overview
Jaguars
The jaguar needs no introduction. It is the only extant Panthera species native to
the Americas and it is the third-largest feline after the tiger and lion. The jaguar's
present range extends from Southwestern United States and Mexico across much
of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Brazil is a
stronghold and the Pantanal is the best place in the world to see these otherwise
elusive big cats.
This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build and it’s behavioral and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger. While dense rainforest is its preferred habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrains. Its preferred habitats are usually swamps and wooded regions, but jaguars also live in scrublands and deserts. The jaguar is notable, along with the tiger, as a feline that enjoys swimming. The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still frequently killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America. In Pantanal the Jaguar is safe and easily viewable in and around the Ciuaba River. It is here that we will spend 4 nights doing river safaris for the best chance of not just viewing the Jaguar but also witnessing and photographing some rare behavior.
Read moreaccommodation amidst action
Duration – 10 days (From Cuiaba to Cuiaba)
Places of stay – Amazon Aeroporto Hotel or Slaviero Slim Cuiaba, Pousada Piuval,
Jaguar Flotel or Jaguar Suite, South Wild Pantanal
itinerary
3 - 12 October 20255 Seats Left
Arrival in Cuiaba airport and private transfer to the hotel (Our service
includes a private transfer for each passenger from airport to the Amazon
Aeroporto Hotel or Slaviero Slim, done by a Portuguese-speaking driver
using a closed, air- conditioned vehicle. This transfer does not include an
English-speaking guide).
Overnight at Amazon Aeroporto Hotel or Slaviero Slim, Cuiaba
Depart from Cuiaba after breakfast
and proceed towards Pocone, the
entry point to the Pantanal. Arrival at
Pousada Piuval for lunch. Post lunch
we will spend the day in this large
wildlife estate and search for wildlife
evening. Jeep safari will be arranged in
search of tapirs, giant anteaters,
anacondas, armadillos, hyacinth
macaws and perhaps even the jaguar.
Overnight at Pousada Piuval.
Today we will spend the day in this large wildlife estate and search for wildlife in
the morning and evening. Jeep safaris will be done in search of tapirs, giant
anteaters, anacondas, armadillos, blue macaws and perhaps even the jaguar.
Overnight at Pousada Piuval.
Post breakfast, we will take an airconditioned mini-bus down the Transpantaneira or the MT – 060 all the way down to Porto Jofre to the Cuiaba River. The Transpantaneira is a road link from Pocone (the entry point of the Pantanal) to Porto Jofre and runs through the Pantanal from the North to the South. This 147 km stretch of highway has 122 wooden bridges, and on the way, there will be chance to see common wildlife like caimans, capybara and plenty of birdlife. We will arrive at Porto Jofre by about 11.00 AM and proceed by boat to the Jaguar Flotel, our home for the next four nights. Post lunch we will proceed by boat for our first jaguar search. Overnight at Jaguarland (Jaguar Flotel) Upgrade to Jaguar Suites on request.
Breakfast followed by morning and afternoon boat outings daily to search for
Jaguars and Giant Otters on the various river channels of “Jaguarland”. These
channels include the Three Brothers, the Black Channel, the Cuiaba and the Piquiri.
Lunch and dinner included will be at the lodge.
Lunch and dinner included. Overnight at Jaguarland (Jaguar Flotel) Upgrade to Jaguar
Suites on request.
Today, after a quick morning jaguar search, we will depart by boat to Porto Jofre,
here a safari truck will pick us and take us to South Wild Pantanal. Arrival at South
Wild Pantanal will be at lunch. At 5.00 PM Walk 500 meters from the lodge and
wait 715 pm at the Ocelot hide to try to get good views of one of the five different
Ocelots that come on almost every evening to this hide. As of this writing, in the
last 210 nights, at least one or more Ocelots came to this hide in 200 nights. In other
words, only on ten nights did an ocelot not come. That is a 95% probability that at
least one Ocelot comes to the site on any given night. Only one time in the last 210
nights (15 May to 15 November 2016) were there two nights in a row on which at
10 October Jaguar Flotel to South Wild Pantanal (B/L/D)
least one Ocelot did not show. SouthWild Pantanal now is the best place in the
world to see this beautiful, shy cat, which looks like a mini-Jaguar.
See the website: www.ocelotphoto.com
Dinner. After dinner, a one-hour spotlight outings in our safari truck.
Overnight at Southwild
After breakfast trained guides will organize and adjust the schedule of wildlife
outings according to recent sightings, weather and guest preferences. Each day
includes one forest walk and one outing by boat, car or horseback. Enjoy our two
wildlife viewing towers, one of which is strategically-located at only 16 metres from
an active Jabirú nest, the world’s only such Jabiru viewing tower. The breeding pair
is very habituated, so you can observe them and take excellent photos from the 12-
metre-high platform at the top of the tower. The platform is slightly above eye level
with the nest. Visit the Ocelot hide again in the early evening.
Lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Southwild Pantanal Lodge
After breakfast transfer from South Wild Pantanal to Cuiaba Airport in a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Arrival at the airport check-in and departure for your next destination. Please note:- If flying out of Cuiaba, please ensure that your outgoing flight is booked later than 1700.
Expedition on a map
Gallery
Duration – 10 days (From Cuiaba to Cuiaba)
Places of stay – Amazon Aeroporto Hotel or Slaviero Slim Cuiaba, Pousada Piuval,
Jaguar Flotel or Jaguar Suite, South Wild Pantanal
Tour leader from Just Nature Expeditions
English-speaking naturalist guide
Accommodation based on double in the hotel as described in the itinerary.
