Starry Starry Nights, Our guide to camping without compromise

Mchenja, Zambia

People often tell us when they are enquiring about going on safari that they only want the very best, that they don’t want to camp, and that holidaying under canvas is something that they left behind as teenagers. The thing is that some of the very best safari lodges in Africa and elsewhere in the world are now tented.

Of course there is no longer a need to get down on your hands and knees to scramble into the tent, you are unlikely to have to crawl in to a sleeping bag in order to sleep and you certainly won’t be cooking your own food over a wobbly gas stove!

Eco-Camp, Chile

Take Mchenja for example, in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. This beautiful tented camp can sleep up
to ten people, each of them in stunning luxury. Each room has an outdoor shower and a  free-standing indoor bath and the camp itself has a spacious lounge and dining area and cool plunge pool overlooking the Luangwa River for added relaxing pleasure.

Holiday on the Indian subcontinent and take a visit to Pench National Park to see tigers, and you might like to look at Pench Jungle Camp. With 12 spacious safari tents set in eight hectares of beautiful mature forest, Pench offers elegant luxury in the heart of the jungle.

Governor's Camp, Kenya

In Chile we highly recommend the Eco Camp in the rugged and breathtakingly beautiful Torres del Paine. These beautiful and unusual giant dome tents (28 square metres each!) have been specially designed to withstand the climatic extremes of their environment... and of course to
look good and feel comfortable too. 

Each of these holidays makes use of beautiful tented camps:

Zambia: Leopards of Luangwa
When: May to November
How much: From £3,295 (Inclusive of flights)

India: Tiger Tiger
When: November to May
How much: From £2,975 (Inclusive of flights)

Chile: Land of Extremes
When: Year round
How much: From £4,545 (Inclusive of flights)

Botswana: Wings over Botswana - deluxe
When: Daily, year round
How much: From £4,995 (Inclusive of flights)

Madagascar: Madagascan Explorer
When: Daily, year round
How much: From £5,165 (Inclusive of flights)
Other Madagascar Holidays

Kenya: A Weekend in the Mara
When: Thursdays, year round
How much: From £1,575 (Inclusive of flights)

For Wildlife Holidays and Safaris in Luxury Tented Camps - Click here

Wildlife Holidays in Canada - Going Wild in British Columbia

The coastline of Canada’s British Columbia is an immensely rich area for wildlife where, during the benign summer, a spectacular series of natural tableaux unfolds. In early summer (May to July) black and brown (a.k.a. grizzly) bear, including mothers with cubs barely a few months old, can be seen foraging at low tide along the shoreline. This is also prime breeding season where more than one male may catch the female’s scent and this can lead to some potentially violent showdowns between competing males.

As summer wears on, the forest berries ripen and the bears spend increasing amounts of time feeding in the woods. By mid-July the seasonal upwelling of nutrients at the northern end of Vancouver Island attracts prey for large pods of orca (killer whales), which congregate to hunt. Numerous harbour seal, mink and bald eagles are also present at this time, but black bears become wary of the grizzlies and are more difficult to see.

By mid-August the rivers fill with salmon moving upstream to spawn in the headwaters, and the grizzlies gorge themselves on the foreshore to fatten up for hibernation. By late October, things quieten down as shorter days herald the arrival of winter.

To witness these spectacles you can take a float plane out to a remote but comfortable, specialist lodge. In early summer you’ll watch bears from a boat, while later on you’ll view them from purpose-built platforms. One of our favourites is Knight Inlet, as large numbers of grizzlies are seen near the floating lodge, plus whales and dolphins on boat trips in the nearby Johnstone Strait. Another more intimate property, Great Bear Lodge, offers equally good opportunities.

Alternatively on the mainland near Bella Coola, both Coast Mountain and Tweedsmuir Lodges are accessible by road, allowing you the flexibility of self-drive – and both are great spots for bear watching (September to mid October). On Vancouver Island, Tofino and Telegraph Cove make ideal bases for seeing black bears and whales, while in September on Princess Royal Island you can view all-white spirit bears from King Pacific and Spirit Bear Lodges.

