Brazilian Tapestry

Overview

ROW's Brazilian Tapestry is a cornucopia of experiences. Traveling through three distinct ecosystems; the Pantanal, the Brazilian Amazon and the savannah of the Chapada dos Guimaraes, this journey reveals, up close and personal, the variety and splendour of the wildlife and natural wonder of Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world.

       

• Trip Duration: 12 Days
• Intensity: Easy
• Season: January - December
• Begins in: Iguazu
• Ends in: Pantanal
• Closest Airport: Sao Paulo

Details

Hiking, Canoeing and Exploring the Natural Highlights of Brazil including the Pantanal, the world's larget wetland area, the Amazon, Chapada dos Guimarães and the awe inspiring Iguazu Falls. This moderately active adventure is suitable for a variety of ages and abilities. In terms of land mass, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. In addition to the majestic and powerful Iguazu Falls on the Brazil/Argentina border, this adventure visits three distinct ecosystems. One of these is the savannah of the Chapada dos Guimarães, a plateau with unique flora and fauna. This area spans the headwaters of the watershed of both the Amazon and the Pantanal, so is key to understanding the total environmental puzzle of the region. Another ecosystem is the Brazilian Amazon where we hike and paddle in the rich and varied forest and wetlands. Finally we head into the Pantanal. This is the largest area of wetlands in the world and an absolutely stunning wildlife experience that rivals the Galapagos and Africa in terms of opportunity for close-up wildlife encounters. It is hard to know which part of this adventure would be the highlight as it is truly a compendium of highlights. The trip is led by a local Brazilian guide who is joined by other naturalist guides at various points of the journey.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart Home - many flights from the US travel through the night so you will arrive in Brazil the next day.

Day 2 - Arrive Sao Paulo and immediately transfer to a domestic flight to the city of Foz do Iguazu. We meet you at the airport and transfer you to Hotel Cataratas in the National Park. ( Hotel Cataratas was the first Eco Resort in South America to obtain ISO14001 certification in 2000, with the goal of minimizing the use of natural resources.)

Day 3 - Today we head to Iguazu Falls, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is rivaled only by Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls in terms of sheer wonder. We spend the morning on the Brazilian side of the falls where the view is the most spectacular and spend the afternoon completeing our holistic view of this magical landscape from the Argentinian side. We spend another peaceful night at Hotel Cataratas.

Day 4 - After an early breakfast we head to the airport to board the first of 2 flights that will take us to the town of Alta Floresta in the Amazon. Bordering 8 countries and 1 overseas territory the Amazon is the world's largest river basin and the source of one-fifth of all the free flowing fresh water on Earth. With the largest and most verdant rain forests on the planet it is also home to one in ten of the Earth's known species. We visit a small corner of this immense region staying at the Cristalino Jungle Lodge which is nestled in a private reserve within the Cristalino State Park. After a delicious local dinner we meet with the lodge owner and learn more about how the Lodge has and is playing an instrumental part in saving thousands of acres of this incredible rainforest.

Day 5 - Today we begin to explore the Amazon in earnest. We depart the lodge before dawn breaks and climb the 164ft canopy tower to observe primates, canopy birds and flora as the sun rises through the mist. After breakfast at the Lodge we head up river by motorboat to hike the "Brazil Nut Trail" and if the season is right we can sample some fresh nuts along the way. We paddle our inflatable canoes a mile down river back to the lodge for lunch. Our afternoon hike takes us to the seasonally flooded areas of the Cristalino River including some rich in bamboo, if we are lucky we will see the capuchin or other species of monkey . For the more adventurous souls there is a chance to try out a rope and rappel challange course at the end of the hike. Like sunrise, sunset is also the time we have the best chance of seeing wildlife, so, after dinner, an optional nighttime safari is offered to spot the nocturnal creatures like caiman.

Day 6 - Another early morning hike takes us to the 20 foot high tree house overlooking a natural clay lick. Animals gather to benefit from the minerals in the soil and we have the chance of seeing deer, peccaries and tapirs among others. After lunch we paddle and take a motor boat up river to hike the "Sierra" trail which culminates in sensational panoramic views and a gorgeous sunset. We float quietly back to the lodge for dinner enjoying the riverside birds and animals who venture out as the sun goes down.

