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Wildlife Locations

13 recommended locations. Please contact us for further suggestions.

Buraco das Araras (Sinkhole of the Macaws)

Buraco das Araras is a spectacular sinkhole some 500 metres in diameter, named after the abundance of red-and-green macaws which nest and roost on the cliffs. Two viewing platforms overlook the emerald green lagoon providing remarkable sightings and excellent photographic opportunities. Find Out More

  • Where: Southern Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Ideal for viewing: red-and-green macaw, toco toucan, blue-crowned motmot, blue-crowned trogon, broad-snouted caiman
  • Excellent for: Birdwatching , Wildlife photography

Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park

Surrounded by rainforest, the little visited savannahs of this tableland are of enormous ecological importance, and attract many hummingbirds. Situated at the heart of South America, the red sandstone cliffs give the landscape its characteristic appearance, with canyons, caves and waterfalls. Find Out More

  • Where: Mato Grosso
  • Ideal for viewing: jaguar, maned wolf, puma, scissor-tailed nightjar, tropical screech-owl
  • Excellent for: Birdwatching , Photography tours With Nick Garbutt

Cristalino Private Reserve, Alta Floresta

This private rainforest reserve on the Cristalino River occupies a region very important in terms of Amazon biodiversity. The high number of species and endemics makes it a great place to see birds, mammals, butterflies and orchids. It is easily reached from the northern Pantanal, avoiding a long flight to Manaus. Find Out More

  • Where: Mato Grosso
  • Ideal for viewing: agouti, harpy eagle, giant river otter, red-handed howler monkey, white-whiskered spider monkey
  • Excellent for: River safaris

Iguaçu Falls

Even the most seasoned traveller cannot fail to be impressed by the 275 separate waterfalls that make up Iguaçu Falls, tumbling over a 90-metre-high, five kilometre wide, basalt cliff. The surrounding lush tropical forest is home to more than 2,000 species of plants, 400 species of birds and an array of mammals. Find Out More

  • Where: Paraná
  • Ideal for viewing: coati, tapir, ocelot, agouti, Rushi’s rat

Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve

These 57,000 square kilometres of mainly flooded Amazon forest are a Ramsar site designated as a wetland of global importance, designed to protect Brazil’s tropical forests. The native Riberinho people assist with collecting data, in return for being taught how to hunt and fish sustainably. Find Out More

  • Where: Amazonas
  • Ideal for viewing: harpy eagle, two-toed sloth, keel-billed toucan, bald uakari, pink river dolphin

Northern Pantanal

Accessed via the town of Cuiaba, the northern Pantanal is home to some of Brazil’s rarest wildlife, such as jaguar and giant river otter. Many of the lodges here are still functioning cattle ranches, offering day and night trips by boat, vehicle, on foot and on horseback, accompanied by local naturalist guides. Find Out More

  • Where: Mato Grosso
  • Ideal for viewing: capybara, giant anteater, giant river otter, jaguar, yacare caiman
  • Excellent for: Jaguar watching , Wildlife cruises, Wildlife photography, River safaris

Rio da Prata

Located near Buraco das Araras in the southern Pantanal, Pousada Rio da Prata is a beautiful deciduous forest site where you can enjoy birdwatching around the ranch, or snorkel the crystal clear waters, home to freshwater fish such as dorado and pacu, as well as an array of aquatic plant life. Find Out More

  • Where: Southern Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Ideal for viewing: toco toucan, blue-crowned motmot, blue-crowned trogon, pacu
  • Excellent for: Birdwatching ,

Salvador do Bahia

This attractive colonial city was once Brazil’s capital, reflected by the richness of its architecture. Standing between green hills and broad sandy beaches, it makes a perfect stop for some culture and relaxation. Between May and December the nearby beaches are important breeding areas for turtles. Find Out More

  • Where: Bahia
  • Ideal for viewing: green turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle, olive ridley turtle, humpback whale

Southern Pantanal

Conservation projects in the southern Pantanal focus on jaguar and the hyacinth macaw. From a comfortable lodge you can see wildlife by boat, vehicle and on foot. Bonito, on the southern fringe, is a mecca for ecotourism, where you will find grottos with blue lakes and walking trails surrounded by monkeys. Find Out More

