The '''Pantanal''' is a region in South America lying mostly in Western Brazil but extending into Bolivia as well. It is considered one of the world's largest and most diverse freshwater wetland ecosystems. The Pantanal is also one of Brazil's major tourist draws, for its wildlife. Some of the large cattle farms offer accommodations and organized tours.
Destinations
The Pantanal is accessible through three major gateways: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campo_Grande Campo Grande] in the south, Cuiaba (MT) in the North, and Corumba in the west. The first 2 offer many options. From Campo Grande you can access [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonito%2C_Mato_Grosso_do_Sul Bonito]and from Cuiaba [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapada_dos_Guimar%C3%A3es Chapada dos Guimaraes]. Corumba can be reached by plane, or by train from Bolivia, through the border crossing at Puerto Suarez.
The southern Pantanal is stonger influenced by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Chaco Chaco] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_rainforest Atlantic Rainforest] fauna and flora and the northern part of the Pantanal by Amazonia. But this doesn't make one area better than the other.
If you look for budget lodging and tours then choose the northern Pantanal, the southern is in average more expensive but most operations offer higher standards and are less touristy. From both extremities you can drive on a road called Transpantaneira (north, Cuiaba) and estrada Parque (south from Campo Grande). The road offers some good wildlife viewing and has budget lodging along it. But try to avoid weekends, holidays etc.
Lodges on "'''fazendas'''" are the best way to experience the real Pantanal. Several of the traditional cattle stations, called fazendas, nowadays accommodate guests in their lodges and show them what makes the Pantanal a special place. Many of these lodges take only a few guests, making your stay a unforgetable experience.
Be aware of lodges that call themselves "fazendas" but are nothing more than just tourism operations, thus lacking the authenticity.
Good options on traditional and big ranches are [http://www.caiman.com.br Caiman Lodge], a luxurious and beautiful resort and [http://www.fazendabarrancoalto.com.br Fazenda Barranco Alto], a small and personal lodge on the banks of the most pristine of all rivers, the Rio Negro and sourrounded by a myriad of fresh and salty lakes.
Understand
Talk
Get in
There are daily flights from other Brazilian cities such as Campo Grande and Cuiaba to the gateway city of Corumba, from where tours can be organised.
It is possible to get into Pantanal from Bolivian side. You can take the train from the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz to Puerto Suarez, cross the border here and use taxi or bus to reach the city of Corumba - from cities of Puerto Suarez and Puerto Qujarro there are no organised visits due to nature protection, politics or incapability of infrastructure.
Get around
From Campo Grande you can catch a bus to go into the Pantanal. Depending on where you plan to go it may take between 4 to 5 hours to get into the Pantanal. In the bus station in Campo Grande catch the bus to Corumba. Depending where you wish to stay or booked your tour you may get of beforehand. A good place to get of is Buraco das Piranhas.
See
Depending on the time of year and the guide you hire, you can expect to see a variety of different animals. Unlike many other biologically intense areas, in the Pantanal you are virtually guaranteed to actually SEE the wildlife. There are close to 10 million Yacare Caiman present within the Pantanal and during the Dry Season every bridge crossing on the Transpantaneira is surrounded by hundreds or even thousands of Caimans basking or fighting for space in the ever dwindling lagoons. Capybara, like the Caiman, are also present in the millions and are likely to be encountered every few seconds while driving. The Pantanal is also home to a variety of birds (including the endangered Hyacinth Macaw, which is easily spotted.) Other mammals are slightly harder to spot, but still much easier than in the Amazon. On a boat ride through the river you are likely to spot the endangered Giant River Otter and Red-bellied Piranha (the Otter's favorite meal.) With the right guide and a couple of days on the river the chances of spotting a Jaguar (or perhaps even more than one) are actually very high. The Pantanal is the best place in all of the Americas to spot a Jaguar in the wild, given the relatively small amount of thick rain forest cover.
Do
'''Photographic safaris'''
'''Fishing'''
'''Birdwatching''' see [http://www.pantanalbirds.com A Pantanal Bird list and pictures]
Pantanal is certainly one area of the world where there are a lot of birds. From small and delicate hummingbirds to large ones as the jabiru. Several types of macaws, parrots, parakeets and other are easily spotted.
'''Horseback riding'''
'''Hiking'''
'''Other tours''' - There is nothing ecological to ''The Pantanal Ecological Expedition'', but it's one of the budget tours to the Pantanal. The way it is sold at the ''Campo Grand youth hostel'' can be annoying, to say the least, but it is still not a bad deal. For R$110 you camp three days in the Pantanal and activities include hiking and animal spotting, horseback riding and piranha fishing.
At the moment the best tour and very ecological it_Ls working in South Pantanal is EXPLORE PANTANAL from Miranda running by a very nice couple Mirjam from Swiss and Marcello Yndio the best real INDIAN guide who really know a lot what they are they doing, pretty good organizations and fairs prices. check it : www.explorepantanal.com
I recommend them...
Drink
It may be hot, so do bring enough water. Further, in some accommodation you may not find fresh water from the tap.
Stay safe
It is important to note that, although it is recommended by the Brazilian government to obtain vaccinations, it is not required and the fact is that mosquito-borne illnesses in the Pantanal are very rare in the Dry Season, when you would be hard pressed to even find a mosquito. During the Wet Season the occurrence of illnesses rises, but much less so than the Amazon or many other parts of South America. Since pre-travel vaccinations and medications may indeed cause problems themselves the best protection one can use against mosquito-borne illness is wearing long sleeve shirts and DEET repellent. Keep in mind that the Pantanal is not at the same risk level as somewhere like Amazonia or parts of Africa, where the risk of illness is high enough to warrant preventive medication.
YELLOW FEVER:
Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for all travellers visiting Mato Grosso, the region where the Pantanal is. Please note that yellow fever vaccinations take approx 10 days to become effective. That being said, Yellow Fever is very rare and the best precaution against it is a good long sleeve shirt.
MALARIA:
Malaria is not a high risk in this region, with reports of the illness only occurring very occasionally during the wet season.
DENGUE FEVER:
The threat of Dengue Fever in the Pantanal is real, but only a major concern during the Wet Season and in some other parts of Mato Grasso do Sul. In March 2007 health authorities in Brazil declared a health alert in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul where the highest concentration of the disease has been reported, although the Pantanal itself is still considered to be less risky, especially during the dry season.
OTHER:
Rotavirus is also common all over Brazil. The symptoms are severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever. It can also lead to dehydration and shock if not treated. This virus is highly contagious and usually spread through contact with an infected person but can also be spread through the air. If you suspect you may have contracted the disease, seek medical advice.
Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Other infectious diseases prevalent in Brazil include trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (on the increase). There are epidemics of meningococcal meningitis in and around the Rio area. Air pollution, especially in Sao Paulo, may aggravate chest complaints. Rabies is present.
FOOD & DRINK:
Water should not be drunk unless boiled or sterilised first. Even filtered water in more remote areas should be avoided and bottled water should be drunk instead. Pasteurised milk and cheese is available in towns and is generally considered safe to consume. Milk outside of urban areas is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.