Pantanal river cruises through the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site; plus rainforests & islands of Paraty; Rio de Janeiro; crystal rivers and macaw sink hole.
The Pantanal, spanning over 150,000 square kilometres, is the world's largest flooded grassland. With annual rainfall of up to 1,500mm, 80% of its floodplains are submerged by the end of the November to April rainy season. This vast wetland habitat supports a diverse array of wildlife, including 463 bird species, 269 fish species, 141 reptiles and amphibians, over 9,000 invertebrate subspecies, and more than 236 mammal species, including jaguars.
Jaguars thrive on the abundance of prey in this area. In the south and central part of the Pantanal they tend to hunt by night; whilst in the north they hunt by day along rivers targeting primarily fish and caiman: South American relatives to crocodiles and alligators. The open landscape of the Pantanal means that spotting these animals is much less difficult than in Amazon rainforest. These cruises also give you good chances of spotting other wildlife such as Giant River Otters, Capybara and South America’s largest species of macaw and toucan.
Most visitors to the Pantanal tend to focus on one area, but a great advantage of these river cruises is that you will be transported south, centre and north; often without another visitor for miles. Expert natural history guides onboard will be on hand to help you see what’s out there, with regular opportunities to get into smaller boats to explore smaller creeks for wildlife and birds. This will include the Porto Joffre area – popular and famous for photographing jaguars as they attack and eat huge caiman.
Pantanal is at the far west of central Brazil, spreading into Bolivia to the west and Paraguay to the south. A little to the east we find tropical dry forests to explore and some crystal clear rivers which provide a unique and rare opportunity to swim amongst river fish. We will also take you to a giant sinkhole which has an unusually high abundance of Scarlet Macaws. There are more than 160 species of bird here, including the Red-bellied Surucua Trogon, Galegian Parrot and Laurel Woodpecker with its distinctive triangular crest.
Paraty is another place we include in these journeys – perhaps Brazil's most beautiful and historic city, set at the foothills of Atlantic coast rainforest and a scattering of forested tropical islands. Cobbled streets of the city, built during the Portuguese colonial period, allow the tide in and out. You can watch this ebb and flow from one of dozens of colourful restaurants, bars and cafes; whilst for one day we will take you out on a traditional sailing schooner for views, lunch and snorkelling. For another day, we will take you for guided walks through Brazil’s other rainforest ecosystem: Atlantic Coast Rainforest; and visit a distillery in the home of cachaça – Brazil’s answer to rum.
Rio is the start point of these journeys – a city which really shouldn’t be missed. Upon landing, we provide a transfer from airport to a hotel overlooking Copacabana Beach; and the next day take you to the top of its most famous landmarks of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain. Views are spectacular, with some pretty good forest providing a home for easy-to-see Capuchin Monkeys.
We can add to this itinerary almost anything you like in Brazil, including the mighty Amazon rainforest.
| In June 2026, Aqua-Firma director, formerly of our partner charity Rainforest Concern, will host one of these journeys. Ralph began exploring Brazil in 1989, spending time with indigenous Yanomami people in the northern Amazon. He has explored the country from east to west and north to southeast, as well many corners of Amazon, Orinoco and Choco rainforest elsewhere in South America. |
Itinerary
Pantanal Wildlife Cruises plus Crystal Rivers, Rio, Paraty, Atlantic Forest & Islands
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Rio de Janeiro & Copacabana Beach
Arrive Rio de Janeiro where you will be met by an English-speaking guide rady for your transfer to a hotel on Copacabana Beach for 2 nights (b&b basis).
Day 2 - Rio de Janeiro's Corcovado & Sugarloaf Mountains
After your first night’s sleep in Brazil, you will be picked up for guided visits to two of Rio’s key landmarks:
Christ the Redeemer is a giant statue of Jesus atop of Corcovado Mountain. To reach the summit, you will board a Swiss-engineered funicular train. This will wind its way through rainforest until you disembark to soak up some spectacular views over the city. There are several platforms from where you can admire the view. Rainforest climbs up to the lower levels of these, often with clever Capuchin Monkeys sitting amongst the foliage.
Sugarloaf Mountain is your next target, whose summit you will reach via a system of cable cars. Views are perhaps even better from here, looking over the many islands and bays of the city.
Day 3 - Rio to Cuiabá in Mato Gross
Today you will be taken to Rio airport to catch as flight taking you across three states to the capital of Mato Grosso: Cuiabá. You will spend a night here in the city.
