Tour 16: Premium Pantanal tour21 days/20 nights arr./dep. Cuiabá (only possible from May to November) The Pantanal scenery is unique in the world, but not to be confused with a swamp. It is rather an incredible mixture of various ecosystems, combining the most diverse landscapes such as savannahs, flooded plains, forests with an Amazon character, jungle and steppe areas. On the one hand this tour offers the visitor the unique opportunity to get to know three different ecosystems on one tour, plus the Lagoa Azul (near Nobres, more beautiful and untouched than the caves of Bonito in the southern Pantanal). On the other hand, due to its special routing, it gives you the chance to watch more animals than on any other tour like it. Itinerary
1st day: Cuiabá – Hotel Golden Tulip PantanalArrival at the airport in Cuiabá. Here you are picked up by our guide – transfer to the hotel Golden Tulip Pantanal (4 stars) at the centre of Cuiabá. Here you lodge in the presidential or executive suite (depending on availability). The rest of the day is free. Relax by the hotel swimming pool and get some rest after your long flight. About 50 m from the hotel there is the best barbecue restaurant in Cuiabá, “Churrascaria Gauchó”, our dinner recommendation.
2nd day: Cuiabá – Amazon rainforestAfter breakfast our guide picks you up and our drive (about 300 km) into the Amazon region to São José do Rio Claro begins. On the way you have lunch at a local restaurant. Check-in at the Jardim d'Amazônia lodge. Welcoming drink by the pool. After dinner short hike to the nearby lake to listen to the sounds of the rainforest by night.
3rd day: Amazon rainforestAfter breakfast you hike along the “Angelim trail” to watch wild animals. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon we invite you to swim and snorkel in natural spring water with diverse regional fish. You enjoy the sunset in the “Arara lagoon”. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
4th day: Amazon rainforestAfter breakfast we take you deep into the jungle. Here you will get to know the flora and fauna of the rainforest, and your chances of seeing a tapir and many different bird species are very good. We continue with a boat trip on Rio Claro, you explore the “Anaconda lake” and swim on the beach of Palmeira; afterwards picnic and rest in a hammock. After lunch canoe tour on Rio Claro. Experience the jungle and its foreign noises and discover its diverse fauna. Dinner and overnight stay at the Jardim d'Amazônia lodge.
5th day: Amazon rainforest – Nobres (Lagoa Azul) – Bom JardimAfter breakfast drive to the Bom Jardim, near Nobres (approximately 3 hours). After lunch at the Pousada Reino Encantado you first visit Lagoa Azul, gleaming up in a blue light from a crater cave. Visit to a stalactite cave, then you are equipped with snorkelling gear (life jacket, diving goggles, snorkel and flippers, which are of course disinfected and cleaned after every use). In the crystal clear basin you marvel at the fantastic underwater world. Fish such as pintado, dourado and many other species live in these parts.Afterwards you snorkel in a river with equally crystal water. In the evening you proceed to Bom Jardim where you spend the night (very simple but clean accommodation). Dinner at a local restaurant in Bom Jardim (also very plain). Unfortunately, there are no better accommodations near Lagoa Azul.  6th - 8th day: Bom Jardim – Chapada dos GuimarãesAfter a simple breakfast at the Pousada Reino Encantado in Bom Jardim we drive to Chapada dos Guimarães, which is located in a completely different biosphere. Here you spend two nights at the Pousada Penhasco. You experience the unique beauty of these mesas. In the afternoon visit to the national park. During the hike through the highlands you get the chance to take a bath under one of the many waterfalls. Visit to the cave of Casa de Pedra (with an underground river), view from Morro de São Jerônimo (865 m). After breakfast on the next day we take you to the Centro Geodésico (the central point of South America). From this interesting spot you can overlook up to 100 km of panorama when the view is clear. On to the village of Chapada dos Guimarães, where lunch is waiting for us at a local restaurant. Many inhabitants of Cuiabá have their weekend cottages in this village. This makes it a very busy place on weekends. After lunch you pay a visit to the best-known waterfall in the region, “Veu da Noiva”. Here the water plunges down into a 96-m canyon. Afterwards hike to the smaller Andorinhas waterfall. There is plenty of time to take a bath, maybe you are even brave enough to jump down the waterfall, which is a test of courage in these parts. After this refreshment you go back to the Pousada Penhasco or the Pousada do Parque. After a shower and a bit of rest dinner at a local restaurant in Chapada. Overnight stay at the Pousada Penhasco or Pousada do Parque.
