The largest wetlands in the world don’t sound particularly appealing. But this vast and incredibly fertile region of central-west Brazil has some of the most exciting – and easily seen – creatures in the world.
The wet season runs from November to April, when it rains for several hours every afternoon and the aquatic flora rejoices; in the dry season, which runs from May to October, a huge variety of birds congregate here. Capybaras, giant otters, and marsh deer are among the animals to be seen all year round. Stay on a local cattle farm and explore the region by boat or on horseback.
The Pantanal is a natural region encompassing the world’s largest tropical wetland area, and the world’s largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay. It sprawls over an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 square kilometres (54,000 and 75,000 sq mi). Various subregional ecosystems exist, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics; up to 12 of them have been defined. Wikipedia