Jaguar Safari in the Brazilian Pantanal
Experience a Jaguar Safari in the Brazilian Pantanal
11-Day Adventure
November 5-15, 2025
PREVIEW
11 Days - 10 Nights
November 5 - 15, 2025
On a stretch of river in the Brazilian Pantanal, jaguars have been fiercely protected for over 20 years, and generations of the big cats and humans live in respectful co-existence. This is Jaguarland -
a photographer’s wildlife paradise.
Evening lectures by naturalists enhance the experiences
$8667.00 pp. Double occupancy
$3,000.00 Single Supplement:
Destination: Wildlife will donate 10% of your ticket cost in your name to the Felidae Conservation Fund
The Experience
★ Watching Jaguars. Jaguars have been protected on this stretch of river for over 20 years. The big cats (usually shy and nocturnal) lounge or hunt along the river banks by day, creating unprecedented sighting and photography opportunities.
★ Discover Life on the River. With our lodge is literally on the river, the wild is all around - and we won’t miss any of it because this is the…
★ Safari - Brazilian style. Jaguars, Giant otters, Brazilian tapirs, Capybaras, and Giant Anteaters all live on the river. We will look for Ocelot, Howler monkeys, and other primates, too! And then there are the zillions of Paraguayan caimans, not the largest Crocodylia - but impressive nonetheless - and Jaguars love them!
★ Amazon Birds. 404 species, including the gorgeous (IUNC) Vulnerable Hyacinth Macaw, iconic Toco Tucans, and the weird and wonderful Jabiru Storks.
★ Special Guest: The little-known Maned Wolf is among the planet's most fascinating and rare animals. We will have an opportunity to visit one of their secret strongholds. Will they be there?
★ Make a Difference on Two Continents: This itinerary directly supports SouthWild, which has been protecting wildlife and habitat in Brazil for over twenty years. In the Americas, the Felidae Conservation Fund works to protect wild cats, including mountain lions, bobcats, jaguars, jaguarundi, and other small wild cats, through research and conservation programs focused on healthy coexistence at the urban edge.
Destination: Wildlife will donate 10% of your trip cost in your name to The Felidae Conservation Fund
The Highlights
The Brazilian Pantanal
Welcome to Jaguarland!
Welcome to the Pantanal, one of the World's biggest freshwater wetlands. At more than 68,000 sq miles (43 million acres), the Pantanal (Portugues for “great swamp”) is 20 times larger than the Everglades and includes the headwaters of two major rivers: the Cuiabá and the Paraguay rivers. Eighty percent of the Pantanal is in western central Brazil, at the southwest corner of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, and twenty percent crosses the borders into Bolivia and Paraguay.
This tropical wetland is a jaguar stronghold and home to a plethora of other species, many threatened or endangered - as is the Pantanal itself. Most of the Pantanal is privately owned, and according to UNESCO, only 1.3%, or 187,818 hectares (464,108 acres) of its total, is protected as the Pantanal Conservation Area (a UNESCO Heritage site). The protected land is divided into four areas: the Pantanal Matogrossense National Park and the Acurizal, Penha, and Doroche Special Reserves,
Our destination is a section of Pantanal Matogrossense National Park dubbed “Jaguarland” because of the density of the big cats that live there.
For over 20 years, conservationist Charles Munn III and his SouthWild companies have been protecting 7,475 acres (3035 hectares) of prime "Jaguarland," allowing generations of the apex predator to become accustomed to being watched – but never bothered – precisely as the Lions, Leopards, and others in protected areas of Africa have learned. This setting makes for unsurpassed viewing (and photographing) of wild Jaguars as they live on and around the riverbanks, meters from our vantage point on the water.
Detailed Itinerary
Our Brazilian Big Cat Watching & Learning Itinerary
Portrait of a apex predator, Jaguar on the river bank. Image Curtesy of ©SouthWild
Please Note: This itinerary is being changed and enhanced from 10 to 11 days. Stay tuned for the revised information. (09/05/2024)
Day 1 November 05, 2025
Welcome to Brazil!
