Private Departures: Brazil9-Day Safari and Fish Float

Sample Itinerary-Create Your Own Private Customized Itinerary

Day 1 — Sao Paulo
Arrive in Sao Paulo, Brazil off your international flight and transfer to L'Hotel. Have a free night to relax and rejuvenate after your flight. If you’re feeling relaxed enough, head out into the Paulista area, where the city’s best bars, restaurants and shopping is located. You may even want to look for O Melhor Bolo de Chocolate do Mundo, the Best Chocolate Cake in the World. While the claim is debatable, it is the bakery’s name. Lodging: L'Hotel

Day 2 & 3 — Jardim
Take a flight to Campo Grande. Drive to Bonito. Visit the Buraco dos Araras - the Hole of the Parrots, a 124-meter deep "doline" (a cave whose roof caved in) with a circumference of 500 meters. You will have the opportunity to watch and photograph Greenwing macaws, and watch the bats as they take flight over the cave or sink hole. Begin your second day with a visit to Recanto Ecologico Rio da Prata. Begin with a 1.6-mile walk along the interpretative trail in the Da Prata river. At the end of the trail enter the lake, which is formed by the many fresh water springs of the Prata River for an extraordinary lake float/snorkel experience. Discover a fascinating world in one of the most transparent fresh-water rivers in the world, rich in aquatic fauna and flora. Lodging: Olho d'Agua

Day 4 & 5 — Pantanal Wildlife Center
Fly to Cuiaba then drive to the Pantanal, the world's largest freshwater wetland. Pantanal Wildlife Center is an excellent location for bird watching. It is also one of the best sites for viewing wild giant otters from a distance of only 3 to 16 feet away. You'll be amazed at the size of these otters at 6 feet long and 70 pounds. Hear them interact through high-pitched hums and squeals. Often they will come close to the boat, craning their necks, and snorting loudly. Spend time viewing wildlife from the mobile canopy towers near fruiting trees. Lodging: Pantanal Wildlife Center

Day 6 & 7 — Jaguar Research Center
Drive and boat to the Jaguar Research Center located in the Jaguar-rich 270,000-acre Meeting of the Waters State Park. The park's name refers to the three navigable rivers that join inside this unique park, and it contains some of the most pristine protected areas in the Pantanal. The Jaguar Research Center is in a location that has the highest density of jaguars and jaguar sightings in the entire Pantanal. The habitat along this river allows for numerous jaguars to roam the area hunting their favorite dry-season prey: the abundant 4-7 foot caimans and plump capybaras. Lodging: Jaguar Research Center

Day 8 — Pantanal Wildlife Center
Return by road and boat to the Pantanal Wildlife Center for another overnight. Boat into giant otter territory, where these endangered six-foot animals allow us get close enough for excellent photos. While they’re relatively tame and curious, they been seen dining on anacondas and chasing jaguar. You’re also very likely to see the elusive Brazilian tapir, which looks like an pig crossed with an elephant. The area surrounding the wildlife center is the best place in the world to view these 600 pound oddities. The wildlife opportunities don’t end at sundown. You can choose to take an included spotlighting game drive, finding the nocturnal animals at their most active. Lodging: Pantanal Wildlife Center

Day 9 — Depart Brazil
Take a commercial flight from Cuiaba to Sao Paulo and connect with your international departing flight.