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In mid-August 2010, I had the opportunity to accompany another group of Europeans - this time three men - on a customized tour totalling 5 days and 4 nights. It was essentially a jaguar tour in the middle with an ecological tour at both ends. We stayed at Pousada Rio Claro, Hotel Porto Jofre, Pousada Rio Clarinho and we were also able to make a quick visit to Pousada Piuval.
After meeting our clients at the airport and picking up supplies such as gas, ice and motor oil on the way, we had a delicious lunch at a churrascaria in Poconé and arrived at the Pantanal Park gate by mid afternoon. On the way to our first pousada, Pousada Rio Claro, being all avid photographers, we photographed a variety of wildlife, including Yellow-billed Cardinal, Jabiru Stork, Snail Kite, Turkey Vulture, Limpkin, adult and immature Wattled Jacana, Caiman, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Wood Stork, Great Egret, Large-billed Tern, Muscovy Duck, Capybara, Pink Ipe trees in bloom, Greater Rheas, Bare-faced Currasow, Peccary, Ringed-necked Kingfisher, Crab-eating Fox at dusk, and we also managed some marvellous sunset shots.
Early the next morning we had a dawn safari on the Claro River to photograph among other things Jabiru Storks, Rufescent Tiger Herons, Toucans, Araçaris, Rufous-bellied Thrush and an amazing sunrise. After breakfast we headed out on the river again, this time seeing Bare-faced Currasow, Jabiru Storks, female and male Anhinga, White-necked Herons, Howler Monkey, Ringed Kingfisher, Caiman, Snowy Egret, Giant Otters, Capybara, Black-collared Hawk, and a green Water Snake that had climbed out of the river and up a twig onto a bush. Then, after returning to the Pousada, we packed up and left for our next destination, Hotel Porto Jofre.
On the way, we marvelled at more Ipes in bloom, Hyacinth Macaws Caiman and Capybara resting together, another female Anhinga, and Wood Storks in the trees. After arriving at the Hotel Porto Jofre, we headed for the pond at the back of the hotel to photograph the giant water lilies, Least Sandpiper, Crested Caracara and Cattle Tyrant. We then went out on the Cuiaba River for our first foray looking for jaguar, but instead we saw Capped Heron, Capybara and another sunset before we called it a day and had a copious dinner at the Hotel Porto Jofre (our best meal in the Pantanal by far).
The next day we were up early again to explore photographic opportunities on the hotel grounds including Buff-necked Ibis, Hyacinth Macaw, Hummingbird, and Toco Toucan before heading out to the river for a second hunt for jaguar. Again not to much luck with the jaguar but we did see Southern Screamer, lots of Capybara, Black Vulture and a pair of Jabiru Storks. After a delicious lunch at the hotel and then some more photography on Hotel Porto Jofre grounds, including one of Elionil and the hyacinth macaw telephone, Toco Toucan, the giant water lilies again, another Muscovy Duck, and some real hyacinth macaws we went back on the river for an ultimate search, hoping that this time we would be lucky.
We spied a Roadside Hawk and more Jabiru Storks until, finally, we saw a clump of boats with cameras aimed at the shore, and, yes indeed, a male Jaguar, though unfortunately for us he was hiding in the tall grasses and mostly sleeping so we had to wait a long time for him to raise his head and look up at us. Meanwhile, the sky was darkening so the light source was weakening, and the boat was rocking and moving with the current, so, personally, I was disappointed with my own photographic results. The tourists in the other two boats there at the same time with their much more powerful cameras and lenses probably got better shots than I, but those who had come from the expensive $1000 a night boat hotels looked rather bored and didn't even bother to photograph him! OK, so it wasn't an ideal view of a jaguar, but it was the best (and the only) one we saw in the short time we had so we were quite happy. We arrived back at the hotel at night time and left for our next pousada stopping for a nice meal at the Jaguar Lodge on the way, where we saw an Armadillo.
We spent the next two nights at the rustic Pousada Rio Clarinho, which I found very relaxing. Finally I was able to photograph a Chaco Chachalaca. We had been hearing the raucous cries of these birds every morning as they tend to hang around pousadas but are usually hiding themselves up in the trees. We were told that a puma had walked through the grounds the night before. I did not find its foot prints but I did see a footprint of a Capybara. The grounds were also very picturesque with a number of flowered trees, flocks of Blue-fronted Parakeet and a couple of Araçari who visited at breakfast time. Then it was time for piranha fishing in a boat on the Rio Clarinho itself, and on the short walk there we saw a Green Ibis. We then climbed the observation tower overlooking the river and the surrounding area, photographed some locals fishing, a Jabiru in flight, and a Troupial foraging in a tree.
Most of the rest of the day, I lay around in a hammock reading, relaxing and listening to bird songs. In the early evening, a Capybara walked up to the property after taking a mud bath on the river bank, and spent some time cropping the grass next to the dining hall. Monk Parakeets flew back and forth between a couple of trees building their nests, the local farm animals, horses, goats, cattle and pigs, came in for their evening meal and lots of small- to medium-sized birds visited the pousada's birdfeeder. A horse ride had been organised in the later afternoon, but I did not take part. We then had a final night safari along the transpantaneira after dinner and before bed.
The next day was our last day in the Pantanal so we managed to take a few shots of Yellow-billed Cardinal, Rufous-bellied Thrush and Araçari at the Pousada before heading back to Cuiabá. On the transpantaneira again we photographed a Wood Stork in flight, a Great Egret and more Jabiru Storks. After passing through the gates of the Pantanal park, we then headed past termite nests into the gorgeous grounds of Pousada Piuval for a short visit and to photograph some more Ipe trees in bloom. The final photo of this slide show shows a family travelling by horse cart in the town of Poconé.
If you would like us to customize a tour for you, let us know what you hope to see and how long you have and we will create a tour that serves your needs best. If you are hoping to see jaguars, we recommend tours of 5 days and 4 nights during July and August. It is best to reserve your tour early as it is the high tourist season and room availability is limited. |
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