One effortless way to see both bears and whales is from a comfortable 21-metre yacht, while sailing at the northern end of Vancouver Island, or in the remote Queen Charlotte archipelago. With eight cabins, three shower/toilets, a large saloon and a galley, these vessels are crewed by an experienced skipper, a knowledgeable naturalist and a talented cook.

Both trips offer unparalleled opportunities to explore pristine coastal forests and ancient First Nations villages, and see orcas and other whales, bears and numerous birds. Each day there are a couple of shore excursions, and once at anchor there’s time to unwind in the long summer evenings – take a sea-kayak for a paddle, go for a stroll, or simply marvel at the beauty.

In October, if you time it just right, you can combine seeing the grizzlies in BC before heading to Churchill in Northern Manitoba to see the first polar bears arrive – possibly the best bear extravaganza in existence!

To help select the best option for you, contact our friendly and knowledgeable team for advice. We tailor-make your holiday to suit you but for recommended itineraries – or very useful starting points see:

Orcas, Bears and Forests of BC
When: 2-6 & 21-27 August
From: £4,299

Queen Charlotte Islands
When: early May to late August
From: £5,049

Bears of Knight Inlet
When: May to October
From: £4,190

Whales & Bears of British Columbia - 14 day self drive
When: Daily, May–Oct
From: £2,995

Grizzly & Polar Bear Adventure
When: Daily, early October
From: £6,995

For all our Canada Wildlife Holidays click here or for our guide to Tailor Made Holidays in Canada click here

Festival of Wildlife 2010: Customer Comments - Charles K.

"The main reason for writing is to thank you both so much for all your hard work in making the Festival itself just a success. It more than lived up to my expectations and I know that you both worked extremely hard to ensure that we had the best time possible. The Jaguar sightings were amazing and I did not expect these wonderful animals to be so active during the day - swimming and hunting etc. In particular, the time when some of us observed a jaguar causing trouble to a family of Giant River otters and then successfully hunting a Caiman was one of the best hours of wildlife watching I have ever experienced! The bird life was quite extraordinary and both the birds and animals were easier to photograph than I had anticipated. In the talks, I learned an enormous amount about the wildlife as well as local tourism ane environmental issues. I alo greatly valued the time spent with me by the professional photographers to help me improve my photography."

Charles K. Festival of Wildlife 2010. Pantanal. Brazil.

Festival of Wildlife - Further details - Click here

Staff Report: Guyana in Pictures - By Sally Jefferis

Rewa River sunset

A lazy morning spent paddling down the Buro Buro river wildlife spotting

An early morning wake up call from a Red Howler monley beats any alarm clock!

Fruit bats woken from their sleep

Giant river otter swimming

Giant river otter

Guyana's national flower the Victoria Amazonica has leaves that grow up to 3m in diameter. At dusk the lily's flower slowly opens to reveal a brilliant white bloom.

Humming Bird at Maipaima Eco Lodge

Incredible sunsets over unspoilt rainforest

Kaieteur with Rainbow

Playful Giant River Otter

Singing and dancing with children from the local village

The Central Rainforests area is best viewed from the canopy walkway at Atta Rainforest Lodge.

The sight of 30,000 gallons of water per second tumbling over the 741 foot sheer drop is an awe inspiring sight and sound.

For further details of Tailor-made Wildlife Holidays in Guyana - Click here

Customer Comment: Eclipse - Easter Island 2010

"Merely wanted to say how much we enjoyed the eclipse on Easter Island and how special it was to be there. Here are a couple of pictures. I admit that the monochrome one I cheated a bit-its my eclipse pic on my statue pic but closer together than in reality!"
Sue P. July 2010.

‘Pantanal Wildlife’ – James Lowen

To celebrate the wonders of the Brazil, Wildlife Worldwide and the Brazilian Tourist Board are hosting a special evening of events. Come and listen to Latin American resident James Lowen, author of the recently published Bradt guide ‘Pantanal Wildlife’ and award-winning wildlife photographer Nick Garbutt as they engage you in experiences of the Pantanal and beyond.

