Rio de Janeiro Extension

A staggering 10% of all species known to science occur in the Amazon, and we have designed this Amazon cruise specially to maximise the chances of encountering some of this superb tropical wilderness’s most prized fauna! We begin with a flight to Sao Paulo and then to Manaus, in Brazil. We will then board the ‘Iracema’, our comfortable river cruiser, which will be our floating home for the next seven nights. We will head deep into the Amazon rainforest, visiting two of Brazil’s finest national parks in search of its superb birdlife, including Festive Parrot, Hoatzin and Agami Heron. Next, we head to the remote Jaú National Park where an incredible variety of wildlife awaits us including 14 species of primate, macaws, King Vulture and Guianan Toucanet. Equipped with camera-traps, an onboard drone and spotlights, we will look for wildlife at a wide range of times of the day during our cruise. After a wonderful eight days along the Amazon, we will visit a small traditional village before returning to Manaus and our onward journeys.

• Over 400 mammal species & 1,300 bird species occur in the Amazon!
• Exclusive charter aboard ‘Iracema’, a comfortable river cruiser with en suite cabins
• Maximum of 18 passengers (on a boat with capacity for 22)
• Led by expert local (English-speaking) naturalist guides
• Includes a 7-night guided Amazon River cruise
• See 3-metre wide Giant Water Lilies & travel deep into the Amazon rainforest
• Explore the Anavilhanas Archipelago National Park in small motorised canoes
• Agami Heron, Festive Parrot & Amazonian Umbrellabird, Anavilhanas waterways
• Both Pink and Grey River Dolphins, Squirrel Monkey, Golden-backed Uakari, Hoatzin, Great Jacamar, Toco Toucan & Harpy Eagle among possible avian highlights
• Jau night-time cruises to spotlight for nocturnal wildlife
• Visit to the Tukano tribe to enjoy ceremonial dancing & a banquet
• Onboard drone & camera-traps to increase the range of wildlife seen

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

Combining two of Brazil’s most famous wildlife regions, the vast rainforest of the Amazon Basin and the open wetlands of the Pantanal, this unique 15-day tour offers the wonderful opportunity to sample two very different ecosystems and encounter an enormous variety of wildlife. We will be focusing primarily on the birds and mammals of these diverse regions with the legendary Harpy Eagle, various macaw species, Hoatzin, numerous raptors and the striking Umbrellabird just some highlights in the Amazon, with Woolly Monkeys and White-nosed Saki endangered primates we aim to find. Moving to the famous Pantanal, the world’s greatest wetland, will reveal a myriad of herons, storks, kingfishers, the wonderful Hyacinth Macaw and the special mammals of course with Jaguar, Ocelot, Giant Otter and Tapir all very likely as we head into the famous “Jaguar Zone”.

• Great chance for magnificent Harpy Eagle!
• Special birds including Hyacinth Macaw, Hoatzin, Umbrellabird
• Endangered primates including the beautiful Gray Woolly Monkey and White-nosed Saki
• Giant River Otters, Ocelot, Tapir
• Jaguars very likely!

Located in the southern Amazon, the area of the Fazenda São Nicolau Reserve covers around 10,300 hectares, making it one of the largest properties in the entire county of Mato Grosso. Owned by the French government, this area of rainforest is fully protected for eco-tourists with scientists documenting its wonderful wildlife with ongoing studies. One very special species is the Harpy Eagle and studies in the area have been very successful, with an amazing 33 nests of this mighty raptor found to date across the county. During our stay we will be visiting an active nest with the aim to achieve wonderful views of this spectacular bird from a special viewing tower. A ferry along the beautiful Juruena River provides access to the lodge and we will stay at the reserve headquarters and head out each day on walks, vehicle and boat safaris in search of the vast array of species to be found here.

