What tours you can do in Pantanal?
Before living in Brazil I had never heard about Pantanal but when I started living in Brazil it was clear, I had to visit the largest tropical wetlands of the world.
Pantanal is with its 42 million acres the largest tropical wetlands and it spans over three South American countries. Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. There are millions of people who live in this area and a lot of them know about how special this place is. Having said that, unfortunately the area is still plagued by poachers. A lot of species are rare and according to WWF only 5% of the land is protected by the state. The three countries have started a programme to conserve and develop the area sustainable. Which I’m very happy about because it was amazing.
Some cool facts about some animals that live there: Pantanal has the highest density of jaguars anywhere in this world. The largest parrot, the hyacinth macaw, is a resident of the area. They estimate that there are more fish in Pantanal than all the rivers in Europe combined. Now let’s talk about what you can do in Pantanal.
Jungle walk
All most accommodations that you can find in Pantanal will provide a jungle walk. The guide will lead you through the jungle, detailing various birds, monkeys, and other animal species, because there are lots. Most guides possess extensive knowledge about the flora, including knowledge about different plants that are useful for remedies when you are sick. Due to the intense heat and humidity, the jungle trek typically spans 2-3 hours. On our first jungle walk we encountered caimans, lots of birds like the Jabiru stork (Tuiuiú), capybaras and lots of insects like beetles and butterflies. We later went on another jungle tour and we saw different animals on that occasion. More about the animals of Pantanal.
Horseback riding tour
The fazenda (farm) we stayed at had many horses and we decided that we would do a horseback riding tour. Actually they were a cross between mules and horses but you get it right? Of course you will learn in a short time how to ride the horses and then you will be on your way. Our tour was about two and a half hours and we learned so much about the area. While we were there it was the end of the dry season and we didn’t go through water a lot. But if you go in the wet season it will be much more and you will be drenched. Because Pantanal is mostly privately owned, the land is used for keeping cattle. We saw lots of different types of cows on the fazenda’s (farms). But we also saw peccaries (a sort of wild pig), a fox, loads of birds, agouti (a rodent), greater rhea (ostrich-like bird) and a South American tapir.
Caimans spotting at dusk or at night with a boat
With this tour you will head out to the river just before dusk to witness these scary and interesting creatures. It’s better to sit in a boat rather than wandering around, in my opinion. As twilight approaches, caimans become more active as they hunt for dinner, making it easier to spot them. At night, the guide will use a light to help you spot their bright eyes gleaming in the darkness. It is totally not necessary to do this tour at night because the Yakare Caiman loves to do some sunbathing. When we traveled from Cuiabá to the fazenda (farm) we drove over the Transpantaneira road, the road into the North of Pantanal and we already saw dozens and dozens of caimans. But it is also pretty cool to see them at night, swimming close to the boat.
Night tour around the property
We also did a night tour around the property. It’s crazy how close the animals come to the fazenda. There was a little lake close to the fazenda and there were lots of caimans, so it was really cool to see their twinkling eyes very well. Also the capybaras came very close. The frogs make it a bit scary to walk because you don’t want to step on one of them. Because of the fireflies during the tour it did have a magical feel to it. Something I found so special was all the sounds you hear even at night it’s a concert of jungle sounds.
Bird or animal watching tour
The jungle walk and animal watching tours are very similar. For us it almost felt the same, on both tours we saw so many animals and the guide explained just as much about nature as about the animals we encountered. The second jungle or animal watching tour we did, we saw loads of animals we hadn’t encountered before. We again saw many types of birds, like the blue macaw, lorikeets, red cardinals, toucan, Jabiru (Tuiuiú), storks and a multitude of ibis birds. We saw capybaras, wild guinea pigs, a snake and a red footed tortoise. We loved how our guide talked with knowledge and passion about the animals and the land.
Go out to see the sunset or see sundown
Your accommodation will know if it’s better to go out and see the sunset or sundown. Of course they will also know the best places for you to see it. We went out for sundown twice and both times the sky was so beautiful. We climbed up a wooden tower the first time and the second time we went on the river by boat. There we spotted the Jabiru (Tuiuiú) in their giant nests.
