Brasil, Pantanal and Jaguar Safari
Tour Price (Per Person):
US$3330
Tour Type:
Easy birding and wildlife
Tour Date:
July 26-August 1, 2025
Description
Overview:
Note: Tentative 2025 itinerary which can vary some depending on availability at the lodges. This will NOT affect the wildlife experience.
Day 1: Fly São Paulo – Cuiaba, Transfer to Piuval Lodge
Day 2: Piuval and Transpantaneira
Day 3: Hotel Mato Grosso – Porto Jofre
Day 4: Jaguar Safari on the River
Day 5: Transpantaneira – Hotel Mato Grosso
Day 6: Hotel Mato Grosso and Piuval
Day 7: Birding at Piuval – Departure
Highlights:
- Easy birding
- Hyacinth Macaw, Jabiru, Plumbeous Ibis, Agami Heron, Bare-faced Curassow and Scarlet-headed Blackbird.
- Jaguar, Tapir, Giant Otter, Ocelot, Giant Anteater, Capibara and other mammals
- First class lodging
- Brazilian Cuisine
- Gallery forest and waterways.
- South American bird families. Sunbittern, Sungrebe (Finfoots), Greater Rhea, and Southern Screamer.
Cuiaba, Piuval Lodge
There are two towers worth visiting. From one of then we can observe from a distance a large colonies of hundreds of water birds (Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and Great Egrets). On the forest road to the Piuval lake search for Pale-crested Woodpecker, Large-billed Antwren, Saffron-billed Sparrow, Cinnamon–throated Hermit and White-eyed Attila. Night drives here should produce lots of Pauraque, Scissor-tailed, Little Nightjars and Spot-tailed Nightjars and also Common Potoo and Great Potoo.
Our first night is spent at the Piuval lodge, located about 3 hours south of the Pantanal on the 7,000 ha Ypiranga Farm. We’ll explore this farm and trails which are famous among birders for having the world’s largest Macaw species, the Hyacinth Macaw; nesting not too far from the lodge itself.
Buff-necked and Plumbeous Ibis, Whistling Heron, Toco Toucan, Jabirus and Wood Storks, Golden-collared Macaw, Monk & Golden-chevroned Parakeets, Turquoise-fronted Parrot, Black-fronted Nunbird, Undulated Tinamou, Chaco Chachalaca, the Brazilian endemics Chestnut-bellied Guan and Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Savanna, Black-collared & Great Black Hawks, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Lineated Woodpecker, Orange-winged Parrot are some of the targets.
Piuval, Trans -Pantaneira to Mato Grosso and Porto Jofre
After lunch we leave Piuval to Hotel Mato Grosso and for the next 4 days, the Pantanal. This is the largest tropical wetland in the world, which also extends into parts of Bolivia and Paraguay. There are feeders around the lodge and many opportunities for bird photography. The Pantanal wetland system is incredibly diverse and is estimated to be home to over 1000 bird species, 300 mammal species, 400 fish species and nearly 500 reptile species.
Morning bird photography near lodge. We shall look for Fawn-breasted Wren, White-wedged Piculet, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and Hooded Tanager around the hotel.
We shall then travel to Porto Jofre to do an afternoon boat trip searching the banks of the large Cuiabá River for Jaguar and other wildlife. The Cuiabá River and its tributaries. It is believed that the Pantanal has the highest concentration of Jaguars and it is estimated that we have a 70% chance of spotting one of these elusive cats (normally in hot weather).
Black Skimmers, Large and Yellow-billed Terns, Collared and Pied Plovers, Red-throated and Blue-throated Piping Guan and Bare-faced Curassow will usually interrupt our searching for the cat, but they are welcome. Giant Otters and Tapirs are also frequently seen.
We shall spend the night at Berco Pantaneiro lodge in Porto Jofre.
Jaguar Safari on the River
Another day looking for Jaguars. We’ll take a box lunch so we have flexibility to be out as long as we want. If people wish, we may decide to make yet another try for Jaguar in the afternoon. Night at Berco Pantaneiro or Hotel Mato Grosso Pantanal.
Transpantaneira – Pixaim
Some additional bird photography in the morning on the Transpantaneira and the Fields of Jofre, an area that retains water longer than surrounding areas, so it’s very good for water birds like Maguari Stork, Southern Screamer, Black-bellied and White-faced Whistling Ducks, Little and Striped Cuckoo, Cinereous-breasted and Chotoy Spinetail, Subtropical Doradito and many more
Later we drive back on the Transpantaneira to Rio Pixaim, with stops along the way to watch birds including the handsome Scarlet-headed Blackbird. We shall start doing an afternoon boat drive to look for Agami Heron, Boat-billed and Zig-Zag Heron, American Pygmy and Green-and-Rufous Kingfishers, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Band-tailed Antbird, Yellow-collared Macaw and Sungrebes and Sunbitterns.
Rio Pixaim and Piuval
In the morning we shall do a motorboat trip in the Rio Pixaim. In this small river we will look for the Agami and Boat-billed Heron. After lunch and having checked out the feeders we shall return to Piuval Lodge, to be close to the airport should there be early flights to catch.
Birding at Piuval – Departure
A last morning of birding near Piuval to look for specialities we may have missed. Ask us for extensions to other programs such as Alta Floresta or Chapada do the Guimaraes.
