Pantanal Tours at Araras Eco Lodge

Araras Pantanal Eco Lodge,a rustic and regional construction, offers 19 comfortable air conditioned rooms, windows with mosquito netting, ceiling fan and private bathrooms (cold and hot shower).Excellent regional food, bar, swimming pool with covered deck, large verandas with hammocks.From this lodge, with its enviably preserved surroundings, it is possible to do first-class bird-watching, trekking in pristine forest, canoeing, horseback riding, truck photo-safaris, night tours, and enjoy two exciting tree top look outs 12 and 25m high and much more, all under the assistance of expert bilingual naturalist guides.

Enclosed by the properties that surround it, the pousada employs 17 registered employees, distributing most of the income collected to its workers, guides, drivers and suppliers, which provide gas, transportation, staple foods from supermarkets and a variety of farmers, hand-crafts, construction materials, and hundreds of other small businesses, having an important impact on the State and Municipal economy, as well as having a visible influence on the social behavior and environmental attitudes in the region.

The 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) reserve, which the comprise the fazenda and environmental reserve of the Pousada ARARAS ECOLODGE, have served as a laboratory in search of the formula for balance in the use of natural resources, taking advantage of its different ways, adding other income sources and cultural setting to the business as a whole.

We produce milk, cheese and curd, as well as desserts made from seasonal fruits, which are greatly appreciated by visitors. We have included bee culture as a sustainable form of gathering honey. We also have an organic vegetable garden, in addition to raising free-range chickens, sheep, pigs and water buffalo for meat production.

In this way, marrying international business practices with organizational, communication, and administrative technology and marketing of tourist products to concepts from Pantaneiro cattle ranching and environmental / cultural conservation, ecotourism offers a true revolution in the economic use of the Pantanal plain.

It was great! Great people, food was good, and a fabulous experience. We are planning to go back take our friends and family - probably next year! - Sue Lord

3 Days/ 2 Nights

Day 1 . Arrival at Cuiabá/Várzea Grande airport and transfer to Pantanal lowlands. While crossing the area, it is possible to spot and appreciate the local flora & fauna. Sunset observation trekking on the surrounding area. After dinner, night tour to observe the nocturnal environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge.
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Day 2 . Full day to observe the Pantanal flora & fauna. After breakfast, the guide will lead you by car, trekking or canoe, through this particular ecosystem, allowing you to learn and understand the local environment. Dinner and Overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 3 . Early morning horseback ride to the Ronco do Bugio reserve. After lunch, departure to Cuiabá. Time for last pictures on your photo-safari transfer along the Transpantaneira Park Road. (B, L, )

4 Days /3 Nights

Day 1 . Arrival at Cuiabá/ Várzea Grande airport or pick up at hotel and transfer to Pantanal lowlands. While crossing the area, it is possible to spot and appreciate the local flora & fauna. Sunset observation trekking through the surrounding area. After dinner, night tour to observe the nocturnal environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. ( , , D)

Day 2 . Full day to observe Pantanal’s flora & fauna. After breakfast, the guide will lead you by car, trekking and horseback ride, through this particular ecosystem, allowing you to learn and understand the local environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 3 . Exploration trip on the Pantanal raised dirt roads, including the Transpantaneira Park Road. Canoe tour to spot aquatic wildlife, birds and flora; possibility to arrange piranha fishing. Picnic lunch en route. Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 4 . After breakfast, photo-safari along the Transpantaneira Park Road and return to Cuiabá. Drop off at airport or city hotel. (B, , )

5 Days / 4 Nights

Day 1. Arrival at Cuiabá/Várzea Grande airport or pick up at hotel and transfer to Pantanal lowlands. While crossing the area, it is possible to spot and appreciate the local flora & fauna. Late afternoon hike through surrounding area to a 12 m observation tower and a spectacular view of sunset. After dinner, night walk to observe the South Hemisphere sky, hear and feel the nocturnal environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. ( , , D)

