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Brazil - A Wildlife Cruise to the remote Pantanal National Park
Tour Code: BRA12A unique 11-day wildlife holiday, including a 6-night cruise through the more remote regions of the Pantanal and Pantanal National Park in search of the region’s most spectacular wildlife.
£9,595 (Inc flights)
£8,795
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
This unique and exclusive cruise focuses on a land of towering mountains and giant water lilies in search of some of South America’s most spectacular wildlife deep within the little-visited Pantanal National Park. It will be a privilege to visit this pristine wilderness, far from other tourists. Our home for six nights on this exciting Naturetrek charter is the exceptionally comfortable, traditional Brazilian houseboat Panoramico which offers 12 spacious, air-conditioned guest rooms and wonderful hospitality from her friendly crew. During the cruise, the king of the South American cats, the Jaguar, will be high on our ‘wish list’ and we will search comprehensively in the very best areas, using smaller boats to navigate narrow channels.
- A wildlife expedition to reach the remote Pantanal National Park
- Spectacular scenery with towering mountains and Giant Water Lilies
- Watch Jaguars in the more remote and exclusive regions of the Pantanal
- Giant Otter, Tapir, Ocelot, Giant Anteater and other mammals possible
- Hyacinth Macaws, Toco Toucans, Jabiru Storks just some of the varied birdlife
- Expert naturalist leaders aboard the exceptionally comfortable houseboat Panoramico
Grading
Grade A. Wildlife-viewing from our cruise vessel and small boats, plus some optional easy walking in the Pantanal National Park.
TThis unique and exclusive wildlife cruise will give us special access to some little-visited and remote regions of the Pantanal and Pantanal National Park. During it, we will explore a land of waterways laden with giant water lilies, above which tower spectacular granite peaks that rise to over 900 metres, as we search for some of South America’s most spectacular wildlife.
Our home for these six nights will be the exceptionally comfortable ‘Panoramico’, a traditional Brazilian houseboat which offers 12 spacious, air-conditioned guest rooms and wonderful hospitality from her friendly crew. The Jaguar, of course, will be high on our ‘wish-list’, and we will search the very best areas comprehensively for this king of South American cats, transferring to smaller boats in order to search the narrower channels. We will also hope to find Giant Otters, time spent in their presence being another potential treat, while Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater and Ocelot may all be seen. Thousands of Yacare Caiman, Capybara and a whole host of special birds will also be enjoyed, amongst them Hyacinth Macaw, Jabiru Stork, all five of South America’s kingfishers, a range of herons, storks, raptors and much more.
Following a direct flight to São Paulo, we will take a domestic flight to Cuiabá and after a night in a rural hotel on the edge of the city, we travel from there to Porto Jofre. The drive will take us along the famous Transpantaneira Road, through open savannahs and wetlands teeming with life, and is a fascinating and rewarding wildlife safari in itself. Bare-faced Curassows and Chestnut-bellied Guans are often to be seen on the road, while Toco Toucans and Ringed Kingfishers may be seen in wayside trees. Red Brocket and Swamp Deer are commonly seen on this journey, and we will even have a chance of seeing Brazilian Tapir and Giant Anteater! On reaching Porto Jofre, we will board the Panoramico and cruise to one of the very best areas for Jaguars, where we will stay for two days. This will give us a wonderful opportunity to find these mighty cats as they hunt for caiman and Capybara along the raised riverbanks. Once found, sightings can often be prolonged and spectacular, and we will make the most of every encounter. Families of vocal Giant Otters will be enjoyed too, whilst Great Black and Black-collared Hawks, Jabiru Storks, Sungrebes, Black Skimmers, Green Ibis and Rufescent Tiger, Capped and Boat-billed Herons are likely to be amongst a plethora of bird species seen.
