The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland — and the only place on Earth where wild jaguars can be observed reliably, at close range, in broad daylight. Based in Porto Jofre, in the heart of Mato Grosso, this expedition takes you by boat along the rivers and channels where the planet’s highest density of jaguars hunts along the banks: stalking capybaras, ambushing caimans, swimming metres from the lens.

Led by zoologist and wildlife photographer Henrique Maia, this is a photographic expedition designed for a small group of just six to twelve guests. Days are structured entirely around wildlife activity and light — long boat sessions at dawn and late afternoon, when jaguars are most active and the Pantanal glows gold. Between big cats, the wetland delivers a supporting cast few places can match: giant otters, hyacinth macaws, jabiru storks, and caimans in their thousands.

Whether you’re pursuing your first jaguar image or building a serious portfolio, you’ll have expert guidance on positioning, light, and animal behaviour at every sighting — and the time and patience that great wildlife photography demands.

This is the Pantanal as few ever experience it: wild, intimate, and unforgettable.

Deep in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, at the very end of the Transpantaneira — a legendary 147-kilometre dirt road crossing more than a hundred wooden bridges — lies Porto Jofre. This small fishing outpost on the banks of the Cuiabá River is the undisputed jaguar capital of the world, and it will be our base for the entire expedition.

Porto Jofre sits in the northern Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland on the planet — a vast mosaic of rivers, flooded plains, gallery forests and savannah covering an area larger than England. Unlike the dense Amazon, where wildlife hides beneath the canopy, the Pantanal is open. Here, animals have nowhere to hide, and that makes it one of the greatest wildlife-viewing destinations on Earth.

We travel during the dry season, when the waters recede and wildlife concentrates along the rivers. Each day, we head out by boat along the Cuiabá, Piquiri and Três Irmãos rivers — the network of channels where jaguars patrol the banks in numbers found nowhere else in the world. This is not a search for a fleeting glimpse: in this region, jaguar sightings happen daily, often at remarkably close range, with the cats completely relaxed in the presence of boats.

And the jaguars are only the beginning. These same waters are home to giant otter families, black caimans, capybaras, and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife — from the towering jabiru stork to the electric-blue hyacinth macaw, the largest parrot in the world.

Remote, wild, and astonishingly rich in life — this is the Pantanal, and there is nowhere else like it.​

Passport — Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into Brazil, with at least two blank pages for entry stamps.

Visa — Citizens of EU member states can enter Brazil visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days.  UK citizens can also visit Brazil without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism.  As of April 2025, citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia require an eVisa (approx. US$80.90), which must be obtained before travel  — the application is fully online, and applying around two months before departure is strongly advised . Citizens of other countries should check with their nearest Brazilian consulate.

Yellow fever vaccination — Strongly recommended for the Pantanal region (Mato Grosso). Some countries also require proof of yellow fever vaccination when you return home or travel onwards after visiting Brazil. Please consult a travel health clinic at least 4–6 weeks before departure.

Other health precautions — Make sure routine vaccinations are up to date; hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are commonly recommended for Brazil. Malaria risk in the Pantanal is low, but discuss this with your travel doctor. Bring effective insect repellent and long, light clothing for dawn and dusk.

Flights — International guests should fly into São Paulo (GRU) or Rio de Janeiro (GIG), with an onward domestic connection to Cuiabá (CGB), the gateway to the northern Pantanal. Full arrival details will be provided upon booking.

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Please note: travel, health and visa regulations can change at any time. Guests are responsible for confirming the latest information with official government sources and medical professionals before travelling. If you have questions while preparing, we’re glad to help.

Currency — Brazil uses the Brazilian Real (R$ / BRL). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Cuiabá and larger towns, but the Pantanal is remote — bring enough cash in Reais for personal expenses, drinks and tips, as card facilities and ATMs are unreliable or non-existent in Porto Jofre.

Tipping — Tipping is not obligatory in Brazil, but it is customary and greatly appreciated in the safari and lodge context. Guidance on appropriate amounts for boat drivers, lodge staff and local guides will be provided before the expedition.

