BIOMAS
CERRADO
PANTANAL - MT
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The Cerrado is considered one of the world's biological "hotspots". Located between the Amazon, Atlantic Forests and Pantanal, the Cerrado is the largest savanna region in South America.
Is also the most biological rich savannah in the world, represents 30% of Brazil`s biodiversity; which means that it holds about 5% of the world`s biodiversity. There are also over 10,000 species of plants, almost half of which are found nowhere else in the world; 44% of the vascular plants are endemic.
The Cerrado has a high diversity of vertebrates; 150 amphibian species, 120 reptile species, 837 bird species, and 161 mammal species have been recorded.
In the vast Cerrado, some of the target species for ecotourists are Giant Anteaters; the Manned Wolfs ; Pumas; Red-legged Seriemas; Greater Rheas; Blue-winged Macaws; Red-and-green Macaws; Helmeted Manakins; Horned Sungems; Blue Finchs and Brazilian Merganers, amongst others.
Besides been the main link between the other 4 of Brazil`s biomes, Cerrado is also the cradle of Brazil`s fresh water resources.
6 of the 8 largest watersheds in Brazil depend on the Cerrado – including the waters that feed the Pantanal; also supplies 3 gigantic aquifers (one of which, the Guarani aquifer is the second largest [aquifer system] in the world!)
This unique biome is the second largest in South America. Once these wooded grasslands covered an area half the size of Europe. It still covers a quarter of Brazil`s national territory on an area of over two million square kilometers (roughly 10 times the size of Great Britain), across 11 States. Unfortunately, more than half of its original vegetation has been destroyed…
The Cerrado is one of the most threatened and over-exploited regions in Brazil, second only to the Atlantic Forests in vegetation loss and deforestation. The media coverage of the highlights and threats of the neighbouring Amazon Rainforest, overshadows the sad fact that native habitats and rich biodiversity of Cerrado are being destroyed much faster by non sustainable agribusiness… Only 20% of Cerrado still stands in good shape… One of every four species threatened in Brazil belong to Cerrado...
Despite its environmental importance, it is one of the least protected bioregions in Brazil, with less than 3% under legal protection. (Unlike the other biomes, the Cerrado was intentionally left out of the 1988 Brazilian Constitution, not recognized as a National Heritage Site…) Also it remains virtually unknown for the majority of the foreign ecotourists. We want to show you the Cerrado`s natural treasures.
Our tours explore several amazing bioregions of the Cerrado, but mainly we take our guests to enjoy the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (located only 60 Km from our headquarters, in Cuiabá), an astonishing plateau with an abundance of gorges and waterfalls. Despite the proximity of the Pantanal, here we also can find many different species of birds.
We also frequently take our guests to snorkel in the crystal clear waters found around the quiet town of Bom Jardim, where you can also appreciate the Macaw`s Lagoon (mainly Blue-and-yellow Macaws and Red-bellied macaws roost there) ; swim in a bluish pool at the base of a beautiful waterfall (Serra Azul) and float on the river tubes through a cave ( Quebó Cave) .
Patagônia Expedition
Itinerary:
Day 1 (OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY): Upon arrival in Punta Arenas, you will be greeted by your guide and transferred to your hotel (approximately 30 minutes). Depending on your time of arrival, you will be given time to relax or explore the city, before meeting up at 7:30 in the lobby to head of to dinner. We will go to one of the many, brilliant restaurants in Punta Arenas. After which you are welcome to take a walk around the city, or head back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.
Day 2: TRANSFER TO TORRES DEL PAINE:
After breakfast we will pack up the cars and make our way up to Puerto Natales (approximately 3 hours).
Upon arrival to Puerto Natales we will have lunch at (in our opinion, one of the best pizza restaurants in Chile), Mesita Grande. After lunch, we will make a stop at the coffee shop Kau on the way out of town, where you can have a nice warm coffee or take a walk along the coast, to observe and photograph some of the coastal bird species. After which, we will then start making our way up to Torres del Paine, which will be our home for the next few nights (approximately 1:30 hour). When we arrive at the Estancia Laguna Amarga, you will be checked in and given the rest of the afternoon to rest. Dinner will be served at 8:00 pm, and the night is yours to lounge in living room or get an early night sleep, as real excitement begins the next day.
(IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO INCLUDE THE EXTRA FIRST DAY, and would like to be transferred from the airport directly to the Estancia Laguna Amarga, please make sure that your flight arrives in the morning or at the latest 14:30. Flight arrivals in the afternoon would mean we skip lunch in Puerto Natales and head straight to the Estancia.)
