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After spending last summer on a wildlife viewing Brazilian adventure, Sara from Wildfoot is documenting her experiences on our blog. Today, Sara travels to Pantanal and spots a young ocelot.

Day 9

Today we’re on the move again, and this time, our destination is one of the most renowned eco lodges in the Pantanal, situated approximately halfway between Porto Jofre and Cuiaba.

However, there is still time for two more jaguar sightings in the morning, as a 20-minute boat transfer to dock quickly becomes three hours of jaguar viewing!

We meet two female jaguars named Patricia and Iris. Patricia we had seen previously, but Iris is a new one for the tally and is beautifully positioned in an open area. She seems completely at ease despite there being almost 20 boats jostling for a good view and allows each and every one of us to fill our memory cards with photos before finally retreating into the undergrowth, a great sighting to end with.

Once more, we are on our way to the dock where I am met by Bronco, who is going to take me on the next leg of the journey, which is a three-hour drive along the Transpantaneira to Southwild Pantanal Lodge.

The eco lodge was once a traditional cattle ranch comprising 3,500 hectares of flooded lands at the end of the Pixaim River, but today it is regarded as giving one of the best wildlife experiences anywhere in Brazil.

On arrival, I quickly notice it has not lost its original, rustic ranch charm, whether in terms of the physical building structure or its staff, with all of the guys donning cowboy hats. Before arriving, I had heard rumours that the food was some of the best to be found anywhere in the region, and lunch certainly doesn’t disappoint.

In the afternoon, I opt for a bit of a walking safari, which was perhaps in a bid to ease the guilt of having second helpings at lunch! We start with a visit to the observation tower, which has been carefully positioned next to a jabiru stork nest that has been used for the past decade. On reaching the top, it becomes clear that there are five very small chicks in it. It’s really interesting to see the interaction between the two parents and their chicks at close quarters, watching them take it in turn to gather food for the waiting hungry mouths.

Although I could sit and watch this family of storks all day I drag myself away to go on a night walk, which proves to be a very good decision as we strike lucky spotting a beautiful young female ocelot. Although I came to Brazil with high expectations of seeing jaguars, not for one moment did I expect to see one of these highly elusive nocturnal small cats, so it is a real bonus!

Pleased by this unexpected success, we return for a delicious dinner. The food at Santa Tereza is really some of the very best the Pantanal has to offer!

Sara from Wildfoot spent last summer taking part in a wildlife viewing Brazilian adventure and logged her activities throughout the trip. For your enjoyment, we’ve been serialising her progress on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara moves to a floating hotel, spots yet another jaguar and spends time with local fishermen.

Day 8

This morning, I am transferring from Porte Jofre to Southwild Flotel, so I say goodbye to Nelson and Wilson and thank them for their great hospitality before heading off by boat.

After a short ride, I am met by Layra and Jose, who are going to look after me for the next five days, and head out for a morning boat ride.

Layra is busy telling me how wonderful the area is and how regular sightings have become when, lo and behold, we get a call over radio to say another jaguar has been spotted. I am beginning to understand why this region has been aptly nicknamed the Jaguar Zone!

Luckily for me Selema, as she’s been named by researchers, is not camera shy, and she walks along the bank for 40 minutes, giving me my best sighting and photos of the trip so far. Combined with the haunting cry of howler monkeys in the distance, I am in wildlife heaven!

After the excitement has subsided, we head back to the Flotel to check in and have some lunch. The Flotel is made up of a couple of floating buildings, one containing 12 suites and the other with 10 rooms, a restaurant and a presentation room, all of which are finished to a very high standard.

After a tasty bite to eat, we head back out on the water in the opposite direction to visit a local fishing lodge that is known for its great birdlife and frequently visiting Brazilian tapir. The birdlife is plain to see on arrival, with wonderful sights of hyacinth macaws, a chestnut mandibled toucan and a short-eared owl within the first few minutes of arriving.

The fishermen kindly invite us to join them for dinner, which is of course the Catch of the Day. Nothing quite beats freshly caught fish cooked on an open wood fire!

They use this time to tell us of their adventures on the river from days gone by, with one even laying claim to seeing the extremely rare black jaguar only a day or so ago while out fishing. We bide our time listening and hoping, but in vain on this occasion, as wildlife will never be predictable. Finally, we take the boat back to the Flotel at 11pm, well past my bed time!

Last summer, Sara from Wildfoot took part in an incredible wildlife-spotting trip to Brazil, recording every step of her journey for you to read. We have been sharing her daily journal entries on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara spots a jaguar and some giant river otters.

Day 7

Inspired by yesterday’s action, this morning I’m waiting for the boat, ready to leave not long after 5:30 am. It’s much to Wilson’s amazement, but I know that the morning is our best chance of spotting an elusive cat while it’s still cool, and I don’t want to waste a minute.

We’ve been on the water for a couple of hours, without seeing anything of real note, when Wilson suddenly grinds to a halt. There is nothing obvious to be seen, but I nonetheless raise my binoculars and scour the banks for movement – I am a true explorer, now!

After around 10 minutes of seeing nothing, Wilson retreats to his seat and starts the engine, but suddenly out of the corner of my eye I spot a movement, and find a jaguar!

