A Hike Through Pantanal: The World’s Largest Wetlands

• Trek through the Pantanal in search of fascinating wildlife, including a huge variety of birds

The incredibly diverse and exotic wildlife of the largest wetlands in the world and a sense of adventure awaits us as we take a trek through the Pantanal in search of fascinating biodiversity, including the star of Pantanal: the majestic jaguar!

We’ll start our day off with a satisfying Brazilian farm breakfast, readying us for the hike to come. After breakfast, it’s time to get on board an adapted Safari vehicle, where we’ll be driven to the natural trails running through the Pantanal’s mosaic of flooded grasslands and savannas, and tropical forests. We’ll walk through open fields, and lagoons, and flooded areas, taking in the encompassing wetland surroundings teeming with flora and fauna.

During our hike, we’ll be accompanied by two guides, one of whom is our “Pantaneiro,” a local expert who grew up in the area and can spot and track pretty much everything out in the wetlands. The second guide will be a naturalist who speaks English and has plenty of knowledge to share regarding the area and the wildlife in it.

Throughout our hiking excursion, we’ll come across plenty of animals in the wild. So, keep your eyes peeled, as you never know when you might spot a tapir (the largest terrestrial mammal in South America) crossing just in front of you on his way foraging for food, a family of capybaras (the largest rodent in the world) heading to the lagoon to bathe, or a giant anteater (the largest of all anteater species) looking for a tempting termite mound. There’s also a huge variety of birds to spot since more than 700 species call Pantanal home. Be on the lookout for the hyacinth macaw, toucans, and many more, including the tallest flying bird in South America, the jabiru stork. These impressive birds can grow up to 4.5 feet (140 centimeters) tall. You may also have the opportunity to check out their nests too, as they build huge ones made out of sticks and build upon their nests every season. These impressive nests can be several meters in diameter!

Our hiking adventure concludes with a trek back to our lodge for a delicious lunch and the newfound knowledge of some of the hidden wonders and secrets the Pantanal has to offer.