Where better than to host a travel author event than Stanfords Books & Maps store in Covent Garden? We will be providing Brazilian Caipirinha cocktails and nibbles with a possible smattering of Portuguese! Guests can also enjoy a 10% discount voucher from the store where they may choose to delve deeper into the specifics of Pantanal wildlife through the purchase of James’ Bradt ‘Pantanal Wildlife’ guide.

Event Date: Tuesday 11th May
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Stanfords Book & Map store, 12-14 Long Acre, Covent Garden, WC2E 9LP

Places are limited so to book a place at this event please contact sales@wildlifeworldwide.com or call 0845 130 6972

Customer Comment: Viv & Roger C. Bears in Canada

"Having enjoyed a Classic Polar Bears holiday last November we couldn't resist dipping into your brochure again, resulting in us returning to Canada, this time to Bears of Knight Inlet, from which we have recently returned. Neither of these could really be called holidays, but rather never to be forgotten experiences. Additionally we would like to thank you for the efficient and friendly manner in which both of these trips were arranged for us.

We thought that Churchill couldn't be bettered, but we were blown away by the Knight Inlet trip, which surpassed all our expectations, not just with the animal viewing, but by the friendly and dedicated staff at the lodge.

The animal viewing itself was spectacular, with some 60 grizzly bears, although some of these were the same bears viewed on different days, black bears, orkas, hump back whales, sealions, and a truly exceptional sight of a pod of 300-400 Pacific white sided dolphins. Below are a few photos of some of the sightings, and thank you once again for all your help."

Viv & Roger C. October 2009

Bear Watching Wildlife Holidays in Canada - Click here or

Bear Watching Holidays Worldwide - Click here or

Whale Watching Holidays Worldwide - Click here

Festival News - Alison interviewed for 'The Insider'

From 'Jungle Drums' Brazilian Travel Specialists:

"Hampshire-based Wildlife Worlwide is an independently-owned tour operator specialised in wildlife-themed trips to far-flung destinations such as Borneo, Malawi and the Arctic. Next year travellers will be taken to a one-off special tour to the Pantanal guided by a group of celebrity wildlife experts for their Festival of Wildlife. We spoke to Alison Bembridge, fresh from her experience in the lush wetlands to tell us more about the abundant fauna and flora. "

Read the full article from The Insider - click here

Customer Reviews: Mr Wood in Belize

REPORT ON VISIT TO BELIZE, April 2009

It always seems extraordinary to me how difficult it can be to travel from one country to another in a region, even to neighbouring countries. As you grow older time seems to accelerate exponentially; this is an illusion of course but for older folk time relates more to what is left than what is past. Now we know we can only travel to other continents for a relatively short number of years, we are inclined to twin or triplet the countries we visit.

This year we were returning to Venezuela and wished to marry it to a wildlife experience in another nearby country in Latin America. Guyana looked like a good choice for the Kaieteur Falls, the possibility of jaguar at Iwokrama and giant otter on the Rupununi River. But there are no direct flights between these immediate neighbours and travel by road would have taken us away from our dogs for too long. Combining Venezuela and Guyana involves using Trinidad as a staging post. To get the best air fares, the trip demands 4 local flights to and from the island. Maybe next time the call of steel bands will be enough to seduce us.

We turned instead to Belize, a lot like a Caribbean ‘island’ except it is landlocked. Getting to this charming country from Venezuela, and then home, is even more complicated than combining Venezuela and Guyana. It involved a flight from Caracas via Panama City into San Salvador for an overnight stop, before a further two flights to take us to the lodge at Gallon Jug in Belize; with two flights via San Salvador to Guatemala and a flight home from there, exiting the plane at Panama City, changing in Madrid for London. Exhausting, yes, and not recommended. The first time we went to Belize we flew direct to Cancun in Mexico and took a simple, easy and interesting road transfer from there.

The lure in Belize was the real possibility of an encounter with puma, jaguar and ocelot at Chan Chich, a terrific lodge located in the heart of 125, 000 acres, most of which is tropical forest. The small plane journey was a dream. We were whisked by our pilot through Godson International Airport, Belize City, like VIPs, and flown in to Gallon Jug, 2000 ft over jungle as dense as a forest of broccoli. Effects of the two day transfer started to fade with the onset of delicious anticipation in searches and sightings to come.

