Brazil - The Pantanal

Brazil's Pantanal is one of the world's largest tropical wetlands, and undoubtedly one of the greatest wildlife areas in South America. The Pantanal covers an area of between 140,000 and 195,000 sq km, largely submerged during the rainy season (November – March), when this huge internal delta area is swamped by the run-off from several great rivers of the surrounding plateau. This vast ecosystem is home to around 740 bird species, 150 mammals and 480 reptiles. We visit in July, when travel is relatively easy, and wildlife generally is at its most accessible.

Heatherlea Pantanal guide Peter Cosgrove says “I cannot recommend the Brazilian Pantanal highly enough. This is one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth and yet strangely it is not on most people's 'must do list'. It easily rivals East Africa for a brilliant safari and has a fraction of the number of tourists. With a pleasant climate for wildlife watching and excellent chances for iconic species such as Jaguar, Giant Anteater and Giant River Otter, it is an incredibly exciting and safe destination. Unlike tropical rainforests, where many species are usually high up in trees, the dominant open savannah like and river edge habitats mean that most species are at eye-level and usually confiding. There is nowhere else like it in the world".

Birding is our main focus and a list of around 250 species can be reasonably expected. Helmeted Manakin, Dot-eared Coquette, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Blue-winged, Red-shouldered Macaw, Red-and-Green Macaw, Blue-winged Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Swallow Tanager, Yellow-billed Blue-Finch, Bat Falcon, Euler’s Flycatcher, White-backed Fire-eye, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Russet-crowned Crake, Chapada Flycatcher, Collared Crescentchest, Rufous-sided Pygmy Tyrant, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Shrike-like Tanager, Small-billed Tinamou, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Coal-crested and Red Pileated Finches and Black-throated Saltator are just some of the birds.

Brilliant blue Hyacinth Macaws, the world’s largest parrot, breed in and around some of the lodges we stay at and provide a superb distraction during an afternoon siesta.

Although birding is undoubtedly fabulous here, we also take time to target key mammals, including Giant River Otter, Giant Anteater, Brazilian Tapir, and especially Jaguar. The Pantanal holds one of the largest remaining populations of Jaguar, and our tour includes two full days on the river systems where they are most likely to be seen, giving excellent chances. We may see up to 30 mammal species in total.

We stay at a number of locally owned and run lodges and hotels along the length of the famous 'Transpantaneira', the only road across the northern Pantanal, supporting their superb conservation efforts. Much wildlife in the Pantanal is easily viewed from the Transpantaneira itself, often using the famous wooden bridges as viewing platforms, giving great photographic opportunities, and we also take two morning boat trips at other locations searching for birds and other wildlife. The pace is relaxed throughout, with minimal walking, and should be suitable for most visitors. A wealth of tropical wildlife awaits!

If you would like to add an extra Brazil destination to your itinerary e.g. Rio de Janeiro or the Atlantic rainforest, please let us know.

Enjoy your complimentary pre-flight overnight hotel before your holiday begins. Full details from our office! Read more about our Pre-flight Service here!

Day 1: 
After relaxing at our complimentary VIP Airport Lounge, we depart London on an overnight flight.

Day 2: 
We arrive in Brazil and connect with our local flight to Cuiaba, deep in the heart of the country. Early afternoon we rendezvous with our local guide at Cuiabá City Airport and drive to Chapada dos Guimarães. This road is one of the best in the region for birding, and there will also be photo opportunities among the most spectacular landscapes in this part of Brazil. Chapada dos Guimaraes is a region of seasonally dry woodland-savanna interspersed with spectacular cliffs and waterfalls. We spend time birding the surrounding area, including forested sections that allow us chances to observe wonderful birds such as colourful Band-tailed and Fiery-capped Manakin, endearing Southern Antpipit, Tataupa Tinamou, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper (often located by its striking calls), Streaked Xenops, Sepia-capped Flycatcher and eye-catching Pectoral Sparrow. Overnight Pousada do Parque

Day 3: 
We spend today exploring this stunning area. Chapada National Park sits on the divide of the Amazon and Parana River basins, over the western edge of the Cerrado grasslands of the Central Planalto Plateau. The Cerrado, or Campo Cerrado, corresponds to the arboreal savannah of other tropical continents, and spans over more than 2 million square kilometres, covering 23.5% of Brazil’s land area dominating west-central Brazil, extending all the way south into Paraguay.

