Brazil

Upon arrival at Campo Grande International Airport, transfer to our four-star hotel. Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner this evening.

Depart early this morning on a three-hour drive to Pousada Aguapé, a working cattle ranch in the southern Pantanal. Along the way watch for giant anteaters, macaws, capybaras and caimans. Arrive at the fazenda (farm) in time for lunch. Late in the afternoon go on a game drive in search of the diverse local wildlife that calls this area home.

Spend the morning on another wildlife drive or choose to explore the surrounding area of the pousada (lodge) on horseback. As it starts to get hotter in the late morning, return to the lodge and enjoy a lecture before lunch. Venture out again in the afternoon once the heat begins to subside, either taking a guided nature walk or going on a boat ride along the Rio Aquidauana. If conditions are right, we’ll go on a night safari to observe some of the nocturnal animals.

Today learn about the challenges of cattle ranching in this seasonally flooded grassland and gain some insight on how agriculture and conservation in the area can work hand in hand. In the afternoon take a final wildlife drive or perhaps go fishing for piranhas!

Today travel on small charter planes from the southern Pantanal to the riverine forest ecosystem of Rio Cuiabá and the northern Pantanal, where we hope to observe the elusive and majestic jaguar in the wild. Arrive at our hotel in time for lunch, then go on a boat ride along the Rio Cuiabá and the adjoining channels inside Meeting of the Waters State Park.

During the next two days, each morning will include a safari cruise on the Rio Cuiabá in search of jaguars, giant otters, tapirs and other animals. After returning to our hotel for lunch and time to relax, we’ll head out again on afternoon excursions to continue our search for intriguing wildlife.

After breakfast we leave the river and board charter flights back to Campo Grande, where we are reunited with any luggage we left behind at the Hotel Deville. Lunch is on our own with a chance to explore more of Campo Grande this afternoon. This evening we walk to dinner to enjoy authentic Brazilian barbecue.

This morning fly to Iguazú Falls. Arrive at our hotel, which sits just outside of this natural spectacle, in the late afternoon, with time to view the falls before dinner.

Today we discover the Brazilian side of these awe-inspiring falls with a trained guide and see firsthand what makes this one of the world’s most incredible forces of nature. Soak up a panoramic view of the falls, then explore the surrounding rainforest more closely with an eye out for the abundant flora and fauna. Midmorning we head to the town of Foz do Iguazú for a barbecue lunch buffet at Búfalo Branco Churrascaria. After lunch we follow the Rio Paraná to the binational Itaipu Dam to take in another perspective of some of the world’s most stunning sites. Participate in a behind-the-scenes tour of the dam and learn why this fascinating hydroelectric generating facility is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. This evening we gather at the hotel for a festive farewell dinner.

This morning is at leisure to enjoy a relaxed breakfast and explore more of the falls before the park opens. Transfer to the airport this afternoon for flights home.