Spreading across the Mato Grosso and southern Mato Grosso, as well as parts of Bolivia and Paraguay, Brazil’s Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland. As well as being a unique ecosystem, possibly one of the richest on the planet, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. If you’re passionate about the idea of getting lost in the wildest Brazil, read on to find out what things to do in Pantanal Brazil.
As you may know, Passporter helps you create your travel itineraries quickly and easily. You can also draw inspiration from the experiences of other travellers and choose the places that interest you most and add them to your route.
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Things to do and see in the Pantanal in Brazil
Immersed in central Brazil is the vast Pantanal, a must-see spot on your route through the country. In this ecosystem, we can enjoy admiring the diverse flora of the place. Sleep in one of the farms that decorate the landscape of the wetland. Or even walk the canals in search of unique specimens in the world.
Whether you’re arriving from Cuiabá or Campo Grande, here’s a list of things to do in the Pantanal. Note that these two areas do not connect with each other. So you’ll need to decide which area you’re coming from when planning your trip.
There is not as marked a difference between the two areas today as there used to be, although the Poconé and Porto Jofre areas, which are accessed via Cuiabá, are a little more tourist-friendly and allow you to get quite deep into the Pantanal.
As for prices, the most complete four-day tours are usually around €600 and 800 for two or three people (the price decreases as the group gets bigger). Usually it includes the different activities in the Pantanal mentioned below.
If you want to arrive with everything prepared, you can find several options to book online before your arrival.
There are cheaper options, depending on the number of days and the activities you want to do on your visit.
Watch animals on your tour to the Pantanal
Ocelots, caimans, exotic birds and more. The number of animals that inhabit the Pantanal is enormous and leaves no one indifferent. There is such a diversity of species that you’re unlikely to see most of them on your trip. But the experience is well worth it.
We believe that the best way (and one of the few ways) to enjoy this wildlife is with the company of a tour guide from one of the various agencies in the Pantanal.
As explained above, tours can be booked directly in the Pantanal or also from the capitals of Cuiabá and Campo Grande.
Whether you enter from the north or the south, the Pantanal is not particularly high in vegetation, leaving the species that inhabit the alluvial plains of this ecosystem on view.
Enjoy boat ride
One of the activities you can enjoy in both parts of the Pantanal in Brazil is a boat ride. Most tours include this among their activities. It’s a great way to spot animals and enjoy the unique scenery of the area.
Piranhas are the stars of the river, as well as being a delight for many. And caiman abound on the boat ride through the various canals.
Throughout the trip you’ll also see different types of birds (there are more than 600 exotic birds in the area). If you make the trip at sunset, watching the light fall over the Pantanal is an unforgettable experience.
Tour the Pantanal on horseback
Horseback riding is part of life in the Pantanal, and it’s no coincidence.
On the back of these animals, you can reach areas otherwise inaccessible and witness life in the wetland in a totally different way.
It’s another option to enjoy the experience in the area. Allow you to relax as you walk along the Transpantaneira. But if you’re not used to it, be prepared for some post-ride aches and pains.
Night Safari in the Pantanal
Some of the animals that inhabit Pantanal are nocturnal. So a short night dive in the area will allow us to see unique specimens.
This way of getting into the ecosystem seems like a great idea. Especially if you want to see animals such as anacondas, deer, capybaras and even the elusive jaguar.
Flashlight in hand and accompanied by an expert, this experience under the starry sky is a must-do of the trip.
Rest in a pousada in the Pantanal
The pousadas, faziendas or haciendas are the quintessential resting place in Pantanal. These are adapted to tourism and are generally run by the different agencies in the area.
These constructions are in the middle of the paradise offered by the plains, surrounded by nature and rivers populated by animals.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What things to do around Pantanal in Brazil
It’s not all Pantanal in Brazil and in case you have more time to visit the surrounding area, we’ve put together some recommendations below.
Chapada dos Guimaraes
If we travel to Cuiabá to visit the Pantanal in Brazil, one of the visits we can’t miss on our journey is the Chapada dos Guimaraes national park.
This enclave decorated by cliffs and waterfalls is only an hour from Cuiabá, so it’s highly recommended to dedicate a day to visit, as the views are breathtaking and it’s a place that invites you to enjoy nature at its best in peace and quiet.
Bonito
If, on the other hand, you are near Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul, a visit to Bonito is an essential stop on any trip to the area.