Language — Portuguese is the official language. English is spoken in tourism hubs but rarely in the Pantanal itself — travelling with a Portuguese-speaking expedition leader makes all the difference.

Connectivity — Expect to disconnect. Mobile coverage in and around Porto Jofre is very limited, and Wi-Fi, where available, is slow and intermittent. Download maps, entertainment and anything essential before leaving Cuiabá — and enjoy being truly off the grid.

Time zone — Mato Grosso follows Amazon Time (AMT), UTC-4 — one hour behind São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Climate — During the dry season, expect hot, sunny days (often 30–35°C or higher) and mild evenings. Early morning boat rides can feel surprisingly cool on the water, so pack a light jacket. Occasional cold fronts (“friagens”) can drop temperatures sharply for a day or two.

Drinking water — Do not drink tap water. Bottled or filtered water is provided at lodges; bringing a reusable bottle helps reduce plastic waste on the rivers.

Health & safety — The Pantanal is a safe, low-crime region. The usual precautions apply in Cuiabá and airports: keep valuables discreet and camera bags close.

Plug type — Brazil uses type N sockets, a standard unique to Brazil. The good news for European travellers: standard two-pin European plugs (type C) fit type N sockets without an adapter. Travellers from the UK, US and elsewhere will need a type N or universal adapter — bring at least two.

Voltage — Unlike most countries, Brazil does not have a single national voltage: it varies between 127V and 220V depending on the region, sometimes even within the same building. Check that your chargers and devices are dual voltage (marked “100–240V” — virtually all modern camera chargers, laptops and phone chargers are). If any of your equipment is single voltage, you will need a converter, not just an adapter.

Charging strategy for photographers — With two camera bodies, drone batteries, laptops and phones all competing for limited sockets, a compact power strip is one of the most valuable items in your bag: one adapter, four or more devices charging overnight. Make it a routine to charge all camera batteries every evening — there is no power on the boats, and a full day on the river can drain more batteries than you expect, especially when shooting bursts of a hunting jaguar.

Power banks — A high-capacity power bank (20,000mAh) is essential for keeping phones and small devices topped up during long boat days. Remember: power banks must travel in your hand luggage, never in checked bags.

Spare batteries — We recommend a minimum of three batteries per camera body. In the heat of the Pantanal, and with the intensity of the sightings, you will use them.

Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for all participants on the Brazil Expedition — no guest may join the expedition without valid coverage. This is not bureaucracy for its own sake: Porto Jofre is one of the most remote destinations we travel to, several hours by dirt road or boat from the nearest hospital, and proper insurance is what turns a serious problem into a manageable one.

Your policy must include, at minimum:

Medical coverage and emergency evacuation — This is the most important element. Your policy must cover medical treatment abroad and, crucially, emergency medical evacuation, including air evacuation from remote areas. In the Pantanal, a medical emergency may require air transport to Cuiabá or São Paulo, and costs without insurance can be devastating.

Trip cancellation and interruption — Coverage for cancellation, curtailment and missed departures protects your investment if illness, family emergency or airline disruption prevents you from travelling or forces you home early. We recommend purchasing your policy at the time you pay your deposit, so cancellation coverage begins immediately.

Baggage and personal belongings — Standard coverage for lost, delayed or damaged luggage. Note that airline connections through São Paulo or Rio to Cuiabá make delayed bags a real possibility — pack essential camera gear and medication in your hand luggage.

Photographic equipment — Standard policies typically cap valuables far below the value of professional camera gear. If you are travelling with camera bodies and telephoto lenses worth thousands of euros, verify your coverage limits and consider a specialist photographic equipment policy or an extension to your household insurance covering equipment abroad.

Please carry proof of insurance with you during the expedition, and provide us with your policy number and your insurer’s emergency contact number before departure — we keep these on file so that, in an emergency, we can act on your behalf without delay.

