Festival of Wildlife 2010 - Brazil
10 - 18th September 2010
The seventh Annual Festival of Wildlife
In 2010 we venture to the heart of the Brazilian Pantanal, one of the world's largest wetland areas and home to 1,000 species of bird, 400 species of fish (including piranhas), 300 species of mammal and 480 species of reptile.
The Brazilian Pantanal is the perfect destination to accommodate the Festival ethos and activities, which include a combination of wildlife viewing, workshops, presentations, master-classes and general wildlife related discussions, all in the company of experts. As a Festival participant you are not just on holiday, you can expect to meet like-minded enthusiasts whilst seeing, sharing and gaining top tips about your passion and helping with the conservation of the local wildlife.
The Pantanal covers an area of approximately 143,000 square miles of mixed ecosystems consisting of savannah lowlands, floodplains and forest. The water cycles of the wet and dry seasons determine the balance of these ecosystems. This is a wildlife haven like nowhere on earth.
Join the experts in the search of the enigmatic and elusive jaguar and other more plentiful wildlife; caiman, capybaras, giant anteaters, monkeys and an incredible display of birdlife including the beautiful but endangered hyacinth macaw.
We will explore the Pantanal by vehicle, boat, foot and horseback, depending on when and where we are during the week. We are inviting renowned experts from the UK, who are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable in aspects of wildlife photography, travel writing, wildlife art and other skills. We will also be joined by local experts who have specialist knowledge on the Pantanal wildlife, be it birds, jaguar or perhaps the anaconda. Alongside these experts we will engage with conservationists of the Pantanal who will also be taking the opportunity to integrate and inform you of the practices and policies and main conservation issues that affect the area.
The Celebrity Experts
Mark Carwardine is an award-winning writer, magazine columnist, widely published photographer, consultant, broadcaster and lecturer. He recently presented Last Chance to See with Stephen Fry. Mark will be on hand to chat to you and assist in wildlife photography. www.markcarwardine.com
Nick Garbutt is a zoologist and wildlife photographer, and will enthuse about his varied wildlife orientated career and offer key photography tips. www.nickgarbutt.com
Suzi Eszterhas - Based in California, but "on the road" for much of the year, Suzi's award-winning photographs have been published in high profile places all over the world. She is best known for her work documenting the family lives of hyaenas and big cats on the African savannah, but has also undertaken commissions and led instructional photography tours in Antarctica, the Arctic, Africa, Asia and the Americas. She has visited the Pantanal previously to photograph jaguars and this will be her second Festival of Wildlife. For more information on Suzi and to see a selection of her work, see www.suzieszterhas.com
Nick Mackman is a sculptor of one-off clay animals. Her work has been widely exhibited and she has been associated with making the trophies for BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Award for several years. She has been short-listed for DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009. Nick's workshops will involve hands on sculpting of the wildlife sketched in the field. www.nickmackman.com
Sophie Stafford is the editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine and will advise any budding wildlife writers. www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com
- Itinerary
- Day 1 - Friday, 10 September 2010.
- Fly from London Heathrow overnight to Sao Paulo.
- Day 2 - Saturday, 11 September 2010
- Arrive Sao Paulo and fly to Cuiaba; transfer to Araras Lodge in the Pantanal.
- Days 3 & 4 - Sunday, 12 September and Monday, 13 September 2010
- The group is split into smaller groups, including the guides and experts, for wildlife viewing. You will take part in vehicle safaris, canoeing or walking in the morning before returning to the lodge for presentations and workshops from one of our experts. In the afternoon you will head out again. You will also have the option of sunrise walks, sunset walks or horse-rides and night walks or drives. Workshops will include sculptures, recycled paper making, basketry or bead jewellery as well as the more familiar 'hands on' photography with different skill level groups working from the basics of aperture and shutter speed to flash photography and making the most of your digital images on the computer. We will also have local entertainment, dancing and horsemanship from the local cowboys.
- Day 5 - Tuesday, 14th September 2010. Porto Jofre
- An early start to travel south down the Transpantaneira to Porte Jofre. Hopefully you will see many of the migratory birds, marsh deer and maybe with some luck a giant anteater. On arrival at Porto Jofre we head out by boat to see if we can find the jaguar. On returning to the hotel we have presentations and photography forums, possibly learning how to optimise our digital images or further insight into the ecosystem or the habitats of the jaguar or anaconda from one of our local Brazilian experts.
- Days 6 & 7 - Wednesday, 15th & Thursday 16th September 2010. Porto Jofre
- To optimise our chances of seeing jaguar and also getting the best photographs we will be going out in the mornings and over the lunch/early afternoon period. Many jaguar sightings have been reported along this stretch of river, including swimming across the river with cubs in tow. If you spot one relaxing on the shore and he is not disturbed then your viewings could last for up to one hour.
On our last night in the Pantanal we have a celebratory dinner and auction. Each year we auction items for local conservation organisations. The items consist of paintings, photographs by the experts and UK conservation organisations, local crafts, signed books and sometimes time spent with the experts at his/her place of work. The event is fun and entertaining and a fitting end to a spectacular week in the Brazilian Pantanal.
- Day 8 - Friday 17th September 2010. Depart the Pantanal.
- We either drive or fly (additional cost) back to Cuiaba.
From Cuiaba you fly back to the UK via Sao Paulo. Or you can continue to enjoy Brazil on one of our holiday extensions.
- Price: £4,150 per person
- Single Room: £600
- World Traveller Plus: £445
- Business Class upgrade: £2,680
- Optional flight Porto Jofre to Cuiaba: £350
- Departure: 10 - 18th September 2010
- What's included: International and domestic flights and taxes with British Airways, all private transfers by road as described in the itinerary, accommodation on full board basis, local conservation fees, English speaking guides and activities as in the itinerary.
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Extensions:
- Wildlife Photography Workshop with Nick Garbutt £4450
.- Iguassu Falls £750.
- Rio de Janeiro and the Golden Lion Tamarin £1,150. (Combine Iguassu and Rio de Janeiro at a discounted price of £1,450 total)
- Cristalino Jungle Lodge, southern Amazon £1,350.
- Or why not tailor make a personal extension? Please see the dossier for further details on the extensions. - Conservation contribution: At least £100 of each booking will go directly to local conservation projects.
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Blog: Read about Alison's Recce Trip to Brazil in December 2008.
Click here for an Interview with Alison for 'Insider Magazine' - Brazilian Travel Specialists
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