Pantanal and Iguazu Falls, Brazil in SEPT 2010

[gatoratlarge]

Just returned from a first trip to Brazil. A few friends travelling together looking for a little adventure and to take in this amazing country...we had a great time. Here's the itinerary:

 

Rio de Janeiro for 4 nights: Stayed at Ipanema Sol Best Western on the beach

Iguazu Falls for 3 nights: Cataratas Iguazu Falls Hotel

Northern Pantanal at a Fazenda near the Paraguay River for three nights and then 3 nights camping on the Paraguay River

Night in Sao Paulo

 

Maybe I should start with the Pantanal and work backwards since a lot of folks are interested in safaris...we chose a pretty adventurous route a little out of our comfort zone. We used Pantanal Ecoexplorers, Carlos is the owner. He has scouted some Fazendas that are not typically used for tourists in wildlife rich areas. We loved the place (Fazenda Santa Lucia) and the surrounding areas seemed rich in flora and fauna...

 

The camp we used was an old fish camp or shack along the Paraguay River...very basic...very simple, but clean. We had anticipated sleeping in tents out doors but there had been several jaguar incidents recently and so we pitched our tents inside this screened enclosure...tin roof, screens half way down with wood slats and then the lower half walled...

 

Tourism outside of game fishing seemed nearly non-existent...all we saw were the occasional house boat of Brazilian fisherman with smaller boats to go out and fish all day attached in the rear...

 

It was quite the adventure...the camp sat perched across an enormous rookery of wood storks...I'd estimate more than 1000 strong...roseate spoonbills sprinkled in along with a jabiru or two....these birds would make quite the racket in the setting sun but settled down after dark...bright and early they'd be clattering again...another wake up call would be the otherwordly call of howler monkeys...sounded more like the autobon than an animal call...

 

Our goal was to spot a jaguar and we were fortunate enough to do that in the Taiama Jaguar Reserve...a lone female prowling the shore. Usually they spot them under a shady tree looking for opportunity be it an unlucky capybara or a careless caiman. But there are long stretches of (for lack of a better word) tall green weeds...that's where we saw her...she didn't seem alarmed but she didn't stay long as she made a turn..and we watched the weeds shake and sway as she departed...very Jurassic Park! I was hoping for a Travelynn-like experience with jaguar-polooza but alas we'll take the one we saw....marvelous!!

 

We spotted a number of groups of Giant River Otters---one group of eight was particularly entertaining...when i saw two of these out of the water, it was almost shocking....they are HUGE! Capybaras were plentiful and fun to watch as well as hundreds if not thousands of caiman over the course of a week...For a birder (of which I am not) the Pantanal is a must...just simply incredible variety...large ostrich-like rheas, we saw a number of hyacinth macaws mostly squawking at each other like an old married couple...a scarlet and green macaw and yellow collared macaws...dozens of Toco Toucans, peach and blue fronted parrots, caracaras and king vultures (just one); and the amazing roseate spoonbills, huge jabirus and other secretary bird-type jobs as well as the small colorful ones like the yellow-billed cardinal....it seems to me only Africa compares but I'd say the Pantanal is the equal if not better with the abundant Toucans and macaws...

 

At the fazenda we saw a Giant anteater, many a crab-eating fox...and troops of coatis...an agouti...some black tailed marmosets, a few howlers and a coupe capuchins...the guide spotted a night monkey behind the fish camp but it lept off before we could get to it...we also spotted the freshwater stingrays I'd seen on Animal Planet...besides the caiman we saw a two meter anaconda...a first for the guides in these locations (they've only been operating trips here for a month or so)...a tapir had been coming for a drink around 2P each day at the lagoon at the fazenda but apparently changed its schedule upon our arrival...we also missed out on maned wolf and southern tamanduas, but you gotta save something for next time right?

 

Fishing-wise we couldn't get a line past the voracious pirahnas...one spot we saw several dorado hunting for food---a yellow green splash---and I did catch catfish but everything else had sharp razor-like teeth in the form of a pirahna...

 

Overall, we were taken care of very well out in the Wilds of the Pantanal...

 

Iguazu was stunning...the hotel is just an old colonial beauty---an Orient Express Hotel now...the President of Brazil was staying there at the time and they doubled the flow of the water...hope it didn't effect the nesting swifts! It is a privilege to stay long after the last tourist bus leaves the park since the hotel sits inside the park with a view of the falls...but it is expensive as hell...a bit annoying since they know they have a captive audience...The Argentina side is worth a full day and seemed to have the better jet boat ride....it gets you soaked at a couple different spots! Butterflies fill the Atlantic Rain Forest...toucans and plush crested jays...we also spotted a broad-nosed (snouted?) Caiman...dinner is also a bargain on the Argentina side...the exchange is much more favorable than in Brazil...