The Pantanal in the Porto Jofre region sits at low altitude with high humidity year-round. Daytime temperatures during the June–October dry season (peak jaguar viewing) typically range from 25–35°C, dropping to 12–18°C at dawn on the river. Photography here is boat-based, not on-foot, so camouflage is unnecessary — the priority is sun protection, comfort over long hours seated, and quick-drying fabric.

Core layers

• Lightweight, breathable long-sleeve shirts (UPF-rated if possible) — sun exposure on the water is constant and reflects off the river

• Quick-dry trousers or convertible pants; shorts for the lodge only

• A light fleece or windbreaker for early morning boat departures, when river air is noticeably cooler

• Wide-brimmed hat with a chin strap — wind off the water will otherwise take it 

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Colours

Neutral tones (khaki, olive, grey, tan) are recommended, not for concealment but because jaguars and birds along the riverbank are habituated to boat traffic and neutral colours photograph cleaner in the frame, avoiding colour cast on skin and fur in post-processing. Avoid white (glare) and dark navy/black (heat absorption).

Footwear

Closed-toe water shoes or lightweight trekking sandals for boat transfers and wet landings; comfortable closed shoes for the lodge grounds, where caimans and capybara are frequently present along the paths at dusk.

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Essential extras

    •    Polarised sunglasses — critical for both comfort and cutting glare when photographing on the water

    •    High-SPF, reef-safe sunscreen and a buff or neck gaiter

    •    Insect repellent (DEET-based) for dawn and dusk on the lodge grounds

    •    A dry bag or rain cover for camera gear during the wet season transition (April–May, November)

Your expedition begins in Cuiabá, the gateway to the northern Pantanal. After meeting the group, we celebrate the start of the adventure the Brazilian way — lunch at a traditional churrascaria. From there, we head south by private transfer, passing through the historic town of Poconé before joining the legendary Transpantaneira: a raised dirt road running deep into the wetland, crossing dozens of wooden bridges, where the wildlife viewing begins long before we reach the lodge — expect caimans, capybaras and extraordinary birdlife from the vehicle windows.

We arrive at Pouso Alegre Lodge, our home for the first night, around 2:30 PM. There’s no time wasted: after check-in, we head straight out for our first safari of the expedition, extending into the evening — our first chance at the Pantanal’s nocturnal cast, from crab-eating foxes to owls and, with luck, an ocelot.

We start early, when the light is golden and the wildlife most active. This morning’s truck safari explores the forests and open fields around Piuval — prime territory for two of the Pantanal’s most special animals: the giant anteater and the lowland tapir. Crab-eating foxes, marsh deer, and a spectacular variety of birds are all possible, and this region has been producing jaguar sightings on land as well.

After lunch back at the lodge, we continue down the Transpantaneira to the end of the road: Porto Jofre, the jaguar capital of the world. We settle into Pousada Piquiri Lodge, our base for the next four nights, before heading out on an evening and night safari — a different Pantanal reveals itself after dark.

Three full days dedicated to the main event. Each morning, we board our boat and enter the waterways of Encontro das Águas State Park — home to the highest density of jaguars on the planet. We patrol the rivers and channels where these cats hunt along the banks: stalking capybaras, ambushing caimans, and swimming between riverbanks, often at remarkably close range.

Between jaguar sightings, the rivers deliver constantly: families of giant otters fishing and squabbling, black caimans, kingfishers, and the unmistakable silhouette of the jabiru stork. Lunch is taken picnic-style on the river or back at the lodge, depending on the day’s plan — when the jaguar activity is good, we stay on the water.

Afternoons continue on the boat until the light fades, followed by dinner at the lodge and time to back up the day’s images. Three days in the park means time — time to wait for behaviour, work the light, and go beyond the record shot to images with real impact.

After breakfast and check-out around 9:00 AM, we retrace the Transpantaneira one last time — with every chance of final sightings along the way. A farewell lunch at a Brazilian restaurant closes the expedition, with arrival in Cuiabá between 3:00 and 4:00 PM, depending on road conditions. We recommend booking onward flights from 6:00 PM or later, or spending the night in Cuiabá.

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Itineraries can be adjusted to your wishes, weather, and wildlife movements.