Day 7 - Today we leave the Amazon and head for the Savannah. In the morning we head back to Alta Floresta and take the 420 mile flight to Cuiaba and then drive to the Chapada dos Guimaraes. This spectacular area is geologically older than the Andes and the mix of sandstone and other sedimentary rock cliffs have an average altitude of 2500 feet. This area, which is protected as a National Park, is the source of nearly all the rivers that run into the Pantanal and during our visit we see fabulous waterfalls, incredible rock formations and exotic wildlife. We overnight at the Pousada do Parque, a beautiful inn that is built in a totally sustainable manner, just on the edge of the park.

Day 8 - After breakfast at the Inn we continue our explorations of the Savannah hiking out into the park. We stop for the occassional refreshing shower at the numerous waterfalls along the way beore reaching the 210 foot Veu de Noiva (Bride's Veil) the highest waterfall in the park. After a a well deserved lunch a restaurant nestled in a cool grotto we head to the nearby "City of Rocks" for some easy walking and to enjoy a breathtaking sunset over the red-rock canyons. We return to Pousada for the evening and perhaps a pizza for dinner from the pizza oven made from an abandoned termite mound.

Day 9 - Today we head South to the Pantanal, our 2 hour drive will take us to the traditional town of Pocone where we will begin our journey into one of the world's last great wilderness areas, the Pantanal. Named by UNESCO as both a World Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage of Humanity site, it is the world's largest wetland. This complex of ecosystems maintains a stunning concentration of wildlife including some 650 species of birds, 500 moths and butterfiles, 400 fish, 30 frog, 80 reptile and 75 mammal species as well as hundreds of plant species. We take the Transpantaneira park-road which gives us good access to this amazing area. The topogarphy is so subtle in the panatanal that the difference between lands that flood and those that stay dry in the wet season is only a few feet. The dry season is from July through December while the wet season runs January through June, which season you pick will determine whether you hike or travel by boat through the area. There is no best time to visit as each season has its advantages and disadvantages. After driving through the incredible flora and fauna of the area we arrive at the Araras Eco Lodge, one of the area's original lodges built in harmony with its surroundings. We get our first experience of the beautiful sunsets over the area from the lodge's private observation tower before heading out on foot for our first night safari to try and track down the elusive jaguar.

Day 10 - At daybreak we travel by horse to explore more of the Pantanal, the horse is ideal for this area as it can be used in all seasons. During the wet season the water reaches the horse's belly as we cross flooded fields . After a morning on horse back we depart for the little river Claro to do a silent canoe journey watching all the while for the many animal species including aquatic birds and otters. In certain seasons we can offer a 2 day paddle with an overnight camp.

Day 11 - Our last day in the Pantanal allows us a final chance to expore the largest Wetland in the World. You can choose to hike or paddle but whatever you choose the opportunity to get up close and personal with the wildlife is truly inspiring.

Day 12 - Today we get up for a sunrse walk before breakfast before leaving the Pantanal for Cuiaba. In Cuiaba we will visit an artisan who makes the local guitar and can watch the entire process, trying out your woodcarving skills if you would like. After this we head to the airport for flights home via Sao Paulo or to continue your Brazilian adventure.

ROW Difference

The ROW Difference in Brazil

• Trips limited to just 12 guests
• Expert bilingual tour leaders and naturalist guides lead our trips
• Accommodations in top quality Eco-friendly lodges and Inns built in a sustainable manner.
• All airport transfers included
• We follow "Leave No Trace" practices
• Visit sites off the beaten path
• Strong Responsible Travel Actions (see below)

Responsible Travel

We are proud that our trips have a significant and beneficial economic impact areas we travel and we leave a large percentage of the trip fee in the local economy.

• We stay in local hotels, eat in local restaurants, hire local guides and buy all our trip provisions locally This is sometimes quite challenging as what is available changes from week to week, but we believe in the importance of contributing to the local economy as much as possible.
• Our trips also offer an excellent opportunity for our guests to interact with locals. If you have an interest in understanding how the local human population lives in the areas we visit, you will gain many insights on this ROW adventure.
• On each part of our journey we also hire the services of local boat owners and tour operators who support our trips in various ways.