LATIN AMERICA PANTANAL DESTINATIONS
animals they had been lucky enough to have seen that day and where. People passed around their phones and cameras, sharing their experiences – and the guides were just as intrigued as the guests. Even after all these years, their love of wildlife hasn’t waned. The night safari was a fantastic
way to get close to the Pantanal’s incredible nature. Araras Eco Lodge also offers day safaris, horse riding, canoeing in the wet season and various walks to explore the wetlands. The lodge owns three observation
towers within walking distance, which are the perfect place for photo opportunities and for taking in 360-degree views of the amazing landscape. It was from up here that we saw toucans perching on the treetop right next to us and an anteater slowly plodding along in the distance, and witnessed one of the most incredible sunsets. We could quite happily have spent hours up there, enjoying the noises of the hundreds of species of wildlife all around us.
w STAYING SUSTAINABLE Like many thriving ecosystems across the planet, the Pantanal is under threat from human activity such as deforestation and the unsustainable
From the observation tower, we saw toucans perching on the treetop right next to us and an anteater plodding along
RIGHT:
A toucan BELOW:
Araras Pantanal Eco Lodge
development of infrastructure. However, Araras Eco Lodge is doing its part to ensure that it is environmentally responsible, and helps the local community wherever it can. “We follow the ‘farm-to-table’
concept,” says Krusic. “We produce
free-range beef, lamb, buffalo meat, milk, cheese and honey at our farm. We have our organic vegetable garden for salads, and the rest we try to buy locally, as much as possible.” Despite their desire to grow even
more themselves, sharing the land with so much wildlife means food is fair game. “We have so many animals,” says Krusic. “We have capybaras breaking the door down and coming into the vegetable garden.” Being so remote, Araras Eco Lodge
has taken measures into its own hands to ensure it remains sustainable. Any water used for cooking or drinking is collected from deep underground before being filtered through a complex purification process until it is safe to drink. The lodge also recycles all waste products, using anaerobic bacteria to start the filtering process again. For adventurers and animal lovers
alike, the Pantanal is a destination unlike any other. Standing silently among towering trees, watching a group of monkeys leap from branch to branch, it’s hard to imagine anywhere else this beautifully raw and wild. And you might be lucky enough to spot a puma, an anteater… or even a squirrel along the way.
SAMPLE PRODUCT
Latin Routes offers three nights in the
Pantanal, staying at Araras Eco Lodge, from £1,579 in the dry season and £1,299 in the wet season. The price includes return flights from São Paulo, full-board accommodation, transfers and a guide, but excludes international flights. Guests would typically combine the
Pantanal with Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls or the Amazon.
latinroutes.co.uk
25 April 2019
travelweekly.co.uk 49
PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK; LATIN ROUTES; MOLLY COFMAN-NICORESTI
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