Mato Grosso is the only state in Brazil that holds within its borders three Ecosystems almost equidistant from its capital, Cuiabá, and its airport. This land safari is a great way of visiting the Pantanal (100 km towards the south), the Savanna Tablelands - Chapada dos Guimarães (76 km towards northeast), and the Amazon Rain Forest (290 km towards northwest), comprising 1,050 km of true photo-safari without wasting time with flights and airports.

8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS LAND SAFARI PANTANAL – SAVANNA TABLELAND – AMAZON RAIN FOREST

This safari starts on Sundays.

DAY 1 CUIABÁ - AMAZON RAIN FOREST
(Recommendation: Schedule flight with A.M. arrival.) Arrival at Cuiabá/Várzea Grande airport or pick up at hotel and transfer to the Amazon Rain Forest. (310 km – approximately 4.5 hours – 200 km paved + 110 km unpaved). Check-in at Jardim da Amazonia Lodge. Birding along the Orchid Trail (numerous hummingbirds, painted parakeet, blue-headed parrot, masked trogon, etc.) Dinner and overnight. (L, D)

DAY 2 AMAZON RAIN FOREST
After breakfast, amazing birding trails will take you deep into the transition from savannah to Amazon Forest, which will bring you in contact with not only the flora and the fauna (solitary tinamou, royal flycatcher, silver-beaked tanager, etc.) of this ecosystem but also with the history of rubber tapping which was once an important part of the local economy.

Picnic lunch and naps in hammocks in the forest. After lunch, in canoes you will explore the Rio Claro River and Anaconda Lake (Muscovy duck, long-tailed tyrant, cormorant, Amazon kingfisher, green and rufous kingfisher, swallow tanager, herons, etc.). Afternoon birding walk along the Angelim Trail (Pará orenpendola, solitary black cacique, blue-black grassquit, brown jacamar, grassland sparrow, red-shouldered macaw, blue and yellow macaw, blue-crowned motmot, black-tailed trogon, and more). Dinner and overnight at Jardim da Amazonia Lodge. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 AMAZON RAIN FOREST - SERRA AZUL - SAVANNA TABLELANDS
After breakfast, departure for the Chapada dos Guimarães Tablelands, The Serra Azul in Nobres is divisor of the Amazon River and Paraguay River watersheds. Hiking to visit caves, grottos and blue lakes of the Serra Azul (red-winged tinamou, burrowing owl, aplomado falcon, scaly-headed parrot, silver-beaked tanager, black faced tanager, etc.). Lunch in the Restaurante Estivado. After lunch continue travel to Chapada dos Guimarães Tablelands. Dinner and overnight at local lodge. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 SAVANNA TABLELANDS
Breakfast and departure to visit the very center of South America, where you’ll have a scenic view of more than 80 km over the Pantanal plain. Departure to explore the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, with hiking along wonderful trails, full of adventure and invigorating showers in the mineral water waterfalls that are part of the park’s water circuit. Lunch. After, you’ll want to follow the National Park’s border to watch the sunset at the Echo Wall, another amazing point for observing the landscape. Dinner and overnight at Pequizeiro or Penhasco Lodge (B, L, D)

DAY 5 SAVANNA TABLELANDS - PANTANAL
After breakfast, departure for the Pantanal. While crossing the area, it is possible to spot and appreciate the local flora & fauna. After a brief visit to the city of Poconé, you will enter the Transpantaneira Park Road, a virtual photo-safari with plenty of opportunities to stop and observe local fauna. Arrival and check-in at Araras Eco Lodge. Lunch at the lodge. Afternoon hike through surrounding area to a 25 m observation tower and a spectacular view of sunset. After dinner, night walking tour to observe nocturnal environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 PANTANAL LOWLANDS
After breakfast, exploring activities start with hiking trails accompanied by your guide for observation and interpretation of the ecosystem. After lunch, horseback riding in Pantanal style in the fields, woods and waters of our private reserve. Dinner followed by a night excursion to observe the nocturnal environment with the goal of finding nocturnal animals that may be in the vicinity of the Transpantaneira Park Road. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge.(B, L, D)

DAY 7 PANTANAL LOWLANDS
Awakening before sunrise following the season’s rhythm, for a hike to watch the sunrise and watch the early morning activity of local wildlife. After breakfast, travel by vehicle to the Rio Clarinho, where in canoes you will explore its margins, boarding forest and mangroves. With luck, you may find the giant river-otter that inhabit these waters. Have fun fishing for piranha and dogfish, which will complement your barbecue at the picnic site. By the end of the afternoon, return to the lodge where you will be able to enjoy the sunset. Dinner, overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 PANTANAL - CUIABÁ
After breakfast, photo-safari along the Transpantaneira Park Road and return to Cuiabá. Drop off at airport or city hotel. (B, , )

GENERAL INFORMATION

Routing: The order of the routing may be altered in accordance with room availability in the lodges. Order will be confirmed at time of booking.

Capacity: Maximum of 16 travelers.

Transfers: Daily from Cuiabá at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Included: 2 overnights at São José do Rio Claro – Jardim da Amazônia Lodge, 2 overnights at Chapada dos Guimarães – Penhasco or Pequizeiro Lodge, 3 overnights in the Pantanal – Araras Eco Lodge, full board, activities similar to the above description and permanent assistance of an expert bilingual guide. (NOTE: The activities described may be altered due to weather conditions, season or group make-up with the intent of maximizing your experience of the eco-system).

Not included: Air tickets to/from Cuiabá. Beverages. Medical expenses and hospitalization. Any type of insurance.

Guide Languages: English and Portuguese (with possibility of Spanish, German, Italian, French, or Dutch)

Recommended Gear: T-shirts, long sleeved shirt, sneakers or hiking boots, jeans or track suit, hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, binoculars, flashlight, camera and film. Sweatshirt or sweater recommended from June to September.

JARDIM DA AMAZONIA LODGE
Location: São José do Rio Claro, 290 KM from Cuiabá.
Facilities: 6 suites; American bar, restaurant; mineral water swimming pool.

PENHASCO LODGE
Location: Chapada dos Guimarães, Penhasco Avenue.
Facilities: all rooms with air-conditioned suites, TV, freezer and telephone. Swimming pool; luncheonette and restaurant, trail to trek, and others facilities.

ARARAS ECO LODGE (click for full info)
Location: Along the Transpantaneira Park Road, 132 Km (82 miles) from Cuiabá. (Cuiabá-Poconé: 100 km [62 miles], paved road + Poconé - Araras Eco Lodge: 32 Km [20 miles], dirt road).
Facilities: Total of 15 standard rooms & bathrooms (6 twin + 4 triple + 4 quadruple rooms), air conditioning and ceiling fan, private bathrooms with hot and cold shower. Large verandas with hammocks. Two observation towers (12m and 25m in height). Swimming pool. Bar & restaurant. Electricity power line. Cellular telephone.