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A granite peak above the narrow, forest-lined inlet of Saco do Mamanguá near Paraty, Brazil

Sample journey · 12–14 days

Rio, Paraty and the rivers of the Pantanal

Rio de Janeiro, colonial Paraty on the Green Coast and the northern Pantanal

Photo: Sacred Treks / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Brazil is too vast to see all at once, so this route picks two very different sides of it. The first is the Atlantic coast: Rio de Janeiro, where forest, mountains and beaches weave through the city, and Paraty, a colonial port whose cobbled streets are still washed by the sea at the highest tides. The second is the Pantanal, an immense tropical wetland in the heart of the country, where life follows the water.

In the Pantanal days begin at dawn and end with the last light over the river. Caimans bask on the banks, hyacinth macaws fly overhead, and in the dry season boats go out in search of jaguars resting along the riverbanks. No one can promise an encounter, but even without one this is among the richest places for wildlife in South America. The route can be shaped around the season, your pace and how much time you'd like to give the city versus the wild.

The route

The journey

  1. Rio de Janeiro
  2. Paraty
  3. Rio de Janeiro
  4. Cuiabá
  5. Transpantaneira
  6. Porto Jofre
  7. Cuiabá
  1. The view from the Dois Irmãos trail over Ipanema and Leblon, the lagoon and the mountains, Rio de Janeiro

    01Days 1–4 · Rio de Janeiro

    A city between mountains and sea

    Rio is best understood from above. One morning could take you up Corcovado through the Tijuca forest; another, up the Dois Irmãos trail with a local guide for a view of the whole shoreline from Leblon to Copacabana. Afternoons belong to Santa Teresa, with its studios and stairways, and evenings to beach life and samba in Lapa. Four nights leave room to simply be by the sea.

  2. A cobbled street in Paraty's historic centre at dusk, with café tables and lit doorways, Brazil

    02Days 5–6 · Paraty

    Stone streets and tidal water

    A drive along the Costa Verde, around four hours south past bays and forested headlands. Paraty's historic centre is white walls, brightly painted doors and cobbles that are hard to hurry on, so everyone moves slowly here. In the evening the lanes are lit by lanterns, kitchens serve seafood stews, and the cachaça comes from distilleries just outside town.

  3. Old wooden schooners in Paraty harbour with green coastal hills behind, Brazil

    03Days 7–8 · Paraty Bay & Mamanguá

    A day under sail

    Dozens of islands are scattered across Paraty Bay, and the best way to see them is a full day on a wooden schooner or a smaller boat, with stops for swimming. The next day, a boat to Saco do Mamanguá, a narrow, fjord-like inlet between forested mountains, where you can hike up a granite peak or paddle a kayak among the mangroves.

  4. A hyacinth macaw perched on a branch in the Pantanal, Brazil

    04Days 9–11 · The Transpantaneira

    A road into the wetland

    Back to Rio, then a flight to Cuiabá and onto the Transpantaneira, a dirt road crossing more than a hundred wooden bridges. You stay at a fazenda, an old cattle ranch that now welcomes travellers. Mornings and evenings go out with a naturalist guide on foot, by canoe or on horseback: caimans, capybaras, jabiru storks and hyacinth macaws are often only a few steps away.

  5. A jaguar on a sandy riverbank in the Pantanal, Brazil

    05Days 12–14 · Porto Jofre

    On the rivers of the jaguar

    At the end of the Transpantaneira, Porto Jofre is where the river world begins. Small boats head out along the Cuiabá River and its side channels, where in the dry season jaguars often rest or hunt along the banks. Some years and months bring many sightings, others fewer; guides read the tracks and share news with each other, but nature offers no guarantees. After a last morning on the water, back to Cuiabá for the flight home.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Rio from above

    The Dois Irmãos trail or Corcovado: a view in which mountains, forest and sea merge into one city.

  2. 02

    Paraty Bay by schooner

    A whole day among islands and beaches, most of them reachable only by water.

  3. 03

    A fazenda in the Pantanal

    Mornings with the birds, evenings by the river and stars over a wetland with no city light at all.

  4. 04

    By boat on the Cuiabá River

    One of the best places in the world to look for jaguars, with guides who know these rivers best.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • Add the Iguazú Falls

    Two nights in Foz do Iguaçu between Rio and the Pantanal: the falls from the Brazilian side, and the Argentine side too if you wish.

  • The southern Pantanal

    Fly to Campo Grande instead of Cuiabá for a private ranch in the southern Pantanal, with the clear rivers of Bonito nearby; the focus here is more on birds, river snorkelling and quiet.

  • More coast

    A few nights on Ilha Grande between Rio and Paraty: no cars, and forest trails to empty beaches.

  • A gentler pace

    Less time in the city and longer at a single fazenda: fewer transfers, more time on the water and in the shade.

Practical considerations

  • The Pantanal's dry season usually runs roughly from July to October and is generally the best time for jaguars; in the wet season some roads and lodges are harder to reach. Seasons vary a little each year.
  • Direct flights from Rio to Cuiabá are limited, so routings often connect via São Paulo or Brasília; Rio to Paraty is by road.
  • The Pantanal is tropical, with heat and mosquitoes; for vaccinations and other health questions, speak to a doctor or travel clinic well in advance.
  • Light, muted clothing and binoculars help with wildlife watching; the sun is strong on the boats, so bring a hat.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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