Southern Brazil
Jaguars and Harpy Eagles!

Friday 28 September - Friday 12 October 2012 (15 days)

From the fabulous Pantanal wetlands to the dry Cerrado, we visit some of the best wildlife areas in South America, for some of the finest birdwatching in the world, and a superb array of mammals, from Giant Otters to Jaguars! Our local guides have also discovered a regular spot for Harpy Eagles, and we hope to see them in their remote breeding area.

Mention a wildlife trip to Brazil, and most people start imagining long journeys through the endless, continent-sized tracts of Amazonian rainforest in the northern part of this vast land. But Brazil is much more than the Amazon - to the south of the country can be found coastal mountains that rise above the forests and a huge inland swamp that many believe to be the world's finest wetland for birds, the renowned Pantanal.

Located in the south of Brazil right on the border with Bolivia, the Pantanal astounds by its sheer size. At around 91,000 square kilometres, it becomes, seasonally, the largest wetland in the world. This is the home of a vast array of birds, with wonders including the massive Jabiru stork, and the spectacular Hyacinth Macaw, as well as some impressive mammals, from Giant Otters to the rarely-seen Jaguar. Here we will spend the early mornings and late afternoons exploring in our air conditioned vehicle, on foot and in river boats.

The Cerrado, or Campo Cerrado, with its very characteristic vegetation, corresponds to the arboreal savanna of other tropical continents. The magnificent Harpy Eagle, one of the largest raptors in the world, can only raise its huge young every two years (well, you would need a rest too!). The pair we are monitoring are expected to have fledgling chicks in 2012, and this tour is timed to coincide with what we hope will be a time of maximum activity.

This year, we'll make no less than four boat trips in the heart of the Pantanal to maximise our chances of seeing the elusive Jaguar! These boat trips are excellent for getting close to plenty of other birds and mammals - most of the photos you'll see of the wildlife here seem to be taken from the boats.

Price: £ 4,995
Single supp.: £ 695
Deposit: £ 500 per person

The price includes scheduled return flights London/Sao Paulo, internal flights as described, airport taxes, ground transportation as outlined above, accommodation on a full-board basis, admissions, local taxes, tips and the services of the leaders.

The price excludes holiday insurance, drinks, optional tips to the local guides and drivers, and other personal expenses.

Principal Leader: Lucas Marti

Numbers: Max. 14 clients

Brazil map

Accommodation will be in hotels and lodges, with en suite rooms throughout.

Outline Itinerary
Day 1We take an evening flight from London to Sao Paulo, arriving early the next day.
Day 2Connecting flight to Campo Grande. On arrival, we will drive 236 kms eastwards on a paved road, to Fazenda San Francisco. Overnight Fazenda San Francisco
Days 3 - 4 We will spend two full days exploring Fazenda San Francisco, searching for mammals, birding and enjoying nature photography. Two nights Fazenda San Francisco
Day 5 We will leave Fazenda San Francisco this morning and drive back to Campo Grande airport, to take our flight to Cuiabá and then drive 120 km to Serra Das Araras. Overnight Serra Das Araras
Day 6 Our main goal in Serra das Araras is to enjoy watching one of the most spectacular birds of prey on Earth: the Harpy Eagle. The resident pair doesn't breed every year, but they are expected to rebuild their nest in 2011, and therefore to have fledging chicks in 2012, so this will hopefully be a great year to visit them. Overnight Serra Das Araras
Day 7 We will spend our last morning birding at Serra Das Araras, and then drive to the Pantanal, where we expect to arrive in the afternoon. Overnight North Pantanal
Day 8 We will spend the day exploring the northernmost section of the Transpantaneira, which is drier and quite different in terms of wildlife than its southern section, next to the Cuiabá River. Overnight North Pantanal
Day 9 After breakfast we will drive south along the Transpantaneira, all the way to Porto Jofre. One of Pantanal's most iconic bird species is the Hyacinth Macaw, a common sighting along the way and a regular visitor to the gardens of our lodge. Overnight Porto Jofre
Days 10 - 12 We will spend three full days exploring the Porto Jofre - southern Transpantaneira area, searching for mammals, birding and enjoying local wildlife.

Our main goal here is to look for Jaguars, and this is the main reason why we are spending quite a long time in this particular spot. From our comfortable lodge at Porto Jofre we will have the chance to make at least four half day boat trips along the Cuiabá River, and get to some isolated areas where Jaguars are frequent. Three nights Porto Jofre
Day 13 We will leave Porto Jofre after breakfast, and drive all the way back to Cuiabá along the Transpantaneira, so bidding our farewell to Pantanal. Overnight Cuiabá
Day 14 We will leave our hotel after breakfast and drive to Cuiabá City Airport to take our flight to Sao Paulo and connect with a return flight home arriving on Day 15.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary