• The Pantanal is the largest floodable plain on the Earth whose main portion (about 138.000 km²) is located in the area of the State of South Mato Grosso, Brazil. It has one of the richest ecosystems of the planet, sheltering a great variety of animals and vegetables.
• There are approximately 720 species of birds, 89 of mammals, 230 of fish, 52 of reptiles and a flora quite diversified.
• The Pantanal occupies an extension of more than 770 km (North-South), 83% of its area belong to Brazil (States of Mato Grosso and South Mato Grosso), 15% to Bolivia and a small part to Paraguay, where it receives the name of Chaco).
• It receives waters from a great amount of rivers that feed the River Paraguay, whose basin determines the flood and dry cycles that characterize its ecosystem. At the time of flood (usually of December to May) the rivers overflow, turning the area a great flooded plain, but with little depth. The fish and reptiles are dispersed and the other animals concentrate in the dry areas.
• The means of transportation are horses, tractors, boats or small aircrafts. At that time of drought (usually of June to November) the waters lower and the rivers occupy their original beds and several ponds again (bays) appear and can eventually dry completely as the months pass by. During this period, those ponds shelter a great concentration of animals (reptiles, birds, mammals). It is a paradise for bird watchers and nature photographers.
• The Pantanal Conservation Area is listed, since 2000, among the Natural World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.
• Tourism modalities: the Pantanal offers a great variety of options for the practicing of ecological, rural and adventure tourism.
- Ecotourism: programs that include photographic safaris, boat tours, rustic walks, horseback ridings, birdwatching, etc.
- Technical tourism: Custom programs for cultural, scientific or technicians itineraries in areas as livestock, agriculture, fish farming, caiman raising, etc.
- Pantanalian routes: Roads of the Pantanal, The Boiadeira Route, The Correntoso Route, etc.
- Special itineraries: Programs for birdwatchers, pantanalian cattle drive, cattle handling, sportive fishing, boat-hotels, etc.