Pantanal - Jaguars & Wildlife
Photo Adventure

Activity level - Easy

Participants should be able to walk about 1 mile unassisted during field sessions, carrying their photography gear. Most locations are close or we will be photographing out of a boat.  

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ITINERARY

This itinerary is subject to changes based on weather conditions. We will be out early and late to take advantage of the best light and wildlife activity.

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Oct. 22 (Day 1) - Cuiabá

Arrival in Cuiabá and transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight in Cuiabá.

 

Oct. 23 (Day 2) - Cuiabá - Pantanal Lodge

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After breakfast depart from Cuiaba for a 3-hour-long transfer to our Pantanal lodge in a closed vehicle.  Enjoy one night at the

Pantanal Lodge surrounded by interesting fauna that is hard or impossible to see this well anywhere else. Every day you will be led by your expert naturalist guides to make sure you spot the best fauna and flora. Throughout your trip you will enjoy delicious local “carnivorous cuisine” as well as plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, and knowledgeable naturalist guiding. Activities at the lodge are organized according to the current weather, logistics and your interests.

 

The Ocelot Experience, wait in the early evening at our Ocelot viewing area to try to see one of our two most commonly-seen Ocelots there. The probability of one of the Ocelots showing up to be admired at 5-9 m in good light varies unpredictably between 30% and 80% per evening. In the dry months of June through October, the probability tends to run over 50%. This is the world’s number one Ocelot Experience, by far.

Overnight at Pantanal Lodge.

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Oct. 24 (Day 3) - Pantanal Lodge - Jaguarland

Breakfast. Transfer from Pantanal Lodge to Porto Jofre. Transfer from Porto Jofre to Jaguarland. Lunch. PM Jaguar search. Dinner.

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After breakfast, we travel 85 km on the raised dirt road rather grandly named the Transpantaneira. We stop often along the way to view wildlife beneath the bridges, and upon arrival to Porto Jofre Lodge, which is also one of our properties, we search for the ridiculously accommodating Hyacinth Macaws, which are in fact the tamest wild Hyacinth Macaws in the world. Often they allow guests to walk within 3-4 meters of them. Then board your Jaguar search boat travel 16 km upstream we reach our Ship

Naturezas, which is anchored on the forested riverbanks of the 100-m-wide Piquirí River. The opposite riverbank also is completely forested and is, in fact, the edge of the 270,000-acre Meeting-of-the-Waters State Park, which is by far the most Jaguar-rich protected area on Earth. We will spend four nights here, following a routine of morning and afternoon boat safaris exploring the most Jaguar-rich sections of the Cuiabá, Piquirí, and Three Brothers Rivers, returning to the lodge in the middle of the day for lunch and some downtime.

 

Your first scheduled boat game viewing trip along the river will need to be brief followed by dinner at the lodge. After dinner there will be a unique wildlife lecture by the resident naturalist. The lecture series includes Jaguars, Giant Otters, Caimans, and Capybaras.

Overnight on our live aboard floating lodge.

 

Oct. 25-27 (Day 4-6) - Jaguarland​

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Three days dedicated to boat outings to view wildlife. Jaguars and Giant Otters are at the top of the wish list, but as ever we aim to stop for anything interesting that the group fancies. On each of the boat safaris, we will likely cover a great deal of ground, systematically checking the sandy banks, patches of dense gallery forest on the riverbank, and rush beds along the water’s edge in search of the biggest land predator in South America. Our chances are superb for encountering Jaguar and the Jaguar hotel provides us with the perfect base from which to explore.

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Here we have a distinct advantage over more distantly-located lodges or camps, which start 12-16 km downriver and thus require a lengthy and often unproductive 30-45-min journey each way. With instant access to the most productive area for our target

species, when we receive word of a sighting, we can react very quickly, and it also enables us to have a greater chance of having private sightings before other boats. Each evening, guests may attend an optional wildlife lecture by our Jaguar naturalist.

Each of the lectures is only 20-40 min long, and they were created specifically by biologists to educate interested guests.

​Overnight on our live aboard floating lodge.

 

Oct. 28 (Day 7) - Jaguarland - Pantanal Lodge

Breakfast, check-out, morning boat outing until 08:00-08:30 am, then boat transfer 13km downstream to Porto Jofre. If time permits, we will have the opportunity to see the Toco Toucan and also a family of 3-5 of other toucan species of the Pantanal, the

elegant Chestnut-eared Araçari, also come to perch at chest height, and at only 3-5 meters from you. After enjoying the two-species toucan show (“two toucans”) and interviewing the Hyacinth Macaws “up close ‘n personal”, embark once more on your land safari (closed, air-conditioned vehicle), this time for 80 km to the Pantanal Lodge.

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In the afternoon, set out on a 2-hour River Safari on the wildlife-rich Pixaim River. This small river is very serene and private: perfect for enjoying the wonders of a wildlife community that has been protected by SouthWild for 20 years. In the evening try

once-again to see our Ocelots or try for the even more elusive Tapir on a Night Safari.

Overnight at Pantanal Lodge.

 

Oct. 29 (Day 8) - Pantanal Lodge - Cuiabá

Make the most of the sunrise by climbing the self-explore towers just outside the main lodge to capture the sunrise over the Pantanal. Enjoy breakfast in Pantanal Lodge with your camera ready to go. At the proper time we will depart from the lodge in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle to arrive with plenty of time to check in for your flight home.

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EXTENSION TO THE AMAZON

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This 5-day safari takes you into the heart of the Amazon in a carefully crafted experience to maximize your adventure. The closest thing to an African safari in South America, with guaranteed sightings of rare birds, monkeys, and many other species, and supported by unique features that ensure you get breathtaking footage of the wildlife that you encounter. 

Species list: Hoatzin, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Razor-billed Curassow, Black-necked Red Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Blue and Yellow Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Red-and-Green Macaw, Red-bellied Macaw, Toucans, araçaris, toucanets, Red-necked Araçari, White-throated Toucan, Chestnut-eared Araçari, Lettered Araçari, Curl-crested Araçari, Gould's Toucanet and we may even see the amazing and rare Harpy Eagle!

A few featured mammals: Gray Woolly Monkey, Tapir, White-nosed Bearded Saki Monkeys, and more!

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Oct. 29 (Day 1) - Alta Floresta - Amazon

Flry to Alta Floresta. Transfer from the airport to Lodge at Fazenda São Nicolau that afternoon (approx 3.5 hrs). Lunch. Settle in this afternoon. Welcome Dinner and Evening Introduction.  Overnight at Lodge in Amazon. 

 

Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 (Day 2-4) - Amazon

There will be a variety of activities and explorations to view and photograph wildlife. Wildlife Safari along Juruena River. Boat safari on river. Canopy Tower Exploration. Walk to Fruiting Trees for Bird Watching. Safari on Private Rainforest Roads. Boat Ride among Forest Islands. We will return for lunch and dinner. Overnight at Lodge in Amazon. 

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Nov. 2 (Day 5) - Amazon - Alta Floresta

Morning activity close to lodge. Guide drives us back to AFL airport. Lunch is included at a local restaurant near to the airport. Fly back to Cuiabá and return flight home either same day or next.