We just completed a wildlife and bird watching tour with NeoTropical Nature and Birding and Trips and it was fantastic. We visited the Pantanal Region of Brazil with a follow-on trip to Foz do Iguacu. All of the in-country travel logistics were well planned and executed smoothly as we travelled between multiple locations. Our primary guide and host for the trip was Santiago Salazar -- he met us at the airport on our arrival in Sao Paulo and said goodbye to us at the airport 15 days later. He was with us every step of the way. Santiago engaged local drivers and guides as we moved from location to location who were equally knowledgeable and operated first rate equipment, safely.
Our primary focus for much of the trip was bird watching and photography. I photographed over 180 species in 14 days. Santiago could hear, spot and identify birds amazingly well, and then was patient with us as we asked over and over what species that was. We also focused 3 days for jaguar chasing and had some amazing experiences with Santiago and our local boat guide Helner. Quietly slipping up a backwater tributary of the Cuiaba River it was amazing how close we could get to many species of birds, giant otters, jaguar, caymans, etc.
Santiago is passionate about the special ecosystems and the birds and mammals and reptiles that live within those ecosystems. And equally passionate about how our species interact with those ecosystems. His knowledge about these systems and the creatures that live within them was amazing. He showed us that these are special places that we need to cherish and protect.
This was our first ecotour and I highly recommend Santiago and NeoTropical Nature and Birding.