Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour: 6-Day Wildlife Safari
Planeta Exo
TripsBrazil

Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour: 6-Day Wildlife Safari

Brazil
5 Nights·6 Days
PantanalWildlife PhotographyComfort Adventures

Overview

Are you a nature lover who adores animals and taking pictures? Then this is the perfect experience for you. Our photo safari takes you to the heart of the Pantanal in Brazil — in the towns of Porto Jofre and Poconé, in Mato Grosso — to capture breathtaking shots of the rich wildlife, with the almighty jaguar as the star of the show.

Recommended for professional and amateur photographers alike, this Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour is led by expert guides with deep knowledge of wildlife photography. They help you navigate the Pantanal and share tips to take the most beautiful photos of jaguars and other native species — giant anteaters, capybaras, caimans, macaws, jabiru storks, kingfishers and much more. It is, quite simply, the finest jaguar photography safari in the Pantanal.

The tour also includes a great stay in comfortable accommodations, wonderful service and delicious Brazilian food at every meal. As a dedicated Pantanal jaguar safari, it takes you to exactly where to see jaguars in the Pantanal — the Porto Jofre region, the most reliable place on Earth to photograph wild jaguars. Few experiences rival a Porto Jofre jaguar tour for big-cat photography.

👉 Read more: best Pantanal safari in Brazil

  • Jaguar sightings: spot and photograph the iconic jaguar in its natural habitat.
  • Photographer guides: specialised coaching from professional photographers to maximise your shots, whatever your level.
  • Rich and diverse wildlife: giant otters, caimans, capybaras, giant anteaters, kingfishers and the impressive jabiru stork — the symbol of the Pantanal.
  • Two regions, two experiences: jaguars by boat in Porto Jofre and giant anteaters by open vehicle in Poconé.
  • Comfortable accommodations (Hotel Porto Jofre and Piuval Lodge) and typical Brazilian dishes made fresh at every meal.

  • This is a photography-focused wildlife safari in the Northern Pantanal — based in Porto Jofre (boat safaris for jaguars) and Poconé (open-vehicle safaris for giant anteaters). It is recommended for both professional and amateur photographers, and the itinerary below (6 days) can be fully customized to your preferences.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival and welcome to the Pantanal

  • TranspantaneiraCuiabá (CGB) → Porto Jofre · ~97 km road · ~5 h, photo stops

Your guide meets you at Marechal Rondon Airport in Cuiabá; depending on your arrival, you can enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant. We then drive the Transpantaneira Park Road — a 97 km route through the Pantanal linking Poconé and Porto Jofre — with many chances to spot wildlife and strategic stops to photograph the landscape (about 5 hours). We reach Hotel Porto Jofre by the end of the day: settle in, shower, have dinner and rest well.

Meals included: Lunch (depending on arrival) / Dinner

A jabiru stork standing on its large stick nest inside a flowering pink ipê tree, shot on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A large wading bird silhouetted against a golden sunset, reflected perfectly in shallow still water during the Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A narrow waterway winds through a carpet of bright green aquatic vegetation on the Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour route, with dense gallery forest and cumulus clouds reflected in the still water
A caiman gliding silently through still water at dusk on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, only its eyes and the ridge of its back visible above the surface

Day 2

Jaguar sightings & wildlife photography (Porto Jofre)

  • JaguarsCuiabá River boat safaris · sunrise starts
  • Photo coachingtechniques, behaviour, fieldcraft

The experience really begins. Each day starts early, when the sun is still rising, for full days exploring by boat along the Cuiabá River. The jaguar is the protagonist, but you’ll also see giant otters, caimans, kingfishers, capybaras and the jabiru stork. The guides share photography techniques, animal facts and how to behave in the wild — enriching the experience while keeping the group safe. Back at Hotel Porto Jofre for lunch and relaxation, then out again until dusk.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A jaguar mid-leap from a weathered fallen log over a river's edge during a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its spotted coat fully extended against a backdrop of lush green riverbank vegetation
A jaguar's spotted face and amber eye peering through dense green foliage during a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A caiman basking on a sandy riverbank with its jaws wide open and several insects buzzing around its snout, on this Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour where reptiles are among the many wildlife encounters alongside jaguars.
Two giant otters resting together on a fallen log surrounded by riverside vegetation, spotted during a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A flock of seven hyacinth macaws perched on the bare branches of a tall tree, set against a dense green forest canopy on this Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour

