Pantanal Nature
Good for: wildlife, wildlife photography, wildlife and the Pantaneiros, eco-tourism, Jaguar
Not good for: General Tourists, people who are impatient, People afraid of nature, un-environmental people, party
- Address
- Rua Campo Grande 487
- Website
- Phone
- 065-3322 0203
Lonely Planet review for Pantanal Nature
A new agency run by Ailton Lara that has quickly built up a sterling reputation for its professional tours and expert guides. It also runs a Jaguar Camp near Porto Jofre with excellent success rates in seeing the animal in the dry season. The company has an office in Hotel Ramos.
Traveller reviews for Pantanal Nature (11)
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Ideal tour for experiencing Pantanal wildlife
SFDamore recommends this,
Touring the Pantanal should be at the top of everyone's "must-do" list when visiting Brazil. We went in January, during the wet season, when it was at its most lush and teeming with wildlife (including mosquitoes). If you're going for the first time and don't consider yourself the most intrepid of travelers, then you really should opt for a private tour. Fortunately, we chose a great one - Pantanal Nature. Our guide Ailton was fantastic. A native of the region, he knows the Pantanal like the back of his hand and with him you're guaranteed to see wildlife -- not only could he spot monkeys from what seemed like miles away, but he could also anticipate when and where certain animals would appear. He really went out of his way to make sure that in every excursion -- whether it be a river journey, horseback ride, or jungle hike -- that we'd see some animals. Ailton and the rest of the staff speak fluent English, which made planning a breeze and enabled us to get so much more out of the experience since we don't speak Portuguese. The accommodations in the Pantanal were also first-rate: clean, comfortable and excellent homemade local cuisine.
Good for: wildlife, eco-tourism
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Best Jaguar Tour
magda08 recommends this,
Ailton Lara is one of the most knowledgeable guides I have ever had. Our group watched jaguar for two days in addition to colorful birds, monkeys, ocelot, an anaconda, caiman, etc. Beautiful and rustic with some seriously good fish every night. I did my research on some other tours in the area and none other compared. Very Highly Recommended!!!
Good for: bird watching, ecotourism, wildlife photography, Jaguar
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Great expereince with Pantanal Nature,Thank you Aliton & Raq
praveensiddannavar recommends this,
I was on a business trip to Brazil during Sept'2011, I wasn't sureif I can make it to Pantanal. However I managed a couple of days off along with a weekend. I had spoken to plenty of tours operators and finally zeroed on Pantanal Nature. The service was excellent, location of the mobile tents was quite adventurous, excellent guides and the boatman. All these helped me have 5 great sightings of Jaguars at a close range in just 3 days. Spotting of other animals and photographing some exotic birds was icing on the cake. Finally during the last hour of my safari ride, despite being 100% satisfied I was amazed to see the enthusiasm in the boatman (I think he was Choda), he was still keen to look for more Jaguar's and finally he ended up spotting an Anaconda. This was a big bonus and extra-ordinary sight. All in all excellent and a professional tour company run by Aliton, however he needs to relook at the pricing and make it more competitive. Many thanks to all staff members of Pantanal Nature
Good for: adventuerous and photographers
Not good for: General Tourists
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The best wildlife viewing experience with the nicest people.
emilyrd recommends this,
Ailton Lara is an incredible person who runs an excellent operation. We have been fortunate to know him since 2009, when we first decided to visit the Pantanal on a guided trip with his company, Pantanal Nature. We chose Pantanal Nature out of the operators in the region because it was clear even over email that Ailton was enthusiastic, dedicated to wildlife conservation, and very knowledgeable...and our trip exceeded our expectations!
On our 2009 trip, we saw amazing wildlife with our guide, Juan-Paulo, including capybara, tamandua (small anteater), several deer species, crab-eating foxes, caiman, so many wonderful birds (including endangered hyacinth macaws), and best of all, a Brazilian tapir! This was in the rainy season, so don’t be discouraged from traveling then—the bird life is particularly abundant when it’s wetter, and the scenery was lush and beautiful.
In June 2011, we returned in search of jaguars with Pantanal Nature's special “jaguar encounter” trip. For the first few days, we spent time hiking, boating, and horseback riding with our guide along the Transpantaneira at the Rio Claro lodge. On our way in, our driver spotted a tapir in broad daylight—tapir are our favorite mammals, so it was a fantastic treat to get such a good look at one. They’re also incredibly elusive in most of their remaining habitat; the Pantanal is one of the best places in the world to see them, which is actually how we’d originally decided to visit in 2009.