It’s one of those moments when you think you are hallucinating, and from nowhere a beautiful female jaguar was standing only a few metres away from our boat, looking directly at us… it was absolutely mesmerising!

This is the first time I get a chance to really appreciate the true prowess and beauty of these incredible creatures, and I quickly realise I am witnessing something very special.

We spend around half an hour watching this graceful feline walk along the river bank, dipping out of view now and again to navigate the dense jungle, before it finally makes a turn and dissolves into the undergrowth.

This is a moment I will treasure forever, and it was made even better by the fact I didn’t have to share it with a sea of other people… in fact, only two other boats were close by before the jaguar called time on her private showing. We have another sighting a short while later, but just like yesterday, this cat has settled in for the day and is barely in view.

Without spotting another jaguar during the afternoon, we decide to spend some quality time with a family of giant river otters that are known to be nurturing some very small pups. The family is in a playful mood and seems very inquisitive as to our presence. They’re anything but camera shy and seem to be happy for me to snap away at them for well over an hour.

Inevitably, my evening is spent trying to sort through the several hundred photographs I have taken today, which will serve as reminders of my fantastic Brazilian trip.

Last summer, Sara from Wildfoot enjoyed a Brazil wildlife break, recording the high points of her adventure. We are posting her daily journal entries here on the Wildfoot blog. Today, Sara says goodbye to Rio Azul and makes her way to Porte Jofre.

Day 5

This morning, there’s time for another boat ride with Carlos and his father. We set out and immediately admire how crystal clear the shallow water is, which allows us to spot stingrays and all varieties of aquarium fish I know from having a tropical fish tank at home.

We also search favoured hideouts for anaconda (with no success), hear the terrifyingly noisy howler monkeys and get to photograph several beautiful hummingbirds, my favourite being the crimson topaz.

I think it’s also worth noting that if you are a keen fisherman, this is the place to come. In fact, Robson Green has recently visited to film an episode of his Extreme Fishing series here!

I am very sad to say goodbye to Rio Azul so shortly after arriving, but we have another three-hour drive, a one-hour flight and then another four-hour drive along the Transpantaneira, with all of its 122 bridges, ahead of me to get to the final destination.

Next stop is Porte Jofre, which is in the heart of the Pantanal.

Large numbers of capybara and caiman litter the road, and several times we have to swerve or come to a grinding stop to avoid hitting them, The biggest surprise, however, comes when a puma runs into the road and almost dances in front of our car for a few seconds. We had never expected to see this elusive big cat here!

We arrive in the dark, tired and hungry, but we’re instantly rejuvenated by the warm welcome from Nelson, the manager at Hotel Pantanal Norte. A late but tasty buffet dinner follows, and then we’re off to bed, slightly excited with anticipation of possible jaguar action tomorrow!

Last year, Sara from Wildfoot embarked on a wildlife-viewing trip to Brazil and recorded her journey highlights. We’re using the Wildfoot blog to share her experiences. Today, Sara stops by the Veu da Noiva before travelling to the Cristalino Lodge.                                                                                                           

Day 2

Today feels like a transitional day because we move from one area to the other without anything significant planned, but thankfully there are some great moments along the journey to keep me occupied.

We start the morning with a quick visit to Veu da Noiva, a waterfall which translates as Bride’s Veil.  This is probably the most iconic of the national park’s waterfalls and is a great photography stop for any amateur or professional alike. Although I could have happily spent the whole day at Veu da Noiva, enjoying the picture postcard views and abundant birdlife, my flight to Alta Floresta awaits.

Upon my arrival at Alta Floresta, I am met by a guide from the much acclaimed and award winning Cristalino Lodge, which is to be my residence for the next couple of days.

The transfer consists of an hour-long jeep ride to the banks of the almighty Cristalino River, followed by a short boat ride into camp.

Cristalino is renowned for its prolific birdlife and is considered a ‘must do’ by all serious birders that visit Brazil, and it’s not long till I understand why.  On my 15-minute boat transfer, I manage to get some terrific pictures of the Amazon and ringed kingfishers, capped heron, black-girdled barbet and green ibis. My goodness, this place is a bird lover’s paradise!

As I walk into the main lobby at Cristalino, I am immediately aware that this lodge is truly special. The attention to detail is exceptional, and the accommodation is likened to that of a five-star African lodge. It has every right to call itself an Amazonian Sanctuary.

I am introduced to my guide Adriana, who will be looking after me for the next couple of days, and after a quick orientation briefing, she leads out to one of the two 50-metre-high viewing platforms they have.  Designed to give you a 360-degree panoramic view of the rainforest canopy, it’s the perfect place to enjoy my first Amazonian sunset of the trip.

While waiting for the sun to set, I spot a troupe of black spider monkeys swinging through the trees, and I catch sight of my first Blue-headed parrots, although Adriana quickly warns me that they won’t stick around when I try to snap the perfect photograph!

As night falls, we descend the tower and make our way back to the lodge where my first Brazilian caipirinha awaits.  As expected, my dinner is fantastic, with some locally caught catfish being the star of the show, closely followed by the homemade chocolate and pecan brownies.  Clocking up some serious mileage today has taken its toll, so I am quick to retire to bed to ensure I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed for the days ahead.