The Pantanal of Brazil:The World's Largest Tropical Wetlands

August 1 - 8, 2020Explore the Pantanal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, one of South America’s premier wildlife sanctuaries. With an area of 54,000 mi² and located in the center of the continent, the Pantanal is a biogeography mixing bowl containing elements of the Amazon Forest, Caatinga, Brazilian Savannah, Atlantic Rainforest and Paraguayan Chaco. This area is an unparalleled wildlife reserve of spectacular beauty, an ecological paradise containing hundreds of species of birds, thousands of varieties of butterflies, myriads of brightly colored flowers, and shoals of fish. Capuchin and howler monkeys, capybaras, toucans, anacondas, caimans, tapirs, giant anteaters and elusive jaguars help create an aquatic and sylvan theater of sights and sounds. Couple it with two amazing optional extensions to Rio de Janeiro, and one of the most spectacular Falls in the world, Iguassu, and you have the makings of a truly unique adventure.

DAY 01: DEPART US

DAY 02: ARRIVE IN SAO PAULO

• Greet, assistance & transfer to hotel

• Welcome dinner• Overnight in Sao Paulo Blue Tree Faria Hotel (D)DAY 03: SAO PAULO

• After breakfast, we leave for a full day city tour.

• Start at the Municipal Market (indoor food market),Avenida Paulista (main commercial avenue), IbirapueraPark with views from the top of the Contemporary ArtMuseum, street graffiti art at Batman and a lateafternoon coffee-tasting at a local coffee house.• Enjoy a Brazilian BBQ lunch Blue Tree Faria Hotel(B/L)

DAY 04 : SAO PAULO / PANTANAL

• After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flightto Cuiaba. Upon arrival, you will drive 3 hours toThe Pantanal and check in at your hotel

• After dinner, enjoy an evening introductory walk tosee the night sky of the southern hemisphere. ArarasLodge (B/D)

Antelope Canyon. Have your camera ready to capture the otherworldly passageways of red-orange rock, created by water erosion, which appear "flowing" and reflect light in the most stunning ways.

Continue to Lake Powell where the rest of the day can be spent relaxing and enjoying the lakeside resort.Overnight: Lake Powell Resort (B)

DAY 05 - 07: PANTANALFor the remaining 3-night stay in Araras Eco Lodge, guests will have an opportunity to experience various activities. Each day after breakfast there will be a morning activity, followed by lunch and a late afternoon activity. Each evening, the guide will meet with the group about the next

day's activities. It will depend upon the weather and the group interests. See below for details of the activities. Araras Eco Lodge (B/L/D)

INTRODUCTORY WALK (day of arrival) is the first activity, where the history, concepts and surroundings of the lodge are presented. You will be shown the impounding and treatment of water and effluents, destination of garbage, explanations regarding water heating and everything concerning minimizing the impacts of our presence upon the environment. You will be shown the flood channel of the caiman, where the visitor has a close and safe contact with one of the most present symbols of the Pantanal. Next, a visit to the Egret Tower outlook point, which presents from atop its 12 m height an aerial view from the crown of a giant tree. After, a visit to the nest of a pair of Hyacinth macaws, representing the lodge's ogo and our commitment toward preservation. This introduction walk also takes us to Barara, where you are offered the possibility of convivial with regional ranchers and cowboys. Repeated encounters with the capybara, curassows and countless other species of the fauna harmonize the visitor with his/her environs. (Duration of 1 to 1½ hours)

Program Cost : Land Only (no international airfare Included):

$4,995 per person$1,095 single supplement

$1,199

$1,299

IGUASSU FALLS EXTENSION: 4 day/3 nights

RIO DE JENEIRO EXTENSION: 3 day/2 nights

Hosted by: Peter Whiting, Professor, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences

To make a reservation, Contact Coddiwomple Journeys at info@coddiwomplejourneys.com or 781-454-9883

