Brazilian Pantanal & Iguazu Falls

This Brazil - Pantanal and Iguazu Falls tour was very well organised and led by local guide Marcos Felix. My main target was to see Jaguar, we had seven sightings of 5 different jaguars. Secondary targets were the birds and we came away with a wonderful list including Hyacinth Macaws, a dazzling array of hummingbirds at a feeding station and difficult species to see like Agami Heron, Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher and Scissor-tailed Nightjars amongst many others. But the biggest surprise for me was the most spectacular Iguazu Falls - absolutely stunning.

A.M. Cornwall, June 22

I found this trip just brilliant in every way...Both the local guides are excellent and were a great help to me...We had clear skies and bright sunshine every day which helped a great deal...I had great views of all the key birds I had especially wanted to see, many now on film, including of course the highlight of the tour - the wonderful Giant Otters.

J.B. Kent

An excellent itinerary and an exceptional guide in Braulio Carlos, who educated and inspired us. We were often awake before dawn and returned after dusk, enabling the best viewing opportunities. Braulio led by example with a never-say-die attitude; nothing was too much trouble and he was forever positive. His attention to detail, knowledge and personal manner ensured that all guests of varying standards and specialities remained interested throughout the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip - our expectations were greatly exceeded.

Mr & Mrs D. Berkshire

This was another memorable holiday with many splendid highlights: caiman eyes glowing in the spotlight; hundreds of snowy egrets roosting at dusk and flying to fish at dawn; floating under the stars - no light pollution just the sounds of the night and millions of stars; beautiful butterflies; spectacular sunrises, sunsets and reflections; the amazing Iguazu Falls; and after many hours and kilometres - finally seeing a Jaguar!! Two minutes of behaviour - stunning! What a beautiful animal!

R.A. Bristol

I thought the Brazilian guide, Paulo, was excellent. He worked extremely hard to ensure all 12 of us in the group were kept informed, constantly identifying and explaining the behaviour of the fabulous wildlife seen. The wildlife was great, Iguazu was sensational, and the lodges were as good as they can be for this type of holiday. I particularly liked the Flotel on the river. The bananas in coconut sauce at the restaurant at Iguazu was almost worth all the flying on its own!

A.M. Jersey

Our guide Paulo was extremely knowledgeable about the mammals and birds of the region, we highly rate him as a guide and would strongly recommend that you continue to use him. Having experienced holidays with a number of birding guides around the world - he is one of the best. A well-organised holiday to a wonderful part of the world - who could ask for more!

R.H. Glamorgan

Our main guide, Paulo, was excellent and enthusiastic. He was knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the region and very informative about the things we saw. He spared no effort to find those more elusive birds and we were rewarded with views of some of the rarer species. The opportunity to stay in different areas of the Pantanal enhanced the enjoyment as it offered varied landscapes and wildlife viewings. We met some lovely, sociable people who, like us, were determined to see as much as they could. The falls were awe-inspiring, seeing them from both sides really help you appreciate their size and force.

Mr & Mrs A. West Yorkshire

Marcos was hard-working, full of fun and dedicated to ensuring everyone had a good time and that everything ran smoothly. The highlight was our time at the Jaguar Flotel although, being bird-watchers, we enjoyed everywhere. There was an excellent variety of habitats. Also, the Iguazu Falls were stunning.

Mr & Mrs E. Hampshire

As a trip it more than exceeded our expectations seeing birds and mammals, the memories of which will stay with us for years. The boat trips searching for Jaguar were most enjoyable and staying on the flotel proved to be really good in cutting down travel time. The Iguazu Falls were awesome and the icing on the cake was seeing the Black-fronted Piping Guan on the last day there.

Mr & Mrs H. Australia

Our guide was superb. He had excellent knowledge, found all sorts of rare animals, was really enthusiastic and always positioned our boat really well when viewing the jaguars. He also looked after the smallest details and cared really well for us.

H.N. London

Marcos is an excellent guide and was very effective in sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for the natural environment. The Flotel provided great accommodation, the boat was very fast and very stable and we had successful sightings of Jaguars and River Otters. Iguazu is stunning and was a perfect end to the holiday.

J.P. Gloucestershire

Managed to see a great variety of birds and mammals and the final days at the falls were awesome. Marcos Felix was an excellent guide who was very conscientious, hard working and friendly. His knowledge of the wildlife was considerable and he had an obvious passion for conservation.