We had our first night drive that very evening, not wholly productive as heat and travel were taking their toll. We relied entirely on Luiz, our driver, for spotting and to awaken us if we nodded off. During the following seven days we fell into a routine of rising at four thirty to catch the dawn on our morning drives and departing two hours before sunset for pre-dinner drives. On two of the days we varied the routine so that we could stay out longer, taking a breakfast picnic on the escarpment one morning and a picnic dinner by Laguna Seca one evening. In between drives, we walked the nine trails that surround the lodge.

There were lots of howler monkeys roaring to get us up before dawn and, each evening, an entertaining troupe of spider monkeys swung in near the lodge to take up residence for the night. As we travelled, we marvelled at the display and colours of the ocellated turkey, every bit as impressive in its shimmering, many coloured feathers as a peacock. Apparently these large birds have been ‘disappeared’ in most places outside Gallon Jug because they make such good eating.

Gallon Jug provides a variety of habitats and some great places to observe birds and butterflies, not forgetting frogs and crocodiles. Our quest was centred on the big cats; we had to rely on them to make an appearance in the open areas as the jungle is so dense, a jaguar would be lost to sight a few metres into it. The road and trail systems together with the 3000 acre clear area around Gallon Jug village and farm, offers the best possibility of a sighting. On our first day, one member of staff saw a puma on the Logger’s Trail within a kilometre of Chan Chich lodge. On day three there were two puma sightings by the lodge manager and, on day four, a jaguar was seen at 200 ft. crossing the road, apparently on its way to slack it thirst in Laguna Seca.

Next morning, an hour after we had driven our golf cart to Sylvester Village, there was a close encounter there with a large puma by staff man, Jorge, who came back to lodge with a photo in his camera. That night we staked out a spot where the farm had laid a dead calf to be naturally re-cycled by vultures and, we hoped, the big cats. No luck there, so we headed off to Laguna Seca keeping our eyes peeled as it grew dark so suddenly. On our way back from the lagoon, I was picking out the eyes of deer and cattle with the spotlight, when I lighted up something that was too low down to be either: the green eyes reflecting back at me were only two or three feet off the ground on a hill in a large field fenced off for the cattle.

We moved right next to the fence and continued to stare through the binoculars until we could be sure the colour, shape and size meant we were looking at a puma. It was 80 metres away but identifiable in the spotlight, although out of camera range. We squeezed through the barbed wire and tried to get a better view but it shrank away over the hill and out of sight. We drove down an adjacent road still trying to catch it in the light. As we cast about, our guide saw a different pair of green eyes lurking in a mango orchard on the opposite side of the road to the first sighting, this time about 120 metres away. We saw the eyes and a faint suggestion of a body as it moved along the base of the trees but we could get no closer. So we had two distant, night sightings to go down in the book, our first ever of puma, and therefore a special thrill.

The Chan Chich Lodge at Gallon Jug is situated in an old Mayan site. Both the main lodge and the cabanas are beautifully appointed: our bathroom alone was 15 sq metres, with his and her showers and washbasins. The forty odd staff come from about 6 families who live nearby in service areas or the village. Most of them have grown up in Gallon Jug or worked there for years, all part of a Chan Chich community which gives the place a very special feeling. There is a school, where almost 80 of the community’s children are taught, located near the airstrip and farm, along with a shop and post-office.

There are lots of activities both on and off the Chan Chich reserve, which itself borders two other large areas of forest, including the 260, 000 acre Rio Bravo Nature Reserve. You can visit the impressive Mayan ruins at Lamanai or trip next door to seek out the wildlife. We had more than enough within the reserve to keep us fully engaged, with visits to the Jacuzzi, swimming pool and massage parlour to help recover from all those drives and walks. You can also hire a golf cart (make sure its battery is fully charged!), go bike riding or take a canoe out on Laguna Verde, another pretty lake on the property. All of which makes Chan Chich a great place to visit.

"Female collared peccary"

"Peccary and 'Peclet' "

"Bigger than my hand, Tarantula"

"Ocelot, Hato Pinero"

"Is it a Space-ship orbiting the moon?"

