Tour 10: Cuiabá - Chapada dos Guimarães – Fazenda Carandá - Transpantaneira13 days/12 nights, only from April until November
This programme includes a wide range of the best lodges in northern Pantanal, combined with a visit to the mesas of Chapada dos Guimarães. The programme offers the highest possible amount of convenience (by Pantanal standards) and the best service. You will get to know two completely different regions of Pantanal. 1st to 3rd day (2 nights): Chapada dos GuimarãesOur travel guide will pick you up at Cuiabá airport and take you to Chapada dos Guimarães in an air-conditioned minivan or car (depending on the number of travellers). Here you will spend two nights at Pousada Penhasco (or a different but similar lodge) and experience the unique beauty of the local table mountains. After breakfast visit to the national park. During the hike through the highlands you will get many a chance to take a shower under one of the many waterfalls. Walk to the cave of “Casa de Pedra” (with its subterranean river), view from “Morro de São Jerônimo” (860 m), and to the highest waterfall in the area, “Véu de Noiva”, plunging down 96 m into a majestic canyon.
3rd to 5th day (2 nights): Fazenda CarandáAfter breakfast drive from Chapada dos Guimarães to Poconé in the air-conditioned vehicle (about 170 km). Here you will eat lunch with a typically Brazilian family. Transfer by airplane to Fazenda Carandá (ca. 15 minutes’ flight; comes at a premium). This accommodation offers no luxury, but the beautiful environment and the hospitality of your hosts more than make up for the fazenda’s plainness. There are 7 cozily furnished rooms. All rooms are simple, but clean and practical. They all have a bathroom with shower, a fan and a wardrobe, as well as space for your luggage.
Let your kind hosts spoil you and the local cuisine enchant you. Savour the typical regional cooking of the Pantaneiros. Here you can experience life at a fazenda first-hand, go on extensive horseback rides or trekking tours watching the flora and fauna; on the lake nearby smaller boat and fishing tours are offered. Or would you like to see cattle being branded and rounded up? This is possible as well. All tours are suited to fit you individual wishes. Our travel guides are at your disposal 24 hours a day and know the flora and fauna of Pantanal like the backs of their hands.
5th to 7th day (2 nights): Pousada PiuvalAfter breakfast you say goodbye to Fazenda Carandá and Transfer by airplane to Poconé (15 minutes). Again you are a guest in the house of Dona Dalva and Senhor Antonio, having lunch with a typically Brazilian family. Here you get the opportunity to freshen up a bit. Right after that, you start out on your sightseeing flight over Pantanal. A unique experience: seeing Pantanal from a bird’s eye view. Afterwards drive to Pousada Piuval (about 20 minutes’ ride). Here, two overnight stays with full board are scheduled. In the afternoon we offer more tours in the vicinity of the lodge, either on horseback or by boat. After dinner nighttime safari watching nocturnal animals.
In the next morning you rise early to witness the sun rising and the awakening of the Pantanal fauna. After breakfast more trips on horseback or by boat on the nearby Lake Piuval are on the schedule; same programme in the afternoon. In the evening another nighttime safari tracking and watching nocturnal animals. Overnight stay at Pousada Piuval. 7th to 9th day (2 nights): Jaguar-Eco-LodgeAfter breakfast, we will take you to the Jaguar-Eco-Lodge (about 104 km) on the Transpantaneira, where we will make several stops to watch and photograph the animals living near the Transpantaneira. Upon arrival allocation of rooms and lunch. With a bit of luck, we will get to see a population of hyacinth macaws, which have lived near this lodge for many years. In the late afternoon drive to Porto Jofre, the endpoint of the Transpantaneira (approximately 40 km’s drive).
From here, you start out on a boat tour tracking jaguars. In the time from June to October, the chances of seeing free-living jaguars are best. Even in the vicinity of the lodge, jaguars have been spotted frequently (please pay attention to your guide’s instructions at all times). Overnight stay at Cougar Lodge. In the evening, there will be another nighttime safari to track nocturnal animals. In the morning another sunrise tour before breakfast. Later opportunities for cycling or horseback riding. After lunch, you start another attempt to track down hyacinth macaws and jaguars. There will be other trips too, including a nighttime safari.