The habitat is shaped by sparsely scattered low trees, and bushes with twisted branches, thick grooved bark and leathery leaves. The cliffs and strange rock formations of Chapada dos Guimaraes offer a habitat quite distinctive from the Pantanal, so the birds present are completely different. Reddish-colored termite nests are prominent on the trunks and give shelter to nesting Campo Flicker and Peach-fronted Parakeet, which tunnel into their depths. Specialities include Stripe-tailed Yellow-Finch, White-rumped and Shrike-like Tanager, Coal-crested Finch, Red-legged Seriema, Red-winged Tinamou, Yellow-faced Parrot, secretive Collared Crescentchest and endemic Rufous-winged Antshrike.

The forested riverine Cerradão is home to Helmeted Manakin, a common sighting. Narrow, true riverine forests cover the banks of streams and rivers in this area, and are home to such spectacular birds as Dot-eared Coquette, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Blue-winged, Red-shouldered and Red-and-Green Macaw to name but a few.

The raucous calls of Blue-winged Macaw and Blue-headed Parrot might welcome us to the scenic Veu de Noiva Waterfall, where Swallow Tanager, the scarce Blue Finch (Yellow-billed Blue-Finch) and Bat Falcon also occur. In a nearby forested area we’ll search for Euler’s Flycatcher, the often vocal White-backed Fire-eye, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Ornate Hawk-Eagle calling overhead and elusive Russet-crowned Crake, with an outside possibility of both Pheasant and Pavonine Cuckoo. In more open and thorny habitat we may find localised Chapada Flycatcher, Rufous-sided Pygmy Tyrant, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Shrike-like and White-rumped Tanager, Small-billed Tinamou, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, delightful Coal-crested and Red Pileated Finch, Black-throated Saltator and perhaps even sleek Horned Sungem. Overnight Pousada do Parque.

Day 4: 
After a final morning exploring the area around Chapadas, we set off for the Pantanal. We take the only road across the northern Pantanal to the small village of Poconé, the last village before entering the Transpantaneira. We then continue along the unmade road to our lodge, where we hope to see Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Black-bellied Antwren, Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, Red-legged Seriema, Rufous-sided Crake, Golden-collared Macaw, Orange-winged Amazon and many other birds. Two nights at Pouso Alegre Lodge.

Days 5 & 6: 
This morning we take a boat ride to see spectacular Giant River Otter, a family of which lives close to our lodge. The rest of our time here is spent exploring the 
northernmost section of the
Transpantaneira, which is drier and quite different in terms of
 wildlife from the southern part. We expect to find a wide variety of localised birds here
 including Red-legged
 Seriema, Chestnut-bellied Guan, 
Sungrebe, Sunbittern, Long-tailed Ground-Dove and Red-winged Tinamou, all of which we have to work to connect with. Mammals are quite widespread at the Pantanal, though given the open savanna-like vegetation of this area, some species including Brazilian Tapir, White-lipped Peccary and Marsh Deer are often easier to spot here than further south.
 