Alan Cantrell Wood, April 2009

Staff Report: Mexico - A whale of a time! By Clementine Gent

Deciding where to go on holiday is never easy and with four people, each with differing demands, this trip was going to be no different. Getting away in the depths of winter the destination definitely had to be warm, adventurous if possible, good food (very important if travelling with the French!) and (my demand) some good wildlife encounters! Mexico managed to tick all the boxes!!

British Airways fly direct several times a week to Mexico City but to get to Baja California it is actually easier, quicker and cheaper to go via the States. Immigration was actually relatively painless when entering the US (much to my surprise) and after a few days of exploring northern California I was eager to reach Baja.

We flew two hours from LA and landed in Cabo – surrounded by brown desert, cacti and the heat. I was slightly nervous as I had made all the arrangements and knew two of the group were wildlife virgins – fingers crossed they were going to enjoy it!

We travelled north to the city of La Paz – actually the capital of Baja California Sur – which has a pleasant seaside-town feel with a large waterfront promenade and plenty of good shops and restaurants. Mardi Gras celebrations had just finished but many of the fair rides and entertainments were still there and the local people were out in force, enjoying the evening.

We had an early start the next morning – the group met in the hotel lobby (10 Americans, 2 French, 1 Finn and myself) and we were transferred three and a half hours by road to Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula. Our camp was perched on the side of the bay on a white sand beach – nothing luxurious but perfect for easy access to the Whales.

The days consisted of breakfast, morning whale watch, back to the camp for lunch, afternoon whale watch or other activity, sundowners at the camp and then dinner.

Grey Whales calve in three bays on the Baja California Peninsula of which Magdalena (Mag for short) Bay is probably the quietest as it is furthest away from the US. The whales enter the bay in December and stay there until early April when they start their long migration to the feeding grounds of northern Canada and Alaska.

In Mag Bay the mothers and calves generally remain in the shallow water whilst mating adults congregate at the mouth of the bay. Our guides JJ and Carlos (both fantastic!) also showed us dolphins, Frigate birds, Sea Lions, pelicans and cormorants to name a few.

We must have seen 30 or so different individuals over the three days we were there. The mothers and calves tended to keep a little distance from the boats although a number of the calves we saw breached seemingly to get a closer look at us. We were able to have closer contact with the mating adults – perhaps because they were rather distracted?! It was not uncommon for us to see between three and five whales in a mating group and every so often one would break off to inspect our boat – perhaps to assess his chances.

Other activities were available when we weren’t whale watching; one afternoon we took the boat to the opposite side of the bay and walked across the sand dunes to the Pacific coast. Large shells by the thousands had been deposited high up by the winter storms, along the never-ending beach we found giant Mussels, Sand dollars, desiccated Trigger and Puffer fish and the skulls of dolphins and pelicans. On another afternoon we went kayaking in the mangrove swamp close to the camp. No prior experience is necessary as the waters in the mangroves are shallow. Paddling through the waterways we got up-close and personal with herons, ospreys, grebes, Whimbrels and had the privilege to see a school of dolphins herding a shoal of fish onto the sandbanks.

Sadly our three magical days in “Mag Bay” came to and end but all was not over as the next half of the trip was based on an island in the Sea of Cortez. We travelled back to La Paz and from there by boat to Isla Espiritu Santo.

Our camp in the island was on the beach in a beautiful bay surrounded by towering red cliffs and green cacti. The camp was more basic than the one at Mag Bay – thermorests rather than cots and torches rather than a generator but the setting was so stunning that no one minded at all.

Our activities here were very flexible – the emphasis was on kayaking but it was optional and there were plenty of other things to do. We started the stay with a dunk test in order to kayak out on the open sea. There were rock stacks going out into the bay which were covered by birds and ringed in coral and we could snorkel to them easily from the camp.

We could hike in the canyon behind the camp where Turkey vultures flew overhead, Rock lizards sunned themselves and Ant lions waited for the unsuspecting to walk into their traps. We kayaked around to an adjacent bay where we saw the archaeological evidence of human habitation some 12,000 years ago. On one morning we went by boat to Los Islotes – a group of islands just off the northern point of the island. Here there is a large Sea lion colony where you can snorkel with them. There are also large colonies of Brown and Blue-footed Boobies. Snorkelling with the playful Sea lions, despite a large swell, was a fantastic experience. The Sea lions were very inquisitive and were eager to inspect (i.e. chew on) anything within their grasp.