Day 4

Jaguars, then transfer to Poconé (Piuval Lodge)

  • Morning jaguarsmore boat time on the river
  • TransferPorto Jofre → Pousada Piuval · 139 km · ~3 h, photo stops

After breakfast we head out by boat to look for jaguars once more — there’s no such thing as too many photos of the largest cat in the Americas, whether roaming the riverbanks, resting on tree trunks, with their young or hunting. After lunch at the hotel, a car takes you 139 km (about 3 hours) to Pousada Piuval in Poconé, with stops for more photos. Moving locations reveals a different side of the Pantanal.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A jaguar peers through dense green foliage with mouth open and tongue out on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its amber eyes locked directly on the camera
A caiman lying almost fully submerged in shallow water among green grass stems on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its rugged head and scaly back just visible above the surface
Two wet capybaras wading side by side through shallow water on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, surrounded by lush green aquatic vegetation
Calm river channel reflecting a wooded bank with tall trees and low aquatic vegetation in warm afternoon light on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
Silhouette of a jabiru stork standing on its large stick nest atop a bare tree, beak open, against a warm amber twilight sky on the Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour

Day 5

Giant anteaters & night spotting (Poconé)

  • Anteatersopen-vehicle safari at sunrise
  • Night spottingocelots, caimans, capybaras, owls

At sunrise we board a private open safari vehicle to look for giant anteaters — the main character in this part of the Pantanal — usually foraging at anthills and termite mounds. After breakfast at Piuval Lodge the safari continues, with chances of hyacinth macaws, tapirs, monkeys and, with luck, more jaguars. Lunch and downtime at the lodge, then an exciting night-spotting tour for nocturnal animals.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A toco toucan in flight against a clear blue sky, its large orange-and-yellow bill and black plumage sharply visible during the Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A southern tamandua standing upright on sandy ground with dry grass, photographed on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour
A giant anteater moving low through dry golden grass and bare shrub stems on this Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its long tubular snout pointing toward the ground as it searches for insects
A giant anteater walking through open grassland with dry golden grass on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour game drive
A jaguar swimming directly toward the camera on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its spotted coat half-submerged in dark water, eyes locked forward with intense focus
A group of capybaras swimming in a river on the Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, with a young pup perched on an adult's back as others paddle nearby
Two red-and-green macaws flying in tight formation against a dark background on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour

Day 6

Morning safari & departure

  • Morning safarilast anteater & wildlife photos
  • Departuretransfer back to Cuiabá

On the final day, rise before dawn to look for giant anteaters and enjoy a morning safari after breakfast — your last chance to immerse yourself in the biome. Lunch is served in the early afternoon; after check-out you are safely transferred back to Cuiabá.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch

Three travellers on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour looking up into a sunlit forest canopy, one pointing into the trees
A giant anteater walks across dry open grassland on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour, its distinctive long snout and bold black-and-white shoulder stripe clearly visible in warm morning light
A large flock of white egrets with dark wingtips in flight over open grassland with silhouetted trees at golden hour, on a Pantanal Jaguar Photography Tour

What is Included

  • Accommodation: Hotel Porto Jofre and Piuval Lodge.
  • Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board), plus non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Transfers: round-trip road transfers between Cuiabá, Porto Jofre and Poconé (private cars or vans, depending on group size).
  • Activities & tours: boat safaris and game drives, including park entrance fees.
  • Guide: local guides with extensive backgrounds in wildlife photography.

Not included

  • Flights: flight tickets to Brazil / Cuiabá.
  • Meals: meals outside the itinerary or items ordered outside breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • Drinks: alcoholic drinks.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Personal expenses & tips: tips for your guide.
  • Any services not previously mentioned.

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From

$ 3,850/ per person