8th – 11th day: Pantanal – Fazenda CarandáAfter breakfast you go from Chapada dos Guimarães to Poconé in an air-conditioned minivan or car (depending on the number of travellers) on ca. 170 km of asphalt road. In Poconé you have lunch with a typically Brazilian family and enjoy the local cooking of Mato Grosso. After lunch you fly from Poconé to the Fazenda Carandá in a small Cessna (about 15 minutes' flight). The environment of this accommodation is different to that of other lodges in that it has untouched and diverse landscapes. Animals here won't run away unless you get very close, which makes watching them a lot easier. The best way to get a sense of the diversity of the flora and fauna is by going on a horseback ride. Hyacinth macaws are particularly numerous around here, but you can also watch common potoos (Nyctibius grandis). You may also want to take a look at rare bird species such as the Nanday conure (Nandayus nenday). The variety of animals, particularly birds, in this region is all but inexhaustible and unique in the Pantanal. Here you experience the Pantanal in its primordial state, far from civilisation and common tourism along the Transpantaneira.  Getting to this place is an adventure in itself. From December to May you can reach this lodge from Poconé only via airplane (which we organise accordingly). After arrival assignment of rooms and opportunity to rest and take a shower. Even on the way to the Fazenda Carandá you will see countless parakeets, flocks of hyacinth macaws, a few blue-fronted amazons, toucans and many other kinds of birds. The Fazenda Carandá is a real bird paradise. There are currently three hyacinth macaw nests in the vicinity of the farmhouse, and you can watch their occupants extensively. In the high trees around the Fazenda you can find blue-fronted amazons, golden-collared macaws, white-eyed conures, peach-fronted conures, yellow-chevroned parakeets, monk parakeets, blue-fronted parakeets, aracaris, cardinals, caracaras and numerous other bird species. However, it is not only the birds that make the Fazenda Carandá one of the nicest lodgings in these parts, but also the warm and personal atmosphere. The first smaller hikes and horseback rides in the vicinity of the Fazenda are offered on the day you arrive. In the evening nighttime safari to track nocturnal animals.
In the morning you rise early for a sunrise tour before breakfast to watch the awakening of the bird world. During your stay at the Fazenda Carandá you will go on extensive tours on horseback, on foot and by boat and experience the unique beauty of the Pantanal, far from civilisation. Enjoy the hospitality of the fazenda owners, who will make your stay unforgettable. The tours and trips will be organised and conducted according to your wishes. Our guide will be at your disposal 24 hours a day.
In the environment of the Fazenda Carandá you can watch a great number of bird species, here only a few: hornbills, toucans, aracaris (Aulacorhychus), white-headed marsh tyrants (Arundinicola leurocephala), blue-fronted amazons (Amazona aestiva), blue-fronted parakeets (Aratinga haemorrhous), golden-collared macaws (Ara auricollis), peach-fronted conures (Aratinga aurea), Nanday conures (Nandayus nenday), American rheas (Rhea americana), nun birds (Dermophrys Hodgs), white-eyed conures (Aratinga leucophthalmus), vermilion flycatchers (Pyrocephalus rubinus), woodpeckers and plenty of hyacinth macaws. As mentioned before, a true El Dorado for bird lovers.  11th – 13th day: Pantanal – Pousada Piuval – sightseeing flight over the PantanalAfter breakfast you bid the Fazenda Carandá farewell and set out on your one-hour flight over the Pantanal. A unique experience: the Pantanal from a bird's eye view. When you come back you are a guest in the house of Dona Dalva and Senhor Antonio once again, for lunch in a typically Brazilian family in Poconé. Here you can freshen up a little.
After this special experience we drive about 17 km to the next pousada, Pousada Piuval, by lake Piuval. In the late afternoon you undertake a boat tour to watch various bird species and howler monkeys in their habitat. Nighttime safari with torches and flashlights to watch nocturnal animals after dinner. In the next morning sunrise tour to witness the awakening of the Pantanal. After breakfast you go on a horseback ride in the vicinity of the lodge. After lunch we drive back to Poconé (depending on the weather) and you start your one-hour sightseeing flight over the Pantanal. Return to the lodge. If there is still time another boat tour on the nearby lake Piuval. After dinner another nighttime safari to watch nocturnal animals (on request). 13th day: Pousada Piuval - Fazenda Santa Tereza (4 nights)Before breakfast sunrise tour. Afterwards you go to the Fazenda Santa Tereza, located by Rio Pixaim (Transpantaneira, milestone 67). In the vicinity of this lodge one can watch monkeys, caimans, macaws, capibaras, very many bird species, snakes, giant otters, and even the giant anteater (with a little bit of luck). The best way to experience the animals is from the boat. In the afternoon there will be a boat tour along Rio Pixaim, which gives you the best chance to track down free-living giant otters. On one nighttime safari a group of lowland tapirs was sighted as well. There are also black-collared hawks, Toco toucans and Brazilian smooth snakes (Hydrodenastes gigas) living here.
14th + 15th day: Fazenda Santa Tereza – Jaguar safariSunrise tour at around 5 am (on request). You take the canoe a couple of hundreds of metres along Rio Pixaim to a river bend where there are several look-out towers on the shore. From here you get a beautiful view of the Pantanal plain and experience the awakening of the Pantanal. There are especially many bird species to discover in the early morning hours. An experience you should definitely not pass up. After breakfast you go to the end of the Transpantaneira to Porto Jofre (about 75 km). From here you start out on a boat tour lasting several hours to track jaguars. Lunch in the form of a picnic. In the late afternoon you return to the Fazenda Santa Tereza. Dinner at the lodge.
