The Phantom and the Wetlands

Please note: The Jaguar Expedition commences at Campo Grande on the morning of Day 1, and ends at Cuiaba on Day 11. Participants are advised to arrive in Brazil at Campo Grande one day prior to the commencement date and stay overnight.

Entry into Brazil requires a valid visa. Please get in touch with us well in advance to have your visa application for the Tour processed.

Bonito (South Pantanal)

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer from Campo Grandé to Pousada Aguape.

Upon arrival in the morning, we are greeted by our trusted guide, who is extremely experienced and has a wealth of knowledge on reptiles, birds and Anteaters. We drive to reach our first destination  and check in to our hotel. In the evening, we pursue Giant Anteaters and hopefully enjoy some wonderful photographic opportunities with these unique creatures. In the evening we enjoy the first of many interactive sessions from the Skipper before dining and retiring for the night.

Day 2: Morning Birding and Photography around Pousada Aguape and drive to Jardim; Macaw Photography in the evening

In the morning we explore photography opportunities for birds around Pousada Aguape. We then drive for 3 hours and arrive in Jardim for an evening session exploring and photographing beautiful Macaws at the famous sinkhole. A sinkhole is a natural depression in the earth formed by a chemical phenomenon. The sinkhole we will visit is a great place to photograph Macaws, especially, various perspectives of which can be made at this picturesque location.

Day 3: Morning Macaws, and Optional Floating Tour and Transfer to Campo Grandé

In the morning we explore the sinkhole and spend a generous amount of time enjoying photography around its surroundings in morning light.

After 11:00 in the morning we then take a floating tour (optional) of Rio da Prata which is a fantastic excursion on a river, where we float using snorkels for four kilometres amidst plenty of beautiful fish and other underwater creatures. Swimming is a mandatory skill to complete this tour and this is an optional excursion. Participants can spend time at the sinkhole or at the restaurant if they are not interested in the floating tour. We then drive to Campo Grandé. We can either take the evening flight to Cuiabá or stay overnight for an early morning flight the next day..

North Pantanal

Day 4: Transfer to the Transpantaneira

Participants fly from Campo Grandé to Cuiabá this morning.  As soon as we arrive, we drive to the Pantanal and on the Transpantaneira is our first lodge. Piuval is a very simple lodge with a lot of wildlife opportunities. On this day we will try to find the Tapir. One of Pantanal’s special creatures apart from many other birds and reptiles..

Day 5: All Day on the Transpantaneira area

After breakfast on this day, we drive a short distance to reach our second spot  right next to the Pixaim river.

We will spend the day around the incredible lodge looking for Toucans, Anaconda, Hyacinth Macaw, Amazon and Giant Kingfishers, Hawks and the Jabiru Stork, before retiring overnight in our lodge.

Day 6:  Drive to Cuiabá river for evening Boat Safari to Sight and Photograph Jaguars

Early in the morning, we set up tripods and visit the area where we may get lucky with Toco Toucans and Macaws. We then return to the lodge for breakfast.

After breakfast we drive three hours to board the safari boat, and venture through the curvy river, making our way to the floatel close to the heart of Jaguar land which will be our home for the next five nights. A floatel is a ‘floating hotel’ — essentially living quarters built on top of rafts that float over water, decidedly a most romantic hideout on a trip to the Pantanal.

Then we set out on our maiden boat safari, looking for Jaguars. Small speed boats are the best way to explore and photograph in the narrow waterways of the Pantanal. Being completely open, they are ideal for photography and seating only a few  participants in each boat. We ensure everybody has ample room for storing their equipment as well as positioning themselves in the right angle for a photograph.

Smooth-sailing in the shallow waters, we acquaint ourselves with the unique habitat and look for subjects to photograph in the ecosystem. Early luck can produce the coveted sight of a jaguar but even otherwise, there is plenty to keep you occupied.

After our first evening safari at the river we return, dine and retire overnight in the floatel (Floating Hotel).

Days 7 to 10: Boat Safaris and Overnight Stay in Flotel

For four more magical days, we enjoy morning and evening boat safaris, giving ourselves thereby the maximum chance to bag memorable experiences and make images of Jaguars, chiefly, and all the other attractions, including Caiman, Capybara and the bounteous avian life.

All mornings we leave at sunrise, and stay out on safari during the morning, coming back for a short lunch break for the afternoon to keep us going on the evening boat safaris.

In the evenings, your skipper will chair fascinating and highly interactive sessions of which are designed to be extremely informative, engaging, inspiring and an awful lot of fun. Participants get to learn a wealth of photography and natural history during these talks and can glean highly useful tips and techniques that can then be put to use during the next day’s shoot.

A scrumptious buffet dinner will be spread out each night to augur well for a good night’s rest, so we may rejuvenate ourselves for a full day’s adventure and photography ahead.

Day 11: Transfer to Cuiabá

On this last morning, we enjoy the leisure breakfast and return to Porte Jofre to board our bus to take us back to the town of Cuiabá. Participants can connect to their next flight via Sao Paulo and return home with a lot of beautiful memories.

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