Pantanal Guide Experience

Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

$2495.00

 

The Experience

We invite you to Southern Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest wet land! As such a vast tropical wetland, the Pantanal is a very precious resource of Brazil, and home to one of the highest diversities and concentrations of flora and fauna on the planet!

Come join us in the Pantanal and work with our fantastic team of experienced guides to help with the development of sustainable Tourism. This volunteer program gives you the opportunity to get involved with a team of local guides to share the importance of preserving the land while developing sustainable tourism. While you are at it you will form bonds that go beyond friendship while having the opportunity to share and develop skills in the areas of tourism, hospitality, conservation, horse riding and construction. In the heartlands of Brazil’s Southern Pantanal wetlands sits our  land.. We are looking for volunteers who are interested in experiencing life in the Pantanal through a guiding program. This guiding program includes 2 weeks in the field starting as early as 5am with 3 to 4 hours’ morning and afternoon lessons/activities. Included in the experience are class room lessons, driving, canoeing, horseback riding and lots more. Waking up with the wildlife and sun is guaranteed to be a fulfilling experience. Similarly sleeping amongst the sounds of the wild is truly exhilarating. In the Pantanal the bird list boasts over 600 species and the breath taking views make our lodge one of the many paradises on earth. The lodge also provides excellent viewing opportunities of giant river otters, giant black caiman and giant Anteater. In addition there are many mammals to delight, including jaguar, puma and tapir. The lodge provides guests and volunteers with an excellent opportunity to experience, first hand, the wildlife indigenous to this part of the Pantanal. At the lodge, we are always so excited to share the experience of the untouched natural beauty in this remote corner of South America. Volunteers can expect to work within the fields of tourism, hospitality, conservation and ranching, though some of these may overlap due to the specific needs of the different components that make up our project.

This Is Why

  • One of the last real frontiers on Earth!
  • Wildlife Paradise.
  • Learn Portuguese!
  • Untouched land and river system!

 
 
Project Details
  • Key Start Dates
    The project is unavailable during the month of Februray. Spots may open for all the remaining months of the year! Important to keep in mind; during the months June - October the roads are inaccessable and participants are advised to take a domestic flight. With that being said an additional 1000US$ will be added to the fees below during that period. If there are more than one traveler, the transportation fee drops!
  • Trip duration
    4, 6, 8 & 16 weeks 
  • Number of minimum travellers
    2-4
  • Pricing
    4 Weeks: 2495 US$
  • 6 Weeks: 2595 US$
  • 8 Weeks: 2995US$ (possible discounts applies if you are flexible to adjust your dates to other travelers). 
  • Housing Type
    Shared rooms
  • Internet Access
    Yes however, internet access is limited at the project.
  • Who Are They Looking For?
    Adventurer’s individuals who have an interest in the outdoors and who do not mind getting their hands a little wet and dirty.

Fast Facts: Brazil

Where? Pantanal, Brazil, South America

Country Size: 8,515,767 km2 
3,287,956 sq mi

Population density? 24.35 km2

State Famous for? Largest Wetland in the world, Giant River Otter, Amazon Rainforest, Rio de Janeiro, Carnival Jaguars, Black Caiman, Arapaima (largest scaled fresh water fish in the world), Caipirinhas. Samba, Football

When to visit: All year round

  • What's Included
    • Placement
      Pantanal Guide Experience
    • Accommodation
      Shared Room (Volunteer Quarters)
    • Meals
      3 meals a day included.
    • Transfer to the project by air and/or 4x4

      When dates are confirmed, depending on the weather you may be transferred either by road or plane.
    • Ongoing Service
      We will support you and offer assistance during your entire stay at the program.
    • Tours
      Through FRONTEERING you have the possibility to book tours before and/or after you have finished your volunteer project.
    • 24/7 Emergency contact
      If there are any problems during you stay at the project you can reach us 24/7 to assist you.

    What's not included: International Flights, Insurance

    Package Price: 
    04 Weeks: 2495 US$, 06 Weeks: 2595 US$, 08 weeks: 2995 US$ or 16 weeks: 4495 US$ (If you are flexible with your arrival date we could give you a discount on your trip as much as 1000 US$.)

