3 Ecosystems - 15 Days
This journey is recommended to people that want to experience a large diversity of environments and landscapes in a short period, with one only stop in Cuiabá, and that only Cuiabá can offer. The Amazon part of the journey are not that 'deep' in the Nature - we recognize, but for who go also to other destination in the rain forest (such as Manaus, Santarém or Belém), this is a good and varied succession of surprises (for example, the Harpy Eagle in Serra das Araras; the Victoria-Regina in Cáceres; the Pink Dolphin and Hoatzins in Vila Bela or the huge trees and the Tucunaré fish in São José do Rio Claro). If the wish is not to go to those places, but is to really penetrate the Rain Forest, we could suggest to substitute the days in Serra das Araras and in São José do Rio Claro for an Alta Floresta expedition.

Places visited
Cuiabá; Transpantaneira; Vila Bela; Serra das Araras;
São José do Rio Claro; Chapada dos Guimarães.

Dates to 2002
JAN( 03th to 17th)
FEB (14th to 28th)
MAR/ APR (Mar/ 28th to Apr/ 11th)
MAY/ JUN ( May/ 23rd to Jun 06th)
JUL ( 04th to 18th; 11th to 25th; 18th to Aug 01st)
AUG (01st to 15th)
SEP (05th to 19th; 26th to Oct/ 10th)
OCT (17th to 31st)
NOV (Oct/ 31st to Nov/ 14th)
DEC (05th to 19th)

Duration
15 days / 14 nights

Activities included
Horseback riding; Motor boat sightseeing; Wildlife watching; Hiking; Night safaris

Difficulty level
Active

Meals
14 lunches, 14 dinners, 14 breakfasts

Suggested extensions
Alta Floresta 5 day/ 4 night; Jaciara 2 day/ 1 night

3 Ecosystems Prices
01 pax - US$ 3,675
02 / 03 pax - US$ 2,440
04 / 06 pax - US$ 2,270
07 / 10 pax - US$ 2,.180
11/ 15 pax - US$ 1,880
16 / 20 pax - US$ 1,785

Price includes
• 27 meals, since the dinner on the first day to
the dinner on the 14th day;
• transportation in Vans with trained drivers;
• accompaniment by a naturalist spoken English spoken guide, armed with observation and study equipments;
• accommodation with breakfast:
. Áurea Palace Hotel, with air conditioning, swimming pool - 01 night;
. Pousada Piuval, with air conditioning, private facilities, swimming pool - 02 nights;
. Hotel Fazenda Santa Tereza, with air conditioning, private facilities,
swimming pool - 02 nights;
. Hotel Bela Vila, in the Vila Bela town, in apartments with air conditioning and private facilities - 03 nights;
. Pousada Currupira, in apartments with air conditioning, private facilities, swimming pool and play ground - 01 night;
. Pousada Jardim da Amazônia, in apartments with air conditioning and private facilities. Swimming pool with water from a spring - 02 nights;
. Pousada Penhasco, with swimming pool, air conditioning, sauna and panoramic verandah - 03 nights.

Price doesn't include
• Travel insurance;
• Beverage;
• Tips or any personal expense.

Observations
• In case of landing to Cuiabá at night, we'd have an extra overnight in the Hotel Áurea Palace, with the possibility of leaving Cuiabá in the middle of the day after. The transfer airport/ hotel is not being charged;
• in case of departure of Cuiabá at late night, we have a late checkout in the hotel in Chapada. It consists on keeping half of the rooms (for example, if we had 5 rooms, we get 3 free and keep 2 of them for the group, for resting or for shower.). In this case, please, add US$ 45.00 per person, which would pay the costs a half of the price of the overnight and the extra meal of the day;
• depending on the disposition of the people, we can do the tour from Vila Bela straight to São José do Rio Claro, then to Serra das Araras. By this way, we have the tour exactly like that: Pantanal (Transpantaneira) / transition Pantanal-Amazon rain forest (Vila Bela) / Amazon rain forest (São José do Rio Claro) / transition Amazon-Scrubland (Serra das Araras) / Scrubland (Chapada dos Guimarães). By this way, there would be a much, much longer way (from Vila Bela to São José do Rio Claro and from there to Serra das Araras).
• in case of interest of really seeing the Harpy Eagle, we can reserve one more night in Serra das Araras (to be surer), leaving then only two nights to Chapada and not doing the tour of the 13th day (Aroe Jari cave).
• For a group of minimum 10 people, is one courtesy for the Tour Conductor (excellent if speaking Portuguese, good if speaking English).
• For the deals of prices, we had to accept the days of the week as suggested above. For any change, please, on request.
• Prices can suffer slight changes, if there would be a radical change on the economic politic. Once paid, all the prices are guaranteed.