Leaving the Amazon, a short flight will soon see us in the seasonally flooded plains of the Pantanal, the largest wetland in the world! The area attracts an incredible number of birds and offers some of the finest birdwatching anywhere on the planet. Vast numbers of herons, storks, ibises and Limpkins throng the marshy areas, whilst raptors such as Great Black, Black-collared and Savanna Hawk watch on with intent. The gallery forests and scrub hold a bewildering array of tropical birds including Antbirds, woodcreepers, toucans, tyrant flycatchers and colourful parrots, not least the magnificent Hyacinth Macaw. During our visit we will stay at two lodges just off the famous Transpantaneira Road as we head out on easy walks, vehicle and boat safaris and night drives. We will journey all the way to the end of the Transpantaneira and from a lodge located within the “Jaguar Zone” we have a fantastic chance of seeing both Jaguars and Giant River Otters and we will spend our mornings and afternoons on dedicated boat safaris looking for these target species while appreciating all the wildlife we are lucky enough to find. 

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

This holiday concentrates on maximising time in the best area of the Pantanal for mammal-watching and includes two nights at Pouso Alegre, three nights at the Jaguar Flotel and finishes with two nights at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Based at the Jaguar Flotel, we have a wonderful opportunity to watch both Jaguars and Giant River Otters and these species are found in greater density here than anywhere in the Americas, and we will spend our mornings and afternoons on dedicated boat safaris looking for these target species amongst a wealth of other mammals and birds. During our two nights at Pouso Alegre and SouthWild Pantanal Lodge we will explore the surrounding area through a mix of walks, night drives and boat trips on the Pixaim River, hoping to encounter a troop of Howler Monkeys, a lone Brazilian Tapir bathing in the river and an excellent chance of Ocelot from the hide there. Each day is sure to be packed with special sightings.

• Network of spotter boats at our disposal
• Excellent chance of finding Jaguar & Giant River Otters
• Visit the new Ocelot hide at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
• Families of Capybara & huge numbers of Yacaré Caiman, storks, herons & ibises 
• The Pantanal offers some of the finest mammal and birdwatching in South America
• Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua & Brazilian Tapir all possible
• Led by expert naturalist guides and directly contributing to Jaguar conservation

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

The Jaguar is one of the most elusive and difficult of South American mammals to find, but on these highly successful tours we narrow the odds by taking boat excursions deep into their riverbank forest territories in this unique section of the Brazilian Pantanal that boasts habituated Jaguars and Giant Otters. Our rewards have included close-ups of these “top cats”, both in repose on the riverbank and carefully stalking caimans. Other Pantanal wildlife includes the world’s most visible Giant River Otters, Paraguayan Caimans, Giant Anteaters, photogenic families of Capybaras, abundant waterbirds, and the spectacular Hyacinth Macaw, but naturally it is the mighty cat that is our principal focus on a Jaguar safari!

• Jaguar safari sightings: 100% success rate to date!
• Giant River Otters (also 100% to date) and other Pantanal mammals
• Giant Anteater and Ocelot regularly seen by our groups
• Hyacinth Macaws and a wealth of other colourful birds
• Caimans by the thousands

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

Brazil's Pantanal wetlands are one of the greatest wildlife areas in South America. Using the experience gained from many previous visits, our itinerary offers you the best of the Pantanal's birds and mammals along with Caiman, lizards and a plethora of other creatures. The handsome Hyacinth Macaw, the largest parrot of all, will be among the many bird species we see; whilst mammals include Giant River Otter, Capybara and sometimes more secretive residents such as Giant Anteater and Jaguar! Following our extended stay in this wildlife paradise, we conclude our tour with a visit to the Iguazu Falls, one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.

• Jaguars and Giant River Otters never missed
• The world’s largest parrot, the Hyancinth Macaw
• Agami Heron, Sunbittern and Sungrebe
• Excellent chance of Ocelot and Tapir
• Admire the awe-inspiring Iguazú Falls

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

This unique tour focuses on South America's five most iconic mammals and our quest to find them takes us to two of Brazil’s most stunning wildernesses: the remote dry tropical forests of Paranaiba Headwaters National Park and the world-famous wetlands of the Pantanal. We begin our holiday in the Pantanal, where we'll spend seven days exploring this superb wetland by day and night, on land and by boat, looking for Brazilian Tapirs, Giant River Otters, Giant Anteaters and, of course, Jaguars! Returning to Cuiaba, we then take two internal flights to reach Barreiras de Bahia, from where we drive to the 1.7 million-acre Paranaiba Headwaters National Park, where our main quarry will be the Maned Wolf. We will spend five days in this outstanding park, home to Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (famed for their nutcracking abilities!) and Hyacinth Macaws amongst a wealth of other wildlife.