  • Where: Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Ideal for viewing: giant anteater, capybara, hyacinth macaw, Brazilian tapir, six-banded armadillo
  • Excellent for: Jaguar watching, Birdwatching , Wildlife photography, River safaris

The Amazon

The basin of the world’s largest river contains its oldest tropical forest and most diverse ecosystem, with at least 40,000 plant species, and a variety of wildlife. The lodges offer outings on foot and by canoe to explore the rainforest. Alternatively a riverboat voyage can take you deeper into the rainforest. Find Out More

  • Where: Amazonas
  • Ideal for viewing: capybara, giant otter, red and blue macaw, tapir, yellow anaconda
  • Excellent for: Jaguar watching, Birdwatching , River safaris

The Pantanal

This ecological paradise is the world’s largest wetland, with 124 mammals (including the world’s largest jaguars), 177 reptiles, 1,100 species of butterfly, and a myriad of birds, brightly coloured flowers, and shoals of fish. There are significant differences between the north and south; we recommend visiting both. Find Out More

  • Where: Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul states
  • Ideal for viewing: capybara, giant anteater, giant river otter, jaguar, yacare caiman
  • Excellent for: Jaguar watching, Birdwatching , Wildlife photography, Self-drive, River safaris

Trijuncao Private Reserve

Located in the heart of South America in Brazil, the cerrado of Trijuncao is considered the richest savannah in the world in terms of biodiversity and is home to more than 13,000 species of plants. The Trijuncao Private Reserve protects 33,000 hectares of pristine cerrado landscape. Find Out More

  • Ideal for viewing: maned wolf, giant anteater, dwarf caiman, red brocket deer, three-banded armadillo
  • Excellent for: Wolf watching, Birdwatching , Vehicle safaris

Rio de Janeiro

Rio is legendary for its stunning beaches and the iconic peaks of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado, with the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Nearby attractions include Tijuca National Park, where you can walk rainforest trails to see a variety of wildlife species such as iguanas and monkeys. Find Out More

  • Excellent for: Beach stay, City stopover, History & culture

View trips to these locations

Wildlife trips

Brazil is dominated by the Amazon basin and its swathe of rainforest. However numerous national parks contain varied habitats ranging from coastal forest, savannah and mountain to the world’s largest wetland – the Pantanal – that house the greatest biodiversity on the planet. Attractions include imposing Iguaçu Falls and dazzling Atlantic beaches.

11 recommended trips. Our trip ideas are offered to inspire you and can be tailored to suit your requirements.

Wildlife of the Pantanal

This 12-day small group trip focuses on the abundant wildlife of Brazil’s North Pantanal, combining three well established wildlife lodges with an exciting new lodge in a remote area, offering excellent chances of encountering jaguars, giant rivers otters and a wealth of other mammals and birds. Find out more about Wildlife of the Pantanal

  • Price (inc. flights): 12 days from £5,995
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • O
    • N

Brazil’s Natural Highlights

Enjoy a complete Brazilian wildlife experience, visiting three contrasting ecosystems. This trip offers an affordable option to explore the diverse Amazon rainforest, the rarely visited savannah of Chapada dos Guimarães, and the Pantanal wetland, home to some of Brazil’s rarest wildlife, such as jaguar and giant otter. Find out more about Brazil’s Natural Highlights

  • Price (inc. flights): 11 days from £4,275
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • J
    • F
    • M
    • A
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O
    • N
    • D

Brazil’s Big Five Photo Safari

The Pantanal is one of the greatest wildlife watching destinations in the world. It is also perfect for wildlife photography and this itinerary has been carefully designed to focus all of our time on photographing the wide range of wildlife that lives in this captivating area of Brazil. Find out more about Brazil’s Big Five Photo Safari (Was North Pantanal Photo Safari)

  • Price (inc. flights): 14 days from £10,995
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O

Wildlife of the North & South Pantanal

The Pantanal, a seasonally flooded grassland dotted with cerrado woodland, is home to a vast array of birds, including jabiru stork and hyacinth macaw, and mammals, such as giant otter and jaguar. We search this naturalists’ paradise for its wildlife, often at close quarters, by vehicle and boat. Find out more about Wildlife of the North & South Pantanal

