In Mato Grosso do Sul, landscapes, wildlife watching, and cultural history offer different travel experiences. The Pantanal is the world’s largest floodplain; about 65 percent of it lies in Mato Grosso do Sul. UNESCO recognized it as a biosphere reserve in 2000.

Pantanal: Landscapes and Wildlife Watching

In the Pantanal Conservation Area, the protected area includes large parts of the Amolar mountain range, whose highest peak reaches 900 meters. There is an abrupt transition between the seasonally flooded areas and the mountains. The landscape therefore offers more than a single plain: bodies of water and mountains form distinct natural settings within the protected area.

Tourist ranches in the Pantanal offer trips on regional rivers in chalanas. Along the way, visitors can spot birds, caimans, otters, deer, and capybaras. Birdwatching is another local experience: tuiuiús, macaws, toucans, and parrots nest in the trees. Night safaris last about two hours and offer the chance to see animals such as ocelots, tapirs, caimans, owls, and jaguars. The exact arrangements may vary by operator.

The Estrada-Parque Pantanal was created to preserve biodiversity and promote ecotourism in Mato Grosso do Sul. For your stay, you can choose among wildlife watching on rivers, night safaris, or a trip focused on landscapes and ecotourism. Check with the individual operator to confirm which activities are available.

Bonito and the Serra da Bodoquena

Bonito is known as a nature, ecotourism, and adventure destination in the Bonito–Serra da Bodoquena tourism region. Activities in the region include snorkeling, diving, zip-lining, horseback riding, swimming spots, natural pools, and boia-cross. When snorkeling in Bonito, visitors float through clear waters teeming with aquatic plants and animals. This offers a different focus from the river trips and wildlife watching in the Pantanal.

Serra da Bodoquena National Park covers the municipalities of Bonito, Bodoquena, and Jardim. Its landscape includes rivers with emerald-green or blue water, waterfalls, preserved riparian forests, canyons, and places where water sinks underground and resurfaces. Visitors must hire guides accredited by ICMBio to access the attractions in the national park. Keep this required part of the visit in mind if you choose to explore the park.

Campo Grande: Parks, Museums, and Cuisine

In Campo Grande, Parque das Nações Indígenas combines wildlife watching with exercise: The park is home to wild coatis, capybaras, and agoutis, and has a 3,000-meter cycling path for recreational rides. The cycling path may only be accessed through the Guarani gates on Av. Afonso Pena and Kadiwéu on Rua Antônio Maria Coelho. Children under ten must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Museums offer a range of experiences, too. Museu das Culturas Dom Bosco has a natural history collection representing Brazil’s geodiversity, biodiversity, and ethnic diversity. Museu Interativo da Biodiversidade, or MiBio, presents the biodiversity of the Pantanal and the region’s ecological processes in an interactive, accessible way. Visitors interested in the city’s history can learn about the colonization of Campo Grande at the José-Antônio-Pereira Museum. At Feira Central, visitors can combine handicrafts with sobá, a dish considered part of the capital’s Japanese immigrant culinary heritage.

Corumbá: River Trips and Border History

Corumbá is a starting point for many floating hotels and river cruises in the Pantanal. Traditional chalanas depart from Corumbá’s General Port on the Paraguay River. Since operators and schedules may vary, it is advisable to check specific departure times before your trip.

The city’s history can also be explored at a specific site: Forte de Coimbra was built in the 18th century on the banks of the Paraguay River in Corumbá, near the border with Bolivia and Paraguay, as part of a network of border fortifications. The complex includes a chapel, a powder house, accommodation, courtyards, a wall with bastions, and several Brazilian Navy cannons. Forte de Coimbra was listed by IPHAN in 1974.

Cultural Traditions and Choosing Where to Stay

The craft tradition Modo de Fazer a Viola de Cocho is found in Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso and was added to IPHAN’s Livro dos Saberes in 2005. Another cultural highlight is Arraial do Banho de São João: The festival brings together faith, tradition, dance, and local cuisine, and attracts thousands of people each year. The program may vary.

First, decide which of these themes you want to shape your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Campo Grande, Bonito, Aquidauana, Corumbá, Terenos, Miranda, Morro Azul, Gregório, Dourados, Mundo Novo, Três Lagoas, Rio Verde De Mato Grosso, Porto Murtinho, Jardim, Ladário, Ponta Porã, Cassilândia, Eldorado, Paranaíba, Naviraí, Corguinho, Maracaju, Rebojo, Aparecida do Taboado, Aquidauana, Batayporã, Angélica, São Gabriel do Oeste, Itaporã, Costa Rica.

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