Natural Brazil wildlife holiday, tailor made

Planet

As an in depth specialist tour operator to Brazil responsible tourism is at the very heart of what we do. To us, this means much more than a simple donation to a charity for each client. We try to build long and constructive involvements with local guides, wildlife lodges, and hotels, in the course of which we, and our clients, can make lasting wide-ranging contributions to the wonderful places and people we engage with. Our ideal scenario is to work with local hoteliers, guest house keepers, guides, drivers and others, who are gifted natural hosts, who have practical experience and training in their chosen field and in related environmental issues, and who are actively engaged in conservation. The lodges and hotels we use in this itinerary fit with this philosophy perfectly:

Pousada do Parque in Chapada dos Guimaraes was built using salvaged wood and pre-cut logs to minimize its environmental footprint. It operates an effluent treatment plant and utilizes solar-heated water for guest showers. It sits on a 500-hectare private reserve with protected trails, discouraging deforestation and offering sustainable nature and birdwatching tourism.

Cristalino Lodge is set within a huge 11,399 hectare reserve which absorbs thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere. By visiting Cristalino Lodge you are contributing to the preservation of the Cristalino designated a Private Natural Heritage Reserve by the Brazilian government, which yields numerous benefits for the climate and protects the biodiversity of the region.
The entire lodge is powered by photovoltaic energy during the day, with 189 solar panels generating 115 kWh. At night, battery storage provides electricity for the whole lodge for up to 8 hours. Wastewater from sinks and showers is treated through an organic permaculture system. Intelligent architectural design using large screened windows harnesses natural light. Bed linen and towels are changed on a rational basis, to avoid wasting energy and water.
Inorganic waste (plastic, metal, glass and paper) is separated and recycled).
Each visitor is given a complimentary aluminium bottle to avoid the use of single use plastics. Local ingredients such as Brazil-nuts, açaí, cocoa, cupuaçu, honey from wild bees, peach palm and fish from sustainable fishing are used to prepare meals in the lodge restaurant. 100% of organic waste is composted.

In the Pantanal Aymara Lodge's private nature reserve protects the habitat of a variety of local wildlife including marsh deer, tapir, giant anteater, ocelot, monkeys, caybara, and more than 300 species of birds including Jabiru storks, roseate spoonbills, herons, toucans and Hyacinth macaws.

People

In Brazil we use local ground handlers - this means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions. By incorporating locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of guides and drivers into our itineraries, we ensure that money you spend on your trip goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism

We use local guides in all of our destinations. It is our experience that with the right approach, local guides with their superior local knowledge are best qualified for the job, and are the best champions of their local communities. It is also a fantastic way of helping communities to survive and flourish when gifted people are able to work locally instead of having to leave for the cities to find work.

Since 1999, Cristalino Lodge's Cristalino Ecological Foundation (CEF) has been conducting initiatives in environmental education, human development, the creation of economic alternatives for the local population, the minimizing of environmental impacts, sustainability and research within the Cristalino region. Based in Alta Floresta, in the north of Mato Grosso state, most of the CEF’s projects are focused on municipalities in and around the Cristalino State Park.