Pantanal travel guide

The Pantanal - A major ecological destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pantanal is the world´s largest wetland region and stretches from Brazil into Paraguay and Bolivia. During the rainy season (Dec - May) eighty percent of the Pantanal is submerged under floodwaters, which nurture an astonishing diversity of plant and animal wildlife. The Pantanal is home to one of the world's highest concentrations of fauna, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fish and especially birds. With few people and no towns, the Pantanal wetlands and savannah are vast and un-spoilt, and the open spaces provide a perfect setting for wildlife spotting. Visitors can take boat trips and horse-back rides around the Pantanal to observe the spectacular wildlife. The frequent flooding of the plains has made human encroachment very difficult, and the Pantanal truly is one of the world's last remaining wildernesses.

Don’t miss…

Bird-watching - With around 650 species of birds, including hyacinth macaws, jabiru storks, jacana, owls, toucans, woodpeckers, humming birds, hawks and rheas, the Pantanal is the place for bird-watching in Brazil. Be sure to get up extra early once or twice during your stay in order to experience the morning chorus and the beautiful sunrises of the Pantanal.

Animal photo safaris - In the open spaces of the Pantanal it is possible to see and photograph all sorts of strange and beautiful creatures, including peccaries, caiman, deer, giant anteaters, capuchin monkeys, capybaras and armadillos.

Flora - The plants and trees of the Pantanal provide food and shelter for its wildlife. Amongst the many different species of plants are orchids and passion flowers, as well as a wide variety of trees, such as mango, cashew, fig and the stunning pink trumpet tree.

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