Pantanal Mato Grosso / Araras Eco Lodge
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THE PANTANAL
The largest contiguous wetland on the planet, declared a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, is South America's primary wildlife sanctuary. With a total area of approximately 150,000km² and located in the center of the continent, the Pantanal is a biogeographic mixing bowl containing elements of the Amazon Forest, the Caatinga, the Brazilian Savannah, the Atlantic Rainforest and the Paraguayan Chaco. This fantastic biodiversity includes: 698 birds species, 80 mammals, 260 fish species and 50 reptiles.
Located amidst all this is the ARARAS ECO LODGE. Built in harmony with the environment, without renouncing comfort, the lodge is reachable all year-round by car via the Transpantaneira Park Road, 132 km (82 mi) south of Cuiabá (the capital of the State of Mato Grosso). From this lodge, with its enviably preserved surroundings, it is possible to do first-class bird-watching, trekking in pristine forest, canoeing, horseback riding, truck photo-safaris, night tours and much more, all under the assistance of expert bilingual naturalist guides.
ARARAS ECO LODGE
Offers a homey atmosphere, where visitors from diverse generations and cultures, find the creative space to fulfill their personal experiences.
The lodge, built in regional rustic style, offers 19 comfortable rooms with air conditioning with screened windows, ceiling fans, private bathrooms (cold and hot shower); a swimming pool with an adjoining covered area for meals, large verandas with hammocks, gift shop, bar, and restaurant.
The excellent regional food consists of dishes made from the tasty meat and fishes of the Pantanal, as well as featuring organic salads, vegetables and seasonal fruits.
THE PROGRAMS
4 days/ 3 nights Package: 3 overnights in the Pantanal, all the activities and meals according to the program, expert English speaking field guide and transfers on lodge regular service (air conditioned vehicle until 20 pax).
INCLUDED
Airport transfer, Full board, welcome drink, daily activities with permanent support of an expert bilingual guide: horseback ride, canoeing, trekking, biking, photo-safari in appropriate vehicles (truck and jeep), night tour with a spotlight and speech about the ecosystem and the region. (alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are not included)
Activities as per lodge schedule.
Check IN: 2:00 PM Check OUT: 11:00 AM
TRANSFERS: 83 miles, approximately 2:30 h trip, being 63 miles on paved road and 20 miles doing a photo-safari along the unpaved TRANSPANTANEIRA PARK ROAD.
From: CUIABÁ (airport) To: ARARAS ECO LODGE (Pantanal)
DAILY DEPARTURES
Schedule: 12:30 PM and 16:30 PM
From: ARARAS ECO LODGE (Pantanal) To: CUIABÁ (airport)
DAILY DEPARTURES
Schedule:
08:30 AM
12 :30 PM |
Pantanal - Matto Grosso del Sul / Caiman Eco Resort
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THE PANTANAL
Covering an area of approximately 143,000 square miles, the Pantanal is the largest floodplain in the Americas. The area is unique in the world, and because of this, it is often confused with a marsh. The multitude of landscapes is what helps make the Pantanal so unique. Savannah lowlands, floodplains and forests are influenced by the Amazon Forest and the scrublands of Caatinga, creating a vast mixture of ecosystems. The balance of these ecosystems depends entirely on the water cycles of wet and dry seasons in the region.
During the wet season, bays, lakes and streams form. When the rain stops, fish, mollusks and shellfish fill these waters, attracting animals like raccoons, caituts and aquatic birds, in search of food.
During the dry seasons, the water evaporates, depositing nutrients into the soil. This not only enriches the soil, but also provides food for the animals of the region. It is at this time that the “piúva”(a beautiful, flowered tree which is used as building timber), the tree that is a symbol of the Pantanal, blossoms.
Everything in the Pantanal reminds us of the presence of animals: sounds, traces, and movements. Alligators, wood ibis, cougars, snakebirds, hawks, deer, herons, howling monkeys and countless insects add color and sound to the ecosystem of the Pantanal.
THE LODGE
Refúgio Ecológico Caiman has four comfortable lodges with different architectural designs, all integrated with the landscape.
These lodges have a total capacity of 71 people and offer the guests to the refuge an opportunity to get to know the wonders of the Pantanal, with rustic comfort.
Each lodge has its own independent infrastructure and is equipped with a living room and pool. The individual rooms in each lodge are outfitted with air conditioning, ceiling fans, private bathrooms with hot water, and electrical currents with 110 volts.
On the Farm, the guests can count on an excellent support communications, with nurse on call, telephone center, fax, cellular phone antennas, motorized vehicles, radio system connecting the whole farm and the hotel, and insurance against personal and collective accidents.
Accommodations and capacity:
SEDE – 11 rooms (8 double and 3 triple) – 25 guests
BAIAZINHA - 6 rooms (2 double and 4 triple) - 16 guests
CORDILHEIRA - 6 rooms (2 double and 4 triple) - 16 guests
SEDE II - 6 rooms (4 double and 2 triple) - 14 guests
THE PROGRAMS
Refúgio Ecológico Caiman offers its visitors a fantastic experience with nature. With many tours, there is a unique opportunity to discover the fauna, flora, and culture of the Pantanal. The weather determines which tours will happen in each season.
For better enjoyment of the regularly offered tours, we recommend a stay of, at the minimum, 4 nights: check-in on the first day, before the afternoon tour, and check-out on the fifth day, after the morning tour.
There are two daily activities, one in the morning and another one in the afternoon. At night, visitors can watch an audiovisual presentation about the Pantanal or take a look at the animals at night. These night excursions are done after the afternoon outing in the winter; in the summer, they are after dinner.
Ecological Trail Hikes
The hikes are done on trails in dense bush near the lodges, and allow for first hand observation of the vegetation and forrest and the animals that live there, as the raccoons and monkeys. These tours allow for ultimate contact with the environment.
Farm Tour
Fufu is feeding the alligators, one of the oldest activities at Refúgio Ecológico Caiman: a fantastic, exciting moment when the tourists get very close to the animals, with the security of guides, to see the main symbols of the Pantanal up close.
Horseback Ride
This is one of the best ways to explore the Pantanal, allowing visitors to go into areas of difficult access, as flooded áreas with water too deep for motorized vehicles or too shallow for boats. The horses raised in the Pantanal have hooves that are resistant to water and adapted for walking long distances in flooded areas. The animals are trained for people without any riding experience, including children, to take them to see the different environments in the Pantanal.
Photo Safari
In order to cover more territory, these trips are made in special vehicles, which cross fields and stretches of bush. The trip is perfect to see and photograph the wild life. At night, the guests go out to do “spot lightening tour ” – observing, with flashlights, the night animals, as alligators, capybaras, anteaters, and small wolves.
Canadian Canoe Trip
The trip, made in Canadian canoes in the two bays of the farm, passes by the margins of the bays looking for mammals that live near the water and brush, as capybaras and monkeys, and, mainly birds that feed on the aquatic fauna, as cormorants, snakebirds, terns, herons and bitterns. The trip takes one and a half to two and a half hours, without leaving the canoes, and is appropriate for people of all ages.
Bike Ride
The Pantanal is very flat and allows for excellent bycicle rides, along the streets or trails. The silence and open-air exercise are the great advantages of this tour. The circuits vary depending on the group, and can reach the distance of 22 miles.
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