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In this trip two areas of stunning beauty are visited, the Pantanal and the Amazon. They are both fragile ecosystems which are currently threatened by massive tourism. Our small group policy tries to minimise our impact in areas like these. In Pantanal we stay at a family owned fazenda (Brazilian ranch) where our host, Gerson, will tell you about the life in the Pantanal and how things have changed in recent years. He will also advise you of the best way of enjoying your visit without causing a negative impact in the area. The fazenda still operates as a cattle ranch and, unlike other accommodation in the area, has a very limited number of rooms.
Your guides will be local guys who have worked in the fazenda for many years and they will show you the amazing wildlife and will share with you what they have learnt during their life in the region. At night the local cuisine of Dona Maria, a woman from the nearest village, will wrap up an amazing experience, where all the benefit goes directly to local people.
In the Amazon, unfortunately most of the lodges are foreign investments, where the money goes abroad. We have found a small lodge which is owned by a family from the neighbouring community. When we found it, the family was about to abandon the project for lack of funding to finish the lodge. We decided to start taking our groups there to create a sustainable income for the family to carry on with the project and finish building the lodge. Although the lodge does not have the amenities of the bigger lodges in the area, the experience is truly genuine. Manuel, the second generation of the family that runs the lodge (of the four generations that you will meet there !) has lived in the jungle since he started collecting rubber when he was nine years old. He will unveil the secrets of the Amazon for you.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