Day 2. Full day dedicated to observing the Pantanal’s flora & fauna at the Araras Eco Lodge private reserve. After breakfast, the guide will lead you on a 2 to 3 hour horseback ride through the pastures, woods and wetlands. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, you will go on a hike in a different area of the private reserve, allowing you to observe and learn more of the local environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 3. After breakfast travel down private dirt roads, to Sentinela Camp on the edge of the Rio Clarinho. Canoe tour to spot aquatic wildlife, birds and flora; possibility of piranha fishing. Brazilian churrasco style picnic lunch along the banks of the river. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 4. Early morning hike for sunrise. Breakfast. After breakfast hike or bike ride to visit to the neighbor farm. Time to share a “guaraná “ drink following local tradition, lunch at the lodge. Afternoon photo safari south on the Transpantaneira Park road. Dinner at Lodge. Enjoy a night tour on our photo safari truck, with spotlight to search for nocturnal wild life (B,L,D)

Day 5. Morning free for personal enjoyment at lodge surroundings, before your photo safari transfer to Cuiabá. Drop off at airport or city hotel. (B, , )

2009 Price per person in US$

Nights	Single	Double	Triple
2	$658	$575	$826
3	$902	$779	$779
4	$1147	$983	$983

Price Includes: In/out photo-safari transfers; overnights at Araras Eco Lodge with full board. All above mentioned activities; guide.

Does not include: Air tickets to/from Cuiabá; beverages; medical expenses and hospitalization or medical insurance.

Transfers:
departs from Cuiaba airport to Araras at 1230pm or 5pm
departs from Araras to Cuiaba airport at 730am or 12pm

All the pictures copyright by Silvio Vince Esgalha and Mike Bueno.

Our trip to the Pantanal was magnificent. My friend and I traveled first to Rio, then Iguazu Falls, then to the Pantanal and the Pantanal was our favorite. From the very start our guide was friendly and very enthused about teaching us about the Pantanal wildlife. He assisted us in every way he could. Araras Lodge was really great. It was clean, the staff was extremely friendly and the food at the lodge was really excellent eating. I was surprised I loved the food so much. I loved that the lodge had a few walkways into the forest that you could take on your own. My friend and I took a walk right at dusk, then at dawn the next day. We saw an anteater, foxes, quatis, capibara, monkeys and of course the thousands of caiman that were everywhere. Coming into this trip, I prepared myself for the possibility of not seeing much wildlife so I wouldn't be disappointed, but we were absolutely stunned by the abundance of wildlife, especially Cayman. We saw hundreds of birds, including the beautiful Macaws, parrots, falcons, and we even spotted a pair of Toucans. The canoe ride was so amazing. We saw otters and Cayman. We went Piranha fishing and fed our Piranha to the Cayman. During the night trekking, we spotted a few owls, crab eating foxes and deer. I do plan on returning to the Araras Eco Lodge in the near future. Thank you for assisting us with our trip, it was definitely a trip to remember. - Naomi Arce

Pantanal And Cerrado Ecosystems - 6 days/5 nights

The Pantanal is the world’s largest continuous wetland area (actually an alluvial plain) located in the center of South America, spanning three countries, with around 168,000 km2 (60,000 sq. miles) being in Brazil. It’s a perfect ecological niche for a great number of birds, reptiles and other animals to the delight of wildlife watchers and photographers.

Savanna Tableland – Geologically older than the Andes mountains, the Chapada dos Guimarães Tableland with its average altitude of 760 m, is the source to almost all main rivers and waters that run into the Pantanal. Its waterfalls, creeks, rock formations covered with cerrado (Savannah - like or scrub) vegetation and exotic wildlife give this National Park an unbeaten beauty.

