Amazon Survival Guide Brazil

I went to Brazil not knowing much and not having much expectation! Some called me crazy for getting on an adventure like this blindly but I the guys from Fronteering seemed nice and helpful and trusted that all would be arranged well and taken care off. That it was!

I had a great time being an adventure lover. I often camp and Hike in the highlands so sleeping out in the field was no stranger to me but waking up under the jungle canopy is something really magical!

You see quite a bit of wildlife but it is a lot more difficult to spot compared for example South Africa. But when you do spot something its always something cool and very rewarding!

Though you should not be afraid of spiders and other bugs if you join this trip! Besides that I can surely recommend it!

I had a great experience in this program. Firstly this program is unique as it feels like your doing several programs at once as well as you stay in different places. Your main home base is in a nice homestay with a great family who is also the person who runs the survival trips. Then there is the base In the jungle a few hours away from Manaus and then we also stay on occasion in temporary camps under the jungle canopy.

The whole experience was amazing! The Host family they were such a loving family and i learned so much being with them. I picked up a whole lot of the Portuguese too, which I used quite successfully in Paulinia, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Oh and I got to see a jaguar in the jungle! After a long hike in the rainforest we were suddenly told to stop talking and be as quiet as possible. The guides had spotted something that they didn't want spooked. Slowly, step by step we silently caught up with them and looked straight up a tree, so tall that you could probably climb it to heaven. Looking up as high as I could, I saw a black mass on one of the branches - a jaguar. Such a cool sighting - i still don't know how the guides saw it so high up. Even with my camera on full zoom, I couldn't take one recognizable picture. You'll just have to take my word on this one - it was really cool"

I always dreamed of going to the Pantanal but I always wanted to go for a longer time while most lodge usually only offer 4 day programs which are extremely expensive considering the short duration and the time and money it takes to get there.

While this program is not cheap it is if you consider the amount of weeks you are staying and the experience you get. It is nice to not only get to see the pantanal but also to experience and be submerged in the daily life of the people that call the Pantanal home. What a beautiful experience it was and I can recommend this to anyone who has a bit of an adventurous spirit and who loves wildlife and nature.

I can also recommend Fronteering in general, their services was great and I am looking forward to take another trip with them next year! I am still deciding between Guyana or the Canadian Arctic!

Wow, where to start. Pantanal was one of my favorite places in the world when I first visited in 2004 and still is my favorite place now that I visited it again in 2017. My visit in 2004 was purely for travel and was a short staying in the Pantanal is expensive. When I heard about a volunteering program in the Pantanal that lets you train and become a wildlife guide I was immediately sold! Being able to stay in the Pantanal for weeks instead of just a few days? HECK yeah!

It is honestly hard to believe that the Pantanal is still flying under the radar for so many travelers visiting Brazil. It is hansdown one of the best places in the world to see a wide and great variety of wildlife. Only places Like the Masai Mara in Kenya really come close except that the Pantanal is way more beautiful landscape wise.

Thanks Fronteering for making my dream come true at my age of 63! Everything was arranged top notch and all the people I had to deal with both at the host organization and at Fronteering were kind and helpful!

Becoming a wildlife guide was so amazing, the horse riding, the fishing, the bird watching, the search for wildlife, kayaking, jeep safari's. I've learned so much and got to experience so much. We saw such a variety of wildlife that it is too much to keep track. What was my favourite encounter? The Tapir and Giant anteaters were definitely highlands but of course seeing is a Jaguar in the wild is hard to beat!

I recommend this trip to anyone who is a wildlife lover and I give this trip a 10 out of 10. I did give this program a 8 for Impact as it is a voluntourism program and your impact is not direct however more longterm as through wildlife tourism in a responsible way the wildlife can be protected. One of the great things about this area is that they no longer hunt there (safe for the feral pigs that are a pest) and that is all to thanks to eco-tourism!

What a wonderful we world we live in! It is out there, just go and and enjoy it no matter your age or goals in life!