua if we are lucky, with a range of different birds and Red-legged Seriema being far more widespread in this area than on the main tour.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Campo Grande, transfer Orla Morena Hotel. Giant Anteater excursion
Day 2
Giant Anteater excursions
Day 3
Giant Anteater excursion, fly to Cuiaba to join group holiday
EXTENSION NOTES
This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051.An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour
Extension: Harpy Eagle and Southern Amazon Extension
5 days from £1,795
As recently as January 2017 a Harpy Eagle biologist Everton Miranda learned that a huge chunk (around half the size of the UK) of the southern Amazon is blessed with an extensive network of forest workers who criss cross the forest but do not hunt at all. These non-hunting informants have shown us previously unknown concentrations of large, charismatic, and extremely habituated animals that include such photographers’s holy grails as Harpy Eagles, Brazilian Tapirs, Scarlet, Blue-and-Gold, and Red-and-Green Macaws, and four particularly beautiful and elusive primates: Woolly Monkeys, Black-faced Spider Monkeys, Red Howler Monkeys and the endangered White-nosed Saki..
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Land Alta Floresta and transfer to Novo Bandeirantes
Day 2
Visit to the Harpy Eagle viewing tower
Day 3-4
Activities from SouthWild Amazon Lodge
Day 4
Giant Anteater excursion, transfer Campo Grande to overnight
Day 5
Transfer to Alta Floresta, fly UK
EXTENSION NOTES
This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051.An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour
Extension: Giant Anteater Extension - Piuval
3 days from £695
With expert guidance, early morning and evening sessions will see you go out in search of Anteaters in Piuval and with our guide we can give you the best chance of success as well as enjoying a whole host of other wildlife. Our base has lovely grounds, a swimming pool and Wi-Fi providing a perfect place to relax between morning and late afternoon searches. The Caipirinha is very good here also!
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Transfer Piuval, Giant Anteater excursion.
Day 2
Morning and afternoon wildlife excursions focusing on Giant Anteater.
Day 3
Final Giant Anteater search, transfer to Cuiaba to fly São Paulo and London
EXTENSION NOTES
This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051.An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour
Dates & Prices
2022
Departures
Availability
Cost
Thu 22nd Sep - Sat 1st Oct
SPACES
£4,095
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£450
Mon 24th Oct - Wed 2nd Nov
SPACES
£4,095
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,495
Room sharing options:
If a customer on this departure has already expressed an interest in sharing a room it will be flagged here. We will identify if there are sharing options for male, female or both.
Male sharing available
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£450
Tour Reports
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