Pantanal - Mato Grosso - Brazil
PANTANAL
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Considered a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO and a Biosphere Reserve, the Pantanal is the largest floodplain on the planet and is located in Mato Grosso do Sul, where it shares with Bonito the status of the best tourism in Brazil.
Its area extends across the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as Paraguay and Bolivia, making it a fabulous destination to enjoy the region's fauna and flora.
If you've been to Bonito, in the center west of Mato Grosso do Sul, but couldn't fit a tour in the Pantanal, now is your time!
There are tours through Miranda, Aquidauana, Corumbá and Cáceres, with several typical Pantanal activities, such as horseback riding, fishing, photographic safari, night focus, canoe ride and trails.
Even free tours are possible when traveling to the Pantanal!
First, first-time visitors should know that the Pantanal region is divided into two areas: Pantanal Norte and Pantanal Sul.
While Aquidauana, Miranda, Corumbá, Coxim, Rio Negro and Porto Murtinho are part of the South Pantanal (Mato Grosso do Sul), the cities of Barão de Melgaço, Poconé and Cáceres comprise Mato Grosso, that is, the North Pantanal.
The Pantanal is a region with diverse influences from the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Chaco, displaying its diversity in every corner.
Boat, canoe or hotel boat trips
Tourists have the option of taking a luxury boat tour (hotel boats), chalana, canoe and rowing boat. Any of these options you will love the feeling of being in the waters of the Pantanal.
Along the way, you can see the animals of the Pantanal region, such as alligators, birds, giant otters and many fish.
It is a great way to observe the animals, either by land or by rivers. It is worth including this tour in your travel itinerary, when in doubt about what to do in the Pantanal.
Fishing (sport fishing and artisanal fishing)
For those who don't know what to do in the Pantanal, know that fishing is one of the most common activities in the region, especially in the South Pantanal.
The Paraguay River basin has a rich diversity of fish – there are more than 200 species – and is one of the favorite destinations for those who practice sport fishing.
You can enjoy fishing in historic Corumbá, which borders Bolivia, Coxim, one of the biggest ecotourism centers in Brazil, and also Aquidauana and Miranda, two perfect destinations for fishermen.
But if you don't want to miss the opportunity to fish for different species of fish, prefer to set up your travel itinerary for August/September, a period with many fish and drier rivers.
Just avoid visiting the Pantanal Sul (Mato Grosso do Sul) between December and February, if you want to practice fishing. At that time, fishing is prohibited due to the presence of spawning.
Photo safari
In the Pantanal you have a lot to do, including the observation of animals inside a 4×4.
The safari is one of the tours in the travel package to some farms, such as Aguapé, Casa São João and Fazenda San Francisco.
But the ideal is to go on safari during the dry season (between July and September), because it would be impossible to see toucans, anteaters and alligators in the rain, which is very common in summer.
A golden tip: have a camera with a zero memory card to take lots of pictures. Even leave the camera configured for multiple shots, so you avoid missing the best moments of the animals and their poses.
A tour that combines with the photographic safari is the Vazante Trail. The walk inside the forest capões takes visitors to the 10-meter high viewpoint. For what?
To, once again, contemplate the Pantanal landscape. It doesn't matter if you see it up close on land, on the water or at the top of the viewpoint, as the Pantanal has one of the most beautiful scenery in Brazil.
Take the opportunity to watch the sunset. There may be several beautiful places to enjoy the sunset, but in this region of Mato Grosso do Sul, the late afternoon stands out even more.
Upon returning to headquarters, be prepared to eat a somewhat unusual delicacy: popcorn, piranha broth and juice.
Do you think you've seen too many animals on safari? Well, wait until you include night focus in your travel itinerary. The focus tour is similar to the photo safari, but the difference is that you see the nocturnal animals.
The advantage is that these animals of different species, such as wolves, alligators and other animals appear more frequently. In addition, the guided tour helps to find them in the best possible way.
Of course, the route is done in a 4×4 vehicle and in possession of a flashlight, since no one wants to trip over an alligator or run over the animal, right?
Night spotting is one of the tours offered by farms in the Pantanal, such as Pousada Aguapé, Fazenda San Francisco and Casa São João.
Horseback riding + swampland life
Horseback riding is one of the best rides in this rural destination. But what if in addition to riding you could also handle cattle?
It may seem easy in the soap opera Pantanal, but in reality you will see that it is not so. It is necessary, first of all, to have some experience in riding horses. For the rest, the people help.
To enjoy a horseback ride, there are some good options in Miranda and Aquidauana, such as Fazenda San Francisco (Miranda) and inns Aguapé and Pequi (Aquidauana).
Oh, just be sure to take long pants for horseback riding, as it's much more comfortable.
Miranda, in the South Pantanal
Miranda is one of the best cities in the Pantanal, a historic city, with houses dating from the beginning of the 20th century and where the largest indigenous population in the state is concentrated.
By the way, visit the Centro Referential da Cultura Terena, a space dedicated to exploring the culture of the tribes and where you can purchase exclusive handicrafts.
If you want to spend 1 to 2 days there, look for Refúgio Ecológico Caiman or Refúgio da Ilha, two of the best places to stay.
Also because the trip from Campo Grande to Miranda is long, so it's good to guarantee a good stay so you don't get tired on the way back.
Projeto Arara Azul (Blue Macaw Project)
Arara Azul is an environmental preservation project that has existed for over 30 years. Not only did the project succeed, it increased the number of these animals from 1500 to 5000.
This wonderful work, of course, cannot be left out of your travel itinerary to the Pantanal.
It is an opportunity to become aware of the importance of taking care of our nature, preserving species of Brazilian fauna and flora.
Restaurants in the Pantanal
Typical Pantanal food is not left out of the tourist menu and almost no one refuses the most common delicacies: alligator meat and piranha broth.
Is your taste buds ready for new flavors? We hope so, after all, the experience of tasting an alligator strip in piranha broth is unforgettable.
Among the restaurant options in the Pantanal, there is the Rodeio Restaurant, in Corumbá, with lunch and dinner a la carte.
There is also Amarelinho, located in Anastácio, with a great all-you-can-eat fish (breaded fish, fried fish, pacu ribs, pirão, among other tasty delicacies) and a friendly price.
But if you are between Bonito and Pantanal, you can check out the famous Casa do João, a stronghold of artists. But get there aware of the uneconomic prices, however, the advantage is in the Moqueca de Pintado, one of the most common dishes at Casa do João.
These are the best tips for eating well in the Pantanal, even if you guarantee a free lunch at inns or hotels where you stay.
However, when traveling from one city to another, it can be impossible to escape the restaurants. So, write down these tips to put together your travel itinerary.
Farms, trails, horseback riding and boat rides, beautiful landscapes, animals of various species and typical food – all this you can find when touring the Pantanal.
But don't forget to book tours in advance with bitbook.net, including at hotels and inns in each city you visit. Remember that some of them require hours on the road, so be careful.
As you can see, there is a lot to discover in Pantanal. Of course, there are many other interesting places. We try to show the ones we visited and liked the most, as well as others that we were not able to visit, but which are important destinations.
Have Fun!