Day 1 CUIABÁ ® SAVANNA TABLELANDS
Reception at Cuiabá/ Várzea Grande Airport and travel to Chapada dos Guimarães. Hike along the Patience River in the valley at the foot of the Tablelands. Visit to the Echo Wall to enjoy sunset, with a breathtaking view over Chapada National Park. Dinner in the historic town of Chapada dos Guimarães. Accommodation at Park Ecolodge, dinner and overnight . ( , ,D )

Day 2 - SAVANNA TABLELANDS
Depart after breakfast, stopping at the Geodesic Center of South America for a splendid view into the Cuiabana plain. Further along the plateau for another 40km observing great soya and cotton plantation, until the valley that houses the AROE JARI cave. Hike for a good hour enjoying its preserved rock formation, enter its cave with underground water stream and crystal blue shinning lake. AROE JARI in “tupi”, the native language means: “House of Souls”. Picnic lunch and further exploration along luxuriant trails. Return to Chapada late afternoon. Dinner and overnight (B, L, D)

Day 3 - SAVANNA TABLELANDS ® PANTANAL LOWLANDS
After breakfast, visit Chapada National Park, hiking along wonderful trails, full of adventure and invigorating showers in mineral waterfalls that are part of the park’s water circuit. For lunch, enjoy typical dishes of this region while seated in front of a breathtaking view of the canyon surrounding Bridal Veil Fall. After lunch departure to Pantanal Lowlands. While crossing the area, it is possible to spot and appreciate the local flora & fauna. Late afternoon hike along 900m trail to a 25m high observation tower for a “bird eye” view over surrounding forest, marsh and fields. After dinner, night tour to observe nocturnal environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D,)

Day 4 - PANTANAL LOWLANDS
Full day dedicated to observing the Pantanal’s flora & fauna at the Araras Eco Lodge private reserve. After breakfast, the guide will lead you on a 2 to 3 hour horseback ride through the pastures, woods and wetlands. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, the guide will hike in a different area of the private reserve, allowing you to observe and learn more of the local environment. Overnight at Araras Eco Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 5 - PANTANAL LOWLANDS
After breakfast travel down private dirt roads, to Sentinela Camp on the edge of the Clarinho river. Canoe tour to spot aquatic wildlife, birds and flora; possibility of piranha fishing. Brazilian churrasco style picnic lunch along the banks of the river. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 6 - PANTANAL LOWLANDS ® CUIABÁ
After breakfast, photo-safari along the Transpantaneira Park Road and return to Cuiabá. Drop off at airport or city hotel. (B, , )

Price per person in US$ till March 30, 2008: With Tuesday start dates at 1230pm = $1215 single, $1050 double, $895 triple. (min. of 2 people)
With start on any other day = $1519 single, $1313 double, $1095 triple

Included: Overnights, full board (drinks not included), and activities similar to the above description and permanent assistance of an expert bilingual guide. (NOTE: The activities described may be altered due to weather conditions, season or group make-up with the intent of maximizing your experience of the eco-system).

Not included: Air tickets to/from Cuiabá. Beverages. Medical expenses and hospitalization. Any type of insurance.

.Recommended Gear: T-shirts, long sleeved shirt, sneakers or hiking boots, jeans or track suit, hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, binoculars, flashlight, camera and film. Sweatshirt or sweater recommended from June to September.

The Park Eco Lodge has a leisure area with swimming pool, veranda with hammocks, mini-academy, kiosk and fireplace . The extremely pleasant climate excuses the use of airconditioning. After one day's walking all you'll want is to relax, and here is the ideal place. The Lodge provides 8 apartments in rustic style, with private bathrooms and airconditioning. It's the ideal place for trekkers, environmentalists and general nature lovers, who are looking for a comfortable place, and several activity options that have to do with the natural wonders of Chapada dos Guimarães.The lodge is next to the park's biggest attractions, such as: the Bridal Veil Water Fall, São Jerônimo Hill,a serie of Waterfalls, Stone House, Tope de Fita, Carretão , trails etc.. In its private preservation area, the Lodge has 2 breathtakingWaterfalls (from December to the beginning of July), an outlook point, Cavern, Stone Portal, tracks of easy access and possibility of horse-riding.

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