Welcome to Mato Grosso do Sul! Known as the “Cidade Morena” (the Swarthy City), for the rich color of the soil, we have just a night here before we jump off on our journey to the south. Many international flights arrive in the morning (after having flown through the night). You will then be transported to the hotel, about a 35 minute drive from the airport, where you can relax for the remainder of the day. Our first meeting as a group will be the welcome dinner tonight. Please meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15pm.

Night at Hotel Deville Prime.

After breakfast today we head west and then a bit north, undertaking a drive of about 3 hours, to the Aquidauana River. Posted here for two nights, we begin our trip, soaking up the characteristic wildlife of the southern part of the Pantanal. Often the Hyacinth Macaws are among the welcoming party here, and if we haven’t already, we’ll see our first groups of Capybara. A highly social species, with herds sometimes numbering near 100 individuals, the Capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Along the river we have chances for both Giant River Otter and Neotropical Otter. Attracted by the density of fish here, they share hunting areas with many Cocoi Herons, Ringed Kingfishers, Maguari Stork, and Jabiru.

Night at Pousada Aguapé.

Today we continue to explore the rich wildlife in and around Pousada Aguapé. This is a Fazenda (i.e. ranch in Portuguese) that has been owned by the same family for over 150 years. There is a good array of bird feeders located by the restaurant and at breakfast, we should enjoy good photo opps to start our day. Over 370 species of birds have been recorded here, and while the Crab-eating Foxes and Six-banded Armadillos are sure to entertain, we’ll also seek some new birds. Larger more conspicuous birds here include Chaco Chachalaca, Bare-faced Currasow, Plumbeous Ibis, Red-legged Seriema, and even the continent’s largest bird, the Greater Rhea. Perhaps only slightly less conspicuous but just as much fun to see include birds like, Gilded Hummingbird, White Woodpecker, and White-rumped Monjita. Always lurking in our mind here is the possibility of seeing a Giant Anteater. Keep your eyes peeled and fingers crossed!

Night at Pousada Aguapé.

As normal, we’ll rise early, seeking to take advantage of prime time and good light on the birds and animals around the Fazenda before we head on, driving further south. After we get underway we’ll have about a 3.5 hour-drive. Just after we pass the town of Jardim, we’ll reach Buraco das Araras. A private 250-acre reserve, this reserve is largely comprised of Cerrado habitat, a tropical savanna broken up by chunks of forest. The birding is excellent, but the salient feature of this location is a giant sinkhole, named Buraco das Araras. A literal translation of this is “hole of the macaws”, and it is indeed well named, as the Red-and-green Macaws have made a good home here. This is one of the biggest sinkholes in all of Latin America. more than 300 feet deep and about 1500ft in circumference. We’ll explore the area, as there is a nice network of trails, and spend time observing and photographing the macaws as they fly and roost around the sinkhole, filling it with color and sound. We’ll also be on the look-out for sought-after species such as the Bare-faced Curassow, Small-billed Tinamou and others.

Night at Hotel Jardim.

Mostly a travel day, we make the return drive to Campo Grande today, which is about a 3 hour drive. While we’ll certainly stop along the way to see some birds as we travel, our main goal is getting back to the airport to board our flight to Cuiabá. Then, after a 90-minute flight north to the state of Mato Grosso, we’ll reach what is virtually the geographic center of South America, and the gateway to the Pantanal.

Night in at Slaviero Slim Hotel in Cuiabá.

Rising early, heading to the southwest, we’ll drive our way down to Poconé, and this is where the Transpantaneira Highway begins. Among nature enthusiasts this is one of the most famous roads in all the world, as it is fabulous for spotting birds and seeing wildlife. Along this road there are dozens of wooden bridges crossing wonderful watering holes, each brimming with birds and potential for mammals. We’ll work our way down to our accommodations for the night at Pousada Rio Claro, where the birding and wildlife-watching will continue. Keep your eyes open for Marsh Deer (vulnerable) and Black-tailed Marmoset, along with highly distinct birds like Sunbittern and Black-capped Donacobius (both monotypic bird families). During our time at Pousada Rio Claro we have chances for the sneaky and stunning Agami Heron, and also the Chestnut-bellied Guan, a vulnerable species endemic to Brazil.

Night at Pousada Rio Claro.

We’ll spend some time this morning enjoying things around Pousada Rio Claro but then we’ll get back out onto the highway, and continue working our way south, birding and searching for wildlife as we go. We’ll pick our spots along the way, taking time where the wildlife warrants it, and then moving on towards Porto Jofre, our home for the next two nights. The village of Porto Jofre is located at the end of the Transpantaneira Highway, along the Cuiabá River. It is from here that we’ll access the river and search for Jaguars. In route to Porto Jofre, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for animals like Brazilian Tapir, Brown Capuchin, and Black Howler Monkey, and birds that could include Southern Screamer, White-throated Piping-Guan, Black-fronted Nunbird, and others.

Night at Hotel Pantanal Norte.

Porto Jofre is legendary for being the best place in the world to see and photograph Jaguars. Generally big cats avoid water and tend to be more nocturnal, but the Jaguars here break both these rules. The Jaguars of the Pantanal prey primarily on caiman, stalking them from the edge of the river and then pouncing on them. It is rare to see a kill but it is not uncommon to see Jaguars on the move or loafing near the water. We’ll need some luck, but we’ll try our best. And although the star of this site is typically the Jaguar, it is also rich with other mammals, and is a good site for Giant River Otter. There are some fantastic birds here as well, with possibilities such as Sungrebe, Blue-gray Saltator, Band-tailed Nighthawk, Black-collared Hawk, Rusty-backed Spinetail, among many more.

Night at Hotel Pantanal Norte.

Leaving behind the Cuiabá River, we head back north along the Transpantaneira Highway for the Pixaim area. Working north to Pixaim we’ll take our time seeing what we see along the way, as it is only about a 90-minute drive. Once we arrive, we’ll check into our lodge, the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Recently it has become famous as one of the best places in the world to see Ocelot, often offering visitors a chance to see these small secretive cats up close. In route, and once at Pixaim, we’ll continue to search for any mammals we’ve not seen yet, and the lodge is also excellent for birding. With a nice network of trails and two observation towers, we’ll have plenty to keep us busy. One of the towers is situated 16 meters from a site where a pair of Jabiru traditionally nest annually. While here we’ll also take a boat ride along the Pixaim River. With luck we could spot the elusive Zig Zag Heron or Agami Heron. And it’s often possible to see American Pygmy Kingfisher, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, and Chestnut-eared Aracari here as well.

Night near Pixaim.

We’ll see what time our flights are, but today is largely about our transfer on from Cuiabá to wherever you may be headed next. It’s about a 3-hour drive from Pixaim to Cuiabá. Once back in Cuiabá, we’ll say our good byes (Ate Logo in Portuguese). The tour concludes upon arrival at the airport in Cuiabá.