N.G. Surrey

Thanks to the keen eye of our tour leader, we saw over 200 species of birds and over 20 mammal species and this certainly exceeded my expectations. The experience of being in the Pantanal and seeing first hand all the different habitats and species living there was amazing. The group size of 12 was perfect and we all got to know each other really well and got on well together.

H.W. Aberdeenshire

The truck was a bit of a surprise - we had seen the picture prior to booking but both the comfort and viewing were much better than expected (and the dust factor less). Jaguar viewing was much better than expected - we had been prepared for a 'dip' or at best a glimpse through the forest. Flotel itself was very comfortable and the outings boats were very accessible with smooth speedy ride and excellent viewing.

Mr & Mrs F, Canada

Good itinerary with a very professional, hard working and informative guide. Each day had as many trips by truck, foot or boat as we could manage and on all occasions, we saw plenty of wildlife. Marcos always went the extra mile to see we were looked after, providing a flask of coffee on early starts and bottled water during the day.

L.H. Highland

Exploring the Pantanal in Brazil was the culmination of a long held dream. We saw a wide variety of birds, mammals and reptiles on our morning and afternoon excursions. A special highlight were the wonderful views we had of jaguars. We saw 7 different individuals during our time on the river. Special birds included a Sun Bittern displaying and a Great Pooto and chick scarcely distinguishable brim the branch on which they sat. It is impossible to describe Iguazú Falls in words. The majesty and power took my breath away. Standing on a platform at the base of the falls with water pouring down on one side and falling away on the other was a moment I will never forget. I took the trip to see the Pantanal. My most cherished moment was standing in the spray at the falls.

M.D.T. California, USA

Our guide Marcos was absolutely excellent and his care for us and the interest he brought to the whole trip was outstanding. He is knowledgeable, kind, has a great sense of humour and did his very best to make sure we were all included. The whole trip was outstanding and I enjoyed it immensely.

G.I. Surrey

We were particularly lucky to see jaguars on ten different occasions. The birdlife was spectacular and other mammals that we were privileged to catch sight of included Giant River Otters, Giant and Lesser Anteaters, Ocelot, numerous Capybara and Brazilian Tapir.

Mr & Mrs O. Aberdeenshire

Fantastic views of jaguars, giant anteater, ocelot, giant river otters, lesser anteater, birds and more in all the places we stayed. The flotel was excellent for quick river trips in a speedy boat. Finishing with wonderful views of the Iguazu Falls from both sides and (wet)close up platforms near to the falls for photos. Every day was full and interesting and downtime in the midday heat much appreciated. Just about the best trip so far.

S.R. Norfolk

Good sized group, variety of transport and excellent opportunities to see rare mammals and birds in their natural habitat at close range. The flotel was a brilliant place to stay, situated so close to the rivers and the outings by boat were both magical and exciting (depending on the speed!) I enjoyed the short evening talks given by the resident researcher each evening. The contrast between the quiet of the remote Pantanal and impressive Iguazu made for a good combination holiday.

E.R. Norfolk

There was a variety of activities and wildlife, busy for many hours each day. Competent guiding from Marcos, who worked hard for us.

C.P. London

I knew little about the Pantanal and had never heard of the Iguazu Falls so had no high expectations. As a result I was delighted to be able to see jaguar, ocelot, anteaters and loads of bird species thanks to Kike, our excellent guide. The majestic Falls just took my breath away, the power and noise of the water dominated all senses at once! The hotels were of an excellent standard as was the food which was rather too plentiful for my waistline!

J.C. Kent

This was a fantastic holiday, the group got on so well. Overall a great holiday.

T.S. Bedfordshire

I liked staying three nights at the Lodges/Flotel to get more of a feel for the places within the Pantanal. I liked the combination of birds and mammals with daytime and nighttime viewing.

H.R. Morayshire

I love my birds and it was very relaxing to spot birds by boat or on the truck instead of just on foot safari in the heat. It was good having downtime in the middle of the day. This holiday was nicely paced. Birding Iguazu Falls has to be the ultimate!!! It was way beyond my expectations as somewhere to spend three days. Wonderful.

C.E. Devon

The Pantanal was very interesting and staying in three different locations was excellent. Both the bird and wildlife watching was excellent. Although the travelling to the Falls was a little tedious, they were amazing and I would not have wanted to miss them.

L.H. Cheshire