Brazil’s Pantanal: Jaguars and Birds

We’ll depart on overnight flights from home airports towards Cuiabá, with a quick stopover in Sao Paolo where we’ll clear customs.

Night: In the air

Upon arrival in Cuiabá, we’ll meet our local guide and start the drive to the Pantanal. After driving for about 1.5 hours on a paved road, we’ll move on to the Transpantaneira, a dirt road that transects the northern portion of the Pantanal. The ditches alongside the road attract all sorts of birds and mammals, making wildlife sightings easy. We may see species including Jabiru, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, several species of egrets, Plumbeous and Buff-necked ibises, Southern Screamer, Savanna and Roadside hawks, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, and more.

In the afternoon, we’ll take our first foray into the rivers of the region, searching for more wildlife from the comfort of a boat.

Night: Pousada Rio Claro

Meals: BLD

The morning will be focused on birding and exploring the grounds of the hotel for a variety of wildlife. We’ll explore the wetlands, fields, and forests in search of local specialties such as Red-legged Seriema, Greater Rhea, Long-tailed Ground Dove, Black-bellied Antwren, Yellowish Pipit, Yellow-chevroned and Peach-fronted parakeets, and others. Among the mammals, there could be black-and-gold howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, black-tailed marmosets, crab-eating foxes, tapir, and even jaguar.

After lunch, we’ll journey towards Porto Jofre. Located at the end of the Transpantaneira in the heart of the Pantanal, Porto Jofre is the launching point for many expeditions in search of the iconic jaguar.

Night: Porto Jofre area

Meals: BLD

We’ll have a full day devoted to the boat trips in the Cuiaba River and its tributaries, to maximize our chances of seeing and photographing Jaguars. Although Jaguar sightings are not guaranteed, this region offers the best chances anywhere to find these cats, among the most powerful and elusive in the world. Our outings will be during the day, when we’ll move along the rivers in search of cats that come to the riverbanks for food, water, or just a cool breeze. These rivers are also home to a few groups of giant otters, along with many capybaras and caimans. Pied Plover, both Large-billed and Yellow-billed terns, and other species can be seen along the sandbars, and we’ll make a few stops to photograph them as well.

Night: Porto Jofre area

Meals: BLD

We’ll have one more excursion along the river this morning in search of any species we may have missed, before loading up the van and beginning the long drive to our next destination. In the evening, we’ll be at Aymara Lodge, a cozy place located amid the trees and along a narrow river full of wildlife. It’s considered one of the best spots for birding and nature photography in the Pantanal.

Night: Aymara Lodge

Meals: BLD

We’ll have two days to explore the property and the many birding and photo opportunities offered. Time will be spent exploring both on foot and by vehicle, searching the expansive area for a wide variety of species, with feathers and fur. Among the regular visitors to the lodge grounds are Chestnut-bellied Guan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Toco Toucan, Turquoise-fronted Amazon, White-eyed Parakeet, Yellow-collared and Hyacinth macaws, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Silver-beaked Tanager, and many more! Mammals commonly seen here include hooded capuchins, black-and-gold howler monkey, South American coati, Azara’s agouti, and paca. The trails on the property offer spectacular opportunities with Undulated Tinamou, Bicolored Hawk, Blue-throated Piping-guan, Buff-bellied Hermit, Blue-crowned Trogon, White-wedged Piculet, Large-billed Antwren, Mato Grosso Antbird, White-lored Spinetail, White-naped Xenopsaris, Helmeted and Band-tailed manakins, Green-backed Becard, Flavescent Warbler, and Orange-backed Troupial, just to name a few!

Nights: Aymara Lodge

Meals: BLD

After spending a final morning exploring the grounds of Aymara for species we may have missed, we’ll check out and drive to Chapada dos Guimarães National Park. After the Pantanal, this is the region’s leading attraction, reminiscent of the American Southwest. Its rocky plateau, at 2,600 feet above sea level, overlooks the flat plain of the Paraguay River and the Pantanal and offers superb views, monolithic rock formations, caves, stunning waterfalls, and, of course, special birds. These uplands provide water to the Pantanal marshlands below. We’ll stay at a small and cozy lodge right at the border of the national park.

Night: Pousada do Parque

Meals: BLD

We’ll have two full days birding the cerrado (Brazilian savanna) habitats of Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, with its rough scenery, small and contorted trees, and the beautiful sandstone cliffs and tablelands. As we explore this magnificent area, we’ll have chances of seeing Amazonian Motmot, Southern Antpipit, Planalto Slaty-Antshrike, White-eared Puffbird, White-rumped and White-banded tanagers, Plumbeous Seedeater, Black-throated Saltator, and Chapada Flycatcher, among others. When the heat builds, we may have a chance for a refreshing swim at some of the many waterfalls in the area. We’ll also spend some time birding at Véu-da-Noiva Waterfall with chances to spot Channel-billed Toucan, Lettered Aracari, White-collared and Biscutate swifts, Blue-winged and Red-and-green macaws, Curl-crested Jay, Crested Black-Tyrant, Collared Crescentchest, and Blue Finch.

Nights: Pousada do Parque

Meals: BLD

Today’s activities will depend on the flight schedule of the group, but we might still have time to explore a bit more of the property and search for birds that we may not have seen. We’ll then head to the Cuiabá airport for our journeys home, full of memories and one-in-a-lifetime experiences!

Meals: B

Return home in the early morning on overnight flights.