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Brazil Ranches and Rivers cattle and cowboy

Pantanal Ranches and Rivers

Bite-sized trip

  • Itinerary:
    Campo Grande - Bonito - Pantanal - Campo Grande
  • Duration:
    6 days / 5 nights (flexible)
  • Price:
    from £ 639.- per person (excluding flights)
Get behind the wheel as you travel to Bonito and the southern, less visited part of the Pantanal. You'll have your own rental car and armed with instructions you'll find that driving through this area is a piece of cake. Visit peaceful Bonito for a few days and snorkel in the crystal clear Rio Sucuri, before heading deeper into the Pantanal where you'll be able to take part in fishing, horseriding and nature safaris. The landscape and activities available will vary depending on the season.
Brazil Pantanal wetlands canyon ranches and rivers
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Day 1 – Campo Grande – Bonito

After you arrive in Campo Grande you’ll pick up your rental car and head off on a 4-5 hour drive to Bonito, along well-maintained roads, where you’ll stay at a traditional family-owned pousada. Once you’ve had a chance to settle in, you can lounge on the sun beds at the swimming pool or go for a walk around the lake to spot caimans! This pousada has a wonderfully rural atmosphere.

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Days 2-3 – Bonito – exploring, relaxing and snorkelling

Today you’ll head out to the Sucuri River in your rental car. You’ll drive to the start of the excursion, approximately 54km from Bonito. Snorkelling in the Sucuri River is like swimming in a large aquarium filled with crystal-clear water and large schools of brightly coloured fish. When you’re ready you’ll hop into the water and float downstream along with all of the tropical river fish.

Bonito is the Portuguese word for beautiful, and the area around the town lives up to the name. You can spend the rest of your stay here as you wish – there are caves, waterfalls and beautiful rivers in the area; so there’s more than enough to keep nature lovers entertained. The town itself is pretty tiny, with a relaxed atmosphere and a few nice restaurants dotted along the main street.

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Days 4-5 – Southern Pantanal

After breakfast you’ll leave Bonito and head north across the Pantanal plains. Before long the landscape will transform into a hilly forested area, criss-crossed by meandering rivers. After around 3 hours you’ll reach your lodge, located near the town of Miranda.

The lodge is part of a large working ranch where cowboys work with their herds. There are hammocks to relax in, a pool where you can cool off, and nature all around you. The afternoon is free for you to explore the area, or you can just kick back with the sounds of howler monkeys and macaws in the distance. After a hearty dinner, your guide will let you know about your options for the next day.

The lodge organises various activities that you can take part in: safaris by truck or boat, nature hikes, fishing and horse riding. Rainfall varies hugely throughout the year, which will affect what is on offer. Whatever you decide to do, there’s a very good chance that you’ll see lots of wildlife. The area is home to monkeys, capybara, caiman, anteaters and a huge variety of birds.

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Day 6 – Pantanal – Campo Grande

After breakfast it’s time to head back to Campo Grande, which will take about 3-4 hours. You’ll drive across dusty, well maintained roads back to the Campo Grande airport where you’ll drop off your rental car. From here you’ll catch a flight to your next destination.

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Accommodation

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Pantanal Ranches and Rivers

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