Jaguar Extreme
Jaguar Extreme
See wild Jaguars along the shore as you cruise a labyrinth of rivers.
“We got to see Jaguars every day!” –Nita Taublib & Gideon Kiriat
Wild Jaguar, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Cheryl Connolly. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Wildlife you are likely to see on this tour:
Amazing Creatures of the Pantanal
Ocelot Tower at SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
Videos
Todd Gustafson:
Jaguars of the Pantanal 2010
Articles
The Velvet Hour
Biologist-designed boating searches optimize sightings and photography.
Observing a Jaguar from a search boat, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Arcana Mundi Expeditions. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Selected by Nat Geo TV and the BBC
as the best location for filming both Jaguars and Giant Otters
A renowned biologist’s dream come true
“One of the best photography trips we’ve ever had.”
–John and Carol Fryer, June 2015
Jaguar Extreme Fixed Departure (7 days/6 nights)
(Up to 10 guests)
All Fixed Departures are accommodated in Jaguar Retreat
US$ 4,990 per person (2 guests sharing a room)
US$ 5,830 (1 guest)
Fixed Departures will start on the following days, with departure from the Cuiabá airport (CGB) by 2 pm:
2019: 14 June; 2 & 27 July; 8, 23 and 30 August; 14 & 20 September; 4 & 21 October; 4 November
All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. An intial payment of 50% of the land price is requested to guarantee a reservation, with the balance payable two months before tour commencement. The standard form of payment is by wire transfer. If you prefer to use a credit card, there is a 3% surcharge, which is our cost of processing such transactions. Travel insurance is not included, and there are no refunds. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance by Travel Guard to protect yourself and your investment in the tour. No air tickets are included, nor do we sell any. The flights are best arranged through your international carrier or Expedia. If you need an overnight in Cuiabá before the tour, we suggest booking through Priceline or similar hotel-reservation websites. Children under 12 are welcome in private, family groups.
Our fixed-departure tour is the guaranteed, affordable way to enjoy Jaguars and Giant Otters in the wildest heart of the fabulous Pantanal. There are several departure dates each month from mid-June through mid-November, which is the peak season for Jaguar sightings. Please contact us for details.
Save money on our fixed-departure tour, on which up to 10 (historically 6 to 8) guests share:
• A guide with our unique iPad with our in-house Pantanal bird photo guide and many other apps
• Air-conditioned transfer vehicles and open, roofed photo-safari trucks
• Mobile-phone-equipped wildlife boats at the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge
• Radio-equipped, Jaguar search boats at the Jaguar Retreat
• Scientific lectures by a resident Jaguar researcher
“How about 15 Jaguar sightings in 5 days!!!” –Arden & Leonard Zalman
Jaguar, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Paul Donahue. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Jaguar Extreme Private Departure (7 days/6 nights)
Based at Jaguar Retreat
(1 to 4 guests)
US$ 6,990 per person
Based at Jaguar Flotel
(1 to 4 guests)
US$ 6,690 per person
Based at Jaguar Suites
(1 to 4 guests)
US$ 6,990 per person
All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. An intial payment of 50% of the land price is requested to guarantee a reservation, with the balance payable two months before tour commencement. No air tickets are included, nor do we sell any. We recommend booking the intra-tour flights through your international carrier or Expedia. If you need an overnight in Cuiabá before the tour, we suggest booking your accommodations through priceline or similar hotel-reservation websites. Children under 12 are welcome in private, family groups.
We can always design and operate a private, customized tour for the Jaguars. Please contact us for details. National Geographic TV and the BBC both chose the Jaguar Flotel-Jaguar Suites as the best location for filming Jaguars and Giant Otters for their 2013 and 2014 specials, respectively.
Our departures achieved 100% Jaguar success in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Typically, our guests enjoyed an average of 2.5 Jaguar sightings per day. Many guests were astounded by 4 to 6 Jaguar sightings in one day. One group had 12 Jaguar sightings between breakfast and lunch. Another group marveled at 25 sightings in a five-night stay at the Jaguar Flotel-Jaguar Suites.
