Great trip to the Pantanal!
Brazil | Oct 4 - Oct 13, 2025

Mark
Mark R.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2025

Trip planning was excellent and my Agent, Sara was incredibly responsive before and during the trip.

Hotel Reviews
Aymara Lodge
Pocone

The staff was incredibly friendly and responsive throughout the stay! The room was very nice and comfortable and the food was great. My only criticism is this is not really a good place for wildlife photography. The safari rides are in a crowded, big, vibrating truck with very few opportunities. I didn’t see anything on the hikes. The only good shots I was able to get of birds, capybara, couture and monkeys were on my own walking around the grounds. Even then I probably only got 15-20 quality pics in 3 days. So I’d say this is a great place if you want a comfortable venue to enjoy nature and relax but don’t count on getting many wildlife pics.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pousada Berço Pantaneiro
Poconé

First of all the boat safaris and Jaguar spotting were fantastic, exactly what I hoped for. So I am happy overall. But the lodge was very unsatisfactory. The conditions were terrible and the guy running the place very disorganized and didn’t provide any information about meal times, boats, services … I had to ask and push for everything. Other guests complained about this too. At one point I waited for hours at my room thinking someone would pick me up to go to the boat and had to have the Portuguese speaking maid call the manager to find out what was going on. The food was gross and the eating conditions unsanitary. Food prep areas were right next to the very dirty dishwashing area. I didn’t feel comfortable eating. The room was hardly a room but about the size of a tent. The bed and pillows stiff as a board with one blanket and one bath towel provided. No room service was provided or offered in the 3 nights I was there. Dogs from the surrounding slum barked through the night and again starting about 4 am every morning. The room itself was about a block and a half from the main area of the lodge and dining area through what I would call a rural slum with poorly kept huts, broken down cars and with trash everywhere. The attached photo is right outside my room. At night the walk is very dark and if I were a woman I would feel very unsafe walking by the squalor. The WiFi is terrible and cuts in and out constantly, presumably because of the power provided by a weak, intermittent generator.

Authenticity & Character
It feels like a commune. No character at all.
Location
The area is trashy - a rural slum.
Staff
Didn’t communicate about anything. You feel very much on your own to figure things out.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Disgusting and unsanitary
Pousada Rio Claro
Poconé
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Deville Prime Cuiabá
Cuiabá - MT
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Aymara Experience Program - Day 1 – Welcome to Aymara Lodge
Aymara Experience Program - Day 1 – Welcome to Aymara Lodge
North Pantanal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day 2 – Exploration and Adventure _ Aymara Experience
Day 2 – Exploration and Adventure _ Aymara Experience
North Pantanal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day 3 – Nature and Movement _ Aymara Experience
Day 3 – Nature and Movement _ Aymara Experience
North Pantanal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day 4 – Farewell and Departure _ Aymara Experience
Day 4 – Farewell and Departure _ Aymara Experience
North Pantanal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre (half day)
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre (half day)
Brazil

Boat safaris were amazing. Accommodations were terrible.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre
Brazil
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre
Private Boat Tour – Jaguar Spotting Experience from Porto Jofre
Brazil
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tour Included in the 1-Night Package at Rio Claro Lodge
Tour Included in the 1-Night Package at Rio Claro Lodge
North Pantanal
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day
Discovering the Chapada dos Guimarães full day
Brazil
Quality of Experience
Food
The restaurant chosen for lunch was very touristy and the food wasn’t good.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide Alfredo was fantastic!!
Transport
Local specialist: Sara Martinel