The Bonito area offers many options for enjoying nature and is about four hours from Campo Grande by road, although it can also be reached by plane from cities such as Sao Paulo.
Bonito lives up to its name and you can enjoy its crystalline water caves, as well as walks where you can admire cliffs and waterfalls. If you also enjoy water activities and the wildlife that inhabits these parts, it is very common to snorkel in the area.
What to do in Pantanal in 3 days
First Day
- Route to Porto Jofre by the Transpantaneira
Second day
- Walk around the hacienda
- River boat ride
Third day
- Horseback riding in the Pantanal
- Night safari
Where to stay on your trip
Accommodation in Pantanal will depend on your preferences in terms of days and the activities you would like to do during your stay.
Generally, unless your visit is particularly short, we recommend staying in one of the pousadas, where you can rest and refresh yourself after the intense days of your trip.
Prices depend on the season and whether you’ve booked an activity package that includes accommodation or other amenities. From May onwards, you can find average prices of €600 for four nights (for two people) in places like Poconé, though as always, there are more affordable options and more luxurious ones.
Where to Eat in the Pantanal
Habitually, if you are staying at one of the pousadas or hotels in the Pantanal, you will eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there when you are not enjoying the nature activities.
Many of the accommodation options include the entire stay, so you don’t have to worry about meals.
Brazilian cuisine abounds with rodizio-style grilled meats, roasts and the famous feijoadas.
The closest restaurants, excluding Pantanal lodges, are in Cuiabé, Campo Grande or Poconé.
In tiny Poconé you can find the Churrascaria Tradicao, where you can enjoy Brazilian-style meat at an average price of R$90.
Other good and more affordable options are the Versao Brasileira restaurant and the Tropeiro Grill.
How to get to the Pantanal in Brazil
We recommend that you choose which area of Pantanal you want to visit beforehand. If you want to visit the northern part of the Pantanal, it is best to fly to Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso. If you want to visit the southern part of the Pantanal, the easiest way is from Campo Grande, the capital of southern Mato Grosso.
For both options, if you’re travelling from Spain, there are flights from different cities such as Madrid or Barcelona that usually have between one and two stopovers. One of the obligatory stopovers is in São Paulo, from where you’ll fly for two and a half hours to Cuiabá or two hours to Campo Grande, depending on your destination.
Once you arrive in either city, you have a number of options. One interesting option is to hire a car there and make the journey yourself. It’s a recommended experience if you want to enjoy more autonomy on your journey. It takes around four hours to get there.
But there are more convenient options, such as hiring an organised trip from one of the agencies you’ll find in Cuiabá or Campo Grande. You can hire only the trip to the Pantanal and then move around at your leisure, or use the activity packs offered by the different agencies.
Tips about your trip to the Pantanal
- Be aware of the time of year you travel: between December and May, the Pantanal is largely flooded by the rainy season and mosquitoes are more prevalent as a result, which can be quite a nuisance.
- Remember that, as mentioned, there are two zones in the Pantanal in Brazil and they don’t connect with each other easily. The northern zone is accessible from Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso, while to reach the southern zone, you will have to travel to Campo Grande, the capital of Southern Mato Grosso. It’s important to bear this in mind when choosing your flight.
- The Pantanal is a protected area, so access is limited to tourists without reservations at accommodation in the area. In addition, the Transpantaneira is closed at night.
- Protect yourself adequately from the sun and mosquitoes.
- It is advisable to get a SIM card to keep you connected during your trip.
- Find out in advance about any vaccinations you may need to travel.
- Remember to exchange your money in advance or use cards with lower fees.
How to organise what to see in Pantanal?
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.
- Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the stops that interest you most, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post)
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates according to your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the modifications you need, and you’ll be all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you visited on your trip to the app and recommend to other travellers what to see in Pantanal, Brazil.
If you have any doubts about how to do it, you can check our post: How to create a travel itinerary in Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about your trip to the Pantanal in Brazil
It is highly recommended, among other things because of the possible medical expenses that could be incurred in an emergency.
It is not essential, but sometimes the yellow fever and hepatitis A vaccines, among others, are recommended. It is advisable to consult a specialist.
The Pantanal is a protected area, so access is limited and if you are travelling on your own, you need to have booked accommodation to gain access. Booking a tour with an agency makes it easier to stay and move around the Pantanal.
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