Land of the Jaguar Photographic Safari with Paul Goldstein

Experience Overview

The Pantanal: the largest wetland region in the world and home to the largest big cat in the Americas. Join acclaimed photographer and conservationist Paul Goldstein to explore a remarkable habitat, where 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 near our base in Porto Jofre.
Profile
— Accommodation: 2 Superior nights (lodge), 7 Classic nights (hotels) — Nine breakfasts, eight lunches and nine dinners included — Travel by minibus, 4×4 safari vehicle and motorised canoe
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 2 Superior nights (lodge), 7 Classic nights (hotels) — Nine breakfasts, eight lunches and nine dinners included — Travel by minibus, 4×4 safari vehicle and motorised canoe
Trip For You
This trip has been rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Five. Visit our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us. Although the accommodation is of a good standard, we are in a remote area with limited access to luxuries. The trip involves several long drives on dirt roads. These roads are generally in good condition (although sometimes bumpy) during the dry season when this trip operates; however, journeys may be significantly delayed in heavy rain. We spend much of the trip in boats; if you suffer from seasickness, please note that these small vessels have a relatively shallow draft, which means any movement is more noticeable than in larger vessels, though the likelihood of feeling nausea is much lower on rivers than open water. The rich wildlife here also includes lots of insects, including mosquitoes, so good repellent is a must as are tops with long sleeves. Deposit terms At the time of booking, we ask you for the standard Exodus deposit plus an extra 10% of the trip cost to secure your space on the departure. If for any reason we are unable to secure the space and we have to cancel the trip, you receive a full refund. Cancellation terms Due to the nature of this trip, it has slightly different cancellation charges to those listed in the standard Exodus Booking Conditions. After booking, if cancelling your travel arrangements, you have to pay cancellation charges as follows: Up to 61 days before departure: loss of deposit60 days or less (or failure to join the trip): loss of 100% of the trip cost
Eating Drinking
All breakfasts, eight lunches and nine dinners are included. Meals in the Pantanal are plentiful buffets with a focus on local specialities. Breakfast usually consists of a variety of cold meats, hot dishes, bread and fruits, while for the other meals there is a wide range of hot and cold dishes, soups and fruit. 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 notice. 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.
Transportation
We use a mixture of private minibus, purpose-built safari vehicle and motorboat.
Joining Instructions
­­­Key information Start hotel: Araras Eco Lodge, Estrada Parque Transpantaneira, Zona Rural - Poconé - Mato Grosso, 78175-000 Phone: +55 65 3682 2800 Recommended arrival time: 11am at the start hotel to join the welcome briefing and first excursion. Airport: Cuiabá (CGB) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately two hours’ drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport, which also picks up those meeting at Deville Prime Hotel in Cuiabá. The group then travels to Araras Lodge, so it is essential everyone catches this transfer, either at the airport or the Deville Prime Hotel. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport or the Deville Prime Hotel before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group transfer times or to arrange a private transfer. Catching your return flight There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer. Please note that if you are organising your own flights, your departure flight should not be earlier than the group flights as the journey back to Cuiabá Airport on the last day is 129km's.
Weather Information
The Pantanal has two clearly defined seasons. The dry season lasts from May to October, and the region experiences little rainfall at this time of year. This is generally considered to be the best time for viewing animals and birds. The wet season runs from November to May, and much of the annual rainfall occurs during these months. Temperatures are generally around 25C (77F), but there can be large seasonal variations and temperatures can easily reach the high 30s (around 100F) in the dry season.
Spending Money
As most meals are provided, extra expenses on this trip should not be high. Budget 48-72 reais (US$10-US$15) for each lunch not included in the itinerary, excluding drinks, although it is easy to spend less than this depending on the standard of restaurant. Beer and local spirits are generally slightly cheaper than in Western Europe and North America, and soft drinks about the same. A soft drink (can) costs from 10 reais (US$2), while a beer starts from 15 reais (US$3). The lodges we use accept payment for bar bills or souvenir purchases in either reais or US dollars. Credit cards are also accepted at Araras Lodge.
Tipping
Although tips are not compulsory, they are part of life throughout Latin America, and Brazil is no exception. We recommend you budget for tips of 24-48 reais (US$5-US$10) per person per day for the local guides in the Pantanal, plus around 9.50 reais (US$2) for each driver, hotel porter etc per day.

Highlights