Land of the Jaguar

Land of the Jaguar

494 Views
9 Days From

$9000

Land of the Jaguar

9 Days Starting and ending in Cuiabá

Visiting: Brazil

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

WAI

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 14

Physical rating:

Easy & Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $9000

NB: Prices correct on 05-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

The Pantanal straddles the borders of Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia and is the largest wetland region in the world. Its plains and low scrubby forests are home to more than 1,000 bird species and 300 different mammals, including tapirs, anteaters, jabiru storks and the striking hyacinth macaw. Concentrating on the incredibly rich northern Pantanal in the southwest of Brazil, we divide our time between two lodges, journeying deep into the wetlands in search of jaguars, the largest feline in the Americas. These solitary, elusive predators, as well as being formidable opponents on land, are strong swimmers and are known to frequent the waterways we explore.

Highlights

  • Explore lesser-visited areas of the Pantanal wetlands for a jaguar-spotting safari

  • Take seven different boat trips to maximise your chances of spotting jaguars

  • Observe unusual species: capybaras, giant anteaters and jabiru storks

  • Stay in two rustic lodges, chosen for their wildlife-rich locations away from the tourist trail

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Start Cuiabá

Welcome to Cuiabá, the capital of the Mato Grosso state and the gateway to the Pantanal wetlands. After arriving at the hotel, you have the rest of the day free to relax.



Accommodation: Deville Prime Cuiabá (or similar)

Day 2 : To Hotel Baiazinha On The Paraguay River

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we head towards the remote Paraguay River in the Pantanal. We start by driving 127mi (205km) towards the town of Cáceres before continuing a further 62mi (100km) on dirt roads to our lodge on the banks of the Paraguay River, where we spend the next four days exploring the region for jaguars and other wildlife.



This off-the-beaten-path area is the ideal place for jaguar spotting and, with fewer visitors than other areas of the Pantanal, is also much quieter.



This afternoon, we board our small motorboats to go on our first jaguar safari, exploring the river and its tributaries for the elusive big cat plus tapirs, monkeys, macaws, anacondas, capybaras, giant otters and any other wildlife we can find. While no guarantees can be made when it comes to wildlife, there is a 90 percent chance of seeing jaguars.



Accommodation: Hotel Baiazinha (or similar)

Day 3 - 5 : Morning And Afternoon Boat Safaris On The Paraguay River Searching For Jaguar And Other Wildlife

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We spend the next three days on morning and afternoon boat safaris looking for jaguars and other local wildlife and learning about the delicate ecosystem of the area. The exact lengths of the outings will vary depending on the sightings and you should be prepared to be flexible with the timetable. Make sure to bring all you’ll need including sun protection, insect protection, rain protection, water and your cameras and/or binoculars.



Accommodation: Hotel Baiazinha (or similar)

Day 6 : Transfer To Araras Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we retrace our steps towards Cáceres and onto Poconé and finally Araras Lodge. Surrounded by pristine forest, the lodge offers a range of activities designed to showcase the flora and fauna of the Pantanal, including jeep safaris, trail walks, nocturnal safaris, canoeing and horse riding. Expert bilingual naturalist guides from the lodge accompany us on all excursions to truly enhance our wildlife viewing.



Accommodation: Araras Lodge (or similar)

Day 7 - 8 : Search For Giant Anteaters And Capybaras

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The next two days we have a full programme of activities around the lodge. Hundreds of bird species and dozens of mammals and reptiles have been recorded in the immediate surroundings; if we are lucky, we will catch sight of the striking hyacinth macaw (Portuguese: arara jacinta) after which the lodge is named. The largest of the macaws, its dark blue plumage and the bright yellow skin around its eyes and beak make it instantly recognisable.



Accommodation: Araras Lodge (or similar)

Day 9 : To Cuiabá; End

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, we head back to Cuiabá where the trip ends. We bid farewell and begin our return journey home. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

What's Included

  • Eight breakfasts, seven lunches, seven dinners

  • All accommodation

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request)

  • Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation

Venturing into the Pantanal, the land of the jaguar, we split our time between two lodges, both well located for our wildlife-watching adventures, while the trip begins at a contemporary hotel in Cuiabá.



Cuiabá: Deville Prime Cuiabá (night 1)







Begin the adventure at Deville Prime, a modern hotel in the heart of Cuiabá. After your flight, you may wish to make use of the outdoor pool and sun loungers, plus there’s a gym with free weights and machines. In the evening, head to the atrium bar with the group and raise a glass to your trip – a good chance to get to know each other a little better.



Paraguay River: Hotel Baiazinha (nights 2-5)







On the banks of the Paraguay River, in an area visited less often by other tourists, this family-run 15-room lodge hotel is ideally located for our jaguar-spotting adventures. When we’re not out scouring the landscape for wildlife, make use of the pool or unwind in your air-conditioned room. There’s also a restaurant serving typical local food cooked by chef Isaias. Try the flagship dish: mojica, a fish broth with cassava, which they call the pride of their kitchen.



Poconé: Araras Lodge (nights 6-8)







Spend our final three nights at Araras Lodge, which is designed in a rustic regional style and has 19 air-conditioned rooms. The property also has a restaurant-bar, which serves local cuisine and plenty of good drinks, plus a swimming pool and gift shop. There are also three observation towers, the tallest of which is 82ft (25m) high, allowing you to gaze over the landscape in search of birds and other wildlife.