The days passed too quickly and soon it was time to return to La Paz and civilization. A final hour adjustment to the homeward plans however meant that our wildlife extravaganza was not over yet…Whale sharks had been spotted in La Paz bay – incredibly early as they usually arrive in May! JJ and Carlos were very helpful in organising an additional tour so, on our final morning, instead of last minute present shopping; we were to be found cruising the shallow waters in desperate search of the biggest fish in the sea.

Three hours into our four hour trip and not a dickey bird or indeed a very large spotted fish. We turned around to head for home and suddenly came across a baby (15 foot!) and shortly after another and then another. The boat dropped us to the side and slightly in front so we were able to have some incredible snorkelling with these gentle giants. I am actually still lost for words at how amazing this experience was and as we rushed from the boat straight to the airport we ended the holiday with gigantic grins on our faces!

Clementine Gent, Wildlife Consultant, March 2009

Click here for our wildlife holidays with Whale Watching in Mexico

Staff Report - Recce the Festival of Wildlife 2010, Pantanal, Brazil

Brazilian Mission - by Alison Bembridge

The mission : “To recce the Festival of Wildlife 2010, Pantanal, Brazil” (translated to: see, do, learn, take note, explain, organise and experience as much as possible in as short a time frame as will allow)”. This is a mission I had to accept.

Four flights and 30 hours later I arrived in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil (obviously not the simple, more direct route that I will take with the clients in 2010!). A short rest and I met my host Andre. He bundled me into his little blue jeep and off we went on the adventure into the wild Pantanal.

Day 1
My initial impression was of the intense and immense heat. Hot, hot, hot, humid and hot! Having come from snowy North Yorkshire it was a shock…luckily the little blue jeep had AC!
Andre and I chat and discuss the ethos and programme of the Festival of Wildlife as we zip through the countryside. We stop a couple of times and exit the little blue jeep to ensure that we remember how hot it is in the real world – but the focus is getting onto the Transpantaneira (the dead-end road into the Pantanal) and Andre’s lodge – Araras Eco Lodge.

Andre is a tall, thin, strong, blue eyed, fair shoulder length haired individual – if you looked around quickly you would swear it was Crocodile Dundee! He even wears a similar hat – and I knew that whatever happened over the next three days it was going to be fun, wild and I was going to experience everything.


December is the beginning of the rainy season – so the landscape is seriously green and the grasses, bushes and trees are sprouting to get the most of the water during this period. The landscape is flat, and horizon can be seen during the breaks in the forest, but the Transpantaneira road is long, red and very straight. Very quickly Andre is pointing out bird after bird after bird. We have to stop every two minutes so that I put the binoculars to my eyes and get the camera out. A Bare-faced Ibis, then a Little-blue Heron, a White-necked Heron, a Jaciru Stock (the emblem of the Pantanal), a Muskovy duck, a Snail Kite, a Southern Lapwing, an Amazon Kingfisher, over flys a Toucan – phew – I’m not sure were to look or how I’m going to be able to take everything in!

We arrive at the lovely Araras Eco Lodge and a cool fresh fruit juice is waiting for me – delicious. I’m refreshed and ready to explore! But first lunch. It’s a hearty affair, taken under the shady area next to the pool (which I later discover contains such beautiful warm water that it’s like a hot tub without the bubbles). The food is good, honest and simple – almost all of it coming from the organic farm associated to the lodge.

In the afternoon I don my hat, suncream, anti-bug juice, grab the bins and the camera and we are off to explore. Andre gives me a grand tour of the lodge and surrounding grounds. We walk a little and I have to quickly get over my fear of Caiman. They do have big teeth and look every bit as irksome as one would expect – but they do (pleasing) slip gracefully into the water as soon as they realise I have my Canon lens ready to shoot at them!