We will arrive at Cuiabá International Airport (CGB) and spend our first night in a comfortable hotel nearby. Here, we will relax, meet our companions, enjoy a welcome dinner, and then head to our beds early to get ready for our adventure, which begins in the morning.
Welcome dinner
Accommodation: Amazon Aeroporto Hotel
Day 2: Nov. 06, 2025
Cuibá - Piuval
We will enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing Cuiabá for a 1.5-hour drive to Pousada Piuval.
Situated 110 km (68.5 miles) from Cuiabá and 10 km (6.2 miles) from Poconé - MT, Pousada Piuval is the first inn on the Transpantaneira Highway. It boasts a breathtaking natural landscape in the Pantanal, offering diverse fauna and flora for observation and admiration.
With our private guide and safari truck, we will search for Giant Anteaters, often spotted in the afternoons. Our experienced guide will ensure a safe and respectful approach to these fascinating creatures.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Pousada Piuval
The view from the dining room at the Jaguar Suites Flotel. Image: Thanks to ©SouthWild
Day 3: Nov. 07
Our guide will take us to prime spots for an early morning Anteater search, followed by a substantial breakfast at the lodge.
The remainder of the morning is ours to relax and enjoy the inn's amenities or to take other activities such as Dawn Safari, Photographic Safari, Ecological Trail.
After lunch, we will discuss with our guide which activity or species to focus on. In the late afternoon, our guides will lead us to the best locations to observe Giant Anteaters before returning to the lodge for dinner or to do a Night Focus.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Pousada Piuval
A jaguar surveys his territory near the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Image: Thanks to ©SouthWild
Day 4: Nov. 08
Pousada Piuval and SouthWild Pantanal
After our breakfast we depart from Piuval for a 2-hour drive to SouthWild Pantanal Lodge (“SWP”), the halfway point between civilization and the heart of Jaguarland. During our drive, we will have plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the wildlife visible off the bridges and raised dirt park road known as the Transpantaneira.
Our first stop will be by the flooded area near the gateway to the Pantanal, an area rich with waterbird species and storks. We will arrive at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge, where we will check in, perhaps take a refreshing dip in the pool, and then gather for lunch.
At 1:00 or 1:30 p.m., we will embark on a two-hour boat outing on the 50-meter-wide, wildlife-rich Pixaim River, which runs right next to the hotel.
During our three nights in SouthWild’s carbon-neutral Pantanal Lodge, we will be surrounded by entertaining wildlife. Our expert naturalist guide will lead us to spot the best fauna and flora, ensuring that we experience as much of the biodiversity as possible in this fascinating and vital ecosystem.
(See more about the lodge on Day 5)
At 4:45 pm, we will walk 400 meters (about 1/4 mile or 5 city blocks) on the flat to a viewing blind to wait for the likely appearance of an Ocelot, a beautiful spotted cat that looks like a miniature jaguar. As of July 2024, three different Ocelots visit the spot at unpredictable moments between 5 pm and 7:15 pm.
Then dinner, an optional wildlife lecture, and to bed.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
Blooming Tabebuia rosa or "Trumpet Trees" dot the extensive flat floodplain that is Brazil's Pantanal . SouthWild's Pantanal Lodge is on the left. Image: Courtesy of ©SouthWild
Day 5 Nov. 09.
SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
The Forest gallery lookout at the Pantanal Lodge. Image thanks to ©SouthWild
Our lodge benefits from two wildlife observation towers: one in the riverine forest and the other next to a nest of thoroughly habituated Jabiru Storks, which allow fantastic photographic opportunities.
The riverine forest is home to several troops of very entertaining brown capuchins, and the unmistakable call of the area’s resident troop of howler monkeys is likely to become a familiar sound as dawn breaks.
Our activities at the lodge will be organized according to the current weather, logistics, and our interests. Each day, we will have one forest walk plus one boat outing.
Our possibilities include:
1) Forest walks: A one—to two–hour morning or afternoon walk in the forest and savannas not far from the lodge. Southwild Pantanal is an excellent location for birding and essential for serious birders who come to Pantanal.
