Mato Grosso, Brazil:  The Pantanal, Chapada Dos Guimaraes, and Cristalino Jungle Lodge
  
July 22 - August 4, 2025

With its lush tropical forests, abundance of rivers and wetlands, tremendous diversity of flora and fauna, and outstanding birding and wildlife viewing, Mato Grosso, Brazil, is one of the world's finest wildlife viewing destinations.  We’ll enjoy one of nature’s greatest spectacles as we explore a roughly 500-mile long, north-south transect and travel through some of the richest habitats on Earth where almost 750 species of birds and over 200 species of mammals make their homes.

Our journey begins in the Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, where we'll have great opportunities to see hundreds of bird species, including hyacinth macaw, Toco toucan, Mato Grosso antbird, plumbeous and buff-necked ibis, Chaco chachalaca, chestnut-bellied guan, white-headed marsh-tyrant, yellow-chinned and Chotoy spinetails, Campo flicker, green-backed becard, Agami heron, five species of kingfisher, and pearly-vented tody-tyrant.  We may encounter mammals such as giant otter, capybara, marsh deer, crab-eating fox, South American coati, several primates, ocelot, and maybe even a giant anteater or jaguar.  On one day, we'll make special trip south to Porto Jofre for the increasingly popular and pretty much guaranteed jaguar viewing.  From the Pantanal, we’ll head to the southern Amazon and one of the greatest biological shows on Earth.  Almost 600 species of birds have been recorded near Cristalino Jungle Lodge, and among them we'll look for curl-crested aracari, spangled cotinga, harpy eagle, white-browed hawk, blue-cheeked, paradise, and bronzy jacamars, glossy antshrike, and range-restricted species such as bare-eyed antbird, Kawall's parrot, and black-girdled barbet.  We'll also have good opportunities to see mammals such as white-cheeked spider monkey, white-nosed saki monkey, Brazilian tapir, neotropical and giant otters, Azara's agouti, and southern tamandua.  We’ll travel the river, enjoy a great variety of trails and microhabitats, and marvel at the tropical world from atop the lodge's two canopy towers.  

Finally we’ll head to Chapada dos Guimaraes, a national park known for its dramatic sandstone escarpments, waterfalls, and unique cerrado habitat.  Here we’ll look for blue-winged and red-shouldered macaws, helmeted manakin, rufous-winged antshrike, green-winged saltator, saffron-billed sparrow, curl-crested jay, white-eared puffbird, rufous-sided pygmy-tyrant, white-rumped and white-banded tanagers, Chapada flycatcher, and many others.

Throughout the trip, we’ll enjoy the comforts of some of Brazil’s best nature lodges – Fazenda Santa Tereza, Pousada Piuval, Pousada do Parque and the incomparable Cristalino Jungle Lodge.  

Since 2004, when I first worked as a guide at the Cristalino Jungle Lodge, I've had the good fortune to have spent about two years in Mato Grosso exploring its diverse habitats, learning about its amazing biodiversity, and guiding dozens of nature enthusiasts on more than 20 trips.  In addition to having seen almost 700 bird species and over 50 mammal species in Mato Grosso, I've assembled a catalogue of hundreds of great natural history stories that give us a unique insight into what makes each habitat, and the plants and animals that occupy them, so special.  I can't wait to return to this spectacular place and share its wonders with many of you.

Detailed itinerary and references available upon request.

Harpy Eagle by Franck Ishoj 
Jaguar by Jonathan Morris

Last updated: September 02, 2024.