 

Rio was awesome...highly recommend the Scenarium in the Lapa District for great music and dance....a Sunday at Ipanema and Copacabana beaches is a scene! Took in a soccer game at Maracana which was also a treat...great trip...hope to get back and explore some more!

 

Will post my Iguazu pics later but here's my Pantanal pics for anyone that wants to see...

 

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharin...Photos-_-Sharee

[twaffle]

Thanks for the report … I know that there are many folks here who visit the Pantanal and will enjoy reading about your trip. And also the many of us who would like to visit!

[gatoratlarge]

I sort of forgot it was The African Safari Talk Forum : ) But I have seen a couple reports on the Pantanal as well---as close as it gets to Africa in South America

[Ellie]

Nice photos and report - this is our next trip I think, along with the Amazon. Love the birds!

[twaffle]

We like all wildlife safari type reports, South American, Antarctica, India etc. etc.

[Atravelynn]

Even a single jaguar can be considered a palooza. And you managed some photos. The first one took me a moment to find the jaguar. Similarly, you had a caiman shot that at first looked like just water hyacinths. Shows how well camouflaged the creatures are.

 

Did you take a few photos of a fisherman who lived along the river? A couple of them looked familiar. I don't remember the guy's name, though.

 

Your Giant River Otters were great. The capybara family running along the shore was adorable. Exciting to see the anaconda. That's nice you got to participate in and observe some ranching activities. That made for some good photos as well. You captured the piranha fishing very well.

 

I agree that the Pantanal compares well with Africa and even surpasses it for numerous colorful birds.

 

We may end up sending people who come here looking for Africa info to the Pantanal!

[gatoratlarge]

Thanks Lynn--it was an amazing time. I had hoped for longer jaguar viewing but am plenty glad I didn't get skunked! The whole experience was great---just another part of our world filled with interesting and beautiful creatures....Your pictures inspired me to bump it to the top of my travel list...have been to the Amazon but the wildlife here was easier to see and more varied I think...

[Ellie]

Lynn and gatoratlarge, I'm planning the pantanal possibly for 2012, and I'd love to read Lynn's report and see the pictures. Where would I find it? thanks,

[USAnimalfan]

We booked through Carlos also, but missed seeing any jaguars- my trip report is previously posted. It was nice being in a part of the Pantanal where cowboys were much more plentiful than tourists.

 

Is that an anaconda in your pictures? We missed that species as well!

[gatoratlarge]

it is an anaconda we spotted on the shore line of the Paraguay River---it's such a long boat ride down to the jaguar preserve that an ideal way according to Carlos and it makes a lot of sense is a houseboat tour...they can dock it much closer to the reserve so tehre's not as long of a commute to get there...but it's certainly possible to see jaguars anywhere along the banks of the river not just the preserve...folks spotted one on the opposite bank from our camp one morning but I didn't see it before it disappeared...

[pault]

Just canceled the Botswana trip and booked a flight to Brazil.....

 

Really nice to browse through your gallery - Capybaras and Giant Otters! Oh, joy! Good report too.

[twaffle]

The Pantanal has always sounded like a wonderful place to visit. Perhaps I'll cancel my next safari too.

[kittykat23uk]

You might like to read my TR for Pantanal too! We saw four jaguars on our trip:

 

http://www.kats-korner-uk.com/Brazil2.html

 

I also made a book:

 

Now availables as a Photo Safari Journal (digital scrapbook edition).

 

http://www.blurb.com/books/985127

 

I have pledged to donate £1.00 from every sale to Jaguar conservation.

 

Also if you want to skip the TR ad just look at te photos, there's my set on Flickr:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittykat23uk/...57622174180742/

 

All the best

 

Jo

Edited November 13, 2010 by Game Warden

[Ellie]

Thanks for posting this. Great photos!

[kittykat23uk]

Thanks! Glad you like it!

[Pangolin]

I don't want to be overly negative here, but I was once politely admonished for posting my own pics and discussing my own trip on somebody elses trip report.

 

I was told that a quick reference to my report elsewhere was more appropriate.

 

I'm not trying to be the trip report police here - I'm just sayin'

[Game Warden]

Yes, good point Pangolin. Trip reports for the original poster to post their photos please...

[kittykat23uk]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend just responding to Ellie's request for links to similar reports. Feel free to delete my post.

[gatoratlarge]

no offense taken : )

[gatoratlarge]

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creati...Photos-_-Sharee

 

Pics from Iguazu on the same trip...