2) Boat outings: Morning or afternoon boat tours of the Rio Pixaim, where we will look for Giant Otters and other creatures. We may see a Jaguar as they spend about 10% of their time lounging on the riverbanks.
3) Observation Towers: Climb easy-walk-up observation towers that are 12 (39.5ft), 16 (52.5 ft), and 5m (16.5 ft) tall to view, respectively, a Jabiru Stork nest, canopy birds, and Capuchin and Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys, all at eye level and close range.
Wild howlers at eye level in natural trees only 5 m (16.5ft) away are particularly entertaining and beautiful. You may never get a better view of a howler monkey.
4) Ocelot Experience: Rapidly decreasing and listed as threatened in the US, where they have been nearly extirpated; seeing a wild ocelot is extremely rare. Three of the cats have become habituated and one or two appear about 80% of the time in the early evening, between 5:30 and 7:30 pm near SWP. We will wait and watch from the Ocelot hide
5) Wildlife Lecture about important Pantanal species.
6) Evening Spotlighting Safari: A Short (one-hour) after-dinner expedition.
7) Pool or Siesta time! During the hottest part of the day, you may decide to enjoy the pool, nap in a hammock, explore the grounds, or simply relax and digest our amazing adventure. It is up to you.
☞Note from Charles Munn and SouthWild SouthWild Pantanal is the first of only two locations in the world (the other being our Porto Jofre Pousada) where there is such a high probability of seeing wild Ocelots up close. In 2017, National Geographic’s two-hour TV wildlife special transmitted live from around the world chose SouthWild Pantanal as one of 13 places on Earth, and that was due to our Ocelot experience: See the video clip.
☞Note from Roberta at Destination: Wildlife
The Ocelot experience deviates somewhat from our core philosophy that wildlife is wild and should not be interfered with. However, nothing in the universe is completely black or white. The Pantanal is home to a myriad of endangered and threatened species. In Uganda, the DRC, and Rwanda, the local income and goodwill generated from habituating a few critically endangered mountain gorilla troops has been instrumental in saving that species from extinction. Charles Munn has spent his life working to protect wildlife and habitat - often putting himself in danger. In a few cases, as with the ocelots, he has carefully habituated certain animals living on his properties - without making them dependent on humans. That has brought income and resources to the area(s) and helped to preserve ecosystem(s). I don’t always agree with him, but Charles Munn is one of my heroes and a great force for species conservation. See below for more information.
18:40 Dinner at the lodge
Day 6, Nov 10
We will enjoy breakfast in SouthWild Pantanal Lodge with our cameras ready to go for the colorful birds who forage for breakfast around the lodge grounds.
After breakfast, we embark on our land safari (in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle) to Porto Jofre where we will board our boat to Jaguarland. During our journey, we will have the opportunity to photograph wild Hyacinth Macaws that nest in a dead tree on the port’s riverbank, as well as lots of caiman and waterbirds along the way.
Our morning trip ends at our (floating!) home for the next five days. Lunch is in the lodge restaurant, where we will enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding Pantanal riverscape.
After lunch, it is time for our first river safari in search of the elusive Jaguar on the riverbanks.
We will wind down after sunset and settle into our rooms at Panoramico ship. Then, meet for a hot, delicious meal to be rounded off with a lecture led by our full-time Jaguar Naturalist.
☞ Note for photographer: Compare any of your Jaguar photos with our Jaguar Dossier. If you photograph a new Jaguar, you get to name it!
Overnight at Panoramico Ship. (B/L/D)
Habituated ocelot watching the photographer watch him. SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Image courtesy of ©SouthWild
Tapir is one of many animals the inhabit the river area. Image ©Courtesy of SouthWild
Day 7, 8 & 9, Nov 11, 12 &13, 2025
Jaguarland
Rise to a hearty breakfast, fueling our anticipation for an action-packed day.
We will embark on two boat expeditions (4 hours each) each day to search for Jaguars and Giant Otters.
The morning expedition leaves between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m.
