SouthWild Camps Very friendly, obliging family run lodge. Basic Rooms, with frogs in the toilet! The electricity generator is on for limited hours (goes off at 9.30pm). Water is heated by solar panels so it’s a lukewarm shower. Large new soap provided which seems very wasteful. Very good food considering its remote position. Beer and soft drinks only. Great to sit and watch the birds at the feeder. Only Portugese spoken.

Itinerary

21 days, 9 flights

Wolf Camps and Pantanal with Brasilia, Iguazu

and Rio de Janeiro

26th Fly Heathrow to Guarulhos (Sao Paulo) BA0247  22.25 arr 06.20 (11hr 55min) Fly to Brasilia airport GOL airline  G31412 dep 10:00 arr 11:35 Brasilia (arrived 30 mins late) Tour of Brasilia city to visit the Cathedral, National Congress Palace, Foreign office, Court Palace of Justice, Itamaraty palace, the 224 m² flag, Os candangos, Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, Army headquarters, Army theatre and the Crystal park. Ibis Styles Brasilia Aeroporto hotel – 1 night (Airport hotel with transient guests. Standard fare hotel but poorly maintained. 25 mins to check in 8 people despite 4 staff on reception.) 27th Fly Brasilia to Barreiras   Passaredo airline H12724 dep 09:10 arr 10:35 4 hour drive 290km north Wildlife excursions in a wildlife reserve south of the Paranaíba Headwaters National Park. To see Maned wolf, nut cracking Bearded Capuchins, Hyacinth and Red & Green Macaws, burrowing owls, marmosets, woodpeckers, and tanagers and the rare, Helmeted Manakin SouthWild Wolf Valley Camp - 1 night SouthWild Wolf Cliffs Camp  - 1 night SouthWild Wolf Valley Camp - 2 nights

July

2nd 4 hour drive 290km south back to the airport Fly Barreiras to Brasilia   -  Passaredo H12723 dep 17:55 arr 19:25 (35 minutes late)  Very tight schedule!!! Fly Brasilia to Cuiaba - GOL G31716 dep 21:10 arr 21:55 (clocks 1 hour back)  (fortunately it was 20 mins late) (Flight delays caused great anxiety to us all as we eventually had less than 50 mins to disembark, collect our luggage, check into next flight, clear security and get to the boarding gate.) Hotel Slaviero Slim Aeroporto – 1 night (Basic airport hotel but good hot showers) 3rd 2 hour drive 100km south Wildlife excursions to see Giant anteater, Brazilian tapir, Paraguayan caimans, capybaras, marsh deer, Azara’s agouti, Brazilian cavy, common iguana, herons, ibis, hawks, eagles, jabiru storks, and several colourful birds Pouso Alegre Lodge (South Wild Pantanal Lodge) – 3 nights (More tourists than previous remote lodges but very basic room with no soap and no shampoo. Food overcooked with cold vegetables, which seems to be the standard for the camps. Toast is done in a sandwich maker and takes between 5 to 10 minutes.) 6th Wildlife excursions on rivers Cuiabá, Piquirí, and the Three Brothers to see jaguars, giant river otters, SouthWild Flotel – 4 nights 10th Wildlife excursions from the SouthWild Flotel then leave late afternoon to drive north. SouthWild Pantanal Lodge – 1 night 11th Fly Cuiaba to  Guarulho, Sao Paulo Flight AD2065   CGB – GRU    Dep 17.20  arr 20.50 Marriott Airport Hotel, Sao Paulo – 1 night 12th Fly Guarulhos – Foz de Iguazu  L3169 (LATAM) dep 08:30 arr 10:20 Belmond Das Cataratas, Deluxe Falls view room – 2 nights 13th Tour of the Bird Park, then into Paraguay to visit the Itaipu Dam and Salto del Monday. Back into Brazil to visit the Three Borders Landmark.    14th Trek & Boat ride on upper Iguazu  - Green trail, Upper trail and Lower trail Fly Foz de Iguazu – Rio de Janeiro G32076  IGU-GIG   Dep 1940   Arr 2135 Porto Bay Internatacional  - 2 nights (Great location with excellent breakfast. We had an excellent suite with a view over the Copacabana beach. It’s a tall, slim building with 2 lifts so a long wait.) 15th Guided city tour of Rio including Mount Corcovado for Christ the Redeemer statue, Metropolitan Cathedral, Municipal Theatre, Aquaduct, Coloured Steps (Selaron Steps), 1st Royal Palace, Placo XV, Old Cathedral, Cultural Centre, Future Museum, Olympic Boulevard, Sugar Loaf Mountain Dinner - Marius Degustare Restaurant 16th Rio Botanical Gardens Fly Rio de Janeiro to  Heathrow  BA0248  dep 21:50 arr 13.10 on Tues 17th  (11hr 20min) 17th Flight arrive Heathrow 13.10

© Nova Fisher, novatravels.net

Pantanal Flotel Very comfortable large rooms with 2 double beds. Annoyingly, they put the 4 red decorative cushions back on the beds every morning and binned our refillable plastic bottles. Very good food with unlimited supply of biscuits and snacks. Very helpful and friendly staff.

SouthWild Pantanal Basic, comfortable rooms, albeit a little dark. Very cold in the restaurant. Adequate standard of food with plentiful supply of biscuits and snacks. First lodge with a toaster!

All images © Nova Fisher, novatravels.net

Belmond Das Cataratas Excellent but pricey, as you would expect for the location inside the park and the quality. Our large deluxe room with a view of the falls was exceptional quality with lots of character. Very helpful staff. It’s great to walk around the falls after all the visitors have gone.

Marius Degustare Interesting and quirky restaurant. A buffet with an amazing selection and then the waiters walk around and offer you fresh fish and meat at your table. The restaurant is crammed full of antiques all over – walls, ceiling and tables. Excellent food and experience.