Pantanal, Brazil (1 Viewer)

[pookiecake]

Looking for advice on how to generally split the number of days for Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães for a total of 7 nights (8 days) for the most variety and numbers of birds and mammals. Should we plan for 5 nights for pantanal and then 2 for chapada? Most trips allocate 10 days for both but we don’t have enough vacation time for that because we are adding 3 nights (4 days) for Cristalino Lodge.

Targets include the obvious: hyacinth macaw and jaguar, as well as the great otter and great potoo. We are excited to see any of the birds there (eg tanagers, puffbirds, guans, tinamous, etc.)

We plan on visiting in August (busy season, I know, so not likely), September, or October.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bonxie birder]

We had 6 nights in the area in July 2024. We spent 4 nights at Aymara and 2 nights at Pousada do Parque.
One of the guides at Aymara, a competent birder named Pablo, took us under his wing and we had several walks with just him. We also booked a day trip to Porto Jofre and Pablo arranged to join us. We saw lots of birds, but I might consider two night at Aymara and two nights closer to Porto Jofre.
I wouldn’t stay at Pousada do Parque as it will quite isolated and birds weren’t great. We paid for a guide who found us
crescentchest and seriema, the two I really wanted, but she couldn’t speak English and I think we could have done better.
If you are considering this, I will send you details of the man who did our transfers. From Cuiaba to Aymara to chapada back to Cuiaba on three different days. He was tremendous. Took us to lunch stops, stopped on bridges to see birds, including our first Rhea. He was excellent and highly recommendable.
Cristalino. Wow. Rarely has so much money been so worthwhile. We were very lucky. It was quiet so my wife and I had a guide each. She went off looking for all wildlife and I went with bird guide who was fantastic. The two hours the two of us spent in the small hide with the water bowls were the most memorable. A near constant chain of new antbirds four metres away. Wow
Hope this helps

 

[pookiecake]

We had 6 nights in the area in July 2024. We spent 4 nights at Aymara and 2 nights at Pousada do Parque.
One of the guides at Aymara, a competent birder named Pablo, took us under his wing and we had several walks with just him. We also booked a day trip to Porto Jofre and Pablo arranged to join us. We saw lots of birds, but I might consider two night at Aymara and two nights closer to Porto Jofre.
I wouldn’t stay at Pousada do Parque as it will quite isolated and birds weren’t great. We paid for a guide who found us
crescentchest and seriema, the two I really wanted, but she couldn’t speak English and I think we could have done better.
If you are considering this, I will send you details of the man who did our transfers. From Cuiaba to Aymara to chapada back to Cuiaba on three different days. He was tremendous. Took us to lunch stops, stopped on bridges to see birds, including our first Rhea. He was excellent and highly recommendable.
Cristalino. Wow. Rarely has so much money been so worthwhile. We were very lucky. It was quiet so my wife and I had a guide each. She went off looking for all wildlife and I went with bird guide who was fantastic. The two hours the two of us spent in the small hide with the water bowls were the most memorable. A near constant chain of new antbirds four metres away. Wow
Hope this helps

Thanks for the thoughtful response! To clarify, you are saying four nights in the pantanal are good enough? Will let you know if I need details!

 

[Jim M.]

Looking for advice on how to generally split the number of days for Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães for a total of 7 nights (8 days) for the most variety and numbers of birds and mammals. Should we plan for 5 nights for pantanal and then 2 for chapada? Most trips allocate 10 days for both but we don’t have enough vacation time for that because we are adding 3 nights (4 days) for Cristalino Lodge.

Targets include the obvious: hyacinth macaw and jaguar, as well as the great otter and great potoo. We are excited to see any of the birds there (eg tanagers, puffbirds, guans, tinamous, etc.)

We plan on visiting in August (busy season, I know, so not likely), September, or October.

Thanks in advance!

Wings offers a similar itinerary as one of their tours, and it only includes 2 full days at CdG, so I expect what you propose is reasonable: WINGS Birding Tours to Brazil: Marvelous Mato GrossoThe Pantanal, Chapada dos Guimarães, and Cristalino Jungle Lodge Also, the targets you mention should be most likely at the other locations.

 

[fbeeldens]

We spent a total of 8 days over several sections of the pantanal, with 3 days at Aymara (which was great - Hyacinth Macaw breeding on the lodge grounds). I would recommend spending at least 2 days around Porto Joffre to maximize the chances for Jaguar.

A single day could yield great results, but there is a reasonable chance you might not see any either.

To provide context we had 2 days. Spent the first of these the entire day from dawn till dusk on the river, with no sightings by anyone that day. Second day started off looking dicey, but finally ended up with 3 fabulous observations. It'd be a shame to miss them.

KR,

Filip

 

[bonxie birder]

We spent a total of 8 days over several sections of the pantanal, with 3 days at Aymara (which was great - Hyacinth Macaw breeding on the lodge grounds). I would recommend spending at least 2 days around Porto Joffre to maximize the chances for Jaguar.

A single day could yield great results, but there is a reasonable chance you might not see any either.

To provide context we had 2 days. Spent the first of these the entire day from dawn till dusk on the river, with no sightings by anyone that day. Second day started off looking dicey, but finally ended up with 3 fabulous observations. It'd be a shame to miss them.

KR,

Filip

We had a very early view of an ear which was shared with a dozen other boats, but it took the pressure off. But we got a great lingering view on our own later