The Caiman Ecological Refuge (Jaguar Safari)

Special Interest

SUMMARY

4 Days

Brazil

The Caiman Ecological Refuge is a working cattle ranch is located four hours from Campo Grande Airport, in Brazil’s southern Pantanal region. Brazil. It is a luxury lodge ideal for visitors interested in learning about and experiencing the majestic nature of the Pantanal. Jaguar, Capybara, Giant Anteater, South American Tapir, Caiman, Hyacinth Macaw are just some of the Pantanal’s big draw cards! The Caiman Ecological Refuge lodge’s resident naturalist guides have an unsurpassed knowledge of this complex and diverse ecosystem and will help you search for the more elusive animals.

The Pantanal is home to the highest concentration of birds in South America and has a variety of plant species that creates a splendid mosaic of vegetation. Just as rich is the Pantanal’s culture, including authentic gastronomy, daily traditions, and many celebrations. The Pantanal’s seasons are Wet (December to March), Intermediate (April to June), Dry (July to October), and Rainy (November and December). Each season has it’s own attraction.

Onçafari Jaguar Project is a conservation initiative that aims to promote ecotourism in the Pantanal by habituating jaguars in order for people to witness the fascinating behaviour of these beautiful animals, from a safari vehicle. Ecotourism is being used as an important conservation tool, providing an important source of income for landowners and local communities.

About the lodge: The Caiman Ecological Refuge provides an extremely comfortable and cosy atmosphere that reflects the lifestyle of the Pantanal people. There are one main lodge and two additional lodges at strategic points within its 53,000-hectare grounds. Choose from luxury suites or standard accommodation in one of their 26 rooms with air-conditioning and private facilities. All three lodges have a living room, dining room, internet, and air conditioning. There is also a pool on a deck, surrounded by the vast expanse of the Pantanal landscape. Activities include photo safaris, trail walking and canoe rides.

HIGHLIGHTS

Enjoy the Pantanal travelling in style.
At this luxury lodge, you can choose from a menu of excursions. Walking tours, Photographic Safari tour, Night Safari, Jeep Safari and so much more.
You will have the wonderful opportunity to go looking for the majestic Jaguar.
Get to learn from the best, Projeto Onçafari is a non-profitconservation initiative that aims to promote ecotourism in the Pantanal, by habituating Jaguars for people to witness the fascinating behaviour of these beautiful animals.
You will learn how to set camera traps for any sign of Jaguars, look for tracks on the ground, try to locate kills that Jaguars might have made during the previous night and so much more.

ITINERARY

Day 1 Campo Grande/Pantanal

On arrival, you will be met by your Naturalist Guide who will accompany you for the next 3 days of activities & excursions.
Start your trip leaving Campo Grande and driving Miranda, a town 3 hour’s drive, with a stop at a roadhouse to stock up on snacks or have a bathroom break.
Once at the lodge, you will be shown to your rooms and receive an introduction about the lodges facilities, the grounds, and the Pantanal in general. Get a good night’s sleep- tomorrow is your first early start as you head out looking for some of the Pantanal’s famed wildlife. Refugio Ecological Caiman is a working cattle ranch and comprises of the main lodge with private facilities, a home style restaurant and swimming pool.

You can choose from a menu of excursions that are led by Caimaners, your expert naturalist guides on the Pantanal fauna and flora, who are natural science graduates and bilingual in Portuguese and English. In addition, all excursions are escorted by fieldguides, who are locally born residents with a deep knowledge and understanding of the area’s nature and culture.

Typically, your day will begin at 6 am with an early breakfast, followed by your first activity- perhaps a walk along one of the many trails surrounding the lodge, a boat trip along the Aquidauana River, canoeing the lake near Baiazinha Lodge, horseback rides or a visit to the Blue Macaw Project. After your morning excursion, you will return to the lodge for lunch and you can some time to relax by the pool, in your hammock, or in the air-conditioned lounge area.

Later in the afternoon, usually around 3 p.m., you will depart for your second outing of the day, returning to the lodge in time for dinner. Nocturnal spotlight tours are a highlight with many animals venturing out once the sun goes down.

Excursion options include:
– Trekking around the lodge for observation of animals and vegetation. At night, observe caimans and other nocturnal animals.
– Horseback riding; the best way to get into the heart of the Pantanal to areas we cannot reach on foot or in vehicles
– Rides on specially adapted vehicles to distant places where a wider variety of animals roam
– Motor boat trips on the Aquidauana River
– Row boat rides on the lakes near the lodges, while enjoying the sounds of the wildlife around you.

Day 2 Pantanal

Wake up this morning and prepare all day for your Jaguar Safari experience.
Projeto Onçafari is a non-profit conservation initiative that aims to promote ecotourism in the Pantanal (Brazil) by habituating Jaguars for people to witness the fascinating behaviour of these beautiful animals, from a safari vehicle. Ecotourism is being used as an important conservation tool in many places around the world, providing an important source of income for landowners and local communities who in turn do their part by ensuring that the ecosystem stays intact; large tracts of land are conserved around the world in this manner.

After a long day of preparation looking for signs of the illusive Jaguar to obtain its most probable position, your team will give you a presentation on the Project’s work and goals before you set out.

Your Guides will use their experience, the clues obtained during that very day as well as spotlights and all the resources available so you can locate one of these magni?cent cats. You will have a night safari like no other with our experienced Jaguar Team.

Day 3 Pantanal

Spend a full day and evening with your Jaguar Habituation Team. Go out with them in the morning and get involved in their daily activities.

Start your day looking for the illusive Jaguar. Your team spends a vast amount of time searching for the animals themselves as well as for clues that will point you in the right direction when the nocturnal Jaguars get active as the sun sets down in the horizon.

You will learn how to set camera traps, look for tracks on the ground, try to locate kills that Jaguars might have made during the previous night, check data from satellites that follow the collared Jaguars and even search them via a receiver that can capture VHF signals emitted by their collars. You may have a chance to experience tracking on foot with our expertly African trained trackers, to see ?rst hand pictures taken by the team’s camera traps and experience all the technological features available.

Once a sign of the animal is found you will attempt to locate the animal in order to further the habituation process and you and your group can be part of this amazing experience. Depending on circumstances you will set out at Sunset or just after dinner in order to see the Jaguars. You will also be given a full presentation on the Project’s work and objectives at our base station.