We had a great time。 Have seen all big 5 of south America.

In September 2026 we had a fantastic 5-day private trip to the North Pantanal with Xavier Muñoz as our guide (2 people - my wife and I). Our goal was to spot jaguars, capybaras, giant otters and all kinds of birds, especially parrots and toucans. We definitely succeeded in achieving this goal thanks to the laser-sharp eyes and immense experience of Xavier. On the birding side, some highlights included seeing Hyacinth Macaws mating (!), Toco Toucans and Chestnut-eared Aracaris feasting on wild mangoes, a flock of Nanday Parakeets, nesting Jabirus symbiotically coexisting with Monk Parakeets, Whistling Herons, Capped Herons, Boat-billed Herons, Rufescent Tiger-Herons, Maguari Storks, Red-crested Finches, a Red-billed Scythebill, Guira Cuckoo, Chestnut-bellied Guans, Bare-faced Curassows, Roseate Spoonbills, Rufous Casiornis, Orange-backed Troupial, Gray-headed Tanager, an American Pygmy Kingfisher (tiny!), a Blue-and-yellow Macaw, tons of other parrot species (including Blue-winged Macaw, Yellow-collared Macaw, Orange-winged Amazon, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet and more), and many, many others. On the mammal side, we were lucky enough to witness the absolutely jaw-dropping jaguars of the Pantanal. We saw a jaguar eating a cayman kill, two jaguar brothers licking each other, yawning, and swimming together (their mother had recently abandoned them, so they are hunting and living together for a while before eventually going their separate ways), and on two separate occasions, a mother with her cubs. It was funny to see such powerful and large cats behaving in ways very similar to domestic house cats! We also saw plenty of capybaras (often with a Cattle Tyrant perched atop them!) including baby capybaras (!) and Giant Otters (the perfect mix of terrifying and cute). While on the Transpantaneira, at various points in time we were fortunate enough to see tapirs, Crab-eating Foxes, a Crab-eating Raccoon, and even a distant jaguarundi crossing the road! On the reptile side, there were plenty of caymans and a mating pair of Yellow Anacondas! Weeks after the trip got over I'm still struggling to process the infinitude of beautiful animals we saw. Itinerary: we arrived at Cuiaba airport, were picked up by Xavier in a car, and headed to Pocone and then to our first lodge on the Transpantaneira, Pousada Rio Claro. We birded in the area and did a night safari in a truck, and then headed to our next lodge further south, Pousada Santa Clara, which is on Porto Jofre. Over the next couple of days we made several trips on the river in a private boat, getting amazing looks at jaguars and other river bird species. We then headed north to our final hotel, Mato Grosso Hotel, where we did a river tour to look for the American Pygmy Kingfisher. The final day we skipped morning birding because I was under the weather, and we then headed back to the airport for our flight home. Some things to watch out for: to fly to Cuiaba you have to fly through Sao Paulo airport if you're coming from Rio de Janeiro. Sao Paulo airport Terminal 2 is pretty bad: noisy, and with huge flight delays. We lost almost 5 hours at the airport because our flight kept getting delayed. The frequent announcements were also horribly loud and harsh-sounding because of the acoustics of the terminal. The Pantanal can be extremely hot and somewhat humid. We had portable electric fans, which were extremely useful during the hottest parts of the day. Keep drinking water! Summing up: Xavier made the trip a huge success. He's a great guide with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and is a fantastic communicator and storyteller. Like the best guides, he has a keen awareness of where to look, when to look, and when it's a good idea to call off a search. He made sure we were comfortable and chose great lodges for us to stay at. I'd highly recommend planning a Pantanal trip with Neblina Forest (owned by him and his family), and in the future if I plan another trip to South America (not just Brazil), I will make sure to check with them.

We had a wonderful time, with great informative guides and comfortable accommodation. Thanks to our guides, Yago and Branco for their endless enthusiasm and great knowledge.

Amazing journey with exceptional guides! So many segments produced different discoveries in each one because Yago and Branco possess incredible knowledge about Brazil and the Pantanal. The tour is very focused on birds, but would have enjoyed an additional day with jaguars and otters. And the houseboat was outstanding! We were fortunate to just be four people in our group, so more room in the vehicles and boats. This was not a photography tour, but we had two photographers who were able to be in the right positions at the right time. The whole tour was well-planned, but would have also appreciated earlier daily start times, especially when the temperature soared. But overall, would rate 5-stars.

I’m having an amazing time, great acomodatioms, meals and experiences with a great service also the places visited represented a unique opportunity for learning and photography