The second boat exploration leaves after lunch between 1:30 and 2 PM
These journeys will take us through the scenic river channels of the Rio Three Brothers, Black Channel, Rio Cuiabá, and Rio Piquiri. We will look for Jaguars, Giant otters, and more. Be camera-ready as we witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
After each adventure, we will savor Brazilian cuisine for lunch and dinner, a true reflection of local flavors. Our evening finishes with a science lecture explaining everything we have seen and more.
Then, retreat to the comfort of our Panoramico Ship rooms, where the wilderness symphony will accompany our dreams of the nature surrounding us.
☞Note: On November 11, 2025
After lunch, we will depart by boat for a 2-hour journey to a private fishing camp where we may have the chance to see Maned Wolves in relatively close proximity. offering perfect photographic opportunities in excellent lighting, whether during the day or night (depending on when the wolves appear). What is a Maned Wolf?
We will take another 2-hour boat ride back to the Panoramico Ship after our time at the camp.
Overnight at Panoramico Ship. (B/L/D)
* Day 10: Nov.14
Jaguarland - SouthWild Pantanal
We will pack up before enjoying a last breakfast on our ship before we set off at 6:00 to reach the Porto Jofre Pousada.
Leaving as early as 6:00 am will allow us to reach PJP at 6:30 am, in time to catch the best Toco Toucan photo opportunity on the planet. We will be able to watch (and photograph) them from only 7-9 meters (23-30 feet) and in perfect light, at chest height.
Between 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., in addition to the Toco toucans, a family of 3-5 elegant Chestnut-eared Araçari also come to perch at chest height and only 3-5 meters (10-16.5ft) from our vantage point.
Additionally, the Porto Jofre Pousada is proud to be the home of the world’s most habituated wild Hyacinth Macaws. The magnificent birds calmly crack palm nuts and drink water at 2-4 meters (6.5 - 16.5 ft) from you at chest height or even on the ground.
After enjoying the two-species toucan show (“two toucans”) and interviewing the Hyacinth Macaws “up close ‘n personal”, we will embark once more on our land safari (closed, air-conditioned vehicle), this time for 80 km (50 miles) to SouthWild Pantanal Lodge.
We will enjoy our lunch back in the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge’s bird-friendly, fully-“protect-screen”, air conditioned dining room. Afterwards, we can explore the fauna-rich lodge grounds, cool off in our river-side pool, or take a siesta in one of the many hammocks hanging on the lodge’s wrap-around patio.
In the afternoon, we will set out on a 2-hour river safari on the wildlife-rich Pixaim River. This small river is very serene and private: perfect for enjoying the wonders of a wildlife community that has been protected by SouthWild for 20 years.
In the evening, we may try once-again to see our Ocelots or try for the even more elusive Tapir on a Night Safari and then enjoy dinner and dessert in the lodge dining room.
SouthWild Pantanal is the first of the only two locations in the world (the other being our Porto Jofre Pousada) where there is such a high probability of seeing wild Ocelots up close. In 2017, National Geographic’s two-hour TV special of wildlife transmitted live from around the world chose SouthWild Pantanal as one of 13 places on Earth, and that was due to our Ocelot experience: See the clip here
Day 11 Nov. 15, 2025
SouthWild Pantanal – Cuiaba
We may make the most of our last Pantanal morning by climbing the self-explore towers just outside the main lodge to capture the sunrise over the Pantanal. Then we will enjoy our breakfast in SouthWild Pantanal Lodge keeping our cameras ready to go in case a Toco Toucan decides to land on one of the nearby trees in search of fruits and insects.
We will depart at 6:00 am in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle to arrive at 09:30 am or so at Cuiabá Airport just in time to take your flight to return home, stay and rest for the day, or continue to your next destination.
END OF JAGUAR SAFARI
Note: If you would like to relax overnight in Cuiabá or stay in Brazil for a few days for more exploration, just let us know.
Wildlife
Wake up to calls of Howler Monkeys at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Image: Courtesy of ©SouthWild
Wildlife and Birds We May See
Wildlife is wild and lives on its own inscrutable schedule. We will look for these species, but no sighting is guaranteed.
