This wildlife adventure will take you on an exciting cruise along the Paraguay River and its tributaries to explore remote Pantanal destinations away from the traditional routes. This tour offers daily wildlife spotting expeditions as well as hiking and horseback trips launched from the various fazendas along the way. Use smaller motorboats to explore the many tributaries and lakes in the region. In between activities, sit back and enjoy the river breeze while relaxing on deck and watching the beautiful natural scenery as it passes by.

Our river boats vary in size and sleep between 2 and 10 people comfortably. All are fully equipped with air conditioned cabins, bathrooms, a kitchen and radios, all of which allow us to leave the busy lodges, dusty roads, and other tour groups behind as we sail into the heart of the Pantanal wilderness. The adventure begins in the city of Cuiaba, capital of Mato Grosso state.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
• Track Pumas, Ocelots and Jaguars at remote Pantanal locations
• See and Photograph jaguars at the Taiama Ecological Reserve

Departures
Our trips are completely tailor-made and departures can be arranged all year round. This itinerary is simply a suggestion and can be modified entirely to your personal wishes, including departure date, duration, and length of stay.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1: CUIABA / PANTANAL (CÁCERES)
Reception at Cuiaba/Varzea Grande airport. Meet your guide and transfer to the Pantanal by car, driving 290 km to the Jaguar Camp, your gateway to the Paraguay River. Board our houseboat and travel downriver in the direction of the Taiama Ecological Reserve. Take an afternoon trip by motor boat along the Jauru River, a remote and pristine area that’s full of wildlife: giant river otters, caimans, tapirs, capybaras, birds and even jaguars can be spotted here. Watch the sunset, then take a nighttime boat trip with spotlights to look for nocturnal animals. Dinner and overnight on board the houseboat.

DAY 2: PANTANAL WILDLIFE VIEWING TOURS / OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Early morning nature walk along a forest trail to look for animals and birds, including rheas, marsh deer, armadillos, storks, coatis, capybaras, hyacinth macaws, howler monkeys, and dozens of other animals and birds. Return to the boat for lunch. After lunch there is time to rest or just enjoy the scenery. In the afternoon go for a boat trip to look for giant river otters and fish for piranha, with more opportunities for nature observation and bird watching. After dinner go out for a night excursion with spotlights in open vehicles to look for nocturnal creatures. Dinner and overnight on board the houseboat.

DAY 3: PANTANAL WILDLIFE VIEWING TOURS / OFF THE BEATEN PATH
After an early breakfast go on a horseback riding trip to look for mammals and birds in the open grasslands and forested islands surrounding the campsite. You will have the unrivaled experience of viewing truly undisturbed wildlife at a very close range. In the afternoon take a wildlife safari in open vehicles, driving deeper into the Pantanal where few other tourists go. The region is a particularly good area for tapirs, maned wolf, giant anteaters, armadillos, howler monkeys, hyacinth macaws, toucans, capybaras, lizards, deer, and other elusive wildlife. You will arrive at the northern end of the Taiama Ecological Reserve and the boat will anchor near the entrance of the reserve. After dinner take a night boat trip with spotlights to look for nocturnal creatures. Dinner and overnight on board the houseboat.

DAY 4: PANTANAL JAGUAR & WILDLIFE – PARAGUAY RIVER & TAIAMA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
Morning and afternoon boat trips. Explore the Estaçao Ecológica do Taiama by motor boat; the park is one of the best places for jaguar spotting, and you will also see other wildlife, including giant river otters, caimans, capybaras, and many bird species. Explore small channels and lakes, where quite often jaguars can be spotted on the river banks. Recent guests have seen several of these huge predators during the day, many of them at very close and range for extended periods of time. Late afternoon return to the houseboat for dinner and overnight.

DAY 5: PANTANAL JAGUAR & WILDLIFE – PARAGUAY RIVER
Continue your exploration of the Estaçao Ecológica do Taiama by motor boat as the houseboat makes its way downriver to the southern end of the reserve. Continue to look for jaguars and a wide variety of other animals and birds that are plentiful along the Paraguay River. Late afternoon return to the houseboat for dinner and overnight.

DAY 6: JAGUAR TRACKING AT PARAGUAY RIVER & TAIAMA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
Morning excursions to look for jaguar. Leave the houseboat and travel by smaller motor boats, spending most of your time tracking jaguars along the river banks. Return to the houseboat for lunch. Today you will start your journey back to Jaguar Camp outside Cáceres. Sail the rest of the day, with plenty of time to rest and simply enjoy the scenery. Later in the afternoon the boat will drop anchor and you will go for a night time boat trip with spotlights to look for nocturnal animals, including foxes, crab eating raccoons, owls, pumas, ocelots, and more. Dinner and overnight on board the houseboat.

DAY 7: PANTANAL – CUIABA
After an early breakfast go for one more nature outing – a last exploration of this incredible area teeming with wildlife. Look for anteaters, armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, coati, lizards, snakes, monkeys, toucans, falcons, storks, macaws, parrots and other wild animals. After lunch, drive back to Cuiabá in time for your flight. End of our services. B, L.

Please note: This itinerary should be used as a guide only and may vary from day to day depending on road and river conditions, weather, group decisions & desires, and circumstances beyond our control.

THE BOATS

The Santo Antonio das Lendas
This is the smallest and simplest of the three boats, and it sleeps 2-4 people comfortably in a cabin that includes two sets of bunk beds. There is a new toilet and shower on board, as well an area for a small stove and an upper sun deck. There is an electric generator that runs at night and again at midday for air conditioning and battery recharging. This boat comes with a smaller motor boat for exploring the Paraguai River and channels and tributaries.

The Vitoria Regia
This is a larger, more comfortable boat that sleeps 10 comfortably. It has several sleeping options, including cabins with double beds, single beds and bunk beds, all with air conditioning. Toilet and shower facilities are separate. There is also a 15-seat air-conditioned restaurant with the services of a barman. Other amenities include a television/DVD home theater system and an upper sun deck with a shower, barbecue grill and mini-bar. Like the Santo Antonio, electricity is also available at night and at midday.

The BonanÇa
This boat is larger still, and sleeps 10 in four air-conditioned cabins equipped with bunk beds. Also onboard you will find electric showers; an air-conditioned lounge and dining area with TV/video, stereo and satellite dish; a full kitchen; a sun deck complete with shower, barbecue and sound system; 7 bathrooms (including in the cabins); an integrated radio system, national telephone service; 2 electricity generators; water treatment system; refrigerators; 4 freezers; an ice machine; and eight 6-meter motor boats with revolving seats and 15 HP motors and a cooler.

Have Questions About This Trip ?
+ 55 65 3682-8889
Email Pantanal Ecoexplorer