Jaguar sightings typically are 25 to 50 meters away from the boat. We used to watch the Jags from 6 meters, but we noticed about 5 years ago that we got better displays of behavior by far if we held back and gave the Jaguars more space. If we were closer than 10 to 15 meters, the cats often just watched us rather than remembering and feeling comfortable doing in full view some rarer, much more spectacular behaviors on their “to-do” list.
We also are the only operator in the world that insists on having at least three radio-equipped boats out on the water for most of each day, regardless of the number of guests.
Our Jaguar Guarantee
If you spend at least three nights at Jaguar Retreat, Jaguar Flotel or Jaguar Suites and do not see a Jaguar,
we offer a refund of US$ 2,000 per guest or five free days within two years.
Guest Advisory
Jaguar tours are frequently sold out up to one year in advance.
We strongly advise early booking, especially if your travel dates are not flexible.
Want to see more wildlife in the Pantanal? Add the Harpy Eagle Expedition and the Southern Pantanal.
From your search boat, see Jaguars relaxing and hunting.
“Mick Jaguar” hunting a Yacare Caiman, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Arcana Mundi Expeditions. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Jaguar Extreme Private Departure
Intra-tour flight São Paulo (GRU) – Cuiabá (CGB), Arrival on the day before the tour begins
(Flight provided by guest)
Day 1: São Paulo – Cuiabá – SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Your guide will meet you at your hotel. Depart from Cuiabá at 8 am for a 3-hour-long drive in a closed, air-conditioned van to the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge (SWP) . Trip Advisor lists the SWP as the #1 wildlife lodge on the entire Transpantaneira Road. Stops to observe wildlife along the Transpantaneira. Arrive at the SWP in time for lunch, and begin your wildlife explorations this afternoon. Overnight in the SWP. L, D.
Day 2: SouthWild Pantanal Lodge – Jaguar Flotel. Breakfast. Observe abundant fauna around the lodge, breakfast and 7 am departure in an open-sided, roofed safari truck or a closed, air-conditioned van to the end of the road at Porto Jofre. Stops along the Transpantaneira to see wildlife, with arrival at the end of the road by 10 am. Then take a search boat for the half-hour, 13-kilometer trip upstream on the Cuiaba River to the Jaguar Research Center Reserve and the Jaguar Flotel. Lunch. This afternoon, a 4-hour boat outing. Dinner and a scientific lecture. Overnight in the Jaguar Flotel or Jaguar Suites. B, L, D.
Days 3, 4 & 5: Jaguar Flotel. Breakfast. This morning, a 4-hour boat outing in search of Jaguars and Giant Otters on some of these river channels: Three Brothers, Black Channel, Cuiabá and Piquiri. Lunch. This afternoon, a 4-hour boat outing. Dinner and a scientific lecture. Overnight in the Jaguar Flotel or Jaguar Suites. B, L, D.
Day 6: Jaguar Flotel – SouthWild Pantanal Lodge. Breakfast. Check out of the Jaguar Flotel, take a morning boat outing until 8 or 8:30 am and then take a search boat for the half-hour, 13-kilometer trip downstream to Porto Jofre. Upon arrival, begin a road transfer to the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge in an open safari truck or a closed, air-conditioned van. Lunch. Afternoon 2-hour motorboat outing on the wildlife-rich Pixaim River. After dinner, one hour of spotlighting in our safari truck. Overnight in the SWP or similar. B, L. D.
Intra-tour flight Cuiabá (CGB) – São Paulo (GRU), Day 7, Afternoon flight
(Provided by guest)
Day 7: SouthWild Pantanal Lodge – Cuiabá – Your Next Destination. Observe fauna before returning to Cuiabá in a closed, air-conditioned van, with arrival at the airport in time for your departing flight. B, L.