Mammals: Jaguars! ocelot, brown capuchin monkeys, black-and-gold howler monkeys, crab-eating foxes, marsh deer, giant otters, capybara, tapirs, maned wolf, and more, including an occasional giant anteater. And maybe a maned wolf.
Birds: Hyacinth Macaw, Toco Toucans, Chestnut-eared Araçaris, Agami Heron, Jabiru Stork, wild kingfishers (all five South American species), hawks, blue-fronted Amazon Parrots, Snail Kites, Buff-necked Ibises, Toco Toucans, Bare-faced Currasows, and so many more, over 400 species.
Amphibians: Paraguayan Caimans and more.
Information Terms and Conditions
What to Expect on Our Brazilian Jaguar Safari
Included
✓ Transfers from (upon arrival) and to (for departure) our International airports
✓ Arrival Night Lodging at Ciuabá
✓ Full-time professional naturalist guide
✓ Evening lectures with a naturalist
✓ All meals listed. Lodge meals are prepared by a trained local chef featuring fresh ingredients. Vegan and glutton free upon request.
✓ Purified Drinking water for your refillable bottles at the lodges, the boats, and vehicles.
Excluded
X International and Internal Flight
X Meals not mentioned
X Soft drinks, bottled water, alcohol
X Gratuity
X Laundry
X Visa Fees
X Comprehensive Travel Insurance - Strongly recommended
Is this Trip Right For Me?
The enormous Jabaru storks nest on the grounds of the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Image: Curtesy of ©SouthWild
Theme: Brazilian Jaguar Safari on the River
Trip Duration: Nov 8 - Nov 15, 2025
Trip Type: Small Group.
Max:11 guests + Destination:Wildlife Host + professional guide.
Service Level: Comfortable to Premium
Activity level: Leisurely—but very early rises. There may be some walking on unpaved flat terrain. The observation towers are accessible by stairs only and are an optional activity for those comfortable climbing multiple flights of stairs and being at height.
Best For: Adults. We will be living and exploring on the river. If that is a problem, a different itinerary may be more comfortable for you.
Wildlife Photography: This is an excellent opportunity for photographers.
Age Requirements: 18+ years
COVID-19: All Guests must have proof of vaccination.
The nesting jabaru storks are not bothered by the watchers on the ground or the photographers in the tower at SouthWild's Pantanal Lodge. Image: Curtesy of ©SouthWild
Travel Notes
► Activity Level: Leisurely. Travel by vehicle overland. There will be a significant amount of “boat time” We will be doing much of our wildlife and birds viewing from the water.
► Weather and Temperature Changes: In November in Picone, Brazil, it is beginning to cool down, and the air is clearer. 75 - 95F with a 50% chance of rain. The intermittent rain does not stop the wildlife or the viewers! See the packing list.
► Health: From the CDC - Travel To Brazil Vaccination Recommendations. Please Review this CDC Healthy Traveler to Brazil packing List. Destination: Wildlife requests full COVID vaccine for the protection of all participants.
► Visa Requirement: State Department Washington, DC Please Note: April 10, 2025 - VISAS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR US CITIZENS
❖ Additional Resource for Health and Visa Questions: Passport Health USA
Please Note: Destination: Wildlife is not connected in any way nor does it endorse or indemnify information on the site.
► Drinking water: Your lodges will have purified drinking water. Please bring your refillable NALGENE (BPA-free) container. Please no single-use plastics during this tour.
► Single-Use Plastics: The policy at Destination: Wildlife is to Ban or Limit Single-Use Plastics on our Tours as much as possible. That includes beverage bottles, plastic bags, containers, single-use straws, etc. There will be clean drinking water available, please bring your own refillable (Nalgene) water container.
► Group Size: Up to 11 guests, including your host from Destination: WIldlife, and a professional guide (bird specialist)
► Packing: Pack as lightly as possible in one soft-sided bag plus your carry-on. A packing list will be provided.
► Recommended Equipment: binoculars, camera, short lens, long lens, personal, reusable water bottle or canteen, insect repellant, and sunscreen.
