Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in the way of wildlife, Barão is perfect if you're short on time and just want a taste of
the Pantanal. Although Barão is no longer served by regular boats from Corumbá, it
might still be worth asking around in case a shallow-draught vessel is covering the
journey - an unforgettable experience, right through the centre of the swamp.
ACCOMMODATION
BARÃO DO MELGAÇO
Pousada do Rio
Mutum
130km from Cuiaba near the
Rio Mutum
T
65 3052 7022,
W
pousadamutum.com
.br.
In a stunning location on the Baía de Siá Mariana near
the Rio Mutum, this
pousada
has chalet style apartments
and a lovely pool. Apart from safaris and boat trips, you can
visit a riverside community nearby to learn about
Pantan
eiro customs and traditions. Rates are full board.
R$510
/person
Poconé and around
The most exploited option from Cuiabá is to follow the route south to
POCONÉ
. Like
Barão do Melgaço, Poconé is not real Pantanal country, but it's a start and there are
plenty of
hotels
.
The swamp proper begins south of Poconé, along the aborted
Transpantaneira
road. In fact, it's just a bumpy track, often impassable during the rains, but you'll
see plenty of wildlife from it, as well as signs marking the entrances to a number of
fazenda
-lodges and
pousadas
set back from the road around various tributaries of
the Rio Cuiabá, notably the Pixaim and Rio Claro; although pricey, they all have
restaurants and facilities for taking wildlife day-trips into the swamp by boat, on
horseback or on foot.
7
Porto Jofre
A rough track from Poconé, in a bad state, trails off southeast to Porto Cercado on the
banks of the Rio Cuiabá itself, and provides access to several
pousadas
. After 145km,
having crossed around a hundred wooden bridges in varying stages of dilapidation, the
track eventually arrives at
PORTO JOFRE
. Porto Jofre is a small fishing hamlet and
literally the end of the road. This is as far as the Transpantaneira route has got, or ever
looks like getting, thanks to technical problems and the sound advice of ecological
pressure groups.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
POCONÉ AND AROUND
By bus
There are daily bus services from Cuiabá's
rodoviária (see p.473) as far as Poconé along a paved and
fairly smooth 100km stretch of road.
ACCOMMODATION
POCONÉ
Hotel Skala
Praça Rondon 64
T
65 3721 1407.
This
simple little hotel on the main square offers basic b
ut clean
rooms at a fair price as well as very friendly service.
R$100
in the area and its own grassy airstrip for wealthy fishermen
from São Paulo. There is a lovely pool and games area for
when you're
not ve
nturing out into the swamp to fish.
March-Oct.
R$622
★
Pantanal Jaguar Camp
Rodovia Transpantaneira
Km 145
T
65 9994 2265,
W
pantanaljaguarcamp.com
.br/.
Owned by the wonderful Pantanal Nature tour
operators, this ecofriendly lodge (complete with septic
tanks and solar panels) in the middle of the jungle
is perfect for those with a particular interest in jaguars.
Their success rate in spotting the elusive creatures is very
high, thanks to the owner's passion and expertise.
Accommodation is in lux
ury ten
ts and has satellite wi-fi.
All guides speak English.
R$560
★
AROUND POCONÉ
All of the following
fazendas
and
pousadas
can be booked
through the addresses given below or through tour or
travel agents in Cuiabá; some lodges insist on advance
reservations and won't let you in unannounced, but others
might relent if you just drop by. All the lodges below offer
full-board accommodation, with swamp trips included in
the price; they're listed in loose geographical order, from
northeast to southwest.
Hotel Pantanal
Norte
Porto Jofre. O
ce in Cuiabá at
Av São Sebastião no. 357
T
65 3637 1593,
W
portojofre
.com.br.
This high-end, atmospheric hotel has a monopoly
Pousada Araras Eco Lodge
O
ce at Cuiabá airport,
or Av Ponce de Arruda 670, Várzea Grande
T
65 3682 2800,
W
araraslodge.com.br.
At Km 29 of the