Boat tour
Especially in the wet season it is fun to do this tour but you can also do it in the dry season. We went to the river close by and we paddled up and down stream for a couple of hours. You could go fishing if you wish to but we loved to enjoy all the sounds of nature. The birds that are there sometimes make incredibly weird sounds, the frogs and the beautiful songs of the other birds make it an unforgettable experience. Besides the work of paddling it was very relaxing.
Jaguar tour
This is the tour that most of us come here for. Hoping to see a jaguar or two in the wild. We woke up very early in the morning to drive to Porto Jofre to step in a boat and go into the National Park. It took us about 3 hours to get there. We spent the whole day in the boat and brought lunch with us. The driver of the boat was part of a network of park guides and he had a walkie talkie to communicate with the others. If someone finds a rare animal or a jaguar they will let each other know. During the morning we spotted some monkeys, tapirs, lots of fishes (some even jumping out of the water) and many birds. All of a sudden my friend pointed in the distance and called out; there…. a jaguar.
Luckily the guides responded immediately and we were able to get really close. It was amazing to see this majestic animal, just having a stroll near the river bank. We were only 8-9 meters from this incredible beast. It looked well fed and its step was very relaxed.
Our park guide let the other guides know we encountered a jaguar but before they could even arrive the jaguar was already gone. It walked into the bushes, we hoped to see it on the other side but it was gone. What a moment nobody had seen it but us. So very special.
In the afternoon we kept searching for other animals and enjoying everything that we were seeing. At one point we saw a lot of butterflies at a beach, it was so magical to see. After a while we got a message that another guide had spotted a jaguar. We were there in a couple of minutes and again we saw the jaguar. It was a bit funny seeing all the boats in a row looking at the jaguar but of course you want to share this marvelous site. This time the jaguar was wearing a collar. There are some initiatives to do research and conservation of these animals because the jaguar is still being poached.
This jaguar walked through the forest into the grass close to the riverbank. It’s heavy body moving slowly and with care. It was just as amazing to see it as the first one. We still had a long way back and it was getting near to the end of the day. We left the park and went back to our accommodation. It was a spectacular day for us.
It is very expensive to go to Pantanal so don’t expect the same prices as the rest of the country.
We loved going to Pantanal! It definitely is in my top 10 places to visit in Brazil. I hope you will be able to visit this animal-filled place too. The fazenda/ pousada we stayed at was so nice, the staff was lovely, the guide super knowledgeable and the tours where arranged professionally. Check out their website for more information: Ueso Pantanal.
How many days should I go to Pantanal?
We stayed for 5 days and 4 nights. Because it can be super hot we enjoyed our quiet time in between the tours. We could rest or sit at the little lake and watch more animals coming by. If you don’t have a lot of time, spent at least 3 days here. One day for the Jaguar tour, one day for the jungle walk and to see the sundown and the last day to do the boat trip and the horseback riding tour. The ride back to Cuiabá is also quite long so it will be tiresome. It’s better to have a day or 2 extra. It can be very expensive to travel here, so please do your research before you go. If you want to know what we spend, read my blog about it here.
Is Pantanal accessible for wheelchair users? The short answer is no.
We actually had a wonderful fazenda where you would be able to get to. They had little paths directed to the little lake where you could potentially see lots of wildlife. Check with your accommodation if they have something similar.
Attractions*
Bad, it will not be possible for wheelchair users to do most tours in the jungle
Café’s and restaurants
You need check with your accommodation what the possibilities are.
Public transport
In Pantanal there is only public transport in the bigger cities and they don’t have any ramps.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And museums
Items I love while traveling
Feet hammock airplane
This airplane hammock for your feet is great for when you are traveling long flights. I love that it can be hung over the airplane table and I can rest my feet when I’m tired. It is adjustable and it is really comfortable.
Collapsible handheld fan
I don’t know about how you deal with heat but I need a bit of cooling down when I’m traveling. This easy (and cute) fan is my go to for when I am too hot. It can be charged with usb which is super practical.
Airplane pocket
Being organized always makes me happy and when I saw this amazing pocket for over your airplane table I was sold. You place it over the table (so you instantly have a clean table) and you can add all you need, when you have a long flight.