Day 4 - Pantanal: Porto Jofre
Distances are large in Brazil and today you will be collected from the hotel and driven 6 hours to Porto Jofre, in the north of the Pantanal, where you will join your river boat. You will take lunch en route and dinner onboard, settle in and receive your introductions to the Pantanal from your onboard team. Get you cameras ready, fully charged for a day out in search of wildlife tomorrow.
Day 5 - Pantanal's 'Jaguarland'
Today you will head out on smaller vessels to explore an area called the Meeting of the Waters State Park aka ‘jaguarland’. Jaguars will be highest on the list of what your onboard team will try to find for you, but other opportunities will include giant and neotropical river others, caimans, capybara and a diverse array of birds.
Day 6 - Meeting of the Waters in the Pantanal
After breakfast, you will head out again into the Meeting of the Waters State Park in search of jaguars and other wildlife.
After some hours out on the water, you will come back to mother ship to enjoy lunch as it sets off downstream along the Cuiabá River towards the Amolar mountain range.
Mid-afternoon you will get back intoa smaller boat for a river safari on the picturesque Negrinho River and its stunning surroundings. After a day of adventure, return for dinner and settle in for an overnight stay as the vessel continues its journey down the Cuiabá River during the night.
Day 7 - Pantanal National Park HQ & Rio Paraguay
By this morning you will be taking breakfast in the southwest of the Pantanal. After breakfast, you will visit a 13,000 hectare private reserve at Acurizal to take a walk in search of the endemic Chacoan Titi Monkey and other wildlife.
Mid-afternoon, you will set out on a small boat safari to areas close to the Pantanal National Park headquarters. You will return to the mothership after sunset, heading downstream on the Paraguay River.
Day 8 - Pantanal: Amolar & Paraguai Mirim
Start the day with breakfast before setting off on a river safari in the Amolar area, rich with wildlife and stunning scenery.
You will be back onboard for lunch whilst the boat heads further downstream on the Paraguay River.
In the mid-afternoon you will head out for your last river safari, which will include the opportunity to swim or snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Paraguai Mirim. After sunset, return to the boat for dinner and overnight stay whilst navigating overnight towards Corumbá.
Day 9 - Pantanal to Bonito
After an early breakfast, you will disembark at Corumbá for a brief immersion into the town's history, including a visit to the Museu do Homem Pantaneiro.
From here you will be driven to the lovely town of Bonito, staying at a hotel where we often see scarlet macaws in the trees.
Day 10 - Crystal River da Prata & Macaw Sink hole
There is some fantastic tropical dry forest in this area, plus some incredibly clear rivers. In many parts of Brazil there can be an abundance of fish, but it takes clear rivers like the Rio da Prata to be able to see them as you snorkel downstream surrounded by luxuriant gallery forest. After dying off, you will be able to walk amongst trees where hummingbirds, toucans and toucanets can often be photographed at close range.
As the day moves along, you will be taken to a giant sinkhole where scarlet macaws roost, often a dozen or more together. There are more than a hundred other species of bird here too.
Day 11 - Crystal Rivers
Another day, another area of tropical dry forest and crystal clear waters.
Day 12 - Bonito to Paraty
Today you will be driven east to the city of Campo Grande in order to board a flight to Sao Paulo. You won’t head into Sao Paulo, but instead we will drive you north to the beautiful colonial coastal town of Paraty. Here you will check into a medium-szie hotel in the heart of the old town. You can enjoy wandering the cobbled streets amongst street-sellers, cafes, bars and restaurants. The sea flows right up these streets at high tide and has done so ever since it was first settled by Portuguese conquistadors in 1597.
Day 13 - Paraty, Islands & Cachaça
There are some stunning forest-covered islands off the coast of Paraty and this morning you will join a motorsail schooner out amongst them. In the afternoon you will be taken on a historical walking tour of the town, before visiting a cachaça estate and distillery. Whilst rum is made from sugar cane molasses, cachaça is derived from sugarcane juice.
Day 14 - Paraty & Atlantic Coast Rainforest
The Amazon is Brazil’s great forest. When the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil, there was also a great Atlantic Coast Rainforest in Brazil. Alas, an estimated 96% of these have been destroyed within the last 400 years, so what’s left if vitally important for the survival of species only found here. Today, you will join a guided walk through these, looking out for flora and fauna along the way.
Last night in Paraty.
Day 15 - Paraty to Rio airport
Today you will be driven to Rio international airport for your flight home.
Dates
US$ 6,790
hosted by Aqua-Firma director Ralph Pannell, formerly of Rainforest Concern