9th to 11th day (2 nights): Fazenda Santa TerezaAfter breakfast you say goodbye to the Jaguar-Eco-Lodge and take along the Transpantaneira to the Fazenda Santa Tereza. This fazenda is preferably visited by ornithologists and biologists, since here people have tried in the past few years to recreate the old habitats of, mainly, aras and other bird species. In the immediate vicinity of the fazenda, you can find swarms of hyacinth macaws (Andorohynchus hyacinthinus).
Other animal species such as the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), the American rhea (Rhea americana), the jabiru (Jabiru mycteria) coatis, raccoons and giant anteaters (Nasua nasua, Procyon lotor, Myrmecophaga tridactyla), capibaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), giant otters (Lontra longicaudis) and large gatherings of caimans are often to be found here. On a horseback ride in the morning, you can spot Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) catching fish in ponds. They are constantly scouring the pools for food. This fazenda is a must-see for nature lovers and photographers and offers a wide range of activities! Next up is an excursion in the afternoon, to forest islands with diverse trees that are exclusive to this area. Ride to a lodge close by and extensive excursion on a trail of about 2 km, through a gallery forest to a watchtower. After dinner night-time drive into the environment of the lodge to watch nocturnal animals, such as caimans, rarely tapirs (Tapirus terrestris), but certainly Rufus Nightjars (Caprimulgus rufus), Common Pauraques (Nyctidromus albicollis) and the occasional Common Potoo (Nyctibius grandis).
11th to 13th day (2 nights): Curicaca-LodgeAfter breakfast Go to the Curicaca-Lodge with many stops at the Transpantaneira. This Fazenda is preferred by ornithologists and pays a visit to biologists since you have a try here especially for macaws and other bird ways within the last few years to produce old day rooms again. In an immediate proximity of the Fazenda whole swarms have to be watched by Hyazinth macaws (Andorohynchus hyacinthinus).Other species of animals like Giant Toucan (Ramphastos toco), Rhea (Rhea Americana), Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria), noses, wash and great anteaters (Nasua nasua, Procyon lotor, Myrmecophaga tridactyla), Water Pigs (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) giant Otters (Lontra longicaudis) and great collections of caymans have to be watched frequently here.
American Scissor Beaks (Rynchops Niger) can be seen at her raids on fish at a morning ride at rest ponds. They steadily comb through the complete pond for food. This Fazenda is must and offers as described above, various fields of activity, one for nature lovers and photographers! After dinner night journey to the surroundings: Caymans, possible Tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) in all cases but rust night Swallow (Caprimulgus Rufus), Pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis) and perhaps the day Sleeper "Common Potoo" (Nyctibius grandis).
Drive near situated Lodge and substantial excursion to one on a Trail up to an observation tower. Next to brown ear Arassari, fork tail King Tyrant (Tyrannus savana) and palm Pit Foreman (Berlepschia rikeri), one has many bird ways of the tower from here to see depending on time of day, in addition a splendid panorama. In the afternoon excursion to woods islands with Tabebuia trees. Day next the morning excursion to the Rio Novo with canoa trip. Many species of bird have to be watched in the gallery woods. In the afternoon excursion on the Lodge area and further night journey become offered. 13th day:Return journey to Cuiabá, airport or connection programme to Chapada dos Guimarães, Nobres or to the Amazon area in the north of Mato Grosso possible for proximity Alta Floresta (on inquiriy).
Note:The tours are adapted to the local conditions, amendments of the programme are left. A punctual booking is required since many of above-mentioned accommodations are booked up already months in advance. Prices:
Performances (included):2 overnight stays in the Pousada Penhasco in Chapada dos Guimarães. 2 overnight stays in the Fazenda Carandá incl. Transfer by airplane. 2 overnight stays in the Pousada Piuval. 2 overnight stays in the Jaguar Eco Lodge. 2 overnight stays in the Fazenda Santa Tereza. 2 overnight stays in the Curicaca-Lodge. Full board (breakfast, noon and dinner). All transfers, all tours by car, boat, horse and trekking. 24-hour support by trained, competent English speaking travel guide. On the 3rd and 5th day have lunch in a typically Brazilian family in Poconé. One-hour sightseeing flight about the Pantanal as of/at Poconé in a small-engined Cessna on the 3rd day. Not included:Drinks. Personal expenditure. Tips. The photos on this page are on copyright protected: © by Günter Stysch © by Ingo Schulz |
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