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No lover of nature should miss the world's largest and most spectacular wetland. This ecological paradise has a huge concentration of fauna: 124 mammals, including the world's largest jaguars, 177 reptiles, over 1,100 species of butterfly, a myriad of brightly-coloured flowers, and innumerable shoals of fish. In the wet season, when the Pantanal floods, the water level can rise by up to three metres. There are significant differences between the north and south sides, so we recommend visiting both.

Large mammals include black-capped capuchin, black howler monkey and tapir, while the most famous reptile is the yellow anaconda. Caiman are abundant - the Pantanal is thought to have the world's largest crocodilian population. There are an estimated half a million capybara, and the Pantanal is one of the best places to see jaguar, giant river otter, coatimundi, crabeating fox, greater and lesser anteater, giant armadillo, the endangered maned wolf, and marsh deer.

The convergence of three migration paths ensures a diverse avian community with 656 species from 66 families including ospreys from Arctic latitudes, woodstorks from the southern pampas, and flycatchers from the Andes all collecting here.

PANTANAL SEASONS
The nature of the Pantanal varies depending on the season and cycle of the waters.

Jan-Mar: The Pantanal floods and mammals seek high ground; riot of colour as flowers bloom.

Jan-Aug: Amazon high water creates agapo, i.e. strange and lovely flooded forest.

Apr-Jun: Pantanal waters recede, migrants return, reptiles gather and caiman give birth.

Jul-Sep: Pantanal dry season; birds and reptiles concentrated in and around remaining pools.

Jun-Oct: Amazon water level drops; beaches exposes.

Oct-Dec: Pantanal rains return, waters rise and migrant birds prepare to depart; a good time to see predators.