Brazil > Safari in the Pantanal

In the morning, I leave Bonito again. By bus, I head towards the Pantanal nature reserve. The Pantanal is an area around rivers that floods every year during the rainy season. Because of the surrounding mountains, the water cannot flow elsewhere. During the dry season, the remaining water in ponds and pools attracts many animals and birds. With 160 square kilometers—about three times the size of the Netherlands—the Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world. I stay overnight in a fazenda, a traditional Brazilian farm in the vast landscape. After three and a half hours of driving, I arrive near the wetlands. Here I transfer to an open truck. The bus cannot take me all the way to the farm. As soon as the truck drives onto the unpaved road, I see beautiful birds on both sides. With a tap on the roof of the cabin, the driver stops. It’s not easy to take good photos. The noise of the vehicle scares away animals and birds. In the pools where there is still some water, dozens of caimans lie, and capybaras—large guinea pig-like animals—walk around. On the shore sits the tuiuiu stork (also called the Jabiru stork outside Brazil), one of the largest stork species in the world. In flight, the bird has a wingspan of two and a half meters. Further on, there are ibises, kingfishers, and smaller colorful species. The driver stops regularly, making the journey to the farm longer. Not a problem, as I wouldn’t have missed this trip. After an hour and a half, we turn right onto the path to the Xaraés farm. The fazenda is still twelve kilometers from the road.

Brazil - Driving into the Pantanal on a dirt road

The truck slowly drives along the dusty dirt road. The back of the truck shakes considerably. From time to time, I lift off the rear bench. I have little to complain about. My truck has some padding; the other truck only has wooden benches. At the fazenda, I am enthusiastically welcomed. Lunch is already ready. In the afternoon, I go on a safari. With two vehicles, we drive into the Pantanal. The trucks drive over sandy paths. Cows and buffaloes quickly step aside. The guide explains that jaguars live in the area. Because they often attack cows, the owner has switched to buffaloes. In the ponds, I see numerous caimans sunbathing on the shore. From the trees, monkeys watch me. The driver drives the truck right through the bushes to get closer to the monkeys. Halfway through the safari, we get out. I follow Gino, the guide, along a path between the trees. Gino shows how the fruits grow on the palm tree.

Brazil - Two blue macaws in the Pantanal

The nut is so hard it can hardly be cracked. When cows eat the nut, it passes intact through their digestion. The nut is then softer and tastier in the droppings. Birds open the nut to get to the coconut inside. Gino opens a nut and lets me taste the coconut. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything from poop before. Further on, he points out two young Hyacinth Macaw parrots in a tree. The blue parrots roughhouse and make a hell of a noise. They belong to a nest in a tree hollow. Occasionally, a parrot’s head pops out of the narrow opening. A few meters higher, Tuiuiu storks sit. A small stork sits next to her mother in the almost two-meter-wide nest. The sun slowly sets. An orange glow shines over the Pantanal landscape. The animals prepare for the night. In the dark, we drive back to the fazenda. With a bright lamp, Gino searches for nocturnal animals. Their eyes reflect in the light. Especially near the water, numerous caiman eyes shine. It is completely dark when I arrive back at the fazenda.