Pantanal Conservation Area travel guide

When to go

The Pantanal is worth visiting at any time of year. However, the dry season from June to October is the ideal time to see wildlife as animals and birds congregate at the few remaining areas of water. This is also the breeding season, when birds form vast nesting areas, with thousands crowding the trees, creating an almost deafening cacophony of sounds. The white-sand river beaches are exposed, jacarés bask in the sun, and capybara frolic in the grass. It is during these months you are most likely to see jaguars, however, July sees lots of Brazilian visitors and the increased activity decreases the chances of sightings. From the end of November to the end of March (wettest in February), most of the area, which is crossed by many rivers, is subject to flooding. At this time mosquitoes abound and cattle crowd onto the few islands remaining above water. In the southern part of the Pantanal, many wild animals leave the area, but in the northern Pantanal, which is slightly higher, the animals remain.

Getting there and around

The Pantanal can be reached from both Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states. In Mato Grosso access is from the capital city, Cuiabá, which has an airport. In Mato Grosso do Sul, access is from the state capital, Campo Grande, or from Corumbá on the border with Bolivia (both cities have airports); or from the little cattle ranching town of Miranda (connected to the rest of Brazil by bus and train), which lies between them.

There are three ways to visit the Pantanal. The cheapest (and most popular with backpackers) is to take an organized tour. These involve camping, perhaps with a night in a fazenda (ranch house), and a range of activities, including hiking, canoeing and wildlife and birdwatching. Guides tend to emphasize light adventure and have reasonable general knowledge of the Pantanal but poor knowledge of specific plants or animals.

Another option is to organize a tour through a fazenda. Although some are very modest, fazendas are generally comfortable with air-conditioned rooms and good home cooking. Many (if requested in advance) can organize decent wildlife guides who know English and scientific names for birds and animals. Fazendas can also be booked through tour operators, such as Impacto in Campo Grande , Aguas do Pantanal Turismo in Miranda or Natureco in Cuiabá .

It is also possible to visit the Pantanal on a self-drive tour, by hiring a 4WD in Cuiabá or Campo Grande. Those considering this option should speak good Portuguese and stick to the two principal dirt roads that enter the Pantanal: the Transpantaneira in Mato Grosso and the Estrada Parque in Mato Grosso do Sul.

For further information on the Pantanal, consult http://www.braziltour.com, www.brazil tourism.org, http://www.turismo.ms.gov.br and http://www.sedtur.mt.gov.br.