Wilderness & Wildlife - 11 days/10 nights
Beacons of sustainable tourism, Pousada Trijunção in Brazil's Cerrado savannah, Cristalino Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest, and Caiman in the southern Pantanal are all owned and operated by passionate conservationists. Together, they protect a cumulative 35 million acres of Brazil’s wild interior. These wildlife sanctuaries offer visitors deep immersion into Brazil's regenerative tourism initiatives while inviting them to get hands-on, participating in leading-edge conservation projects.
Across 11 days, you will get up close and personal with Brazil’s iconic wildlife, including elusive jaguar, howler monkeys, endangered mane wolves, tapirs, macaw, and so much more. Experience contrasting landscapes—from wetlands to plains to jungle—on guided walks, sunset game drives, and even on horseback without sacrificing luxury accommodations. This itinerary is perfect for conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts, or those who simply want to walk on Brazil's wild side.
Itinerary in brief:
Day 1: Fly to Brasilia, spend the night
Days 2-4: Transfer to the Cerrado in Bahia; Pousada Trijunção
Days 5-7: Fly by private plane to the Amazon Rainforest; Cristalino Lodge
Days 8-10: Fly to Cuiaba, take a private charter flight to the Pantanal; Caiman
Day 11: Transfer to Rio, Sao Paulo or Brasilia to depart for your international flight home or onward journey
Trip Highlights:
* Just getting to these remote Brazilian lodges is its own adventure! The journey between each location (Cerrado—Amazon Rainforest—Pantanal) is multi-modal; a mix of commercial flights, private charter flights, overland transfers, and boats. Your Brazil specialist will handle all of the logistics so you can make the most of your time while enjoying worry-free travel.
* Begin your 11-day journey in Brasilia (São Paulo and Rio are possible starting points, too). Overnight, then transfer to Brazil's Cerrado savannah, one of the world's most biodiverse savannahs. Uniquely situated at the border of three Brazilian states (Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Goiás), Pousada Trijunção is located on an 81,544-acre reserve. Almost entirely undeveloped, it acts as a vital wildlife corridor between a national park and a nature reserve—and you'll be just one of seven guest suites to enjoy this exclusive property. * Travelers can participate in scientific research and conservation projects while hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, and on game drives to find animals like the jaguar, maned wolf, giant armadillos, and numerous bird species.
* Depart the savannah for the world-famous Amazon Rainforest. Cristalino Lodge is located on a private reserve in the southern Amazon, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Guests of the lodge enjoy luxury forest bungalows, gourmet Amazonian cuisine, and expert naturalist guiding. First and foremost, Cristalino's purpose is the preservation and conservation of the Amazon, and guest will encounter one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world. This is yet another opportunity to participate in conservation projects alongside the Cristalino Foundation while hiking forest trails, canoeing the tributaries, and climbing sentinel observation towers to observe wildlife otherwise obscured by the forest canopy.
* Your final stop on Brazil: Wilderness, Wildlife & Conservation is at Caiman lodge in Brazil's southern Pantanal, home to more than 500 animal species. A beacon of ecotourism, guests at Caiman experience the Pantanal while searching for jaguar alongside bilingual local guides on safaris, night drives, canoe rides, and hikes. Travelers to this region help generate global awareness of this fragile, lesser-publicized biome while strengthening the relationship between agriculture, research and conservation, and ecotourism. (extrao/journeys)