Day 3 – 7: TRACKING PUMAS:
Wake up time and Breakfast, depends on the time of year. As we are at the southern tip of the world, daylight hours in summer are plentiful, thus we tend to wake up at 04:30, and leave by 05:00, and we take our breakfast with us, to enjoy at a later time. Everyday we will be leaving before sunrise to get to puma hotspots, and begin searching at first light. This is where our services of an extra expert tracker/guide become essential, as we can cover more terrain and ensure that any pumas in the area are spotted.
We will spend most of the morning searching or most likely observing and photographing the puma we found.
Around midday, once again depending on the season and hours of daylight, we will head back to the Estanciato eat lunch and have a rest. If your tour is at the beginning of spring or end of autumn, we may choose to take a “box lunch” with us, to be eaten in the car.
After lunch and brief rest, we will head out, to meet up with the same puma or puma family we found in the morning, or possible go on the hunt for another puma.
As the light begins to fade and observing the puma becomes difficult, we will call it a night and make our way to the hotel for dinner. We must arrive before 22:00 to secure a hot meal. (If we are in the middle of summer, box dinner might be arranged to as a way to ensure we are with the pumas during their hours of peak activity.)
Day 8: TRANSFER TO PUNTA ARENAS: After a late breakfast, we will pack up our stuff and start our journey down to Puerto Natales (approximately 1:30 hour). Depending on the time, and our hunger levels, we will stop for a snack or lunch, before continuing down to Punta Arenas (approximately 3 hours). Upon arrival in Punta Arenas, and conclusion of the tour, you can be transferred directly to the airport to await your flight or taken to a hotel of your choosing, where you will be given a proper goodbye, Chilean style.
OPTIONAL EXTRA AFTERNOON: Arriving in Punta Arenas we will check-in to our hotel, and possibly have a late lunch or afternoon snack, after the long drive. The rest of the afternoon is yours, before we meet up for dinner at 8:00 pm. After dinner feel free to wander the city and have a drink in one of the many establishments.
Day 9: OPTIONAL MORNING TRANSFERS TO AIRPORT: After breakfast or before, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport and given a big hug and farewell. We will hope to see you back in Patagonia soon!!
Tour price includes:
- Food and Accommodations from commencement to termination of the tour. With one beverage per meal.
- 2 Trackers/Guides (with 2, 4*4 vehicles and gasoline).
-Trackers/Guides Lodging and Food
- And the Ranch Land Use Fee
-Transfers to and from Punta Arenas
Tour price does NOT include:
- Park entrance fees, should we decide to go into the park, for scenery photos
- Extras and alcoholic beverages
- International or National flights
-Tips for hotel staff or trackers
PLEASE NOTE:
For optional extra days and afternoons, an extra charge for your room and food is added to the total.
Also the accommodations of the Estancia Laguna Amarga are quite basic (energy and heating is turned on from 20:00 to 24:00). If you would prefer accommodations at another hotel, the must price will be adjusted accordingly.
Checklist of Things to Bring with you:
- Binoculars
(These are essential, as sometimes we are spotting pumas from very far away and this will allow you to partake in the viewing of the puma before we make our slow approach)
- Camera and or video camera
(Optional, but highly recommend, as Torres del Paine is the only place in the world you can readily observe pumas in there natural habitat)
- Warm clothes and rain gear
(The weather in Patagonia is extreme and can change suddenly, and thus you need to be ready for any type of weather condition, at all times. We recommend you bring rain gear and extra jackets with you everyday in the field)
And please try to use earthy colors: Black, Grey, Brown/Tan, Dark Green, etc. This is more to not draw too much attention to us from on lookers, than for the pumas
- Sun Block and Hats with brims
(The sun can be very strong here, especially during summer months, and very intense, so precautions must be taken, to not be uncomfortable with a sun burnt during the tour)
- Face Masks
(The wind is very strong sometimes and can cause it own form of urn or irritation to your face)
- Water bottle or Camel pack
(Water is provided to you during your meals but it is good if you have your own bottle to be filled up, from the natural spring water of the ranch, prior to going into the field, as some day we might hike a few kilometers to get to a sightings or follow a hunting puma.)
- Good Hiking Boots
(As I mention sometime we have to hike quite a bit to get to a pumas location and thus proper shoes are necessary)
- Sunglasses with hard case to store in your bag
(Sometime we are waiting long periods for a puma to wake up and head of to hunt, and with the sun as strong as it is, it is good to have sunglasses to relax your eyes while we wait)
Please Note:
One must have a certain level of fitness and be able to carry his/her own gear. Services for a Porter are available at times but these costs are expensive and take into account the Porters lodging and food.
End of our services!
US$ Prices on request!