  • Price (inc. flights): 14 days from £6,195
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • J

Pantanal & Amazon Wildlife Extravaganza

Staying in comfortable lodges, this trip offers some of the finest opportunities to see rare wildlife in the Pantanal. In the company of skilled naturalist guides, search for the elusive jaguar on the Cuiabà River, before continuing to Cristalino Private Reserve, which possesses a high number of species and endemics. Find out more about Pantanal & Amazon Wildlife Extravaganza

  • Price (inc. flights): 15 days from £8,195
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O

Best of Brazil

Visit Brazil's contrasting habitats as we explore its tropical savannahs and woodlands, the Amazon rainforest and the Southern Pantanal. We go in search of the iconic wildlife of Brazil including maned wolf, jaguar, giant river otter, giant anteater and giant armadillo, plus a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles. Find out more about Best of Brazil

  • Price (inc. flights): 19 days from £12,495
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • J

South America’s Big Cats Photography Tour

The ultimate tour for big cat fans, this exhilarating two-centre group tour focuses on photographing puma and jaguar. We spend time on the edge of Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park, on a private ranch with outstanding puma photography opportunities, before moving to the jaguars of the Pantanal. Find out more about Z) South America’s Big Cats Photography Tour

  • Price (inc. flights): 16 days from £12,995
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J

Just Jaguars

Explore the maze of channels in Taiama Reserve, part of Brazil’s famed Pantanal wetland, to seek out jaguars. After two nights in an ecolodge in the north, your base for the next few days is the Taiama River, where you will head out each day by boat to search for jaguar. Find out more about Just Jaguars

  • Price (inc. flights): 9 days from £4,495
  • Trip type:
    Tailor-made Holiday
  • When to go:
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O

Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon

Voyage into a rarely visited area of the Amazon rainforest far up the Rio Negro where the diverse flora and fauna is largely undisturbed. Staying on board a converted traditional Amazon riverboat, take motorised canoes up the smaller creeks to discover the extraordinary range of rainforest wildlife. Find out more about Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon

  • Price (exc. flights): 7 days from £3,095
  • Trip type:
    Voyage
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • J
    • F
    • M
    • A
    • M
    • J
    • J
    • A
    • S
    • O
    • N
    • D

Pantanal Wildlife Photo Safari: Jaguar Special

Join award-winning photographer Nick Garbutt on the ultimate Pantanal wildlife photo safari. This extensive itinerary provides no end of intriguing and rewarding photographic opportunities for the region’s iconic species as well as the chance to explore both the north and south of this exceptional wetland. Find out more about Z) Pantanal Wildlife Photo Safari: Jaguar Special (Was North & South)

  • Price (inc. flights): 19 days from £12,195
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
  • When to go:
    • S
    • O

The Pantanal: Brazil’s Wetland Wonder

Join acclaimed award-winning photographer Nick Garbutt, to watch and photograph wildlife in the Pantanal. This immense landlocked delta in the heart of South America offers some tremendous habitats and the finest opportunity to see the elusive jaguar, as well as other iconic and rare animals, often up close. Find out more about The Pantanal: Brazil’s Wetland Wonder

  • Price (inc. flights): 18 days from £9,895
  • Trip type:
    Group Tour
    Tailor-made can be arranged
  • When to go:
    • A
    • S

When to go

Cooler in the south from June to September, wet in the north east from April to July and in the south from October to January, Brazil’s climate remains warm and tropical all year.

Seasons

  • Green season

    Oct to May: Southern Brazil’s summer months bring higher temperatures but higher rainfall.
  • Dry season

    Jun to Sep: Southern Brazil experiences cooler weather from June to September

Wildlife events

  • Jan to Mar: Pantanal floods – animals seek high ground
  • Apr to Jun: Pantanal waters recede, migrants return, caiman give birth
  • Jul to Sep: Dry season in Pantanal – birds & reptiles gather at pools
  • Nov to Dec: Pantanal rains, migrant birds depart; predators plentiful
  • Oct to Oct: Water level falls in Amazon, exposing river beaches
  • Jul to Sep: Water level falls in Amazon, exposing river beaches
  • Jan to Aug: High water in Amazon creates igapó (flooded forest)

Wildlife cruise vessels