1st day: CUIABÁ
Arrival to the city of Cuiabá, in the center of South America and at an impressive meeting of three large ecosystems. Reception, transfer and accommodation in a hotel near by the center of the city. Then, a City tour with visits to the points that show the social/ environmental aspects of the region (Craft workers´ house; War Arsenal; Geodesic Center of South America monument; Mini-Zoo; Indian Museum and Historical Center).
• dinner and overnight at the Hotel Aurea Palace;
• transfer and City tour.

2nd day: CUIABÁ/ PANTANAL - Santa Tereza
Pick up at the hotel in Cuiabá and transfer to Pantanal. After traveling 100 km until Poconé then 65 km along the Transpantaneira highway with several stops for observation of the flora and fauna. Arrival to the Hotel Fazenda Santa Tereza, located, 3 km far from the road, on the border of the Pixaim River (High Pantanal). Lunch and, in the afternoon, boat expedition along the river, with opportunity to observe reptiles, birds and aquatic mammals, in large activity during the sunset. Piranha fishing. Optional return at night with Cayman spotlighting.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in DBL apartments with private facilities and air conditioning in the Hotel Fazenda Santa Tereza, with swimming pool;
• boat trip and fishing.

3rd day: PANTANAL - Santa Tereza/ Campo do Jofre/ Santa Tereza
During the whole day is a terrestrial safari down the Transpantaneira road until one of its most beautiful areas - the Fields. Opportunity to see rare birds and many other animals such as capybaras and caiman. Lunch in a typical farm of the Pantanal - where there is another chance of watching the local inhabitants way of life. Return for arrival at Santa Tereza in the end of the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, typical lunch and dinner. Overnight like night before;
• terrestrial safari.

4th day: PANTANAL - Santa Tereza/ Piuval
After breakfast, departure to the Pousada Piuval - a traditional cattle ranch situated 3 km from the highway with access along a private track -
located on the Flooding Field (Low Pantanal). Accommodation, lunch and, in the afternoon, is a boat trip along the pretty 'Baía do Piuval', with a chance to see a beautiful sunset. Return to the lodge, dinner and overnight.
• dinner and overnight in DBL apartment with private facilities and air conditioning and swimming pool;
• boat sightseeing.

5th day: PANTANAL - Piuval
After breakfast, a walk to show the diverse forms of vegetation, an opportunity to observe Jabiru Stork nests, Parakeets and Hyacinth Macaws, as well as other birds and mammals. Lunch and in the afternoon horse riding, the means of transport that allows for more intimate views of the Pantanal. Returning at late afternoon with the opportunity to observe large concentrations of birds such as herons, storks and caimans as well as land mammals such as deer, nose bear and others. Dinner and night safari with spotlighting of Caymans.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like the day before;
• hiking, horse back riding and night safari.

6th day: PANTANAL - Piuval / Cáceres/ (PANTANAL/ AMAZON) - Vila Bela
After breakfast, departure to a long journey traveling from the Pantanal to its transition to the Amazon. During the whole day, there is 9 hours of travel, with stop in Cáceres for lunch and observation of the beautiful 'Victoria Regina'. Arrival at the end of the afternoon in the first capital of Mato Grosso state, in time to enjoy a nice atmosphere at the nightlife of a unique town where Negro people compose the majority of the population, descendents from an African queenwho was caught as slave. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in town.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in DBL apartments with private facilities and air conditioning in Bela Vila Hotel.

7th day: (PANTANAL/ AMAZON) - Vila Bela
After breakfast, visit to the ruins of the old cathedral and baths in the beach of the Guaporé river. After lunch, expedition to two huge waterfalls located into a dense forest - the Cascatinha and the Namorados, both with crystalline water and more than 60 m fall - all part of the important Ricardo Franco National Park. Dinner and overnight in town.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like night before;
• city tour and ´Serra Ricardo Franco ´expedition.