From the Rio Claro lodge, we continued to the end of the Transpantaneira to Porto Jofre, where we met up with Ailton. It was such a pleasure to see Ailton again, and our tour with him was unforgettable. The trip more than lived up to its name—we saw not one, but 5 jaguars while cruising along the rivers in a comfortable boat. With Ailton’s expert spotting help, we were able to observe a young male jaguar several times throughout our trip as he rested in the shade in various spots along the river—Ailton could tell it was the same individual from his pattern. We also had the remarkable experience of coming upon a pair of breeding jaguars—in action. From our boat, Ailton was able to keep us at a distance that respected the jaguars’ privacy while providing a great view of their interactions. And at dusk one evening, we found another jaguar with an injured eye. We hoped that he was doing well enough; there was the scent of a dead animal in the area, so perhaps he still managed to hunt. Only Mike and Ailton saw the fifth jaguar, with a brief glimpse before it disappeared.
For the jaguar encounter trip, definitely allow at least 4 days (5 nights), preferably more for increased chances of jaguar viewing. We’d also recommend a few days along the Transpantaneira, which has a different habitat from Porto Jofre and more opportunities for hiking, for those who enjoy it.
During our trip, we saw an incredible diversity of wildlife: endangered, hilarious giant river otters, hundreds of caiman and capybra, tamandua, deer, and numerous species of birds. On our return to Cuiaba, we were stunned to see an ocelot run across the road in front of us; we’d wanted to see one for years!
There was just one more animal we'd been craving a glimpse of, but it seemed like too much to hope for, given its rarity in this part of the Pantanal. We stopped at dusk by a field for some landscape photos. A few local people were passing, and we heard them say two magic words to our driver: "tamandua bandera." Lo and behold, there it was: the giant anteater.
How does such a creature exist? We are so very glad it does, and we hope that enough people will recognize the value of keeping these strange, beautiful creatures, and the jaguars, capybara, and the Pantanal itself, to commit to keeping them as a part of our world. Thank goodness for people like Ailton Lara, his wife, and the people he employs, who are dedicated to showing visitors the wildlife and scenery of the region—and underscoring the importance of preserving the animals and their habitats.
Photos of our trip are at www.andtherainforest.blogspot.com.
Good for: Birdwatching, responsible tourism, Amazing Wildlife, wildlife photography, bird watchers paradise, wildlife and the Pantaneiros, meeting friendly people, conservation in action
Not good for: people who are impatient, People afraid of nature, un-environmental people
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Amazing experience!
jesseseidman recommends this,
Wonderful tour with Ailton in the Pantanal! He is professional, very knowledgeable & fun to hang out with! We toured for a few days & could have spent more time appreciating the wild, rustic & lush scenery of the Panatal. We would recommend his services to anyone thinking of touring in this area.
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The best experience in my life!!!!!!!
jhaycox recommends this,
This place is awesome! I went down there and spent about a week there. I went there thinking that I was going to see some cool wildlife and just relax in a hammock. While I got to do this, I got to do so much more! While I was down there I ending up having some health problems. I had the worst stomach pain of my life, and honestly thought it was the end of me! Ailton and his staff helped me through the pain and took me to a local hospital. This is something they absolutely did not have to do. They took their job to the next level. They took me to the hospital, waited there with me, and brought me all the way back to camp. The doctors had no idea what was wrong with me, but the pain subsided and I got to be on a special diet for the rest of the trip. Ailton and his staffed pulled through once again, and made me some of the best food I have ever eaten. They were very caring and understanding of what I was going through. I will go back, and I will recommend to anyone out there to go to this place. It is honestly the best trip I have ever been on. You will have a wonderful time if you come here, and you will more than likely make some lifetime friends. THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO FOR AN ADVENTURE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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A once-in-a-lifetime experience!
ashuttleworth recommends this,
I participated in the Jaguar Encounter tour and wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. I did a lot of research before choosing this company as I wanted to be sure they were ethical in their approach to wildlife and the ecosystem. Though the tour was quite pricy, the experience was unforgettable and my expectations were met and exceeded. Everyone on staff from the kitchen crew to the 'motorista' and the guide are local 'pantaneiros' and do everything to make you feel welcome. In my small group we managed to see a number of jaguars (including a mother with two cubs) and plethora of other mammals, birds and reptiles. The true beauty of the Pantanal is getting out on the water and we spent all-day, every day on the boat. Don't go on this tour if you want five-star facilities or if you want to trample all over the habitat and 'get close' to a jaguar. Do it if you want a chance to be among the benevolent people and the magical wildlife of the Pantanal, without leaving behind a huge footprint. Unforgettable, highly recommended!
