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ITINERARY

Day 1 - Cuiabá - Pantanal

Transfer to Pantanal by land from Cuiabá. The first 100 km of paved road crosses a disturbed cerrado transition ecosystem, featuring examples of cerrado vegetation, gallery forests and a unique tall cerrado forest. The pavement stops in Poconé and we continue on dirt road another 17km to the beginning of the Transpantaneira raised dirt highway.  The wildlife picks up suddenly as the roadside fills with herons, storks, Roseate Spoonbills, kingfishers, ibises, Limpkins, cormorants and caimans.  Continue on for 45km, stopping frequently for observation and photographs. Our light will quickly fade around 6:00pm, and we'll pull out the spotlight.  On arrival at the Rio Pixaim, check into a nice hotel on the water's edge.  We will probably have seen around 60 or many more bird species on the drive, but it will only be a taste of what is to come.The ease with which the birds can be seen is equally a bonus for the experienced birder and first time nature tour participant.

Meals Included: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - Pantanal

Wake up early to the sounds of birds and Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys roaring in the distance.  An early morning walk introduces the bird species of the area. Look for Blue-fronted Parrot, White Woodpecker, Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Rufous Cacholote, Buff-bellied Hermit, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Campo Oriole, Greater Thornbird, and Pygmy Kingfisher, among other species. With a bit of luck, the resident Giant River Otters will pass by our hotel as we are having breakfast.  Leave the hotel after lunch, continuing south another 60km into the richest and lowest area of the Transpantaneira.  The plant and animal diversity increases, and herds of Capybara, the world's largest rodent (more like a guinea pig than a rat), are likely to be seen.  Keep your eyes open for endangered Marsh Deer, South American Coati, Brown Capuchin, Yellow Anaconda, Crab-eating Fox, Greater and Collared Anteaters and a host of other animals.  It is also possible to see the Hyacinth, Blue-and-Yellow, Yellow-collared and Red-and-Green Macaws.  Transfer to the Jaguar Ecological Reserve at the end of the day for a two-night stay.  The lodge is located within the Jaguar Ecological Reserve and hosts the largest concentration of Hyacinth Macaws in the state.  Recent tour participants have seen Margay, Brazilian Tapir, Giant River Otter and Little Red Brocket Deer on the hotel grounds. 

Meals Included: full board

Day 3 - Pantanal

These days are dedicated to exploring this incredibly rich area on foot and by vehicle.  Several areas of different types of forest are found alongside lakes, seasonally flooded fields and rivers.  Look for bird specialties including Purplish Jay, Plumbeous Ibis, Red-billed Scythebill, Sunbittern, Toco Toucan, Bare-faced Currasow, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Nanday Parakeet, Blue-crowned Trogon, Cinereous-breasted and Chotoy Spinetails, Mato Grosso Antbird and a number of other bird species.  Black-and-Gold Howler and Brown Capuchin also occur in the forests we explore today, and it is unusual not to see them both.  Return to the hotel for lunch.  The early afternoon can be spent discussing and updating our bird and mammal list, relaxing and/or enjoying a cold beer at the bar.  In the mid-afternoon start out into the field once again.  Arrive back at the hotel after dark, after looking for owls, nightjars, anteaters, Jaguar, Ocelot, Maned Wolf and a number of other nocturnal animals with a spotlight.

Meals Included: full board

Day 4 - Pantanal

Same as Day 3

Meals Included: full board

Day 5 –  Pantanal

Same as Day 3

Meals Included: full board

Day 6 - Pantanal

After breakfast we start a full day of exploration.  Given that we spend most of the day in the field, this is often one of the most rewarding days of the tour. Continue on to Pixaim for the night.

Meals Included: full board

Day 7 - Pantanal / Cuiabá

This morning we might want, if available, to take a boat out in search of Giant River Otters.  Our boatman will have fished for piranha, and the habituated otters will come to the boat.  By throwing the fish on shore, the otters leave the water where they can be better photographed.  Return for breakfast, and transfer to Cuiabá.

Meals Included: breakfast and lunch

SERVICE DETAILS

Included Services

06 nights in Hotel or Pousada (Inn). Standard Room, including room and government taxes 
06 breakfasts

07 Lunches

06 Dinners

Land transfers as detailed in the itinerary, including bilingual guide
Guided Tours as detailed, including bilingual guides and National Park taxes and Naturalist Guide accompanying the group. Tours can change due to operational, safety or weather condition.

Not Included   

Flights  

Optional Tours  

Meals not included in the itinerary.  

Travel Insurance

Drinks, Laundry, Tips, Telephone calls, and any other personal expenses etc….  

Meals
Meals included in the program are detailed in the following chart.

Accommodation:

Double rooms can have separate beds or not. A third person depending on the hotel has the possibility of using a sofa bed. Consult for children policy.  

Payment:

Deposit of 30% to guarantee your reservation. The remaining amount must be paid a minimum 30 days before start of the tour. If reservation is made within 30 days of the tour full payment required to make a reservation.   

Cancellation:

Up to 30 days before full refund is given unless the flight tickets have been emitted. In this case there will be a penalty due to the cancellation of the tickets. This depends on the rules of the airline used.  No refund is given when a cancellation is made within 30 days of departure.  

Operation of tour:

Minimum of 1 pax to operate. 

Responsability:

Brasil Travel / Melchior & Hodson Ltda and/or agencies involved with the packages, flights and tours shall act only as agents of the tour members in making arrangements for hotels and any other services and do not assume any liability what so ever for any injury, damage, death, loss, accident or delay to persons or property due to an act of God, default by any hotel, company or person rendering any of services included on the tours or flights. Furthermore, no responsability is accepted for quarentine, government restrains, weather or other causes beyond control. No responsability is accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing or acts of government authority.

Insurance:

Not included (optional)