Caiman Ecological Refuge (Refúgio Ecológico Caiman), one of the best ecotourism resorts in Pantanal, offers guests a wide array of activities including bird watching, trekking, horseback riding tours, nighttime alligator spotlighting (focagem noturna de jacarés) and visits to the refuge's cattle ranch.
The lodge offers theme tours during certain months, such as the Pantanal Cowboy for a Day in April or a Hyacinth Macaw monitoring program in November.
Comfortable accommodations are available in three lodges at different areas of the refuge.
Sustainability at Caiman Ecological Refuge
Photo of Paraguayan Caiman by Cassiano Zaparoli. Courtesy of Refúgio Ecológico Caiman.
Refúgio Ecológico Caiman comprises three activities: an estância, or cattle farm, with a 20,000-head herd; three lodges; and a conservation area which includes one of Brazil’s RPPNs (private environment protection areas).
Sustainability and social responsibility projects at the refuge range from participation in the Jaguar Project - Refúgio Ecológico Caiman is the project's research base - to the fostering of the local culture and life conditions.
Accommodations
Photo of Baiazinha Lodge by Haroldo Palo Júnior. Courtesy of Refúgio Ecológico Caiman.
When you book a stay at Refúgio Ecológico Caiman (total capacity: 53), you will be placed at any one of the three lodges available: Sede (Main Lodge), with 11 guestrooms; Baiazinha, with 6 double guestrooms, and Cordilheira, with 8 double guest rooms.
All the lodges share the same level of comfort. Air-conditioned rooms with private baths and hot showers, a living area with a TV and DVD, a swimming pool, a bar and a restaurant are available in each lodge.
Bird Watching
Photo of Hyacinth macaws by Cassiano Zaparoli. Courtesy of Refúgio Ecológico Caiman.
A birding dream, Refúgio Ecológico Caiman boasts more than 359 species observed on the property. A typical five-day tour allows visitors the opportunity to watch between 180 and 200 different species.
Tours are led by a pro team featuring knowledgeable native guides. The best bird watching seasons are February to June, when Pantanal waters are receding, and September to November (breeding season). Bird watching is the Refuge’s theme activity for October.
Tours
Photo by Cassiano Zaparoli. Courtesy of Refúgio Ecológico Caiman.
Horseback riding, Canadian canoeing, photo safaris and nocturnal spotlighting of Pantanal fauna are some of the tours and activities included in Cainan Ecological Refuge stays.
Enjoy the Pantanal cuisine in pantaneiro barbecues and learn about Pantanal nature and culture at Dra. Aracy Klabin Environmental Interpretation Center, a permanent exhibit named after the refuge owner's mother, featuring photos by Haroldo Palo Jr.
When to Go
Photo of capybaras by Fernanda Melo. Courtesy of Refúgio Ecológico Caiman.
July-October, the dry season in Pantanal, is the highest season at Caiman Ecological Refuge and thus the one requiring the earliest reservations. That's when land transportation is easier and mammals search for food in the remaining wet areas.
However, each season in Pantanal has its own peculiar beauty and attractions. For more information about the wet, vazante, dry and rainy seasons in Brazil's magnificent wetlands, see the Caiman Ecological Refuge season guide.
How to Get to Caiman Ecological Refuge
The Caiman Ecological Refuge is located in Miranda (pop. 23,965), one of the gateways to Southern Pantanal (in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul). Miranda is about 218 kilometers northwest of Campo Grande, the state capital.
From Campo Grande, visitors can take BR-262, the highway which links Campo Grande to Corumbá and then the paved and part dirt road to Agachi.
However, the refuge offers daytime land transfers (paid separately) from and to the Campo Grande airport - your best bet unless you're an experienced Pantanal traveler and used to driving in Brazil.
