South America's Big Cats

Tour Code: BRA06

A 16-day holiday in search of South America's iconic big cats, the Jaguar and the Puma, as well as other wildlife, amongst the stunning scenery of the Pantanal in Brazil and the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.

16 days from
£13,795 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£12,895
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

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

Grading

A range of gentle walks, vehicular safaris and boat rides, plus optional night-time spotlighting.

While it has long been possible to see big cats in Africa and India, it is only very recently that their South American relatives, the Jaguar and Puma, have been on any naturalist’s horizon. The Jaguar is the strongman of South America’s cats: powerful, muscular, and almost equivalent in stature to the Lion. The Puma, by contrast, is more Leopard-like: sleek, agile and elegant. The two species occur side by side in many habitats across a huge area of South and Central America but both are famously elusive. In recent years, however, Jaguars have become relatively easy to see in Brazil’s phenomenal Pantanal region (by far the best place on Earth to look for them), while Pumas have regularly been seen in the fabulously beautiful Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile — increasingly well known as the best place to see this even more elusive cat.

This exciting Naturetrek tour combines visits to both of these wonderful regions, in each of which we work with local experts who have been watching the cats for years and who understand better than anyone their movements and use of local habitat. Thus, for the first time, we offer you the chance to see both species — Jaguar and Puma — on a single tour.

We begin in Santiago, capital of Chile, and from there we fly south to Punta Arenas, our gateway to the fabulous Torres del Paine National Park. While Pumas will be the main focus of the four days and nights we spend here, there are many other charismatic creatures to see including plentiful Andean Condors, large herds of Guanacos, two species of fox, South Andean Deer and Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk. Among the special birds to be found in this remote and beautiful park are Cinereous Harriers, Darwin’s Rheas and the magnificent Magellanic Woodpecker. While searching for Pumas we will work with guides who have more than 25 years’ experience with these enigmatic and beautiful cats. We will search by day and night, guided by their local knowledge and the latest information, giving us the best chance anywhere on Earth of seeing a Puma in the wild.

From the dramatic temperate beauty of southern Chile we move to the tropical heat of Brazil’s justly famous wetland, the Pantanal. In addition to its healthy population of the largest Jaguars in existence, this region offers the most spectacular wildlife-watching on the continent, especially in October as the dry season draws to its close and animals concentrate around remaining water. Greater Rheas, Toco Toucans, Jabiru Storks, Cocoi Herons and Plumbeous Ibis are all common here, and both Capybaras and Yacare Caimans crowd around every waterhole. On forest islands it is common to see Black-tailed (Silvery) Marmosets, Black Howler Monkeys and Brown (Tufted) Capuchins, and even the spectacular Hyacinth Macaw is easily seen. Other animals which are often seen here include Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Marsh Deer, Crab-eating Fox, Crab-eating Racoon, Brazilian Tapir and the hugely charismatic Giant Otter.

Our main aim though is to see the powerful, enigmatic Jaguar. To give ourselves the best chance, we stay four nights at the Jaguar Flotel, a floating hotel in the heart of what is widely regarded as the best place in the world for seeing this magnificent feline. During our stay, we will take morning and afternoon boat safaris to explore the Cuiabá, Three Brothers and Piquiri rivers, carefully scanning the dense forest and floating vegetation along them for signs of South America’s apex land predator. Our movements will be guided by the latest news from expert local guides and, in addition to having excellent chances of encountering Jaguars, we will be surrounded by the breathtaking variety of all the other wildlife of the region.

This tour represents your best chance anywhere of seeing South America’s two great cats, accompanied by a host of South America’s other charismatic wildlife and all to a backdrop of two utterly different, but equally beautiful, landscapes. 

 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Punta Arenas
Day 2
Punta Arenas
Day 3/6
Torres del Paine National Park
Day 7
Punta Arenas
Day 8
Fly São Paulo
Day 9
Fly Cuiabá and transfer to SouthWild Pantanal Lodge.
Day 10/13
Boat safaris from Jaguar Flotel, the Pantanal.
Day 14
SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
Day 15
Fly London, via São Paulo
Day 16
Arrive London
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    Basic but comfortable lodges with private facilities. New 'suite' accommodation on the Flotel.

  • Food:

    All included in the price, except for meals taken in transit and dinner on Day 8.

Reviews
Extensions

Extensions

Giant Anteater Extension - Pantanal

Price on Request
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Rio de Janeiro Extension

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Price on Request
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Iguazu Falls Extension

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Price on Request
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Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Tue 30th Sep – Wed 15th Oct SPACES £13,795
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Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£12,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,995 
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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:



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...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

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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:



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...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

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Big Cat Safari Holidays


Big cats are among the most admired and sought-after mammals on the planet, and we are proud to offer a broad and comprehensive range of big cat safari holidays. We offer inspiring and truly memorable wildlife tours to enjoy sightings of all of the world’s iconic species in their natural habitats, including Tigers in India and Nepal, Jaguars in the Pantanal, Pumas in Chile and Snow Leopards in India and Mongolia and we certainly do not neglect the smaller cats either.


We offer a range of itineraries around Africa and encounter the continent’s high-profile species like Lions, Cheetahs and Leopards and also the lesser known species such as Caracal, Sand Cat, Black-footed Cat, Serval and African Wild Cat. We also have wildlife holidays that catch sightings of the Asiatic Lion in India and the elusive Leopard in Sri Lanka.


We also offer a pioneering tour to try to see the most difficult of all big cats the Sunda Clouded Leopard in Borneo with Leopard Cat, Marbled Cat and Flat-headed Cat all having being seen on our Borneo holidays. Closer to home, we offer holidays in Europe to go in search of Wildcat and both Eurasian and Iberian Lynx.


We have run these holidays for many years with great success, working with the best local contacts and guides and staying at the very best locations with carefully crafted itineraries which allow the optimum amount of time to achieve sightings.  




Our specialist recommends...






"Naturetrek has been instrumental in designing, researching and pioneering many of the big cat safari tours on the market. Our dedicated Tiger-watching trips have an unparalleled 100% success record with sightings, while if you want an experience dedicated to looking for Jaguars (also with a 100% success rate), you can’t do any better than our 'Brazil – Just Jaguars!' holiday. Additionally, our 'South Africa – Just Cats!' holiday offers a chance to see a wide variety of species in stunning scenery and for a real adventure, well off the beaten track, our 'Borneo's Mammals - Deramakot Forest Reserve' holiday is hard to beat for sheer excitement as we go in search of Sunda Clouded Leopard with extensive night time spotlighting outings encountering a wonderful number of mammals as we search for this elusive cat. Finally, if you wish to combine two holidays in one, our 'South America's Big Cats' holiday, first goes in search of Pumas in Chile followed by Jaguars in Brazil with a wonderful chance now for Ocelot in the Pantanal. "

Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager


 




ALL BIG CAT TOURS

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

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!