We also cross some of the areas of the lodges numerous hectares in the little blue jeep – which is a jolly good job as I experience a tropical rain shower – ‘shower’ in terms of a heavy, warm power shower, with great big drops making one exceedingly wet exceedingly fast! I’m honoured by Andre’s gentlemanly ways as he insists on opening the gates along the track (being a girl does have good advantages!). One of the gates leads us into the farm, the rain stops for a brief moment and we jump out to look around. It’s then that I realise that the loud, squawking, shouting noise coming from the trees above is none other than about fourteen Hyacinth macaws being rather miffed that we are staring at them. They are every bit as beautiful, blue and large as they are made out to be. Flying in pairs, they soon settle down at the top of a tall tree, with the sun behind them, making my already poor photography skills no match.
However over the following few days, and several more Hyacinth macaw pairs later, I get a photo that is about acceptable!

Dinner and a night drive later I can scribble another 20 birds on my growing list, as well as a Crab-eating Fox, a Crab-eating Racoon, a Great Black Hawk eating a crab, a few dozen caiman and a few hundred mosquitoes.

I download onto my laptop my 250 photos and fall into a deep sleep with the cacophony in my ears of frogs and insects enjoying the night outside my room.

Day 2
What feels like 2 minutes later is in fact 6am and Andre is rapping on my door excitedly telling me that I just have to get up and see the stunning sunrise. (We had arranged a 6.30am start, but it seems Andre is an early, early riser!).

Today we are to bounce in the little blue jeep 140 km south along the Transpantaneira to Porte Jofre for me to look at the hotel there and spend some hours looking for Jaguar. My eyes are peeled to the trees, grasslands and shores. My binoculars are up and down and the camera is on overdrive. The river is a muddy red colour and the shores are a combination of grasslands, forest and small sandy beaches. It’s all so beautiful and the wildlife is all around. I feel that this is their home, and I am just a passing guest.

We stop for lunch on the river bank – and who do we see in the tree above us?…..an adorable porcupine. Our guide in this area is a local man called Eduardo from the nearby Jaguar Ecological Lodge. He travels on the river on the look out for Jaguar about five times a week and has not seen a porcupine in over three years.

We also see a very brave little Agouti crossing the river Cuiaba. A manoeuvre of great risk for such a small mammal, with the strong current and the jaw snapping caiman!

The six river otters playing happily infront of me have been a highlight of the day, along with the amusing flying fish which flew directly into the boat and the Green Kingfisher scooping a fish just ten feet away.

At 5pm we have to head back, which is unfortunate as the Jaguar has not come to say hello to me yet. However, during September, it is much drier and the probability of seeing this elusive and magnificent cat increases ten fold when the lush green grass (that I have so praised) is not in the line of sight!
The journey back along the Transpantaneira brings me to my bed by midnight.

Day 3
After the intense day yesterday I opt to catch up on notes, planning and discussion meetings with Andre this morning and then a short horse ride in the afternoon.
My peaceful horseride turned into more than I bargained for though – and I won’t go into detail but it involved the horse, me, bees and a whole heap of adrenaline!

Day 4

Calm restored this morning, Andre and his lovely wife Akhila take me on a beautiful sunrise walk. The dawn chorus is in full swing when we glimpse the Tapir padding softly into the undergrowth. We also see a snake speedily crossing the path through the forest.

We have breakfast at the lodge annex 3 km from the main lodge and then the little blue jeep shows it’s 4x4 capabilities (heaps of muddy water splashing and sideways motion over the water logged track – great fun!) as we go to investigate where the canoes are launched from. On arrival at the river we are gifted with a heron having freshly caught its lunch…magical.

We then have to return to the lodge, have a final planning meeting before I am taken to Cuiaba for my flight back to Rio.

I’ve certainly had an adventure during my three days in the Pantanal. The Festival of Wildlife 2010 is going to be unique, spending six days exploring a tiny (but wildlife packed) part of the planet’s largest wetlands. I’m so excited about it!
September will be drier, less humid and the wildlife more concentrated than my experience – which stuns me…because how much better can it get?

For further information and how to book on the Festival of Wildlife 2010 please click here,

or contact Alison (alison.bembridge@wildlifeworldwide.com) or Mel (mel.kinder@wildlifeworldwide.com)