16th day: Fazenda Santa TerezaSunrise tour before breakfast. On a horseback ride in the morning you get to see black skimmers (Rynchops niger) preying on fish, constantly scouring pools and ponds for food. This fazenda is a must-see for nature lovers and photographers and offers diverse activities. Return to the lodge and lunch. In the afternoon you undertake a boat tour on Rio Pixaim to look out for giant otters. Return to the lodge, dinner. On request there will be another nighttime safari to track nocturnal animals after dinner. 17th – 19th day: Fazenda Santa Tereza – Pousada Rio Claro (2 nights)After breakfast you leave the Fazenda Santa Tereza and head along the Transpantaneira to the Pousada Rio Claro. Here you can watch a large number of kingfisher species (Chloroceryle), Agami herons (Agamia agami), fork-tailed flycatchers (Tyrannus savana), blue-throated piping guans (Aburria pipile), Toco toucans (Ramphastos toco) and giant otters. There is a gallery forest nearby that houses a lot of other bird species such as the blue-crowned trogon (Trogon curucui), the rufous-tailed jacamar (Galbula ruficauda), the golden-collared macaw (Ara auricollis), the rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus commersoni), the lineated woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus) and the great rufous woodcreeper (Xiphocolaptes major). First you move into your room; in the afternoon there will be another boat tour or horseback ride. Dinner. Enjoy the sunset and the unique starry sky, far from civilisation in the midst of the Pantanal. After breakfast on the next day you will get a first sense of the diversity of the flora and fauna during a hike. You look for the nests of the Jabiru stork (from June to September), the Hyacinth macaw and other bird species as well. After a siesta (in a hammock, for instance) a horseback ride offers you one of the best opportunities to explore the Pantanal. After dinner you go on tour again to track caimans and other nocturnal animals.
19th – 21st day: Curicaca lodge (2 nights)After breakfast you say goodbye to the Pousada Rio Claro and head for the Curicaca lodge on the Transpantaneira (about 2 hours' drive). This pousada is located near milestone 25 of the Transpantaneira (and from there it is another 3 km of private road). The Curicaca Lodge lies in the midst of untouched mixed woodland; right beside it runs the small river Rio Nova. On narrow hiking trails you explore on foot the environment of the lodge and climb a look-out tower from which you get a nice view of the Pantanal. Short canoe tours on Rio Nova show you the diversity of the flora and fauna in this area; particularly tapirs, anteaters, swamp deer and plenty of caimans and capibaras are to be found here. This lodge is also an El Dorado for bird lovers. There are purposely no horseback rides offered here in order to preserve nature. That is also why there are no horses whatsoever to be found on the lodge grounds. On request there are also bicycles available. All trips from here are undertaken according to your individual wishes with your tour guide. After dinner you go on a nighttime safari to track nocturnal animals in a vehicle with searchlights. 21st day: Curicaca lodge – CuiabáSunrise tour at 5 am. Breakfast at the Curicaca lodge. After breakfast normally transfer to the airport. In case of a later flight from Cuiabá (for instance in the late afternoon) there will be further excursions offered in the morning. Prices apiece:
Services (included):1 overnight stay at the Hotel Golden Tulip Pantanal in Cuiabá including breakfast/transfer airport–hotel 3 overnight stays at the Pousada Jardim d'Amazonia in the Amazon region with full board 1 overnight stay at the Pousada Reino Encantado in Bom Jardim with full board 2 overnight stays at the Pousada Penhasco or at the Pousada do Parque in Chapada dos Guimarães including full board Lunch with a typically Brazilian family in Poconé 3 overnight stays at the Fazenda Carandá with full board, transfer by airplane 2 overnight stays at the Pousada Piuval with full board 4 overnight stays at the Fazenda Santa Tereza with full board and 2 day tours by boat from/to Porto Jofre to the jaguar safari 2 overnight stays at the Pousada Rio Claro with full board 2 overnight stays at the Curicaca Lodge with full board 1-hour sightseeing flight over the Pantanal from/to Poconé in a small-engine Cessna All rooms with air conditioning, bathroom/shower, swimming pool (except for the Fazenda Carandá, which has no pool) All transfers, all tours by car, boat/canoe, on horseback or on foot 24-hour guidance by trained and competent English and/or German-speaking tour guide (depending on availability at the time of booking) All transfers and drives in an air-conditioned minivan or car, depending on the number of persons Not included:Beverages (except for the Curicaca lodge), personal expenses, tips Equipment:Good shoes (light hiking boots), long jeans or trekking trousers, long-sleeved shirt or blouse, t-shirts and shirts for sleeping, hat, cap or headscarf, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. No black clothes, since black attracts mosquitoes. Sweatshirt, sweater or fleece jacket, since it can get very cold in the evenings. Jaundice inoculation strongly recommended. Please note:Programme changes reserved due to unpredictable weather and particularly flight schedules (concerning the order of accommodations). Price changes remain expressly reserved due to exchange rate, organisational and safety reasons. Timely booking is required, since the smaller accommodations are usually fully booked for months in advance. The Fazenda Santa Tereza only has 10 rooms; should it be fully booked we will switch to another lodge and the itinerary, but not the excursions, will change accordingly. Additional days and tours are possible at any time, programmes and prices on demand. The photographs and texts on this site are protected by copyright: |
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