    • RESPONSIBILITIES

      As a volunteers at the Pantanal Guide Experience volunteer program you will have some of the following responsibilities: 

      • First 2 weeks:-  Guide Program (Learning to guide by; Horse Riding, Boating, Canoeing, Safari Drives learning how to guide). If guests are present this may be broken up into more weeks so you can experience real game drives with guests in between learning.
      • You will have 2 activities per day, these can be; Mammals of the Pantanal – biology and identification, Mammals tracking, Bird Identification, Astronomy & Geology, and Activities Guiding by: Horseback, Canoe, Boating and Safari Drive and cowboys. 
      • Remaining 6 weeks:- Volunteer & assist the Guides with guests at lodge (Participants that show the aptitude to be ongoing guides could potentially stay for 3 months max visa allowance no extra cost). When there are no guests students can continue self-learning and volunteer with management of day to day activities. 
      • Various tasks and jobs including but not limited; Assist the guides, Prepare and saddle horses, Assist in the kitchen, Assist with check-in/checkout guests and Help with lodge management. 
      • This program is a guiding Program that allow you to experience and learn a lot about the Pantanal while guiding. Duties and tasks for the first 2 weeks will be an intense learning phase and other day duties and tasks will vary depending on what the program for the day is.
    • Requirements, Guidelines & Policies
      Some of the requirements for this project are:
      • Taking a Portuguese course before arrival (optional) 
      • A strong work ethic is required: reliable, responsible, dependable, honest and with a good sense of humor. You must be physically it and comfortable with the arrangement of living in a remote location.
      • 18+
      • No experience required but must be willing to learn and try new things.
      • Have a possitive attitude. 
      • Driver’s license.
  • Benefits
    • The opportunity to learn about the Pantanal, its wildlife and landscape. Learn first-hand about conservation and experience life in a different setting.
    • Self-development and the chance to challenge yourself, build on your existing skills while learning new ones.
    • Develop independence and confidence and have a positive impact on the environment.
  • Fast Facts
    • Project location
      Brazil, Pantanal, Souterh Section   
    • Area Famous For
      Different Species of Birds, Fish, Large Mammals
    • When to visit
      The project advices to visit from February to the end of October.
    • Wildlife viewing
      Some of the best in the world, rivaling even some african safari countries! 
  • Itinerary & Details
    Day 1 - Arrive in Campo Grande, Pantanal Brazil;
    You will arrive in the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul where you will need to catch a flight or 4x4 depending on the time of the year. 
    For 4-8 weeks - Volunteer at the Pantanal!
    For several weeks you will work along an amazing team and get involved in the day to day activities at the project! 
    Your last day -
     You will travel back to Campo Grande where you will catch flight back home or take the opportunity to travel through Brazil. Our staff will gladly help you to book any tours to see more of this great country. 
  • Accommodation

    As a volunteer, you will share your room with other volunteers.

    Things to bring from home

    • Hiking Shoes/Working Boots
    • Rain gear
    • Jeans
    • Anti Mosquito repellent + after bite
    • Sunglasses
    • Hat/cap to protect yourself from the sun
    • Sunblock
    • Complete Kitlist will be provided after applying or on request

    Meals

    Meals will be prepared by the kitchen staff at the lodge and you will be asked to help. Drinking water, is available throughout the day. You may also purchase sodas and beer from the store. Breakfast consists of basic toast etc. Lunch and dinner is rice, beans, vegetable dishes with a meat. We are a working farm so there is plenty of delicious beef and lamb provided. Volunteers will dine with the lodge staff in the staff kitchen and may sometimes be invited to dinner with the guests of the Lodge.

     

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!

Dingenis (63), from the Netherlands

 

What does a general day look like at the project:

First intense two weeks would be morning and afternoon lessons in the field for 3-4+ hours each activity.

5:30/6:00 breakfast

6:30 - 10:30 One of four (rotate through the weeks) activities Drive/horse ride/boat/canoe

12:00  lunch

13:00-15:30 Free time study / go for a walk

15:30/16:00 - 18:30/19:00 One of three (rotate through the weeks) activities Drive/horse ride/boat

19:00 Dinner

Remaining 4 weeks, various tasks

Volunteer program; Various tasks and jobs including but not limited to the below;

- when guests assist the guide, (open gates on drives, prepare guests drinks etc)

- prepare and saddle horses

- assist in kitchen 

- assist with checkin/checkout guests

- help with lodge management

 

 

 

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