Ecological Adventure Tour at Caiman Ecological Refuge
5 Days / 4 Nights

Day 1 - Arrival & Transfer to Refúgio Ecológico Caiman
Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring on a 4 hour overland journey to the Refúgio Ecológico Caiman to begin your four night/five day Pantanal adventure. (B,D) .
Day 2, Day 3 & Day 4 - Endless Activities
Enjoy the many activities offered at Caiman, arguably the finest ecologically oriented lodge in all of South America. Two daily activities are offered being one in the morning and the second in the afternoon, plus either a slide show or a video presentation in the evening. All activities are included.
Photo Safari: A tour in an open vehicle is the best way to reach places far from the farm. Crossing fields and stretches of jungle, this tour broadens opportunities to observe and photograph the wild life. The vehicle is used for longer photo safaris. At night guests go out to do "night spotting": to observe, with the help of flashlights, nocturnal animals, such as alligators, capybaras, anteaters and small wolves.
Horseback rides: This is one of the best ways to explore the Pantanal, allowing for visits to areas which are inaccessible by other means, like local flooded areas, where the water is too deep for motorized vehicles or too shallow for other boats. The horses in the Pantanal, which are raised in the region, are stout, strong and have water-resistant skin, and they are adapted to crossing long distances of flooded fields. These horses are trained for inexperienced riders, making it easy for everyone to observe different environments in the Pantanal, from flooded fields to open vegetation and even forests with large trees. Before each tour basic instructions are given about how to get along with the horses, how to ride, the risks and care involved, etc. The ride lasts about 3 hours, but there are shorter trails of about 1½ hours.
Hikes: Taking place mainly on trails through heavy bush, the hikes make it easy to observe forest vegetation and the animals that live there, such as "quatis" (raccoon-like mammals) and monkeys. There are approximately 12 different hikes, which are taken on different days to assure the permanence of the animals in each area. The trails begin in bush with vegetation that is typical of the Pantanal, such as long grass and coppice, and in transition areas, as in the open pastures. The hikes leave on foot from the hotel, or are part of the photo safari. The Farm Tour Walk is taken at the headquarters of the lodge and involves a visit to the stable, the workers' quarters and the headquarters of the Blue Macaw Project. The hikes vary in duration, depending on if they are part of the photo safari or not, but on average they are 1½ to 3 hours.
Canadian Canoe Tour: Refúgio Ecológico Caiman offers Canadian canoe tours on the lakes within the ranch. While canoeing around the lake shore, mammals such as capybaras and monkeys can be seen. Amongst the birds that commonly inhabit the area are: cormorants, anhinga, skimmers, herons and egrets. The real discovery on these tours happens through listening. Guests on the tours travel through Pantanal with sounds of toucans, herons, parakeets, jacanas and kingfishers and with a spell of luck capuchin and howler monkeys. This tour fits people of all ages. The tour averages in length of 1½ to 2 hours.
Row boat outing / Motor boat ride: on Sede and Baiazinha lakes. Row boat rides are very peaceful and one can enjoy the sounds of Nature. Motor boat rides allow the observation of flocks of birds at sunset.
Blue Macaw Project: The Caiman Ecological Refuge hosts the headquarters of the Blue Macaw Project inaugurated in November of 1998 and projected by Neiva Guedes of Uniderp. The project collects information about the bird, which is threatened with extinction, and one of its main objectives is looking for new nests and monitoring those that already exist. Since its beginning, the project has hosted biologists from various countries and students from the best universities in Brazil. Presently, it is supported by the Hyacinth Macaw Fund, which transfers resources through the California Community Foundation and the Smart Family Foundation, Caiman Ecological Refuge, Toyota, Parrot Society, Ibama (Brazilian government environmental agency) and Funda??o Manoel de Barros (a private Brazilian foundation). Aside from the normal program of activities, Caiman guests can closely follow the Blue Macaw Project by visiting the headquarters during their stay.
Slides and video shows: lecture on the Pantanal ecosystem. This will help you to better understand what you see during the day.
Optional Tours
Tour of the Aquidauana River : The Tour of the Aquidauana River consists of a photo safari from the hotel to the Aquidauana River, crossing the entire farm from south to north (32km from headquarters, 41km from Baiazinha and 16 km from Cordilheira). A motorboat ride on the river for at most 10 people allows for observation of the riverside forest with its distinctive species of plants and animals. This is the wildest and most remote part of the farm, and there is a good chance of seeing rare animals like the tapir, otter and even the jaguar. This tour lasts about 5 hours, or half of the day (morning or afternoon). *Important: This activity involves an extra fee and is not included in our regular tour program. This tour is offered between the months of March and November.
The Cattle Drive: This is a very special program since it is a typical activity in the Pantanal. Accompany the peons in their daily work with the cattle, leading hundreds of heads on a trip that lasts more than one day. From one of the lodges of the Refuge, a participant of the Cattle Drive, having been instructed and equipped by the peons, will spend the night in mosquito nets set up in a camp especially prepared for the comfort of the members of the drive. There is a deck covered with a protective net where hammocks are hung, and there are bathrooms with showers, a kitchen and a dining room. Listening to the sound of a guitar and sitting around a campfire, the travelers rest for the next day's trip. At the end of the journey, with the happy company of their new friends, the peons, a traditional barbecue is served. Length: afternoon of the first day, overnight in camp and morning of following day. *Important: The drive is organized by advanced notice and with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 16 people. Interested guests should sign up directly at the Lodge.
Day 5 - Transfer to Airport.
Morning return to the airport.

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