Pantanal Wildlife & Nature — 16-day round trip

The Slim Cuiabá Aeroporto of Slaviero Hotéis is a practical three-star hotel near Cuiabá airport, suitable for a first night after arrival. Rooms have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a safe and a private bathroom. A buffet or continental breakfast is served daily and the 24-hour reception offers service in English and Portuguese. On-site parking is available and a free airport shuttle makes the transfer from and to the airport easy.

Pousada Porto Jofre lies deep in the Pantanal at Porto Jofre and is known for excellent jaguar observation. Comfortable rooms with air conditioning and private bathroom overlooking the surroundings, a restaurant with local dishes and special arrangements for nature photographers. Own boats with comfortable seats and 40–50 hp engines for river safaris. Since 2024 the lodge is run by Southwild, known for sustainable nature tourism and high-quality wildlife experiences. Full board with daily excursions according to programme.

SouthWild Pantanal Lodge sits 2.5 km from the Transpantaneira on the wooded bank of the Pixaim river, one of the most wildlife-rich stretches of the Northern Pantanal. The twelve screened rooms have private bathrooms with hot showers, ceiling fans, air conditioning and a queen-size bed or two singles; the large screened dining room looks out on the river and the bird feeders. Activities include two-hour boat trips morning and late afternoon, the evening Ocelot Experience, four kilometres of trails in the gallery forest, observation towers (one at a jabiru nest), horse riding and night spotlighting by truck. Jaguars are seen on the river about every six days. Meals are buffet style with vegetarian options; there is a small pool. Best months: May to December.

Hotel with a fitness room, a pool on a sun terrace, free WiFi and free parking. Contemporary rooms with light wood finishes, LCD TV with cable channels, minibar, desk and private bathroom with shower. Extensive breakfast buffet; restaurant with international cuisine and a poolside bar.

Pousada in the baroque style of the historic town of Ouro Preto, with spacious suites that each have a balcony. Outdoor pool, garden, bar, free WiFi, 24-hour reception and room service. Breakfast in the Pantanal ‘quebra torto’ style with regional dishes, including dietary and vegan options. The pousada has a sustainability programme.

Hotel and fazenda on the southern edge of the Pantanal, fully renovated (2025), reached by asphalt and a short unpaved stretch. Double rooms and rooms for 3–5 people with air conditioning, minibar, TV and private bathroom; pool; breakfast buffet with local products; restaurant with regional fusion dishes such as pacu pizza. Up to ten nests of the hyacinth macaw are found on the property each year. The package is full board with daily excursions, including a day excursion to the nearby Fazenda São Francisco, one of the best wildlife areas of the region, with a chance of seeing a jaguar.

A full day devoted to jaguars and the other wildlife of the Pantanal. Pousada Porto Jofre’s own boats, with comfortable seats and 40–50 hp engines, navigate the rivers around the Encontro das Águas State Park, the place with the highest concentration of jaguars in the world. The excursion lasts 8–9 hours from morning to late afternoon; from July to October a jaguar sighting is almost guaranteed. Included on days 8 and 9. Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, camera and binoculars.

Included with the stay: full board, access to the Ocelot Observatory, the walking trails and two observation towers (one 16 m from a jabiru nest, the other on the Pixaim river), a two-hour boat trip per day and, for three-night stays, a two-hour truck safari. The most popular activities are the boat trips in the early morning and late afternoon on the 70 m wide Pixaim river, with tame kingfishers and hawks, and the ocelot experience in the early evening. Bird feeders 5 to 10 m from the lodge attract songbirds, hummingbirds and toco toucans; four kilometres of trails cross the gallery forest, the richest habitat of the Pantanal for birds and monkeys. Staff assist in Portuguese; a bilingual nature guide can be arranged at extra cost.

Private driver picks up at the hotel. First stop Buraco das Araras, a collapsed cave and one of the largest sinkholes in the world (124 m deep, 500 m wide), home to red-and-green macaws, seen from viewpoints along a trail; a small lake at the bottom often has caimans. Then Rio da Prata: a short forest walk, then about 2 km of snorkelling with the current in exceptionally clear water among fish and water plants; suitable for almost everyone. Wetsuit, snorkel and shoes included; lunch at the Rio da Prata lodge. Return to the hotel by private driver. Local Portuguese-speaking guides; English-speaking guide at a supplement.

Morning pick-up with shared transfer (private at a supplement) to the Gruta do Lago Azul, a limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites and a large blue lake at the bottom whose colour changes with the light; in December the sun shines directly on the lake for a short period. The descent is suitable for anyone who can climb stairs. Return to the hotel afterwards. Local Portuguese-speaking guide; English-speaking guide at a supplement.

Programme of the Pantanal Hotel (applies to the mid-range option): day 1 arrival from Campo Grande or Bonito at the Pantanal Hotel in Miranda, afternoon boat trip on the Rio Salobra (birds, caimans, capybaras, sometimes giant otters), dinner at Caqui Quintal, night in Miranda. Day 2 sunrise boat trip on the Rio Salobra, then a full day as ‘Peão Pantaneiro’ at Pantanal Experiência by horse, vehicle and on foot, lunch, dinner and night at Pousada Pantanal Experiência. Day 3 Fazenda San Francisco: open-vehicle safari (capybaras, caimans, deer, giant anteaters, tapirs, hundreds of bird species, with luck a jaguar), lunch, boat trip on the Corixo São Domingos, dinner and night safari with spotlights. Day 4 breakfast and transfer back to Campo Grande or Bonito. The order may change with weather and logistics; if Fazenda San Francisco is unavailable it is replaced by a safari on the Estrada Parque with English-speaking guide and driver.