On safari from the Caiman Lodge!
The setting sun makes the swampland look like gold as we explore the Pantanal 's exuberant flora and fauna in our all-terrain vehicles via dirt roads. I stay at the Caiman Lodge, one of the best places to spot wildlife in the Mato Grosso do sul, the southern Pantanal. The lodge belongs to what by Dutch standards is a gigantic farm with 53,000 hectares of land.
Hobbling forward along a dirt track, we notice that the animals become more active as the sun hangs lower. Mauricio, our guide, spots plant and animal life with infectious enthusiasm. Hyacinth macaws look out from the treetops like pairs in love over the spectacle unfolding before our eyes. Watched by dozens of caiman eyes, waterbirds like the silver tangara and American egrets search for food. Native deer walk in the tall reeds. When it is completely dark, the tarantulas emerge. The guide only has to shine his torch on a tree and we see them sitting on the trunk.
On safari
Before we return to our accommodation that evening, a herd of porcupines crosses our path and we see both a giant anteater and a family of capybaras in an open field. We are impressed, but we have yet to see the most imaginative inhabitant: the jaguar.
The chances of seeing one here in its natural habitat are pretty high. Mauricio knows that about 95 per cent of guests will bump into one or more jaguars. Twenty years ago, this would have been unthinkable. Ranchers saw them as a threat to their livestock and hunted the animal en masse. The majestic feline was virtually extinct. More and more ranchers switched to natural farming methods and the jaguar no longer had to fear hunters. Today, the Pantanal is considered one of the healthiest ecosystems in Latin America.
After our first evening safari, we join you for a dinner of delicious local dishes. Accompanied by the sounds of the nighttime Pantanal, we have a nightcap by the campfire.
Punctually at five-thirty the next morning, we are ready for another safari through pristine nature. As the sun slowly rises and its rays gain strength, we drive across vast grasslands. Small groups of trees with bushes are islands in this sea of green. An Onçafari researcher has told Mauricio that jaguars were spotted yesterday near one of the groves. The excitement mounts. Our guide seems to have seen something and full of adrenaline we move on. Our early rise is rewarded. Even before breakfast, we see no fewer than four jaguars. Near the bush, they have hidden half-eaten prey and have now holed up in the relative coolness of some bushes and trees.
During the safaris we undertake later, we will see lots more wildlife, but this experience, less than 24 hours after we arrived at the Caiman Lodge, no one will take away from us. It will stay with us for the rest of our lives. We kayak through the lagoon some more and cool off at the lodge pool between safaris.
Fantastic lodge!
During the safaris we undertake later, we will see lots more wildlife, but this experience, less than 24 hours after we arrived at the Caiman Lodge, no one will take away from us. It will stay with us for the rest of our lives. We kayak through the lagoon some more and cool off at the lodge pool between safaris.
The Caiman Lodge has 18 double suites with all mod cons. For groups and families, there is a private villa with its own pool, suitable for up to 12 people.
Plan well ahead as the lodge is often fully booked six months in advance. In high season (June - September, Christmas period) fixed arrival and departure dates apply.
Taking a trip through Brazil
Would you like to travel through Brazil yourself and visit this beautiful location? Feel free to contact us for more information on Brazil options or a tailor-made travel proposal. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl.