1

Hi,

Campo Grande is the "gold standard" of the three you mention, no doubt about it. Cuiabá is slightly better for access to the deeper Pantanal, where genuine budget options are limited however. Finally Corumbá is really at the bottom of the pile these days - I passed through from Bolivia and eventually booked a 3 day stay at a pousada which usually collects its passengers from Campo Grande. Check out Pousada Santa Clara - it is very much a budget option but is great value for the price. Good wildlife (not deepest Pantanal admittedly but that comes at considerable cost), comfortable accommodation and great food. They have a website which is easy to find. Booking online is easy as anything.

Some photos of the pousada and wildlife/landscape are on my blog at

www.mytb.org/will-and-alex

Under the "There's something about Brazil' entry. Enjoy the Pantanal - and don't miss Bonito if you have time...

2

Campo Grande is definitely the place to go, if money is a concern. Corumba is mostly for people entering from the Bolivia side (highly recommended, if you can), and Cuiaba offers access to the more remote north Pantanal, but the lodges there are definitely not for budget travellers.

You should definitely go; the wildlife viewing is far superior to any other place in SA.

3

I was in Pousada Santa Clara too and thought it was absolute heaven on earth. You can book it from the busstation on arriving at Campo Grande, Pantanal Santa Clara. Or Pantanal trekking... not sure. But you will find them at the busstation. If you let them know in advance you are coming they will pick you up from either the busstation or the airport.

4

Thanks for the replies!
If you go to one of the pousadas, how does it normally work? Do you pay for the stay and the activities together? Or do you just pay for the stay and are the activities done through somebody else?

Greetings

5

I can only speak for the one I went to. (See earlier post, you can google them as well for more information).

You can go to their agency at the busterminal. You book it as a package. Since there is not much competition when you are in the Pantanal itself. Everything is taken care off from the pousada. So the package includes the accommodation and activities.

Also the transportation to the pousada, they will take you there. Which is about 4 hours driving in a car, after that switch to an overlandtruck 4x4 and drive for about another hour or so. It is difficult to get there on your own. Not like there is a bus going there. Take the Pantanal tour, you won't regret it!

6

Cuiaba is so close to the Pantanal (an hour) and the wildlife viewing is fantastic. If you are a serious wildlife enthusiast, the choice is simple: go to the north Pantanal.

7

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Edited by: saopedro