8th day: (PANTANAL/ AMAZON) - Vila Bela
During the whole day is an expedition by boat along the magic Guaporé river. On its dark water is the possibility of seeing the endangered Otters and the funny and curious Pink Dolphins, usually following the boat. On the banks of the river is the habitat of a relic of the Nature: the Hoatzin - a bird that keeps the reptile's habit of climbing trees with nails. Lunch on the way and returning at the end of the afternoon, there is plenty of time to have a bath in some of the virgin beaches, catch some courageous fish of the Amazon basin and enjoy this magic place. Dinner and overnight in town.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like night before;
• boat sightseeing with lunch (fish) on board.

9th day: (PANTANAL/ AMAZON) - Vila Bela/ (AMAZON/ SCRUBLAND)
- Serra das Araras
From one transition ecosystem to other, this 350 km of traveling would get the observation of the majestic exchange of habitats from the Silver to the Amazon River Basins. Crossing the Brazilian Central Plateau, the opportunity of realizing the 'meeting of waters' - neighbor had of water of both basins - in special the majestic Paraguay River, which receives the whole water of the Pantanal. Lunch on the way and arriving to the lodge Currupira, in time to have a brief hiking on the forest. Dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in DBL apartments with private facilities and air conditioning in Pousada Currupira.

10th day: (SCRUBLAND/ AMAZON) - Serra das Araras/ AMAZON -
São José do Rio Claro
Sunrise hiking on the region where the endangered Harpy Eagle uses to have a nest for about 10 years. Breakfast and departure for a journey of 320 km through the Amazon rain forest until the town of São José do Rio Claro. In the region is the nice lodge Jardim da Amazônia (Garden of the Amazon), in the border of a gorgeous river. With lunch on the way, arrival at the afternoon, in time to have a refreshing bath in the swimming pool with water from a magnificent spring or in the river with its clear water. Dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in DBL apartments with private facilities and ceiling fan in Jardim da Amazônia.

11th day: AMAZON - São José do Rio Claro
Early in the morning is a hiking through a dense woods, where many of the largest trees (Peroba, Castanheira, etc) of the rain forest can be identified. Thousands of different birds are in this unique region. Lunch and, in the afternoon, a boat sightseeing to identify the animals and plants typical of the Amazon. Dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like
night before;
• boat sightseeing.

12th day: AMAZON - São José do Rio Claro/ SCRUBLAND -
Chapada dos Guimarães (Cidade de Pedra)
After breakfast, departure for a 350 km journey until Cuiabá (with lunch) and then for 64 km until and accommodation on the beautiful lodge Pousada Penhasco. A brief resting and then leaving to the Cidade de Pedra where, in the top of the Plateau is a wonderful sunset, with a panorama which includes the had of water of three very important rivers and many rock formations. Return to the town, dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight in DBL apartments with private facilities, air conditioning, swimming pools, sauna and panoramic verandah in Pousada Penhasco.

13th day: SCRUBLAND - Chapada dos Guimarães ('Aroe Jari' )
Visit to the second largest sandstone cave formation in Brazil, with 800m. After traveling approx. 40 km, as well as a 4 km walk trough the Scrubland, with different forms of vegetation and the presence of enigmatic rock formations, then reaching the opening of the cave where it's possible to enter as far as the second chamber to witness the internal waterfall there. Next to the cave is the Lagoa Azul (blue lagoon), to appreciate a natural spectacle formed by alga and magnesium. Continuation to the 'Martinha' waterfall, the largest amount of water in the region, with time for a dip and lunch. On the way back, the observation of the sunset in the Panoramic View, from where is possible to see the slow changing from the Plateau to the Pantanal Swampland, in more than 100 km of horizon. Dinner and overnight.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like
night before.

14th day: SCRUBLAND - Chapada dos Guimarães (National Park)
Visits to 'Salgadeira', where there is an impressive
meeting of two geological eras; to 'Portão do Inferno', a legendary precipice. Lunch in a restaurant near by a waterfall and the whole afternoon dedicated to the National Park, where through hiking on the savannah it is possible to visit the 'Casa de Pedra' (a curious cave with an underground river) and the waterfalls ('do Pulo' (Jumping); 'da Hidromassagem' (Hydro massage); 'das Andorinhas' (Swallows); etc). Observation of the sunset on the canyons of 'Véu de Noiva' (Bride's veil), the largest
waterfall (86m).
• breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight like night before;

15th day: SCRUBLAND - Chapada dos Guimarães/ CUIABÁ
After breakfast, morning free to enjoy the delights of lodge. Transfer to Cuiabá for embarking at the airport.
• breakfast and transfer Chapada/ airport.