Next, our vessel will enable us to journey deeper into the heart of the Pantanal than we have ever been before. This will be a long journey — around 140 kilometres — into a pristine wilderness that is seldom reached by other tourists. It will take us into the Pantanal National Park, which protects just a small 340,000-acre core in the heart of this great wildlife region. The national park is spectacular, with its mosaic of clear waterways, crowned with carpets of giant water lilies, adjacent to a breathtaking range of imposing granite mountains. Within it is a unique mosaic of habitats, including a wetland of international importance. As well as exploring the park in small boats to access the smaller channels, we will have the chance to explore on foot here too, walking on the Caracara Hill (Morro do Caracará), an imposing 245-metre outcrop with commanding views of the park. Little and White Woodpeckers, Orange-backed Troupial, Squirrel Cuckoo and various woodcreepers are just some of the species we may find in the dry woodland habitat, alongside the extremely localised Green-cheeked Parakeet. As well as Jaguars, other mammals that may be seen in the gallery forest lining the waterways here include Black Howler and Black-capped Capuchin Monkeys, and maybe even Brazilian Porcupine. We will watch overhead for King and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, and in the forest for Blue-fronted and Scaly-headed Parrots, while in the evenings Band-tailed Nighthawks and Pauraques hunt over the water. Indeed there is a truly wonderful range of species to be seen and we will enjoy everything about this special wetland during our privileged stay within it.
Leaving the national park, we will cruise back to Porto Jofre, using our small spotting boats there to further explore some of the smaller channels rich in wildlife. This is where we must disembark, bidding farewell to the Panoramico and heading back up the famous Transpantaneira, off which we will break our journey in a wildlife lodge from which an excursion to a hide to watch for Ocelot will be a fitting finale to this special itinerary.
Those not wishing to stay longer in Brazil will fly homeward on arrival in Cuiabá. But for those of you wishing to extend your holiday with further wildlife exploration, we should be delighted to organise bespoke extensions before or after the cruise. Popular options include further nights in one or more of the wildlife lodges on the Transpantaneira, a quest for the magnificent Harpy Eagle in the southern Amazon rainforest, visiting the Iguazú Falls or just relaxing in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
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Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Spacious, air-conditioned cabins with private facilities aboard the Panoramico. For additional information please refer to the tour itinerary. Comfortable air-conditioned lodge, with private facilities, on the Transpantaneira.
- Food:
All included in the price.
Extensions
Rio de Janeiro Extension
Iguazu Falls Extension
Harpy Eagle and Southern Amazon Extension
Giant Anteater Extension Piuval
Atlantic Rainforest Extension
Dates & Prices
2025
Please note that cabin grades are subject to availability. We recommend phoning the office before booking to confirm that your preference is available.
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[description] => Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Wildlife Cruise Holidays
The oceans are one of the last great wilderness areas left on our planet. Travelling by sea on a nature cruise represents the best way to see many of the world’s wildlife spectacles, as there are still wildlife paradises that are accessible by sea but cannot yet be reached by air.
Naturetrek wildlife cruises offer:
- A range of cruising experiences, from exclusively chartered 50-berth expedition ships to smaller motor yachts & schooners
- Arctic & Antarctic nature cruises in ships with specially strengthened hulls
- Each voyage is accompanied by expert naturalists
- Wide range of wildlife cruises from five continents
We have been running wildlife cruises for over 30 years and if your image of cruising is endless deck quoits or bingo, think again! A life on the ocean waves can be a permit to witness scenes of natural splendour that most people will only ever see on their television screens.
