Where to go in Greater Pantanal

In the northern pocket of the world’s largest tropical wetland, water dictates everything. The landscape transforms dramatically with the seasons: early in the year, gushing rains turn the plains into mirror-smooth lagoons full of cruising caimans and jabiru storks, yet months later, as the rivers dry up, the Pantanal’s cast of curious wildlife gathers around ever-diminishing pools. Accessible from the city of Cuiaba, the region is connected via over 100 wooden bridges known as the Transpantaneira Highway. A journey to the furthest reaches will reveal the ultimate reward of swaggering jaguars sipping from the riverbanks – the Northern Pantanal has one of the highest densities of these big cats on Earth – before swapping your rumbling vehicle for a boat to spot even more of the cast of incredible creatures; horse-faced capybaras, tapirs, tiny, endemic marmosets and a flurry of birdlife including toucans and endangered hyacinth macaws. The human footprint remains refreshingly light, with family-run fazendas (ranches) offering authentic lodgings where hammocks sway on verandas and traditional piranha fishing expeditions end with unexpected culinary delights.