► Travel insurance: Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all international travel. Ask us about the best policy for your needs
Travel Insurance
For all Destination: Wildlife tours, guests must have a minimum level of travel insurance coverage for medical emergencies. We highly recommend comprehensive travel protection for your tour. If you decide against Travel insurance, you must sign a waiver of release before departure. Travel insurance may cover you for cancellation due to illness, lost bags, missed flights, and other unexpected occurrences. Please see our cancellation policy
Important note: Most travel insurance does not cover preexisting conditions unless purchased within 14 days (of the initial deposit and 7 days for some carriers). A pre-existing condition can be anything from an allergy to a back problem to a heart issue. We highly recommend purchasing your travel insurance immediately after making a deposit. Additionally, if your job, business, or the condition of a family member may cause you to cancel after your deposit, ask about specific plans to help protect your investment.
Please contact us if you need assistance.
Terms and Conditions
Your deposit holds your spot. We strongly recommend Travel insurance.
Due to the nature of our tours, no refunds are available once a tour has started or for any package, accommodation, meals, or other services included. We understand that sometimes, even the most eagerly anticipated plans may need to be canceled. We strongly recommend that every traveler purchase travel insurance. Cancellation Policy.
Cancellation: More than 120 Days
Forfeiture of 20% of trip fees, including extensions, plus any specified donations to the sponsor, any non-refundable train/airfare, and a $150 cancellation processing fee.*
Cancellation 120 to 90 Days
Forfeiture of 50% of trip fees, including extensions, plus any specified donations to the sponsor, any non-refundable train/airfare or other, and a $150 cancellation processing fee.*
Cancellation 90 or Less
Forfeiture of 100% of trip fees, including extensions, plus any specified donations to the sponsor, any non-refundable train/airfare or other, and a $150 cancellation processing fee.*
*Where another guest fills the space, a portion of your fees may be eligible for an additional partial refund, subject to Destination: Wildlife's sole and exclusive discretion.
Accommodations
The Panáramico
SouthWild has the same priorities for the accommodations at all of their properties: Safety, comfort, and providing the best opportunity to view, learn about, and photograph the wildlife.
Our lodge at Jaguarland is the comfortable Panorámico ship anchored on the 100-meter-wide Piquiri River in the heart of “Jaguarland.” With only 12 rooms, we will have the ship to ourselves without distractions. Being on the river means no long morning or afternoon commutes to the jaguars. We can enjoy the earliest and latest golden light on the river and with the wildlife and not waste time in long, noisy, windy boat rides to and from the closest lodges.
Each comfortable room has an ensuite bathroom, desk, plenty of outlets for charging our photography equipment, WIFI access, and an air conditioner. We will enjoy our meals in the enclosed, air-conditioned dining room, which has a panoramic view of the wild Piquiri River and the beauty of the surrounding nature.
The resident naturalist will expand our understanding of this unique ecosystem with evening lectures in the lecture room about Jaguars and more.
Throughout our trip, you will enjoy delicious local cuisine with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, knowledgeable naturalist guides, educational lectures about the Pantanal’s star wildlife and its history, and, of course, Jaguars.
The SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
The colorful and comfortable SouthWild Pantanal Lodge on the Pixaim River, Pocone, (Mateo Grosa state), Brazil. Image: Curtesy: ©SouthWild
The lodge consists of one large, fully screened living room/dining room with many overhead fans, outdoor sitting areas, and a library on Brazilian nature.
Each of our fifteen screened guest rooms has a private hot-shower bathroom, overhead fans, split air conditioning and large overhead fans, and one queen or two twin beds - and hair dryers. Each guest room also has a spacious work table, an adjustable office chair, and multiple plugs.
The entire lodge has WIFI. To eliminate plastic bottle waste, the lodge offers (and was the first in the entire Pantanal to offer) complimentary, chilled drinking water dispensed in unlimited amounts from dedicated water coolers.
