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The Pantanal

THE PANTANAL

Deriving its name from the Portuguese for swamp, the immense 230,000 square kilometre Pantanal is subject to seasonal flooding on a grand scale. The rains, which fall from December to March, transform the dry, dusty savannah into a vast lake, dotted with wooded “islands”, which slowly drains into the wide Rio Paraguay via its many tributaries. Providing South America’s best wildlife viewing by far, the Pantanal is a must for families of natural history enthusiasts who wish to understand why the continent is such a special destination. Species seen include capybara, giant anaconda, crab-eating fox, burrowing owl, giant otter, horned screamer, marsh deer, jabiru stork, giant anteater, black and gold howler monkey, puma, tapir, armadillo, caiman, hoatzin, hyacinth macaw, toco toucan, ocelot and margay: it is also the best location in South America to view the elusive jaguar, third largest of the world’s cats. The cattle ranchers of the interior co-exist happily with the wildlife and guard their lands’ integrity jealously: a rare and heartening example of man’s beneficial influence on the planet’s fauna and flora.

SOUTHERN PANTANAL

Accessed from Corumba and Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul state, the southern Pantanal has an extensive river system including the Miranda, Aquidauana and Negro Rivers (tributaries of the Rio Paraguay) and a vast interior of cattle ranches extending over hundreds of thousands of acres each. Compared to the north, the south remains wetter for longer, and the animals mostly migrate out of the area during the wet season.

Pousada Xaraes
Set within 4200 hectares of private Pantanal reserve on the Abobral River, the ranch has a small number of spacious, comfortable, air-conditioned rooms with large verandas. Families will enjoy the refreshing swimming pool (no chemicals used), and other facilities which include tennis court, football pitch, pool table, library and sauna. You can ride horses or opt for a horse-drawn cart, walk the trails to look for wildlife with a local guide, take jeep safaris or perhaps practice catch-and-release fishing. The pousada also runs three conservation projects involving hyacinth macaws, jaguars and tapirs.

Caiman Lodge
Certainly one of the most luxurious of the Pantanal’s lodges, Caiman has many of the typical species generally to be found in the wetlands. There are four separate lodge buildings dotted around the vast property, each with pool and living room. The air-conditioned rooms are very comfortable, the experienced guides bilingual, the food well prepared and your daily excursions by horseback, canoe or open-sided truck visit all the various different parts of the area.

Bonito

Found just to the south of the Pantanal, the busy Bonito area is famous for its lively town, clear springs, limestone caves and snorkelling in limpid rivers full of fish. A little further south, there is more of interest for the naturalist family. The attractions include plentiful giant anteater, white lipped peccary, toco toucan and tapir, and two major spectacles: the macaw cave and the Prata (Silver) River. The former consists of 100 or so red-and-green macaws in a 120m-deep limestone sinkhole, and the latter involves drift snorkelling above hundreds of fish in a crystal-clear river: truly unique.

Zagaia Eco-Resort Hotel
A medium-sized hotel set in a large lawned compound bordering woodland, with air-conditioned rooms, adult and children’s outdoor swimming pools, two restaurants, spa, panoramic sauna, fitness room, Jacuzzis, tennis court, fully equipped nursery and an indoor swimming pool. On site activities include horse riding, pool table, games room, trail walks and quad bike hire, and younger children will enjoy the hotel’s playground.

NORTHERN PANTANAL

From Cuiaba, the Trans Pantaneira highway penetrates the top third of the Pantanal down to the river border with Mato Grosso do Sul. Apart from containing all the species for which the wetlands are famed, this is the area with the highest chance of seeing jaguar in the whole of South America. It also contains the only official nature reserve in the region, the Mato Grosso Pantanal National Park, accessed from the Rio Paraguay and requiring special permission to visit.

Pousada do Rio Mutum
As the name suggests, the lodge enjoys a position right on the Mutum River, in an area of the Pantanal known for its unusual variety of landscapes including the 15km wide Lake Chacorore, easily accessible from the lodge. The small number of comfortable, air-conditioned rooms have private bathrooms and verandas, and families can refresh themselves after excursions with a swim in the pool. Activities offered include birdwatching, canoeing, river boat rides, horse riding, nocturnal caiman spotting and guided wildlife tours.