Food

All breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners are included.



All meals are included in Hotel Baiazinha and Araras Lodge. Food is likely to be a mix of dishes using a lot of local produce. The local fruit is normally very good. Meat is a staple part of the Brazilian diet, but vegetarians can be catered for throughout the trip. Please advise us at the time of booking if you have any special dietary requirements, especially since the remote nature of the places we stay means special supplies can be difficult to obtain without prior arrangement.



Camomile tea and fruit infusions are available at the lodges, however traditional tea is not available, so you may wish to take teabags with you.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    No

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    16+ people can go on this tour.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Brilliant

Fantastic trip - brilliant guide - great accommodation - superb wildlife sightings. Be prepared for very high temperatures but so worth it.

Amazing Brazil

Long journey to get to the Pantanal but worth it! Three jaguar sightings on the first trip made everyone very happy for the forthcoming adventure. Hotel Baiazinha is the perfect location for trips into the wetlands. Accommodation and food excellent and staff very friendly. Plus around the hotel so many birds. Seven boat trips was tiring in the heat, thankfully the boat has a cover. Finally saw nine jaguar sightings, some repeats, plus two giant otter encounter.......and so many birds. Araras Pantanal Eco Lodge is a nice wind down with good accommodation. Trips out to spot wildlife are good but toucans and hyacinth macaws can be spotted in the grounds early morning!

Incredible journey to see jaguars

A wonderful trip to see these elusive jaguars by riverboat. The accommodation was comfortable and allowed a great base for jaguar boat trips or at Araras Eco Lodge a series of nature walks and night safaris in search of birds and ocelots. Juan the guide was excellent throughout, well organised, enthusiastic and with an encyclopedic knowledge of the wildlife on hand.

Excellent wildlife viewing but poor UK booking experience.

On a positive note we had a great wildlife experience seeing five jaguar, giant otters, tapirs, ocelot and hyacinth macaws amongst many others. Tony, our guide, was one of the very best guides I have had. He spotted just about everything going and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the birds and animals of the Pantanal. The not so good was when booking, the connecting flight from San Paulo to Cuiaba was booked from a different San Paulo airport to the one I was due to arrive at from the UK. Speaking to the Exodus rep when booking I questioned why the arrival airport had a different code to the departure airport and was assured the two flights were from the same airport so booked. I was not comfortable and quick online search showed that this was not the case. Fortunately it was sorted out when I then raised the issue again but no apology for what was a basic error. Following the two reviews from 2023, the connecting flight is now a 7hrs wait. While baggage is checked through to Cuiaba you must collect your baggage in San Paula and go through immigration control and customs. You can then drop your bags off at the Latam desk 4hr before your flight to Cuiaba. This info is correct as of July 2024!

Land of the Jaguar report

This trip exceeded all my expectations.Seeing a Jaguar in its natural habitat was wonderful. As usual Paul worked hard with the guides to get the results that we all longed for.The accommodation was good, though the food in Porte Joffre could have been much better. I was a little disappointed with the fact that we had to pay for our luggage on the internal flight. This caused some hassle because none of the flight desk attendants spoke English and I do not speak Portuguese. A similar scenario ensued on the return flight. This was one of the most memorable trips that I have done with Exodus and I look forward to my next one.

Land of the Jaguar

Amazing array of wildlife. Providing you don't mind roughing it a bit and don't mind getting bitten (a lot!), this is a fabulous holiday. Must have been good as I came home with over 2500 photos!

Land of the Jaguar

A fantastic experience, with far more wildlife sightings than I expected. We saw three jaguars (some of the group saw five), with great opportunities to both observe and photograph these beautiful animals. We saw dozens of species of birds, caiman, capybara, howler and capuchin monkeys, coati, armadillo, peccary, brocket, tamandua and the iconic giant otter and giant anteater. We were lucky enough to glimpse a very rare jaguamundi too. Excellent accommodation; although the houseboat was quite basic we were made to feel very welcome.

Land of the Jaguar - and other wildlife

The trip provided the wildlife viewing we had hoped for - five jaguars, plus giant otters, armadillos, anteater etc etc and a wide variety of bird life.

Excellent Trip, Pity about the Airport

This was my first time taking a holiday with Exodus, perhaps it will not be my last. However, I must complain about the horrible 7 hour stopover at Sau Paulo airport. This is just far to long, and I think Exodus should think about using a different airline for the second leg of the journey. Once arrived on the second day at Hotel Baiazinha lodge, we all had an amazing time though, and I think this was exacerbated by the wonderful guide Tony, very eagle eyed and knowledgeable about all of the wildlife that the Pantanal has to offer. I like my wildlife photography, and this trip proved to be amazing. We did get to see a number of Jaguars, I will always remember my first sighting in the golden hour which made for some incredible photo's. Memories that will last a lifetime is what I take back with myself.

A great trip of two very different parts

This trip is in two parts. Four days on the Jaguar houseboat looking for jaguars, the boat's a bit cramped and you spend all day on the river, but the sight of your first jaguar makes it all worthwhile. Then the fantastic Araras Eco Lodge, which is spacious and relaxing and the bird life is amazing! You need to be prepared for long days and you need lots of patience, but it's definitely a fantastic experience.

Read all 16 reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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