The SouthWild pantanal Lodge. Image Curtesy of ©SouthWild
The lodge features a small swimming pool with a deck to cool off, amazing bird feeders 5-10 meters (16.4 - 32.8ft) from the lodge (including the best Toco Toucan ops), a dining room with floor-to-ceiling screens on three sides with views of colorful birds, trees, forest, and the nearby river;
Birds! The lodge features two observation towers accessed by stairs: 1) The 12-m (39.5 ft) Jaibaru tower overlooking an active nest only 16m (52ft) away and 2) a tower on the river’s edge designed for the best views of canopy birds including blue-fronted Amazon parrots and seasonally, snail kites. Capuchin and howler monkeys are also visible near this tower.
For the last 15 years, Great Potoo has been roosting on trees within 400 m of the lodge;
There are four kilometers of scientifically designed wildlife trails in gallery forest, which is the most bird-rich, monkey-rich Pantanal habitat. Jaguars are visible on average every 6 days on the river within 10 min boat ride
The Lodge also has the world’s only high-probability, fully-lit location for viewing and photographing wild Ocelots in nature. These ocelots have been habituated over time.
✍︎ Editor’s note: The ocelots are enticed with “snacks,” and while Destination: Wildlife does not agree with the feeding of wildlife, including these cats, in this case, the lack of further interaction with humans and the overall good access has done for their conservation helps to balance the score.
Boat rides on the river, which is full of habituated, wild kingfishers and hawks;
Making a Difference
How Your Trip Makes A Difference
The jaguar is IUNC listed Near Threatened, but already extirpated from most of its range, SouthWild properties are a sanctuary. Image: Curtesy of ©SouthWild
As with all of the Destination: Wildlife tours, this one is an Unforgettable Journey that Does Good at the destination, and at home.
Felidae Conservation Fund In Their Own Words
“Our mission is to strengthen the conservation of native felid populations within local and global ecosystems using innovative approaches to research, education, and community stewardship”
“As animal and plant species go extinct at rates faster than previously seen in history, 36 species of wild cats are threatened and in decline due to humans.
The word 'Felidae' is the scientific name for the cat family. Wild cats are consummate predators, and in most landscapes all cats are apex predators, which means their presence is critical for maintaining balanced, healthy ecosystems, including prey populations, quality habitat patches for species sustenance and reproduction, and connectivity for genetic diversity.
Wild cats face an uncertain future due to human impacts, yet there is still time to restore conditions to support stable felid populations in most regions of the world.
We may each ask ourselves, ‘How would the eradication of wild felids affect humans, and most importantly, me?’ Well, in short, immeasurably. By successfully safeguarding wild felid populations, we protect central ecosystem services that, on the whole, have a powerful effect on humans, our health, sustenance, returns, and natural resources.”
Destination: Wildlife will donate 10% of your tour cost in your name to the Felidae Conservation Fund
SouthWild and Charles Munn
✍︎ Editor’s Note: In a world where people regularly do more expounding on their principles than living them - Charles Munn is an exception. To my knowledge, Chares has never failed to live his beliefs way beyond his talk - sometimes to his detriment, but always for the good of the world’s declining biodiversity. I have not always agreed 100% with his methods - but Charles’ mission and dedication have inspired me since I first heard his name over a decade ago. Charles Munn is a true hero of conservation.
Charles was one of the first conservationists to understand that the worst (most successful!) wildlife poachers have talents and knowledge that, if appropriately redirected, could transform wildlife conservation and human lives. This vision was the driving force behind his Wolf Camps - my first introduction to Munn. Located in a region dubbed “The land beyond nowhere,” the camps abutting Brazil’s Parnaiba Headwaters National Park are built on the land managed and protected by the man who once was the most notorious wildlife trafficker in the region - until he met Charles. The Wolf camps enabled the soon-reformed poacher to send his children to school - and have put most of the village to work. The survival of the maned wolf, hyacinth macaw, troops of capuchin monkeys, and more are more secure because of him. ( Read: How A Former Wildlife Trafficker and a Biologist are Saving a Species )
Charles has personally protected and supported the area, which we will visit on our jaguar safari, for over twenty years, well before he had the infrastructure ready for the tourism that now supports that protection.
Do I sound like a fan? I am - and I cannot wait to bring you to this magic place that Charles built.
Reviews
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Jaguar relaxing on the riverbank . Image: ©Shlomic