Conservation Conscious

Arrive in Manaus, where your conservation-focused journey begins at the edge of the world’s largest rainforest. A private transfer takes you to Villa Amazonia, an intimate boutique hotel surrounded by tropical greenery in the heart of the city. Spend the afternoon unwinding beside the pool or in the garden before enjoying dinner centred on distinctive Amazonian ingredients. This relaxed first evening provides time to settle in before the journey moves deeper into Brazil’s extraordinary wilderness.

Take to the skies on a private charter flight, passing above the extraordinary Meeting of the Waters, where the dark Río Negro and lighter Solimões flow side by side before joining the Amazon. Continue to Anavilhanas Lodge, beautifully positioned beside the Río Negro, and settle into your rainforest surroundings. Later, explore the flooded forest by canoe, gliding quietly between partially submerged trees and listening for wildlife in the canopy. After dark, venture out again by boat in search of nocturnal species including caimans and night-active birdlife beneath the Amazonian sky.

Rise early for a peaceful boat journey as sunrise colours the waters and forest of the Amazon. Afterwards, visit a riverside community and spend time learning how local families live in close relationship with their environment. Take part in practical experiences such as traditional fishing and handicrafts, gaining a more personal understanding of life along these remote waterways. Back at the lodge, the evening can be spent relaxing or trying bow-and-arrow practice guided by members of the Waimiri-Atroari community, adding another cultural dimension to your stay in Anavilhanas.

Step onto dry land for a guided walk through a different side of the Amazon ecosystem. Accompanied by an expert naturalist, follow forest trails beneath towering trees while learning to recognise medicinal plants, colourful birdlife and the monkeys that move through the canopy above. The experience then becomes more hands-on as you are introduced to traditional jungle survival techniques, from identifying sources of water to creating a temporary shelter. These skills offer insight into knowledge refined over generations by Indigenous communities living within the rainforest.

Spend your final morning in Anavilhanas navigating the intricate channels of one of the world’s great river archipelagos. Keep watch for pink river dolphins surfacing between the islands and for the remarkable variety of birds inhabiting the forest and riverbanks. Afterwards, board a private flight back to Manaus before connecting commercially to Brasília. On arrival, settle into the contemporary B Hotel and enjoy a restful evening, preparing for the next chapter of the journey in Brazil’s vast Cerrado savanna.

Fly by charter into the remote Brazilian Cerrado and arrive at Pousada Trijunção, a wilderness lodge with conservation at the centre of its philosophy. After settling in, take to fat-tire bikes and ride across the savanna towards Lagoa das Araras, or Parrot Lagoon. Time your arrival for late afternoon, when macaws return to the towering buriti palms to roost. Against the changing colours of sunset, the spectacle provides a memorable introduction to one of Brazil’s richest yet less internationally known ecosystems.

Depart before sunrise with the Onçafari team for a wildlife safari across the Cerrado. The principal hope is to encounter the elusive maned wolf, one of this ecosystem’s most distinctive threatened species, while armadillos, giant anteaters and other wildlife may also appear along the way. Later, slow the pace on the Botanical Trail, a sensory exploration of the region’s extraordinary plant life. Learn how native species have traditionally been used for medicine, food and crafts while gaining a deeper understanding of the ecological complexity of Brazil’s tropical savanna.

Rise early for one final safari through the Cerrado before boarding a charter flight south into the Pantanal. Arrive at Caiman Lodge, a pioneering eco-conscious property closely associated with some of Brazil’s most important wildlife conservation initiatives. After settling into the lodge, ease into the wetlands with a tranquil canoe excursion. Paddle across quiet waterways while watching for colourful birdlife and absorbing the immense openness of the Pantanal, where water, grassland and forest create one of South America’s richest wildlife habitats.

Join the Onçafari Jaguar Conservation Program for one of the journey’s defining experiences. Accompanied by specialist guides and biologists, venture into the Pantanal to search for jaguars while learning how researchers monitor individual animals and study their behaviour. Rather than conventional wildlife viewing alone, the day places you closer to the conservation work helping protect these apex predators and their habitat. Time in the field also reveals the wider complexity of the Pantanal ecosystem and the role that long-term research plays in securing the future of its wildlife.

Begin with another safari through the wetlands, watching for capybaras, caimans and the exceptional diversity of birds for which the Pantanal is renowned. Afterwards, turn your attention to one of the region’s most recognisable species during a visit connected with the Hyacinth Macaw Project. Help monitor nesting activity while learning how conservationists have worked to protect these brilliant blue parrots and their habitat. The experience provides a tangible connection to field conservation, transforming wildlife observation into an opportunity to understand the practical work behind species recovery.

Spend your final full day immersed in the Pantanal at a gentler pace. Set out on foot with an expert guide, moving through its mosaic of grasslands, forests and wetlands while looking for wildlife and learning how seasonal flooding shapes this remarkable ecosystem. Later, return to the water for a peaceful canoe trip, navigating quiet channels with minimal disturbance to the surrounding wildlife. The combination of hiking and paddling provides an intimate final perspective on a landscape experienced over the previous days through research, conservation and safari exploration.

Enjoy a final breakfast at Caiman Lodge before transferring to the airport for your onward flight. Your journey concludes after connecting three of Brazil’s most distinctive ecosystems — the waterways and forests of the Amazon, the wildlife-rich savannas of the Cerrado, and the immense wetlands of the Pantanal. More than a traditional wildlife itinerary, the experience has placed conservation at its heart, from community encounters and Indigenous knowledge to fieldwork focused on maned wolves, jaguars and hyacinth macaws.