• A 2-centre holiday in search of South America's most iconic mammals
• The ‘Big Five’ are Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Giant River Otter, Maned Wolf & Brazilian Tapir
• Watch Maned Wolf in Paranaiba Headwaters National Park
• Photograph the world's largest flying parrot, the Hyacinth Macaw
• Witness the unique behaviour of the 'Nutcracker Monkeys'
• Night drives to look for Brazilian Tapir
• Giant Anteaters wandering the open grasslands of the Pantanal
• 4 nights staying on a floating hotel (flotel) in the heart of the Pantanal's 'Jaguar Zone'
• Watch Giant River Otters, Capybaras, Caimans & much more in the Pantanal
• Look for Jaguars by boat from our ideally situated ‘flotel’ base
• Led by expert wildlife guides

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

This tour has been designed specially to optimise the chances of seeing South America’s two top predators - the Puma and the Jaguar. First we will be based for four days in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, where we will search for Pumas in the company of local guides. Our goal is to find this beautiful cat, and photograph it, against the stunning mountainous backdrop of Torres del Paine. We will also enjoy the area’s other wildlife as we search for Pumas, which includes Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk and Guanaco. Next we swap the dramatic temperate landscapes of Chile for the tropical heat of Brazil’s famous wetland, the Pantanal, which offers the most spectacular wildlife-watching in South America. We will stay for four nights at the Jaguar ‘Flotel’ in the heart of the Jaguar Zone, making morning and afternoon boat safaris in search of the continent’s apex land predator. This tour is timed to coincide with the best viewing seasons, and offers the best chance anywhere of seeing the continent’s two iconic big cats.

• Tour to Chile & Brazil in search of South America’s two top cat predators
• Look for Pumas in Torres del Paine National Park with expert local guides
• Andean Condors, Darwin’s Rheas & Magellanic Woodpecker, Torres del Paine
• Large herds of Guanacos, South Andean Deer & two species of fox, Chile
• 4-night stay at the Jaguar Flotel in the heart of the Pantanal’s ‘Jaguar Zone’
• Morning & afternoon boat safaris along the Cuiaba River, Pantanal, to look for Jaguars
• Greater Rhea, Toco Toucan, Jabiru Stork & Plumbeous Ibis, Pantanal
• Capybara, Black Howler Monkey, marmosets & capuchins in Pantanal
• Led by expert local guides throughout

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

The Brazilian Pantanal is the world’s largest contiguous wetland and offers some of the finest wildlife photography on the planet. It is home to an impressive range of resident mammals and birds. However, it is the enigmatic Jaguar that will be our main target during this new dedicated photography tour and the itinerary is designed to offer you the very best chance of photographing Jaguars as well as the Pantanal’s other special wildlife and scenery. From our accommodation, the ideally situated ‘Jaguar Flotel’, we’ll take to the water before dawn and arrive back after dusk in order to make the best of the light. We will then spend a further four days at two separate lodges, exploring on foot and in our open-sided safari truck.

• Excellent opportunities to photograph Jaguars
• Max 6 participants
• See & photograph a wide range of the Pantanal’s wildlife
• Chance to photograph Giant Anteater, Brazilian Tapir & Ocelot
• Get close to charismatic Giant River Otters
• The exotic avifauna includes the gorgeous Hyacinth Macaw
• 6 full days of morning & afternoon boat safaris from the Jaguar Flotel
• Based in the heart of the ‘Jaguar Zone’ for 6 days
  

   

   

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.

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

Outline Itinerary

Extension Notes

This extension can be booked during the online booking process or by calling us on 01962 733051. An extension cannot be booked independently from the tour.