Detailed program: Itinerary
The 8-day Pantanal wildlife tour can be tailored to your personal preferences. We can include different lodges or focus on specific species of birds or wildlife of interest.
Day 1: Welcome and start of the Pantanal wildlife tour
We’ll welcome you at the airport or hotel and drive 100KM to get in the city of Pocone. From Pocone we continue for approx. 40km before we arrivat at Pouso Alegre lodge.
Pouso Alegre has some of the most impressive birding anywhere on the planet, with huge numbers of birds seen and daily lists reaching astronomical numbers, some of the highest of any of our tours.
The reason why it’s so great is the easy access to a wide variety of habitats, including rivers, wetlands, flooded pastures, gallery forest, and dry scrub.
Species we can spot
The huge Hyacinth Macaws, Greater Rhea, Bare-faced Curassow, Chestnut-bellied Guan, up to four ibises, the hulking Southern Screamer, Jabiru, Maguari Stork, Nacunda Nighthawk Black-collared Hawk, White Woodpecker, Gray-crested Cacholote, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Mato Grosso Antbird, White-lored Spinetail, and Red-crested Cardinal.
Day 2: A full day of wildlife spotting
Full day dedicated to observing the Pantanal’s flora and fauna found on the Pouso Alegre private reserve. Early morning walk for bird and wildlife viewing.
Return to the Lodge for breakfast. After breakfast we will walk into the Forest to continue exploring the forest and grasslands to spot animals and birds, including:
rheas, marsh deer, armadillos, storks, coatis, capybaras, hyacinth macaws, howler monkeys, and a dozen of other animals and birds.
After lunch in the afternoon we drive by open truck in a private road and explore the open lands and grasslands in search for marsh deer, South American coati, giant anteater, toco toucans, tapirs, armadillos, hyacinth macaws, and a host of other animals and birds.
From Mid July to Mid October we can spend time at water holes waiting for animals that come to drink water, great chances for Tapir and giant anteaters. After dinner we continue on a night Safari with spotlight. While driving along the private road of the lodge, we will watch for nocturnals birds, tapirs, anteaters, foxes, raccoons, owls, spiders, snakes, and other animals common to this region.
Day 3: Transfer to Rio Claro and boat ride
After another morning at Pouso Alegre Lodge we drive a few hours south, deeper into the Pantanal. We’ll stay two nights at a lodge on the edge of the sluggish Rio Claro River, and one of the highlights here are the afternoon boat trips on the river. The boat rides are a relaxing way to see Agami and Boat-billed Herons, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Black-collared Hawk, up to five species of kingfisher, Giant Otter, and more.
As darkness nears, Band-tailed Nighthawks appear to hunt insects over the river along with huge Greater Bulldog Bats. Spotlighting for nightjars in the evening might get us Swallow-tailed and Spot-tailed Nightjars, and Pauraque.
Day 4: Full day of wildlife spotting by car and boat
A nearby trail passes through gallery forest along the edge of the river, which can be loaded with birds in the morning. The open nature of the forest makes it relatively easy to see them, and Band-tailed Antbird, Large-billed Antwren, and Helmeted Manakin can usually be seen without too much difficulty. A Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl imitation can often bring in large mobbing hordes of passerines, like Flavescent Warbler, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, and others.
We can also target anything else we are still looking for, which could include White-naped Xenopsaris, Pale-crested Woodpecker, or Nanday Parakeet (some years). In the afternoon, we’ll have the option of having another boat ride on the river.
Day 5: Drive to Porto Jofre and enjoy the wildlife alongside the road
After breakfast, we’ll board our Car and drive south towards the end of the Pantanal Transpantaneira highway. We’ll make several stops along the way to search for the gorgeous Scarlet-headed Blackbird, shy Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, vociferous Fawn-breasted Wren, elegant Maguari Stork, as well as others.
We’ll reach our very comfortable hotel at the very end of the road in late morning, and after lunch, we’ll spend the afternoon cruising the rivers looking for Jaguars as well as birds and other wildlife.
Day 6: Full day boat ride in search of jaguars
Early morning breakfast and we embark our boat between 6.45 -7.00 to start our search for jaguars.
From the lodge it takes approx. 35 minutes to drive by boat to the three brothers river. It is the best area in the world to spot and photograph jaguars.
We will spend the full day on the river in search of jaguars (approx. 10-12 hours). When all the boats return to the lodge for lunch, we enjoy a picknickstyle lunch in the prime jaguar area not wasting any time and enjoy sightings all by ourself.
We will arrive back at the lodge around 5.30 – 6pm. After arriving you can refresh, relax little before we have a delicious diner together at the restaurant.
Wildlife: besides jaguar we have chances on seeing giant river otters, howlerand capucin monkey’s, anaconda and a variety of birdspecies. The prime focus will be on jaguars however if we encounter beautiful wildlife we take time to enjoy it all.
Day 7: Full day boat ride in search of jaguars
Same as previous day.
Day 8: End of the 8-day Pantanal wildlife tour
End of the Pantanal wildlife tour. After breakfast we check-out and start our way back towards Cuiaba. We normally arrive in Cuiaba around 12 am (lunch time). However if you have an early flight to catch, we can arrange a more early transport to the airport.
Note: For photographic safaris we have options to start early in the morning before sunrise
Included:
- Transfer from- and to airport/hotel
- Accomodation
- All meals
- Water during the day
- Experienced English speaking guide
- All actvities as descbribed in the itinerary
Not included:
- Flights
- Drinks (soda & alcohol)
- Travel insurance
- Health insurance
- Cancellation insurance
- Tips (hotel/guides)
Accommodation
