Pantanal

Sunday was an early start which wasn't great with little sleep. I did put my tent down prior and slept on the truck as we couldn't be bothered to lie down in the tent just to wake up again so soon. I managed to sleep much of the morning. The day itself was just a long drive day and where we leave the other trucks again for a while. We were initially meant to camp although we managed to get a good deal on a hotel in Maracaju so stayed there instead. It was a very muggy day however and wet at times, quite uncomfortable. We arrived at Maracaju by evening, the clocks going back an hour just to confuse things even more. Dinner in the evening was a bacon chowder, and after dinner I sat down and watched a local game with some local Ituapu fans. I was however surprised after a while to notice Guly do Prado was one of their players and he scored a bullet header for Ituapu to win 1-0 which created some scenes. I then had an early night to catch up on some sleep.

Monday was only a short drive day to a fantastic opportunity to stay in a ranch in the Pantanal. The Pantanal is a vast wetland that covers much of inland central and southern Brazil - it is formed of a huge gently-sloping depression surrounded by rolling highlands, so the water from thousands of small rivers runs off from the highlands to collect in the basin before draining out into the Paraguay River. The Pantanal is predominantly an agricultural area, dotted with cattle ranches known locally as "Fazenda". Many of the Fazendas have opened up for eco- tourism in recent years and offer safaris and tours of the area. The wildlife here is staggering, and there is probably nowhere else in South America where you'll be able to see as many indigenous species. There are over 250 different species of birds that have been recorded here, including parakeets, macaws, owls, kingfishers, ibis, storks, kites and hawks, hummingbirds and more, and there are prolific numbers of caiman, anacondas, iguanas, two species of anteaters, ocelots, jaguars, tapirs, giant river otters and thousands of marsh deer. One of the easier animals to spot is the capybara, a giant guinea-pig-type rodent that grows up to 60 kgs and lives in large herds in the swamps.

We arrived at the ranch by lunchtime and had lunch waiting for us upon arrival. With the ranch being over 50km from proper civilisation as well we were even able to open the roof seats as we had to get there off road. Lunch was a buffet with various dishes including meats, rice, and salads. After lunch we were given time to relax as the heat and humidity was top intense to do activities during the day. I just relaxed by the pool, and after afternoon tea I decided to go horse riding which isn't something I would normally do but I thought why not. We went out for a couple of hours round the ranch, through many wet and boggy fields spotting an array of wildlife en route including caiman and capybara, and a lot of bird life. We got back during sunset which was pretty special.

When arriving back dinner was ready which was another big buffet like with lunch. I also got an addiction for starfruit as there was a tree full of them next to the pool. After dinner we had the chance to go out on a night safari to spot some nocturnal wildlife. We spotted some feral pigs, foxes, and owls, although the highlight was the stream which was absolutely teaming with caiman. You could see there eyes out the water in the dark, and when shining the light you could see their whole body. We also saw loads of capybara. The night sky was also as equally impressive with the milky way very clear. When arriving back I just had a few beers by the pool before going to bed.

Tuesday was an early start as I signed up for the boat trip which went at 7am. After breakfast which included various savouries, fruits, and cereals, we took a short walk to the river, passing a large group of macaws and capuchin monkeys en route. When getting into our canoe like boats we went downstream, spitting various forms of birdlife. We also saw more monkeys. The highlight however was seeing a wild anaconda which swam past us with its head out the water. It wasn't ridiculously big but it's head was about the size of my hand to put it into perspective.

After the boat trip we were given the day to relax due to the heat and humidity which was already unbearable by 9. I had a nap in the morning as the room had good air con, and after lunch which was another buffet with an array of dishes relaxed by the pool for the afternoon. Our afternoon activity was a daytime safari, where we spotted a lot more birdlife, as well as stopping at the stream where we chucked dead fish in to get caiman to come. So many came and they were soon by our truck fighting which was impressive.

We then continued to a small lake where we went piranha fishing. Using a wooden pole and with a line and hook attached, we spent a while fishing. You could feel the piranhas tugging the hook with their teeth but they were good at taking the bait and leaving the hook empty. It took me a while but I caught one eventually, even if I did have a few caiman a bit close for comfort. On the way back we stopped at the stream and fed the caiman again, and also saw some coaties as well. When arriving back we had a bit of time to relax before dinner which was a Brazilian bbq beef, chicken, pork belly, with various sides. There was a lot of meat. After dinner we sat by the pool and played games before bed.

Wednesday was our last morning on the ranch, and I was up early again this time to go for a bush walk. There was only 2 of us however as everyone else couldn't be bothered. Our guide took us out through the wetlands and we spotted an abundance of birdlife, as well as some rodent things and anteaters. It was very humid however even at such an early time. When returning I relaxed in the room for the air con, before our final lunch which was once again a massive buffet. We departed straight after lunch for the shortish drive to our next stop in Bonito.