“The tally for number of Jaguars for 5 nights at the Flotel was 21.” –Tanya Cox
Speeding to a Jaguar sighting reported by one of the scout boats, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Arcana Mundi Expeditions. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Inclusions
• Comfortable, air-conditioned, shared or private transfers between Cuiabá and the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge.
• Open safari truck for shared or private transfers between the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge and the end of the Transpantaneira Road. This low-speed, open-air drive may be dusty or rainy, so bring plastic bags to protect cameras.
• Nights in double accommodation as described in each itinerary.
• 3 meals per day according to the itinerary.
• Unlimited free drinking water in large coolers at the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge, Jaguar Retreat and the Jaguar Flotel. Bring Nalgene or metal water bottle to refill for free. Help to reduce plastic rubbish.
• Fresh orange juice on most days; grape, guava or mango juice from concentrate on the rare day or two that fresh orange juice is unavailable; coffee; tea; hot chocolate; whole milk and mineral water. Skim milk and soy milk if requested in advance. Kindly note your request in the dietary preferences section of your Guest Registration.
• Shared or private activities in SouthWild Pantanal Lodge: walk in our scientifically-designed trail system, access our observation towers on the river and at the Jabiru Stork nest and take one horseback ride or one boat ride per day (2-hour maximum) at times agreed upon with our team and according to the itinerary.
• Shared or private boat outings at the Jaguar Research Center Reserve. One group may use several boats with the single guide rotating from boat to boat.
• Predeparture information, including a list of all the 180 commonly-seen bird species of the Pantanal floodplain, sensu strictu.
• Shared or private, highly-trained, English-speaking guide, with iPad that shows our in-house photo guide of all 400 Pantanal bird species and other unique information.
• Unique, 2-meter-wide, bendable (“articulated”) sun umbrellas that fit into unique umbrella slots on our Jaguar observation boats. Only we use these umbrellas, and they are the best option for shade because the pole is in the middle of the boat and, thus, does not have side struts or posts to ruin Jaguar photography. They are bendable because from 7 to 10 am and from 2:30 to 5:30 pm, the sun slants in from the sides, not the top. We thought about this problem a lot.
• At the Jaguar Research Center Reserve, we keep three radio-equipped boats on the river for most of each day, regardless of how few guests are staying with us. No other operator makes this expensive commitment.
• Free WiFi internet at the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge, the Jaguar Retreat and Jaguar Flotel whenever weather permits (about 90% of the time).
• On private tours, an exclusive guide throughout the entire tour, with private walks and boat outings. The size of the Jaguar safari boats vary. Only transfers between Porto Jofre and Jaguar Retreat or the Jaguar Flotel may be shared.
• Travel insurance for U.S. residents through the age of 59 years (over that age, there is a supplementary fee). Others receive a 6% reduction in the tour price to purchase coverage in their home country.
Not Included:
• The lunch on the last day, soft drinks, bottled water, beer, wine, mixed drinks, laundry, tips, insurance, early or late transfers from or to Cuiabá for any reason and air tickets.
Anchored in the heart of the most Jaguar-rich watershed on Earth.
Flotel I, SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Arcana Mundi Expeditions. Jaguars of the Pantanal: Wildlife Photography Tours in Brazil.
Jaguar Research Center Reserve
This SouthWild-owned reserve covers 3,025 hectares (7,467 acres, or 12-square miles), making it the largest privately-owned Jaguar conservation area on the Three Brothers River, the most Jaguar-rich watershed in the world. This reserve also includes 100% of the neighboring, Jaguar-packed “Black Channel” (“Corixo Negro” in Portuguese), a locality that appears in many on-line Jaguar reports.
Harpy Eagle.
Alta Floresta, Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Arcana Mundi Expeditions.
Giant Anteaters.
Pousada Aguapé, Aquidauana, Southern Pantanal, Brazil.
Photography: Scott Anagnoste.
“Dreaming of that next epic wildlife adventure? Here are your go-to guys.”
–Condé Nast Traveller
Arcana Mundi Expeditions
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