Getting there
The nearest airport is at Cuiabá, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The lodge will be receive you at the airport and bring you to the Pousada using cars with AC from and to Cuiabá. Approximate time of trip ­ Cuiabá / Pantanal is from 3 to 4 hours by car. Transfer by air plane to the Pantanal is optional (airplane up to 6 seats).

Pantanal, Brazil, South America
The Pantanal Matogrossense, Brazil, represents an area of more than 100,000 square-kilometers of nearly untouched wilderness and natural life, which, during the rainy season (more about Pantanal's seasonal cycles) is to a great part covered by water. Within this vast green sea there remain only few "islands" where you find the isolated Fazendas and Pousadas. On the Fazendas people are breeding cattle. The word Pousada literally translated means "resting place".

In spite of the fact that the rhythm of the raising and falling waters vastly determines all life in the Pantanal, one nevertheless encounters a great variety of landscapes there, with different eco-systems and an enormous bio-diversity. The Pousada itself belongs to the county of Barao de Melgaco, which comprises more than 11.000 square-kilometers, 97% of which remain flooded during the rainy season.

Whereas during that period the temperature will always be high, also during nighttime (between 25 and 40 degree Celsius), winds can be quite chilly during wintertime (June to August, when it does not rain at all) and temperatures may fall below 10-15 degrees.

With so much water the Pantanal is above all a paradise for fishes and birds and thus for fishers and ornithologists or bird-watchers. There live, however, many other kinds of animals in the Pantanal and you may encounter crocodiles and jaguars, tapirs, monkeys of various kinds and deers, capybaras as well as anacondas and anteaters, and many more.

The region of Barão de Melgaço is distinguished by an unusual variety of landscapes being divided between hills and lakes and rivers or grassy plains. The Pousada do Rio Mutum lies, as its name indicates, at the river Mutum, shortly before it terminates in the great lakes, the biggest, the Baia de Chacorore, having a diameter of more than 15 km.

PANTANAL'S SEASONAL CYCLES
The Pantanal has distinct phases as it passes through its cycles. Involving the movement of the water, variations in access possibilities and principally, the migratory routes of the animals, we consider.

THE FLOOD (JAN/FEB/MAR): Concentration of mammals in small not flooded areas of land ( mounds and hills). Explosion of colors in the rich flora, especially aquatic plants. Ideal means of transport: boat and canoe. Fishing prohibited; caiman nests. In the beginning of the period, presence of mosquitoes at nightfall. Longer days. Though it rains more during this time, it's usually only for an hour or two a day - the reason it floods is because such a large area drains into it.

EMPTYING - DRY (APR/MAY/JUN): Beginning of the concentration of birds and reptiles. Return of migratory birds such as the Spoonbill and Wood Storks from North America. Fresher climate, cooler nights. Means of transportation: boat, horse and cart. Pretty sunrises and sunsets. Production of milk and dairy products. Birth of young caimans. Formation of big bird colonies.

DRY (JUL/AUG/SEP): Concentration of birds and reptiles in the few water pools. Blossoming of yellow, lilac and pink "Ipês"; production of bee honey. Excellent for fishing. Winter climate. Cold nights. Abrupt temperature changes. Means of transportation: boat, horse and cart, on foot, and tractor. Easy access. Short days. Poor visibility due to dust and smoke. August's "cashew rain" is the only exception. Wood Stork and Spoonbill nests ( migratory birds) and Jabiru Storks. Big birds colonies.

FLOODING (OCT/NOV/DEC): Preparation of migratory birds for return. Beginning of flowering of all vegetation, scent of flowers and bees. Fruition of the majority of the vegetation ( jatobá, seputá,cactus, cashew, mango). Large concentration of small birds. Means of transportation: boat, horse, cart and on foot. Mating time for the majority of animals such as jaguars, hyacinth macaws, toucans, deer. Action of predators such as snakes, lizards, hawks, and jaguars. Towards the end of this period, presence of mosquitoes at nightfall. Cloudy skies - pretty sunrises and sunsets. Long days.

What to bring:
Common drugs as well as antihistamines, insect repellents, sun protectors, sun glasses, swimming suits, old tennis shoes, light clothes (but shirts with long sleeves and long trousers)