Good for: ecofriendly, birding, wildlife photography
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Pantanal Nature Tours are the best!
danishi recommends this,
We went to Pantanal in August 2011 on a 4-day trip. Our guide was Ailton from Pantanal Nature and we had an amazing experience. In fact, we regret not spending more time there. We did the Jaguar Encounter Tour. Ailton is not only friendly and knowledgeable, but he also speaks English very well. A great example of his dedication, competence and perseverance is the fact that his English is all self-taught; this is quite remarkable for a guy who was born on a local cattle ranch.
Most importantly, Ailton and his wife, Vera, are determined to educate both, tourists and local people about environmental preservation. At Pantanal Nature they truly respect and preserve nature, which was a very important aspect for us. The facilities are pretty good, we enjoyed a private bathroom with hot shower; but always remember this is a campsite and not a 5-star hotel. If you’re looking for all amenities that a fancy hotel provides this is definitely not the place you should consider visiting. On the other hand this is the beauty, (north) Pantanal is still a remote area where you can witness wild nature.
The ‘Jaguar Encounter’ tour was fantastic! We went out on a boat tour for two days (you spend more than 6h driving from Cuiaba to Porto Jofre) and were fortunate enough to see a majestic male Jaguar on day 1! Even better, Mr. Jaguar decided to put up a show, posed and gave us all great opportunities for photos and videos. Even if we had not seen a Jaguar, it would’ve been worth it. We saw a group of Giant Otters playing with each other and eating several times. There is an abundance and great variety of birds and were able to capture them fishing and chasing each other. Capybaras and caymans are absolutely everywhere. And the drive on the (largely unpaved) Transpantaneira from and to Cuiaba offers several opportunities to see (and photograph) birds, deer, capybaras, caymans and other animals (we saw two Giant Otters crossing the road at noon!). Every penny was well spent!
If you are flexible, visit Pantanal in the dry season and try to make the drive from and to Cuiaba in the evening, at night or very early morning (we heard that during these times you may be able to spot other animals including Puma, ocelot and jaguar). We made it in the middle of the day, when it was really hot (>35oC) and yet saw plenty of wild life.
It is important to note that the number of tourists is increasing exponentially every year and there is zero control by the local and/or federal governments. Some hotels are exploring this region in a predatory way with large boats featuring big engines. Increased traffic and noise destroys the fragile riverbanks and the animals are relocating due to the noise of the boats and diesel smell. So, if you care about environmental preservation take a very careful look at the hotels and travel agencies, many claim they protect the environment and respect the animals, but this may not be true. We can testify that Pantanal Nature is an honest, most respectable and great enterprise. We would recommend it with no hesitation! We may even go back to spend more time in Pantanal.Good for: Photography, wildlife, ecoturism
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Pure joy
janeclaxton recommends this,
My experience with Pantanal Nature
Pure joy, from arrivals at Cuiaba airport all the way to Porto Jofre and beyond. Ailton Lara, a local man and his team of locals invite you to discover the Pantanal. In a friendly, caring, seemingly effortless manner you are professionally guided to become aware of the sights and sounds of nature in abundance. Pantanal Nature has its own tented jaguar camp at Porto Jofre which is low impact and sustainable for the Pantaneiros (the locals). The farms or lodges that are used are chosen on these principles as well as for their facilities and base for wild-life watching. Being in the company of the local people affords appreciation of them and their customs. My senses were so overwhelmed after my first journey to the Pantanal with Pantanal Nature that I returned twice to experience two more seasons with them and all in less than a year! Each trip just got better and better and I still have one more season to go.
Jane Claxton, Chantilly, FranceGood for: nature, wildlife and the Pantaneiros
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Great nature experience
exitingtravel recommends this,
I came to Brazil in November 2011 to participate in an expedition counting endangered animals in wildlife corridors for a science project in the north in Mato Grosso. After that I wanted to visit the famous Pantanal, which I had seen in a documentation on TV in Germany before. When I arrived in Brazil I had no idea how to get there exactly and how to get around there. All I knew was that it is not easy to access the Pantanal and that no public transportation is going there. Then I met a Biologist who is involved in cat conservation and she knew about Pantanal Nature and the guide Ailton located in Cuiaba . So we made an arragement with Ailton by e-mail and were happy that we could start the tour in the following week.
We were picked up at the airport in Cuiaba by Ailton which made it easy to start in a unknown town. After a night in a hotel we started in the morning packing the 4wheel drive car with food, equipment and fuel for the boats and the car for the next days . On the way to the camping site we learned many facts and issues concerning the pantanal from Ailton. During the adventurous ride over many wooden bridges we already saw different birds, marsh deers, capybaras and many caimans.
Finally we arrived at the camping site with lovley and comfortable tents to stay in. They even had electricity and a bathroom inside.
Some of the local people cooked delicous food for us. We started early in the morning on the boat to look out for animals. Cruising on the rivers we felt like the only human beeings on the planet, what a wonderful experience.