Day 7: 
We wake early this morning, to the sounds of birds and Black-and-gold Howler Monkeys roaring in the distance, and enjoy a pre-breakfast birding walk in the surroundings of our lodge. After breakfast we drive south along the Transpantaneira all the way to the Porto Jofre area, where we’ll spend the following three nights. We’ll make several birding and photo stops as we drive, and also enjoy Pantanal’s vibrant wildlife. Birds might include Campo Oriole, Blue-fronted Parrot, White Woodpecker, Greater Thornbird, Grey-crested Cacholote, Pygmy Kingfisher, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Buff-bellied Hermit and many more during our frequent stops. One of Pantanal’s most sought-after birds is Hyacinth Macaw, and this striking large parrot may be a common sighting along the way. As we enter into the richest lower area of the Transpantaneira, plant and animal diversity increases. Herds of Capybara, the world's largest rodent, are likely to be seen, and Pantanal Cayman dwells in streams and ponds by the roadside. Chances for mammals including South American Coati, Brown Capuchin, Crab-eating Fox, Bare-eared Marmoset and Crab-eating Raccoon are quite high, and we might come across some remarkable reptiles, including huge and colorful Yellow Anaconda. We expect to arrive to our lodge in the early evening. Overnight Porto Jofre.
 
Days 8 & 9: 
We spend two full days exploring the Porto Jofre – Southern Transpantaneira area, searching for mammals, birding and enjoying local wildlife. One of our main targets here is Jaguar, protected here by the Brazilian Government, and sightings of this striking cat have become fairly regular in the last few years. From our lodge in the Porto Jofre area we will take boat trips along the Cuiabá River, to reach some isolated areas where Jaguars are frequent. Most sightings are made from the boat, and the animals normally offer good photo opportunities. The boat tours also offer excellent chances for other mammals and of course for a diverse array of colourful birds. We also have more chances for Giant River Otter, and Capybara should be frequent along the riverbanks. Two nights at Porto Jofre.
 
Day 10: 
After breakfast we transfer back towards the northern Transpantaneira. Birds en route will be many, but we shall keep a particular eye out for Red-legged Seriema, Greater Rhea and the beautiful Buff-necked Ibis. We should arrive at our Pousada in good time to explore the garden and surrounding wetland where the birding can be excellent. Photography will be tempting as we pass close to many waterbirds that may include numerous Jabiru, herons and kingfishers. After dinner we head out for some 'spotlighting', and hope to find Giant Anteater or its smaller cousin Southern Tamandua, as well as Crab-eating Fox and deer species. Overnight Pousada Piuval.

Day 11: y
We leave Pousada Piuval after breakfast, and drive all the way back along the Transpantaneira to Cuiabá. On the way, we have several stops for birds and mammals we might have missed in previous days. Overnight in Cuiabá.

Day 12: 
Some early birding prior to our transfer back to Cuiaba to take the early pm flight to Sao Paulo, and our international flight back to the UK.

What's included in your holiday price:

• return scheduled flight from London – Cuiaba - London, airport taxes, transfers from and to airports as appropriate.
• full-board accommodation at hotels and lodges (as detailed), picnic lunches
• ground transportation, National Park entry fees
• incidental tips including mealtimes, and the services of your leaders.
• The Heatherlea Pre-Flight Service offers everything you need at the airport, including hotels, car parking, airport lounges, regional flights, and upgrades. Let Heatherlea take the strain! Pre-flight airport hotel and lounge included, subject to terms and conditions. Read more....

Free Field Guide - 'Birds of Brazil' by John A. Gwynneis included in your holiday price. One copy per room booked.

What's not included in your holiday price:

• holiday insurance, optional tips to local guides/other staff, drinks, and other personal expenses.

More holiday information:

Accommodation is in comfortable hotels and lodges. All accommodation is en-suite.
Food: good quality local dishes, with packed lunches in the field. Evening meals usually consist of beef, pork and/or fish combined with rice, beans and vegetables. If you are a vegetarian or have a special diet, please tell us in advance.
Walking: is generally light/moderate. An average level of fitness is required.
Weather: will be mostly hot and quite humid. Temperatures are hot by day and cool by night, with occasional short bursts of rain. Temperatures in the Pantanal usually peak at (35C/100F).
Insects: Mosquitoes can be a problem in some areas. A good insect repellent is recommended.
Group size: is restricted to 12 clients maximum.
Flights: are by scheduled airline from London Heathrow via San Paulo. We may be able to offer flight arrangements from another airport and/or or quote without flights so you can make your own arrangements. If you wish to add an extension either before or after your holiday, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange this for you.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are good.