A selection of our most popular wildlife cruises:
- Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands – Unique 2-week Galapagos nature cruise aboard a 16-berth schooner in search of the confiding birds, mammals & reptiles that inhabit these islands made so famous by Darwin
- The Sub-Antartic Islands of New Zealand – Penguins, marine mammals & seabirds (Tailormade)
- Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear – Polar Bears, Walruses & seabirds
- Baja California – Blue Whales, Sperm Whales, thousands of dolphins & other marine life, plus San Ignacio’s friendly Grey Whales
- Kamchatka Peninsula – Pacific Ocean seabird colonies, spectacular volcanic scenery & over a dozen species of auks, plus Steller’s Sea Eagle, Siberian Rubythroats & much more (Tailormade)
- Brahmaputra Cruise, India – Unique nature cruise visiting Kaziranga & other National Parks
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Mammal Watching Holidays
Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Jaguar Holidays in the Pantanal
The Jaguar is South America’s most iconic big cat. Notoriously secretive and stunningly beautiful, seeing one of them in their natural habitat ranks among the world’s most memorable wildlife experiences. We offer dedicated Jaguar watching tours to Brazil, and the area we visit in the Pantanal offers the very best chance of anywhere in all of South America. Our groups have seen these beautiful wild cats in Tambopata, Peru (on the Macaws and Machu Picchu tour) and in the Iwokrama Rainforest in Guyana (on the Guyana – Timeless Paradise excursion), although sightings in both these localities are far less frequent than in the breathtakingly wildlife-rich Pantanal.
Jaguar Watching Holidays with Naturetrek
We offer one dedicated tour for seeing Jaguars (Brazil – Just Jaguars!) and we’re proud to say that, to date, our 12-day excursion has a remarkable 100% record of success. The elusive big cats have also been seen on our 17-day 'Brazilian Pantanal & Iguazu Falls' holiday and shorter 10-Day 'Mammals of the Pantanal' holiday both also with 100% success.
We have a wealth of experience offering wildlife tours to South America and have developed an extensive network of the very best naturalist guides in Brazil. Our itineraries to the Brazilian Pantanal, stay at the very best locations for the right amount of time, which is what's allowed us to achieve a 100% sighting success rate. At Naturetrek it's paramount that our holidays aid wildlife conservation, and in the Pantanal the power of ecotourism to protect wildlife-rich habitat is evident – as income from tourism has grown, so too has the area of Jaguar habitat, as has the number of Jaguars. Land previously used for farming is being rewilded, and Jaguars which were previously seen as a threat to livestock are now viewed as a valuable commodity. Our holidays stay at a Jaguar research station, which is located better than anywhere to see these iconic cats.
Our Jaguar watching holidays in the Pantanal actively seek the other wonderful wildlife, such as Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Ocelot, Giant Anteater, Toco Toucan and Hyacinth Macaw, plus a multitude of other exciting species.
Why Our Jaguar Watching Tours are So Successful
- 100% sightings on our “Just Jaguars!” holiday
- Led by expert naturalist guides
- Visit regions famous for their density of wild Jaguars
- Up-to-date information from local contacts
- Outings at optimal times of the day when the wildlife is most active
- Night drives, plus early morning and late afternoon excursions
- Superb local guides whose expertise and knowledge guarantee us the best sightings
- We stay in the right areas for the right amount of time
What can I expect on a Jaguar watching holiday?
- Explore the Pantanal by day on boat trips & in open vehicles
- Night outings with spotlighting
- Spend time in prime big cat habitat with two dedicated outings each day
- The chance to be immersed in another culture
- A host of other wildlife including Ocelots, Giant Anteaters, Hyacinth Macaws, Giant River Otters, Caimans and Capybaras
- The security of a small friendly group and a highly experienced leader
Our specialist recommends...
"If you want a holiday dedicated to looking for these magnificent cats, you can't do any better than our 'Brazil – Just Jaguars!' tour. This tour gives you the optimum amount of time for not only finding Jaguars but also to enjoy a great range of behaviours. We’ve seen them hunting Caiman, swimming the river channels, mating and even having a tug of war with a Yellow Anaconda! For those who want to stay longer and explore a greater variety of habitats I'd recommend our 17-day 'Brazilian Pantanal & Iguazu Falls' tour. You’ll see a host of fantastic wildlife on either trip!"
Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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