Brazil's Pantanal

Brazil's Pantanal Main Tour:

Day 1: July 4, 2011

Arrival in Rio international airport. Transfer to hotel. After check-in, leave for our half day tour at the Botanical Garden and Sugar Loaf Mountains.  The Botanical Garden of Rio with its 202 years of history is considered one of the 10th most important worldwide. It is a treasure within the city and besides its quietness and beauty it is a great place to photograph animals like, White-tufted Marmosets, Brown Capuchins, Guianan Squirrels and birds such as Channel-billed toucans and Slaty-breasted Woodrails.

We plan to be at Sugar Loaf for sunset where there is a spectacular view of the city surroundings. A cable car takes us to the first mountain, Morro da Urca, and the second and highest one (496m) is the Sugar Loaf Mountain. There is a good possibility to find a group of marmosets up on top as well. Dinner and  overnight.

Day 2: July 5

Leave hotel early in the morning towards the Golden Lion Tamarin Project located on the north part of Rio State.  The drive takes nearly two hours. This project that started in 1983 was able to bring back into nature populations of tamarins which almost went extinct.

Our first stop will be at Fazenda Afetiva, where the researcher’s team wait for us to locate the tamarin’s groups leaving in this forest path. This is a private property associated with the project where visitors are allowed to go. In order to identify the individuals in the groups, tamarins have an ink mark on their fur and the dominant male or female have radio collars on. There are a few families leaving in this forest and their group size ranges from 5-6 individuals.

Tamarins are very charismatic and the groups we visit are accustomed to people approaching closely and allowing good photo opportunities.  We will follow them until the monkeys disappear for their late morning rest.

Continuing north we drive to Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, headquarters of the project, located 35km away and where the Visitor Center is. A 30 min. drive takes us to Bom Retiro Reserve, privately owned, where we will have a homemade-style lunch.

There, hummingbird feeders and bananas placed around the house attracts several species of colorful tanagers like Brazilian, Green headed, Burnished-buff and hummingbirds like Saw-billed Hermit, Swallow-tailed, Black-Jacobin and others.

In the afternoon we drive back to the Rio airport for our flight to Belo Horizonte. Overnight Belo Horizonte

Day 3: July 6

Early transfer from Belo Horizonte to Caraca.

Caraça Natural Reserve is located 125 km east from Belo Horizonte in the southern section of Espinhaço Mountain Range. Caraça is a transition area of two ecosystems, Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) and Atlantic Rainforest. The average altitude is 1200 meters. Within the reserve is the 18th century building of Caraça´s Sanctuary  whose gothic church was converted into a hotel, our night’s lodging.

In our days in Caraca we will be looking for animals like  Masked Titi Monkeys,   Black-tufted Marmosets, Brazilian Cavies along with many species of birds. One of the main attractions of the place is the beautiful Maned Wolf which has come to the church patio to be fed for more than 20 years.  The Striped Hog-nosed Skunk sometimes it comes to feed on the wolf tray as well.

Afternoon in the surroundings of the seminary. We will be looking for Masked Titi Monkeys and birds. Caraça is a place of great diversity. In the afternoon we will explore the surroundings of the seminary looking the best shots of animals, plants and landscapes. Early dinner and then wait for the Maned Wolf to appear in the church patio. Overnight Caraca.

Day 7: July 10

Today we leave Caratinga  to Belo Horizonte, lunch enroute. We fly to Cuiaba in the evening and transfer to the Cerrados Hotel.

Day 8: July 11

Early departure to the Pantanal driving about 35 miles along the Transpantaneira Highway. We couldn’t have a better start: as we drive on this road, we will be able to watch & photograph  a number of birds and animals, such the Jabiru Storks, Hyacinth Macaws, caimans and Capybaras, as well as making several short walks along the road.

After lunch at the hotel, We’ll take a boat ride in the afternoon on the Pixaim River. This boat ride will be a great highlight: the river is only about  150 feet wide, which gives us the chance to easily watch wildlife on both river banks: all the five South American kingfishers occur here! We can see Rufescent Tiger-herons, Sunbitterns and Sungrebes, not to mention a possible encounter with a group of  giant river otters! These charming aquatic mammals are often quite tame and allow for close approaches. Overnight at the Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Day 9 & 10: July 12 & 13

From Pixaim River (with possible additional short morning boat ride) we leave for Porto Jofre and lunch there or at JER on our way. Porto Jofre is about 50 miles south, all the way to the end of the Transpantaneira road.

During our stay, we will take boat rides to search for Jaguars, returning to our lodge at noon for lunch.   The grounds of our  lodge has a wonderful flock of the relatively rare (and much sought-after by illegal collectors) Hyacinth Macaws and a pond covered with giant water lilies for easy photography.Afternoon boat ride along the Cuiabá River and its tributaries. On our return to the lodge, the sunset reflected in the river can be  spectacular. 

Day 11: July 14

Today we’ll explore up river to give us an extra chance to see Jaguars along the river banks. After lunch at our hotel we head to Piuval Lodge, arriving in the beginning of the evening. Overnight Piuval Lodge.

Day 12: July 15

All day at Piuval, a good place to search for Black-tailed Marmosets, Black and Gold Howlers, Black-striped Capuchin Monkeys.,   coatis, Hyacinth Macaws and others. Piuval has a beautiful bay and a small observation tower. Overnight Piuval Lodge.

Day 13: July 16

Morning flight to Campo Grande, then  transfer to San Francisco Lodge, stopping for photo opportunities along the way and arriving before lunch. Overnight San Francisco Lodge.

Days 14 - 16: July 17 - 19

We’ll spend the next couple of days exploring the surrounding countryside for additional opportunities.
Many species live close by the lodge and are quite tame, allowing for close approaches for photography. We will have good chances for Ocelot, Crab-eating Fox, Brown Capuchin, Capybaras, Coatimundis and  Giant Anteaters. The night drives  are generally very productive with good chances for Ocelots, owls, nightjars and  nighthawks.  Overnight San Francisco.

Day 17: July 20

San Francisco / Campo Grande/ Sao Paulo and fly home. If you’re taking the extension, you’ll fly from Campo Grande fly to Iguacu.

Iguassu Falls Extension

Spectacular Iguassu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is one of the world’s largest waterfalls. It is composed of about 275 falls, and stretches for about 1.67 miles.

Day 1: July 20

Arrival in  Iguassu in the evening and settle into our hotel, right at the falls’ edge. Overnight at Cataratas Hotel.

Day 2: July 21

In the morning we explore by trail along the scenic path by the falls. Lunch at  a restaurant located right by the falls ( Porto Canoas Restaurant). In the afternoon we’ll make a visit to Bird Park, which has a variety of birds and animals from five continents. Optional helicopter fly-overs are available. Dinner at a local restaurant.  Overnight.

Day 3: July 22

We’ll explore the Argentinean side of the Iguassu Falls all day, which offers us totally different angles of these incredible water falls. Lunch, with typical Argentinean barbecue.  Overnight.

Day 4: July 23

Morning free time. Fly from Iguassu to Sao Paulo and home.