You Can Go On An African-esque Safari Looking For Jaguars In This Remote Region Of Brazil

Forbes

29-05-2025

Sunset on safari in Brazil's Pantanal.
The safari vehicle pushes through the bushes on a barely visible four-wheel drive road, the vegetation shooting up over the top of the vehicle on either side.
Last summer, a series of fires broke out in this area—more than 700 individual fires in the month of June alone—burning thousands of acres and killing untold animals.
Looking at the dense terrain, I find it amazing that, in just about six months, the forest had recovered so significantly; a first-time visitor like myself might even be tempted to say it had recovered completely. The only remaining signs of the fires are the burnt trunks of certain trees, but they are usually blocked from sight by the new-growth vegetation, which has already reached overhead heights.
A jaguar and her cub hide in the bush in Brazil's Pantanal. Can you spot them in the photo?
This area is known as the Pantanal, and it is considered to be one of the largest wetland regions in the world. It's mostly located in Brazil, where I am now, with small segments belonging to Paraguay and Bolivia. It was traditionally a cattle ranching region and still mostly is today. However, the Pantanal is also a growing eco-tourism region, with several ranches offering African-esque safari experiences. The main prize? Wild jaguars.
When the vehicle comes to a halt, we are fully under the canopy of trees. The guide begins pointing to something in the bush, right at the base of the tree trunk. It's not until I pull out my binoculars that I can see the female jaguar sprawled out—and her cub just beside her.
Moments like these, and others—the Pantanal is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including its own 'Big 5'—are beginning to put this place on the world tourism map. But none of it would be possible if a big cultural shift hadn't taken place. Not too long ago, here in the remote interior of Brazil, jaguars were a different kind of prize.
Jaguars and ranchers have traditionally clashed due to the former's impact on cattle ranching. Now, safari experiences in the Pantanal are putting a new spin on the relationship.
As the sun moved directly overhead and the day grew hot, we huddled up under some trees for shade. My guide, Louisa, pulls a thermos from her pack and begins pouring water into a tall, cylindrical cup filled with erva-mate leaves, or mate. She lets it steep briefly, places a metal straw with a filter inside, and passes the cup.
'The first [cup] is always the strongest,' she said.
In other parts of South America, like Aregentina, mate is drunk as a hot tea. But here in the Pantanal, where the temperature is often close to or above 100, it's much better as a cold refreshment.
Referred to locally as tereré, Louisa explains how what we're doing is a social event of sorts here in the Pantanal, where multiple people share a thermos of cold water, relaxing in the shade on a hot day, taking turns with the cup, the tea getting progressively weaker with each refill.
When it's my turn, I sip it down. It's a small amount, maybe a few ounces, enough to wet your whistle. It's cold and refreshing, and for a few moments, the heat of the day subsides, and we all feel refreshed.
As we share the mate, other guides join in on the circle. One of them begins telling this really sad story, about how when he was younger, he was hired to kill the jaguars. Amongst he and other hunters, knowing the number of jaguars you had killed was a point of pride, and competition.
Then, one day, something changed. After killing a jaguar, he bent down to collect the body, and in that moment, touching the pelt, he saw for the first time—for whatever reason—how beautiful the animal was, and how tragic its death. He was overcome with regret and decided to change his ways.
Flash forward a decade or two and he is now a wildlife guide, drinking mate with us under the trees. Luiza tells us later that this story is common here in the Pantanal. Not too long ago, jaguars were enemy number one in this area. It all sounds similar to the battle between ranchers and wolves in North America. The ranchers don't like the jaguars because they sometimes kill the cattle.
But this age-old battle has taken a turn, thanks in part—or maybe in full—to tourism. The financial potential of visitors coming to see the jaguars gives ranch owners a reason to let them live. Today, there is a whole generation of wildlife advocates, including ranch owners and safari guides, who are working to protect the jaguars.
The Caiman Lodge in Brazil's Pantanal offers an African-like safari experience.
Thus far, the way tourism is designed in the Pantanal is very similar to what you find on a classic African safari. Remote lodging in natural areas, daily game drives, and a sense that you're completely away from it all.
Caiman Ranch Owner Roberto Klabin said that tourism in the Pantanal has been inspired by what has happened in Africa, citing the benefits of wildlife tourism, including reduced poaching and future economic interest in maintaining a healthy, thriving animal population.
While many game drives in Africa take place on public land (such as within the national parks), most tourism in the Pantanal is happening on private land. And most of them are still ranching and raising cattle simualtaneously—they've just added in the tourism component.
Brazil's Pantanal is one of the largest wetland regions in the world and home to a variety of wildlife, big and small.
Klabin's Caiman Lodge, for example, is still raising thousands of heads of cattle per year. Right now, ranching still pays the bills, but there's hope that will change as the region grows, and then the footprint of cattle ranching can be reduced, he said.
The daily rhythms of the day and the experiences are set up the same way as in Africa, although that's due more to animal behavior than far-away admiration. The morning game drive takes place during sunrise, and the afternoon game drive during sunset, the times of day when the animals are most active.
In between, one hangs at the lodge during the heat of the day, enjoying whatever amenities there may be. At Casa Caiman, those options include a pool, gym, scenic sitting areas, and, of course, food and drink.
PANTANAL, BRAZIL - 2024/09/24: A Red-and-green macaw or green-winged macaw is flying at the Buraco das Araras (Macaws Sinkhole), near Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Like Africa, the Pantanal has created its own 'Big 5'—that is, a (subjective) list of the five flagship animals that one can see in the area: The jaguar, the giant anteater, the marsh deer, the tapir, and the world's largest rodent, the capybara.
But interesting wildlife goes beyond the Big 5. Two of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen—the toucan and the red and green macaw—call the Pantanal home, as do the many caimans, foxes, and rheas that you'll see on game drives.
Because this biome is special (one of the world's largest wetlands) and in this point of transition, there are many animal organizations doing research in the Pantanal, and some offer tourism opportunities. For example, Caiman Lodge partners with multiple organizations: Onçafari (jaguars), the Hyacinth Macaw Institute, the Tamanduá Institute (giant anteaters), the Tapirapé Project (tapirs), and more.
Each organization offers guests a chance for a ride-along to learn more about their conservation work as part of the ecotourism experience.
Located in the deep interior of Brazil, the Pantanal takes several days to reach from North America.
The Pantanal is extremely remote, and accessing it is half the battle and quite the journey.
From the United States, one must first fly to Sao Paolo, Brazil, and then catch a domestic flight to Campo Grande. From there, it will depend on exactly where you are going, but it's more or less a three-hour shuttle ride to reach the Pantanal.
If you can somehow manage to accomplish this all in one day, I tip my cap. But most likely, an overnight stopover will be necessary, or at the very least, an overnight flight.
Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world, home to many amazing natural biomes. The Amazon has long been a wonder of the world. Perhaps someday the Pantanal will be seen as one too.