Maps | Wildlife | Where to Stay | Chapada dos Guimarães
Maps | Wildlife | Where to Stay | Chapada dos Guimarães
The Pantanal of Mato Grosso is one of nature’s last frontier, the world’s largest animal reserve and host to more than 600 species of birds, fish and other animals. Located in the geographical center of South America (western part of Brazil along the Bolivian border), the Pantanal is a vast flood plain of some 240,000 sq. kilometers.
The annual cycle which creates this unique environment starts with the summer rains between mid November and March, leading to the flooding of the Paraguay and Cuiabá rivers during January and February; and creating spawning grounds for over 170 varieties of fish, exceptional examples of flora and fauna, in the most magnificent scenarios, ready for visitation all over the year.
During the dry season (April to mid November), the fish are trapped in the receding waters and the area becomes home for a vast number of birds and other animals. As they congregate to feed upon the different species of plants and fish, they provide excellent viewing and photo opportunities, enhanced by Pantanal’s flat terrain and the absence of dense foliage. Wildlife here is protected and hunting is forbidden. The ideal time to travel to the Pantanal is from March to November, but it may be visited year round.
The region of Bonito in the South of the Pantanal (see map) has been getting increased importance lately as a center of ecotourism in Brazil, offering a multiplicity of untouched ecosystems, and rivers of incredibly clear water, perfect for snorkeling, with extremely exotic and diverse flora and fauna, ready to receive visitors with official guides only, guaranteeing the preservation of the region.
Important notes:
® what to bring along:
plenty of light comfortable clothing; long-sleeve shirts; sweaters (especially during the southern hemisphere winter in June/July/August and evenings); light raincoat; plenty of t-shirts; hat; good hiking shoes/boots/socks; sunglasses; and don't forget insect repellents & suntan lotion.
® transfers and local excursions are on regular basis and there is no guarantee of air-conditioning on any of the transports, not even the buses.
® all packages do include full-board. Beverages are not included.
® guns are strictly forbidden.
Lodges used in the programs:
® Cabanas do Pantanal: on the banks of Pixaim River, 152 km from Cuiabá. 15 rooms with private bathroom and electric shower. Restaurant, swimming pool, radio communications. Overland transfer on paved road (150km) until Poconé, then dirt road until Porto Cercado on the Cuiabá river; board motorized canoes and cruise the river Pixaim upstream for approximately 30 minutes until the Pousada.
® Araras Lodge: on Transpantaneira Road, 132 km from Cuiabá. 12 rooms with private bathroom, electric shower and ceiling fan. Restaurant, bar, swimming pool. Radio communications.
- SOUTHERN GATEWAY: Campo Grande (CGR)
Lodges used in the program:
® Pousada Caiman is located 236 km from Campo Grande, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Pousada Caiman offers air-conditioned rooms with private bathroom. It is indeed an ecological complex, a rich natural reserve.
The whole complex comprises four different lodges: Caiman Lodge and Piuva Lodge are close and pax should choose one of them; Baiazinha Lodge and Cordilheira Lodge are part of an itinerant program which allows pax to share their stay between both retreats.
...................