First we met cabybaras and caimans at the river banks. The rest of the gallery forest looked just like a huge green area to me. But Ailton and his native colleague found all the amazing animals, such as giant otters playing and hunting in the river, well camounflaged iguanas and wild bees.
Then we saw the first jaguars (a couple) about 20 meters away under a tree. It was so exiting, my heart was beating. The jaguars watched us and we watched them. What did they think about human beeings in their territory? W e watched this couple and their behaviour the whole day, even having a picnick in the boat in front of them. I learned a lot about jaguars from Ailton. For example : Do you know why jaguars do not miaow like their domestic relatives at our homes do?
One night, when we had dinner, the kitchen staff saw an armadillo walking aroud the camp site. What amazing night active animal. Looking for insects in the light it came very close to us.
We also had a kind of funny and exiting, close encounter with a school of fish in the river. You have to go there and find out what unexpected things can happen. Maybe you are as lucky as I was. I have never been on such an excl usive wildlife tour and can recommend it to everybody who is deeply interested in wild animals and appreciates the value of the unique ecosystem of the pantanal. After this experience I will inensify my efforts in wild animal conservation.
Conny, Germany
Good for: wildlife
Not good for: party
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If ecotourism is your thing, you cannot go wrong on this one
tresirmaos recommends this,
I recently visited Brazil for a conference and decided to prolong my stay in order to see some of Brazil's natural wonders. Having spent an early part of my childhood in Africa with frequent visits to places such as the Chobe and the Moremi and other parts of the Okavango wetlands, it certainly takes a lot to impress me.
Nonetheless, the five days I spent with Pantanal Nature cruising up and down the rivers in search of that elusive feline, the jaguar, ranks among the best wildlife experiences I've ever had. Fortunately hunting jaguars is illegal in most countries in South America, but this experience is somewhat reminiscent of a hunt - a hunt where you photograph your quarry once it is found. Pantanal Nature operates two, sometimes more, boats when searching for jaguars, and the boatmen communicate via VHF radio, also with boats from nearby lodges. Typically one gets up early in the morning and spends the entire day searching for the cats. There is the disappointment whenever a reported cat walks off into the bushes before you arrive, and sometimes the cats are simply difficult to find even though the whole day is spent searching. But the excitement when one is finally spotted is definitely worth the patience invested!
And the cruising up and down these beautiful stretches of river at relatively high speed is in itself a highly rewarding experience. There is much other wildlife to be seen while looking for the jaguar, and the birds found along the river are just incredible. Howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, capybara and caimans, for instance, are easy to spot.
I was extremely fortunate to have Ailton Lara, the owner, as my guide. Having grown up in the Pantanal he has exceptional knowledge of the region and its fauna and he is also involved with Panthera Corporation, i.e., in reporting and documenting each jaguar sighting he makes when out with tourists. Importantly, he speaks excellent english and knows the names of many of the animals in several languages, including the taxonomical classifications. And with guides like this, your chances of seeing the jaguar are excellent.
I arrived at the end of the season, in mid-november, which is not the best time to see the jaguars. One reason is the heat, which compels the cats to seek shade rather than a lookout on the edge of the river bank, another reason is the vegetation which is quite dense along the rivers at this time. Nonetheless, I got to see three jaguars during my five days' stay! Pantanal Nature, wisely I should say, does not provide a 100% guarantee that you will see the jaguar, but your chances could not be better with guides like these. The statistic, I believe, for the past two years is very near 100%. But those are my words.
At about noon, Labon, the other boatman will come along with the lunch, also top notch (!), and an hour or so is spent in the shade under some big trees resting a bit and enjoying the food.
All the food during my stay, and more water than you need (in cooling bags with ice on the boat) is included in the price. Beers and soft drinks are extra. During my 16 days stay in Brazil (Natal, Cuiaba and Jaguar Camp) the consistently best food I had the pleasure to enjoy was served by Carlos at Pantanal Nature's Jaguar Camp. The restaurant is a far cry from the luxury you would find in a city, but enjoying such excellent food to the sounds of the frogs and the cicadas is definitely something I enjoyed!
In deciding on Pantanal Nature I was initially apprehensive about trustworthiness and so forth, but my experience has been top notch all the way. Raquelle was there to pick me up at the airport as agreed, and the trip from/to Cuiaba to Jaguar Camp was in itself quite enjoyable with swamp deer, paca, rhea and other wildlife seen along the way. Upon leaving Cuiaba, Ailtons wife Vera drove me to the airport and even helped me at the check-in, since few people speak english in Brazil!
Well, this ended up being a lengthy review. But in the decision making stages of my own planning other peoples reviews were very important to me.
Bjorn,
NorwayGood for: adventure, Wildlife Viewing