Transfer from/to hotel as noted.
Meals and excursions as noted
Free WIFI internet at all hotels. Being a remote area, it operates about 95% of the
time—not 100% and is not guaranteed.
Unlimited free drinking water from large coolers at all hotels. Please bring your own
Nalgene or metal water bottles to refill for free.
Flights and visas
Meals not mentioned
Extra expenses
Tips
Soft drinks, small bottles of water, beer, wines, mixed drinks.
Laundry
Insurance
Early or late check out
1. Accommodation:
Accommodation and facilities along this tour are well
appointed with all basic comforts in place. While comfort level is good,
please do not expect very high-end facilities. The lodges have been hand-
picked by our team based on the availability of wildlife that is present around
the locations where the group will stay. We have left the best for last – South
Wild Pantanal Lodge at Santa Terressa is a place where you can see the
elusive Ocelot and end your trip comfortably after hopefully seeing several
jaguars.
2. Flights:
From India, the best flight option to take is via Dubai to Sao Paolo by
Emirates. From Sao Paolo, there is an internal flight to Cuiaba city located on
the Northern side of the Pantanal. We would recommend that we assist with
the flights so that we can select the best connections and the recommended
time of arrival on day 1. Should you choose to book your light yourself, please
ensure that your departure flight out of Cuiaba is after 17:00 on 12 October
2025. This will give the group enough time to leave from the Pantanal and
reach the airport well in time.
3. Chiggers
please treat a couple of trousers, socks and a pair of shoes with
PERMETHRIN spray. These repellents are easily available in the UK, USA and
on Amazon. Please remember that this can not be applied directly to your
skin, but only to the clothes. If you have not got this, please don’t worry, deet
based repellents will also work, and you can avoid walking on grasses or in
the forest. There are no real walks planned on the trip, so the chances of
chiggers is not too high.
4. Cold Fronts:
Although quite rare, cold fronts can occur at any time and
temperatures can go down to single digit Celsius. Please carry a good winter
jacket and a woolly hat. You most probably will not need this, and may curse
us for making you carry this, but it may come in handy, so be prepared.
5. Drinking Water:
Please carry a refillable metal / plastic bottle so you can
refill. Clean filter drinking water is available at all hotels and destinations.
Please avoid using SINGLE USE plastic. This is a good practice for the
environment and it will also save you cost from buying bottles of water
everywhere.
6. Drinks:
All accommodations have bars with a basic range of alcohol
available. At Pousada Piuval, they have a rather limited selection and only
accept cash. For any preferred wines or spirits, please feel free to carry your
own.
7. Laundry:
Laundry facility is only available at South Wild Pantanal Lodge,
where you will stay towards the end of the trip. Please carry enough safari
apparel and gear.
8. Cash:
You will require cash only for drinks and gratuity. As USD may not be
accepted everywhere, please withdraw or change to Brazilian currency,
preferably at your point of entry to Brazil. For Gratuity, an amount between
USD 125 and 150 can be handed over to your tour leader for the common
kitty.
9. Malaria
There is no noteworthy danger of Malaria in the area of travel. But
we still recommend that you meet a physician to take professional advice to
help you decide if you need to take a preventative course of medication.
We wish you a very happy and safe journey and hope you see lots of Jaguars and
other wildlife. In the unlikely situation of an emergency please note below the
emergency contact numbers in Brazil....
Aly Rashid
Expedition Leader
Wildlife and the wilderness has been a passion for Aly ever
since childhood. This passion for wildlife inspired him to work
with his family to set up and run Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, one
of the finest wilderness camps in India. At Reni Pani Aly has
been heading the naturalist team for over 7 years and in this
time his passion for wildlife has been instilled in the ethos of
the lodge atmosphere. A trained naturalist and ornithologist,
he has travelled across the country and has been involved with wildlife in various
localities. His deep involvement with Satpura since his childhood has been a
motivation to protect and conserve wildlife in this landscape. Aly inspired Reni
Pani’s camera trap studies in the reserve forest area outside the park that revealed
breeding population of several large carnivores like leopards, wild dogs and sloth
bear and also the presence of a young male tiger. His passion for research and
conservation has also taken him to Panna National Park where he worked with
renowned small cat expert and scientist Shekhar Kolipaka for the Caracal Research
and Conservation Project in 2014. Aly is also involved in leading wildlife expeditions
both within India and abroad.
The Pantanal encompasses the world's largest tropical wetland area. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Moto Grosso do Sul. It sprawls over an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 square kilometers. The Pantanal is home to one of the largest and healthiest Jaguar populations anywhere on Earth. Among the rarest animals to inhabit the wetland of the Pantanal are the Marsh Deer and the Giant River Otters. Parts of the Pantanal are also home to the following endangered or threatened species: the Hycanth Macaw, the Crowned Solitary Eagle, the Maned Wolf, the Bush Dog, the South American Tapir and the Giant Anteater. Common species in the Pantanal include the Capybara and the Yacare Caiman. With over 10 million Caiman the Pantanal is the place with the highest crocodilian density anywhere in the world. In Total the Pantanal ecosystem is thought to be home to 1,000 bird species, 400 fish species, 300 mammalian species, 480 reptile species and over 9000 different subspecies of invertebrates making it one of the most bio-diverse wildlife habitats in the world. We will spend 9 nights in this magical wilderness and will attempt to see its rare and elusive wildlife.
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