- PHOTO SAFARI: in especially adapted openvehicles, this excursion gives access to the moredistant sites and -because of the vehicle’s height - itfacilitates the observation of fauna along the roads ofPantanal and the Transpantaneira crossroad. During thephoto safari, you are given the opportunity to watch thepeculiarities and contrasts of the vegetation as well as alarge variety of animals. Meant for day and nightsafaris. (duration 2 to 3 hours)- CANOEING: It offers the discovery of the riversideforest in absolute silence for greater integration. Itdoesn’t require much physical effort, for it is carriedout in areas without much river current. Guests row 2-seat kayaks, but for those who prefer, we have anothertype of boat, where the guide paddles. (Duration of 2-3hours)- PHOTO SAFARI: in especially adapted openvehicles, this excursion gives access to the moredistant sites and -because of the vehicle’s height - itfacilitates the observation of fauna along the roads ofPantanal and the Transpantaneira crossroad. During thephoto safari, you are given the opportunity to watch thepeculiarities and contrasts of the vegetation as well as alarge variety of animals. Meant for day and nightsafaris. (duration 2 to 3 hours)DAY 08: PANTANAL / SAO PAULOAfter breakfast, transfer to the Cuiaba airport (2.5-hour drive) for your flight to Sao Paulo. Your guide will transfer you to your hotel where we have arranged day rooms for you to rest and freshen up before your overnight flight back to the U.S.

DAY 09: EARLY MORING ARRIVAL IN US

TREKKING ALONG THE PANTANAL TRAILS is the excursion the provides the closest contact with the environment, while reinforcing the ecological focus of your activity. In the dry season, you have at your disposal more than 20 km of trails. During the wet season, our catwalks, suspended 1.5 m above ground, permit safe and pleasant movement. The walks have their duration determined in accordance with the group's possibilities and focus upon the observation of fauna and flora across woods, savannas, fields and swamps, with the purpose of presenting the eco-system’s diversity. Three canopy towers 12, 13 and 25 m high offer panoramic views of the plain and detail up in the crown of trees. (Duration 2 to 3 hours)VISIT TO THE BIRDS' RELEASE STATION - a project carried out in a partnership with the NGO "Animals of the foreest" and IBAMA - The Environmental Protection National Agency, where birds apprehended and recovered are returned to nature:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH8UIAvZoxQ. During this visit, we shall also get acquainted with the stud farm "Bafo da Ona", where Pantaneiro horses are bred, together with sheep - and other particulars of a rural installation. (Duration 2 to 3 hours)HORSEBACK RIDING: is the most traditional way of becoming acquainted with Pantanal. Visitors are given the chance of exploring areas of difficult access, where it is common to witness the harmonious convivial between cattle and the wild fauna. This tour is conducted at a walking pace minding the beginners and also to guarantee the safety and comfort of guests. Our troop of pure Pantaneiro race horses enjoys a high reputation regarding their beauty and docility. (Duration 2 to 3 hours)HORSEBACK RIDING: is the most traditional way of becoming acquainted with Pantanal. Visitors are given the chance of exploring areas of difficult access, where it is common to witness the harmonious convivial between cattle and the wild fauna. This tour is conducted at a walking pace minding the beginners and also to guarantee the safety and comfort of guests. Our troop of pure Pantaneiro race horses enjoys a high reputation regarding their beauty and docility. (Duration 2 to 3 hours)CANOEING: It offers the discovery of the riverside forest in absolute silence for greater integration. It doesn’t require much physical effort, for it is carried out in areas without much river current. Guests row 2-seat kayaks, but for those who prefer, we have another type of boat, where the guide paddles. (Duration of 2-3 hours)

INCLUSIONS:Two nights at Blue Tree Faria Hotel in Sao Paulo Four nights at Araras Eco Lodge in The Pantanal Full time In-country Tour Director/Guide Additional local guides for specific excursionsInternal flights and luxury coaches, airport transfers, entrance feesTaxes and porterage.All on-the-ground arrangements with tour leaders and professional guides.

Optional Extensions:

IGUASSU FALLS RIO DE JENEIRO