Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, central-west Brazil · Brazil
The largest tropical wetland on earth: a vast, open floodplain of rivers, lagoons and ranches, where jaguars, giant otters, caimans and hyacinth macaws are easy to see.
Photo: Giles Laurent · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland, a floodplain of about 150,000 square kilometres at the heart of South America, mostly in Brazil, and stretching into Bolivia and Paraguay. Each year, the rivers that drain the surrounding highlands overflow and cover much of the plain, and then recede, creating a mosaic of lagoons, forest islands and grassland. UNESCO listed parts of the Pantanal as a World Heritage Site in 2000.
Its wildlife is astonishing, and much easier to see than in the Amazon because the landscape is open. The Pantanal holds the world's densest population of jaguars, particularly around Porto Jofre in the north, where boats regularly find them on the riverbank, as well as giant otters, capybaras, tapirs, anacondas, huge numbers of yacaré caiman and more than 650 species of bird, including the jabiru stork, the symbol of the region, and the hyacinth macaw, the world's largest parrot.
Most visitors stay at fazendas, working cattle ranches that have converted part of their land to lodges, or at simple pousadas along the Transpantaneira, a dirt road with more than 100 wooden bridges. Fires in 2020 and later damaged large areas, and the landscape is fragile, but wildlife is still abundant, and tourism helps to support conservation.
Why visit
The Pantanal is the best place in the Americas to see large wildlife easily, and the best place in the world to see wild jaguars.
Boat trips at Porto Jofre offer some of the highest chances of seeing jaguars anywhere.
Caimans, capybaras, giant otters, tapirs and hundreds of birds are visible from vehicles and boats.
Stay on a fazenda and see pantaneiro cowboys at work.
Wide horizons, sunsets and few other visitors.
Tourism has helped protect wildlife and support local communities.
Main attractions
The Pantanal has two main areas, the north around Cuiabá and the south around Campo Grande, each with different styles of visit.
The centre of jaguar tourism in the north Pantanal, at the end of the Transpantaneira road, where boats travel the rivers and lagoons looking for the big cats.
Tip Book several boat outings to improve your chances.
A 145-km dirt road from Poconé to Porto Jofre, crossing about 120 wooden bridges, with caimans and birds visible from the road.
Tip Go slowly, and stop often.
Thousands of yacaré caimans sunbathe on riverbanks and in shallow lagoons, and capybaras graze in groups.
Tip Keep a safe distance.
The world's largest flying parrot, an intense cobalt blue, is often seen in palm groves and on ranches.
Tip Listen for their loud calls.
Toco toucans, jabiru storks, roseate spoonbills, kingfishers and hundreds of other species live here.
Tip Bring binoculars.
A town in the south, with crystal-clear rivers, caves and snorkelling, often combined with the Pantanal.
Tip Book snorkelling trips in advance.
Things to do
Most activities are guided, with boat, vehicle and horseback safaris.
Small boats travel the rivers at dawn and dusk, when jaguars are most active.
Tip Book from July to October.
Open vehicles travel dirt roads through ranch land, spotting wildlife.
Tip Go early or late.
Horseback trips with pantaneiro cowboys are a traditional way to explore.
Tip Choose a suitable horse.
Spot owls, tapirs, ocelots and caiman by torchlight.
Tip Bring warm layers.
Ranch lodges have towers and hides for birdwatching.
Tip Go at sunrise.
A traditional activity from the riverbank.
Tip Release what you do not eat.
Local food
Pantaneiro food is ranch food: beef, river fish, rice and manioc, cooked simply.
River fish, grilled or stewed.
Where to try it Ranch lodges.
Sun-dried beef, stewed with manioc.
Where to try it Pantaneiro restaurants.
A one-pot dish of rice and dried beef, cooked by cowboys.
Where to try it Ranches.
Cold yerba mate, drunk from a shared cup.
Where to try it Everywhere.
Fresh fruit from the ranch gardens.
Where to try it Lodges.
Accommodation
Stay in ranch lodges (fazendas and pousadas), often with all meals and activities included.
Transport
The Pantanal is in the centre of South America, and lodges arrange transfers.
Movement is by 4WD, boat and on horseback, usually arranged by the lodge.
When to go
The Pantanal has a wet season from November to March, when it floods, and a dry season from May to October, when animals gather around water.
Wildlife is concentrated and easy to see, with mild days.
Very hot, with jaguar activity at a peak but fire risk.
Rain, floods and mosquitoes, but green landscapes and birds.
The waters recede, with good birding.
Worth planning around: The peak of the wet season, when many roads are impassable, and severe fire periods.
Itinerary
Wildlife by road, river and horse.
Head south.
Wildlife by road.
Jaguar country.
On the river.
Back to Cuiabá.
Travel tips
A few tips help you make the most of the Pantanal.
FAQ
Four to five days, with several boat trips for jaguars.
Not guaranteed, but sightings at Porto Jofre are frequent in the dry season.
June to October.
For seeing large animals, yes, because the landscape is open. The Amazon is better for forest ecosystems and river life.
Yellow fever vaccination is recommended. Check with a travel clinic.
The north for jaguars and the Transpantaneira, and the south for ranch stays and Bonito.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with the Pantanal, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Amazonas State, northern Brazil, Brazil
Manaus and the Rio Negro: the Meeting of the Waters, jungle lodges, the Anavilhanas archipelago, pink river dolphins, giant water lilies and the Teatro Amazonas.
Don't miss Gliding by canoe through flooded forest at dawn, with monkeys calling and the river black as coffee.
Explore Destination — The Amazon and ManausParaná, on the border with Argentina, Brazil
One of the world's great waterfalls: a UNESCO-listed complex of cascades on the Iguazu River, seen from panoramic Brazilian walkways and the closer, more varied Argentine trails.
Don't miss Standing on the platform above the Devil's Throat, wrapped in mist and rainbows as the river plunges into the abyss.
Explore Destination — Iguazu FallsRio de Janeiro State, south-east Brazil, Brazil
Brazil's most famous city: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the Tijuca rainforest, Santa Teresa, samba and Carnival.
Don't miss Sunset from the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, as the city lights come on around the bay.
Explore Destination — Rio de JaneiroRead next
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