An Example Itinerary

A Wildlife Adventure from The Pantanal to The Amazon

Brazil

9 Day Itinerary

Perfect for

Photographers

Guide Price

£5,800pp

$7,000pp

Engage in wildlife photography in the Pantanal and join jaguar conservationists for the day. Explore prime birdwatching spots in the Brazilian Amazon and experience eco-luxury at two of South America’s most important lodges.

Highlights

Learn about wildlife photography in the Southern Pantanal
Spend the day with the scientists and researchers of a jaguar conservation project
Experience some of the best birdwatching opportunities in the Brazilian Amazon
Sail down the Cristalino River by canoe or riverboat
Stay at two of South America’s most important eco-lodges

Day 1 - 4: Southern Pantanal

Spend a full day and evening with the Jaguar Habitation Team

Take a wildlife photography safari on a specially adapted vehicle

The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world, covering 42 million acres. This tropical marshland is one of the most biodiverse places on earth, where thousands of species of plants and animals are there to discover.

Tucked into a 53,000-hectare reserve, Caiman Lodge has pioneered some of the most important conservation initiatives in Latin America. Through funding and tireless campaigning, endangered species in the Pantanal, including the jaguar and Hyacinth Macaw, are coming back from the brink of extinction.

Experiences include canoe trips in the wet season, nocturnal wildlife spotting, photographic safaris with expert tuition and specially adapted vehicles and taking any one of the many walking trails in the private reserve. One of the highlights that makes a stay at Caiman Eco-Lodge so memorable is the access to the jaguar conservation team. You will have the opportunity to travel with the team in the morning as they track the jaguars and check on their welfare. You may have a chance to find these majestic creatures on foot alongside African-trained trackers and see pictures taken by camera traps. Jaguars are most active at night, and a second exploration after dinner is also available.

Day 5: Campo Grande

Travel to Campo Grande
Prepare for your Amazonian Adventure
Campo Grande is the main hub of the Pantanal’s transport and trade infrastructure. Many of the region’s roads are in bad condition (some remain underwater for six months of the year), and remote fishing villages rely on light aircraft and motorboats for essential produce. This town is the gateway to the Southern Pantanal, and the Deville Prime Hotel is a simple but comfortable hotel with a large swimming pool.

Day 6 - 9: The Amazon

Adventure above the rainforest canopy from observation towers and walkways high up in the trees

Take specialist birding and wildlife trails alongside professional naturalist guides

Cristalino Jungle Lodge is hidden in a private reserve in the Southern Brazillian Amazon Rainforest and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The rooms are elegant and unfussy (as you would expect from a remote jungle lodge). The floating deck on the river is the perfect place for wildlife spotting in the early morning or late afternoon.

From Campo Grande fly to Alta Floresta airport where the Cristalino team will meet you and drive you to the port (about 1.5 hours). From here a 30-minute motorboat ride takes you to the lodge. Cristalino is known for its incredible birdwatching. Usually starting before sunrise, when birds are most active, expert guides will help you see endemic species hidden in the trees, and you will likely spot birds that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The lodge also has a range of excellent activities, from wildlife photography to canoeing and viewing the rainforest from the 45-metre observation towers. From up high you are likely to see macaws, toucans and aracaris feeding in the canopies.

From The Amazon, we can arrange for you to fly South to Rio or Sao Paulo for a night before international flights home. Or you may wish to extend your stay in the rainforest with a private river cruise. On the coast, the beaches and sandy dunes of Jericoacoara are within relatively easy reach.

What is typically included

Four nights full board at Caiman Lodge, Pantanal
One night with breakfast at Hotel Deville Campo Grande
Three nights full board at Cristalino Lodge, Alta Floresta
All domestic land transfers
Shared guiding included at Caiman and Cristalino Lodge