Brazil - Pantanal and Chapada

During the rainy season, Brazil’s cerrado (savanna) region drains quickly. Although some rivers flow directly into the Atlantic or north into the Amazon, many drain towards the west. In the wet season, a surge of water tumbles down spectacular waterfalls along the western escarpment and into a vast basin filled with wildlife, known as the Pantanal.

The Pantanal is an extensive mosaic of savannah, forest, swamps and lagoons situated in the upper Paraguay River basin. Although the annual rainfall is less than on the higher cerrado region, the Paraguay River and its tributaries back up during the wet season and burst their banks, turning the Pantanal into a gigantic wetland the size of England.

The Pantanal is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. It is the largest continental wetland on Earth, covering 55,000 square miles in Brazil, as well as extending into Bolivia and Paraguay. During the annual floods, the waters bring a fresh covering of silt, clay and organic material to the land. The diversity and numbers of the wildlife it supports is staggering – over 500 species of birds, 80 mammals, 260 fish and 50 reptile species. A diversity of large wading birds and raptors are abundant and conspicuous in the Pantanal and there are estimated to be 10 million caimans here, the largest concentration of crocodilians in the world.

The north entrance to the Pantanal is from the city of Cuiabá, along the Transpantaneira, the only road to penetrate this part of the Pantanal. The Transpantaneira winds in from the north for 90 miles and includes 126 trestle bridges. The wildlife viewing along this road at any season is nothing less than spectacular, although the dry season (April to November) is the best because the lakes and wet areas become more restricted and concentrate birds, mammals and reptiles in large numbers adjacent to the road for easy viewing and photographic opportunities.

Chapada dos Guimaráes National Park is situated near the western rim of Brazil's Planalto Central – a land of beautifully eroded and fractured red rim rock formations, drained by spectacular waterfalls and dissected by deep ravines containing fingers of Amazonian Forest. The surrounding countryside is cerrado habitat and the region is home to many highly localized species that we won't see in the Pantanal. Our few days here will provide a fun conclusion to our Brazilian birding adventure!