Pantanal and Bonito in 7 days

This plan runs six nights: three in the southern Pantanal near Miranda or Aquidauana, then three in Bonito. Miranda and Aquidauana are about 2 to 3 hours from Campo Grande and about 150 km (93 mi) from Bonito. The Pantanal gives you wildlife on open floodplains. Bonito gives you clear rivers for snorkeling, caves and waterfalls. Both sit in Mato Grosso do Sul, so the transfers stay short.

Why pair the Pantanal with Bonito

The two make a natural pair. The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland, and it is the best place in South America to see large animals in the open. Bonito sits on limestone, which filters its rivers until they run glass-clear. You float among schools of fish in water you can see through for many meters.

The southern Pantanal is easy to reach from Campo Grande and lies on the way to Bonito. You can see capybaras, caimans, giant anteaters, marsh deer, hyacinth macaws and the jabiru stork, with a real chance of jaguars on some ranches. Bonito then gives you three days of water and rock after the early starts and heat of the wetland.

Getting there

Fly into Campo Grande, the state capital. It has the most flights and generally lower fares than Bonito. From the city, roads run west to Aquidauana and Miranda, then south to Bonito.

Most Pantanal lodges arrange transfers from Campo Grande. Ask your lodge when you book. Buses also run from the Campo Grande rodoviária to Aquidauana and Miranda, but you still need a lodge pickup for the last stretch on dirt roads. A rental car works well on this route if you are comfortable on unpaved roads.

To leave, fly out of Bonito on a flight day, or travel back to Campo Grande by road. See domestic flights in Brazil and long-distance buses in Brazil.

Day by day

Day 1: Campo Grande to the southern Pantanal. Fly into Campo Grande in the morning. Aquidauana and Miranda are about 2 to 3 hours away, so you can reach your lodge by late afternoon. Arrange the transfer with your lodge, or ask at the Campo Grande bus station for buses to Miranda.

Days 2 and 3: southern Pantanal. Lodges in this area offer photographic safaris, horseback riding, trails, river cruises, catch-and-release fishing, night drives for animal spotting and birdwatching. Most days start before sunrise, when animals are active, and pause in the midday heat. Onçafari’s Caiman Pantanal base covers 53,000 hectares in Miranda and has hosted jaguar-viewing guests since 2011. In 2023, every guest who stayed at least three days there saw at least one jaguar. Sightings are never guaranteed, so treat any jaguar as a bonus.

Day 4: Pantanal to Bonito. It is about 150 km (93 mi) by road from Miranda or Aquidauana to Bonito. Book the transfer through your lodge or a Bonito agency. On arrival, stop at the Centro de Atendimento ao Turista if you need help with bookings.

Days 5 and 6: Bonito. Book your river and cave slots through an accredited local agency before you arrive. Attractions do not sell tickets on the day. Popular river floats include Rio Sucuri and Nascente Azul. Gruta do Lago Azul is a cave with a deep blue lake, and Abismo Anhumas is a rappel into a flooded cavern. See Bonito: snorkeling rivers and booking for the voucher rules.

Day 7: leave Bonito. There are two exits. From the Aeroporto Regional de Bonito, from 25 October 2026, LATAM flies to São Paulo/Guarulhos on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. GOL flies on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and Azul on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. By road, Campo Grande is about 300 km (186 mi) and 4 hours by car via BR-060, BR-419 and MS-382, and Viação Cruzeiro do Sul runs the bus.

Check before you go: Flight days change with the season. Confirm your Bonito flight before you fix the rest of the plan, and buy the Bonito to Campo Grande bus ticket a day ahead at the Bonito bus station.

Options inside the plan

• Base in Corumbá instead. Corumbá is about 6 hours from Campo Grande and about 420 km (260 mi) away by BR-262. That adds about 3 to 4 hours each way compared with Miranda, so it suits a plan with more than three Pantanal nights. It sits on the Paraguay River, near the Bolivian border.
• A day at the Buraco das Araras. This large red sinkhole lies in Jardim, near Bonito. Visits are guided only, on a 970 m trail of about 1 hour 20 minutes, and more than 120 red macaws nest there. Prices range from R$ 117 to R$ 385 (about US$23 to US$76, checked Oct 2026) by package. Ask the operator how to book, since Jardim’s rules can differ from Bonito’s.
• Boca da Onça. This site near Bonito has a waterfall about 156 m high and a rappel from a suspended platform. It makes a full day with trails and swimming holes.

What to book before you leave

1. Flights. Match your last day to a Bonito departure day, or plan the 4-hour drive back to Campo Grande.
2. Bonito attractions. Use an accredited local agency. The municipal site lists 59 agencies. Bonito’s tourism office answers on (67) 99254 8990, Monday to Friday 7:00 to 17:00.
3. Pantanal lodge. Ask in writing what the stay includes: meals, outings, guides and transfers.
4. A buffer day. The plan has none. A late flight into Campo Grande moves every leg, so add a day if you can.

When to go

Pick the month before you pick the order. May to September is the dry season and the best time for watching animals. Water collects in fewer pools, and wildlife gathers around them. October to April is the flood season, better suited to boat trips and horseback riding through water.

Bonito works all year, but the rivers are clearest in the drier months. Heavy rain can cloud some rivers for a day or two. Holiday peaks include 11 July to 2 August and 19 to 31 December, when slots sell out.

Floods change from year to year. The 2026 flood stayed below the historical average. See best time to visit Brazil for the climate table, and the Pantanal guide for fire and flood detail.

Where to base

Stay at a lodge or fazenda near Miranda or Aquidauana for the Pantanal nights. Fazendas are working cattle ranches that host guests, and most sell full-board stays with guided outings. Choose by what you want to see. Some focus on jaguars, others on birds or horseback riding.

In Bonito, stay in a pousada in town. The town is small and walkable, with restaurants around the main street. Attractions lie out of town, and agencies usually include transport or tell you how to get there. Contact each property directly and compare what is included.

Costs

Budget most for the Pantanal lodge. Full-board stays with guided outings are the norm, so the nightly rate covers most of what you do there. In Bonito, you pay separately for lodging, meals and each attraction voucher.

Shared transfers cost less than private ones. Ask lodges, agencies and bus companies for quotes in writing. For federal park fees elsewhere, see Brazil’s national parks: fees.

Practical tips

• Both regions use UTC−4, one hour behind Brasília time. Reset your phone clock.
• Bring long, light clothing in neutral colors, a hat and strong insect repellent for the Pantanal.
• Skip sunscreen and repellent before Bonito river floats. Most attractions ban them to protect the water.
• Pack a light jacket in June and July. Cold fronts can drop temperatures quickly.
• Bring binoculars. They make a big difference for birds and distant animals.

Skip it if

• You have only a long weekend. The transfers eat most of the days.
• You want the northern Pantanal and its Transpantaneira jaguar boats. This plan covers the south only; see the north versus south guide.
• You dislike early starts and heat. Wildlife viewing begins at dawn, and afternoons are hot.
• You cannot book Bonito ahead. Slots are sold through agencies and sell out in holiday periods.

For wildlife targets, read where to see jaguars, macaws and giant otters.