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The world's largest wetland · Brazil

Pantanal

The greatest wildlife show in South America — the vast Pantanal wetland, where jaguars, giant otters, capybaras and hyacinth macaws gather in astonishing numbers.

Getting there

By air to Cuiabá, the gateway, then south on the Transpantaneira into the wetland

Best for

Jaguars, giant otters, capybaras, caiman, hyacinth macaws, the world's best big-wildlife wetland

The land

The world's largest tropical wetland, on the western edge of Brazil

Good to know

The Pantanal offers the best chance on earth of seeing a wild jaguar

What it is

The Pantanal is the world's largest wetland — the greatest wildlife spectacle in South America, where jaguars, giant otters and hyacinth macaws gather in extraordinary numbers.

Far better than the Amazon for wildlife viewing, the Pantanal is the world's biggest tropical wetland — a vast mosaic of flooded grassland, rivers and gallery forest on Brazil's western edge. Reached by air via Cuiabá and the raised Transpantaneira road, it offers the best chance on earth of seeing a wild jaguar, alongside giant otters, capybaras, caiman, giant anteaters, hyacinth macaws and a staggering wealth of birds.

PhotoPantanal — the world's largest wetland.

The reason to come

The greatest wetland

The Pantanal is the finest big-wildlife destination in South America.

Wild jaguars

The best place on earth to see jaguars, from the river boat safaris.

Open-country wildlife

Giant otters, capybaras, anteaters, caiman and hyacinth macaws.

The Transpantaneira

The legendary raised road into the heart of the wetland.

Worth knowing

The best place for jaguars

The Pantanal offers the highest chance anywhere on earth of seeing a wild jaguar — the great draw of this immense wetland.

PhotoA jaguar on a Pantanal riverbank.

When to come — honestly

A dry-season wildlife wetland.

May – October

Best

The dry season — peak jaguar viewing and the best wildlife access.

July – September

Best

Prime jaguar season on the Cuiabá river.

November – March

Good

The wet season, when the Pantanal floods and the birds abound.

The famous jaguar viewing peaks in the dry season (roughly May–October); much of the Pantanal floods in the wet season, when access changes.

Context

The great wetland

The Pantanal is South America's premier big-wildlife destination, reached via the Cuiabá gateway and the Transpantaneira road.

It is the heart of every Brazil wildlife itinerary.

We base the Pantanal via Cuiabá and the Transpantaneira, working the rivers for jaguars and the open wetland for its wildlife.

Beyond the obvious

More to Pantanal.

PhotoJaguar safaris

Jaguar safaris

By boat on the rivers.

PhotoThe wildlife road

The wildlife road

The Transpantaneira.

PhotoOpen wetland

Open wetland

Otters, macaws and capybaras.

Why Wild Voyager

We get you the jaguars and the endemics.

From Porto Jofre's jaguars to the Atlantic Forest's endemics, we time and base your trip around the wildlife that matters, with the specialists who find it.

Handpicked lodges

We choose the lodge and guides that fit your goals, not whatever is left.

We time it right

We build your visit around the season and the wildlife that delivers.

Journeys

Trips through Pantanal

8 Days · 7 Nights

Ultimate Brazil Wildlife

Where to stay

Where you’ll stay in Pantanal

Classic Collection

PhotoDeville Prime Cuiabá

Classic

Deville Prime Cuiabá

A comfortable business hotel in Cuiabá, the Pantanal gateway, for arrival and departure.

Wildlife you may see

Birds Jaguar

Plan your Pantanal trip.

Explore the Pantanal for jaguars and giant otters. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around it.

Plan a Pantanal trip

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season