Caiman, Pantanal

We really really loved Caiman lodge. Our tour guide was amazing. Not only we saw jaguars with him, he also was full of knowledge about other animals. The stuff overall was very attentive and rooms were excellent. Reservation was easy and they even connected us to a great company for transfer from the airport. We enjoyed the adventure and it was a highlight of our trip to Brazil. ||Unfortunately our Oncafari driver managed to run over speed bump at very high speed and one of our party was injured. We were not sure if it was a large bruising or internal bleeding. When we went to reception to ask for help, none was forthcoming. Medic was not available at the lodge or near by, there was no offer to drive us to closest medical facility. They did not even have a cold pack in the medkit ( that kit had less supplies than what we had with us). The lady at the reception could care less. Everything ended up OK but it did leave a bad taste in our mouth. ||So overall amazing experience which I would recommend to anyone.

From Campo Grande where we spent the night to Casa Caiman lodge is a 4 hour road transfer, the last hour being over a dirt track road. On arrival at the lodge we were given a briefing on the lodge and its facilities. There are two blocks of rooms the main area incorporates the dinning room and has a very spacious lounge area, the second block on the other side of the compound has a smaller lounge area but is nearer the air-condition gym and the small pool. We were allocated Room 16 in this block. The room had a queen sized bed, good quality air conditioning, a safe, a reasonable shower, toiletries were provided as was a hairdryer. Two flasks of drinking water were also provided and topped up each day. There was also a small patio area with chairs and a table. The meals were all served buffet style, breakfast had all the usual options, with eggs however you wanted them. Lunch and dinner was also a culinary experience with well known dishes and many Brazilian dishes to try. We had one breakfast outside after a game drive and two evening meals, one of which was a Brazilian BBQ also outside after a game drive.|The main event at the lodge are the game drives which occur early morning and late afternoon and last for around 3 hours. After a quick coffee and biscuit, cake or fruit we were off. Our game drives were guided by Natalia who was so passionate about the animals, pointing out animals, birds, (of which there are hundreds of different varieties), reptiles and the flora and fauna at every turn. Clearly most people are here to see the Jaguars, and we were not disappointed seeing two on our first game drive. On the evening game drive as night fell, Natalia would climb onto a seat at the very front of the 4x4 and with a spotlight in hand would lookout for the nocturnal wildlife for us to see. An amazing lodge with super friendly staff whose English was excellent and nothing was too much to ask.

Had an awesome time at Caiman. The staff were so helpful, organised and friendly, especially our tour guides Lara (caiman)/Rafael (oncafari) and hosts Thais/Jackeline. Great Brazilian food, and like that they didn't waste huge amounts. Would recommend to anyone

Caiman Lodge has been on our list for a decade. We finally decided to pull the trigger and it couldn't have been any better. We came for the Jaguars and saw our first within 5 minutes of arriving for our first game drive. We had Laura and Gabriel as our guides and they were extremely knowledgeable and tons of fun! All in all, over 4 days we ID'd 130 bird species, caiman, agouti, crab-eating fox, marsh deer, pampas deer, giant anteater, ocelot, tapir, capybara (wife's fav) and of course, Jaguars (7 total). The food is different every day and there are tons of options. The fresh fruit, juice and beef were highlights for me. I would highly recommend coming here if you are an animal lover. We decided on this instead of the Porto Joffre area so we could be more isolated in our experiences with the Jaguars and it definitely was.||What you see is obviously luck to some degree. We heard people in other cars who saw up to 12 different Jaguars, one saw a Jaguarundi and other things. If you understand wildlife, you get it. We chose to do the Oncafari one day to prioritize Jaguars. We only saw 3 over the entire day (one was stalking cattle at night), but it was the hottest day we were there. The Oncafari group the next day saw 8, so you just never know. Regardless, our experience was top notch and it is up there with any other eco lodge we've ever stayed at.

This lodge did not compare to any of the others during our trip - it was several notches above. The food is superb, as is the service. The rooms are super comfortable, even luxurious. This was the only place we stayed in the Pantanal that was on par with some wildlife lodges in Africa. Most places in the region are cattle operations with a tourist lodge on the side; the is the opposite. It is a wildlife conservation area that has some leases for cattle ranching. The focus on conservation sets this place apart, not just the high quality of service and food. The sightings of jaguars were wonderful, with only a few other vehicles at most (and often none). Other wildlife sightings were fantastic as well, and far exceeded our expectations. We could have happily stayed additional nights. A few items of note - they have a couple of outdoor dining experiences. One was LOVELY and quiet; the other less enjoyable due to some live music that, in our view, detracted from the focus on nature (especially as there was a jaguar nearby - far more interesting!). If anything could be improved, it would be the safari vehicles, which oddly have a seat mounted up front for night drives and which are not staggered, so all the seats are the same height, making it very hard to get good viewing spots and take photos, especially for anyone in the back or a middle seat. That was the only drawback, however, and we would not hesitate to return and to recommend this place. Stay here at the end of your trip and not the start so you avoid disappointment in everything that comes after.

Without a doubt, Caiman was absolutely the highlight of our tour of Brazil which was organised around staying at Caiman to hopefully see the elusive jaguar. ||What I hadn't appreciated was how Caiman had started and how incredible it is as a pioneer of ecotourism. Plus how vast it is in terms of being home to so many species of wildlife including the hyacinth macaw, capybara, giant anteaters and the tapir. ||We also hadn't anticipated eating such amazing food at Casa Caiman, carefully crafted to feature typical Brazilian dishes served with a voiceover from the team. ||We ventured out with the dedicated guides with both the Oncafari and the Caiman teams on driving safaris. Both teams were well-informed, passionate and excellent, and within a very short space of time we had close-up viewings of jaguars, capybara, giant anteaters, tapirs, hyacinth macaw and the toco toucan, and so much more. ||On our last evening safari as the light was starting to fade and I thought our trip had been absolutely everything we could have wished for, our guide spotted Itapira swimming. Itapira is the jaguar whose paws were burnt during the extensive 2024 fires; she was rescued and subsequently recovered, so it was special moment. ||Then as the sun set and it was dark, and we assumed sightings were over, our guide spotted an unknown female jaguar and her four month old cub wandering down the track in front of us. A very special moment at a very special place - Caiman Pantanal.

Caiman Pantanal was such an experience to have, since the moment we stepped into it till the end we enjoyed every second. Here is a full review from it.||Benefits:||- Staff is very sweet and attentive to your every need. They are quick at replacing and removing you plate. ||- The views are incredible, with a Hyacinth Macaw nests near by and Capibaras right outside the hotel ||-The state is massive and beautiful every where you go. ||- Food selection is amazing and changed every day. Which makes it more exciting. ||- Transport, guide (Louise) , and driver ( Roberto) were incredible with us, super sweet and attentive, Louise was so caring and funny and Roberto is a great driver with a 4x4 and we learnt so much from them. They were the best. If you’re with them you are very lucky.||To be improved: ||- At the first sight of the room I spotted many spider webs around the room, including the spiders on them. It would’ve been nice to have the room completely insect proof. ||- The balcony door was open the whole day and I didn’t realize till night because of the curtain. Yes there is a protection, however there were still bugs inside the balcony ||- There were very limited toiletries, (included: shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap)

Without a doubt, Caiman Lodge is one of the top properties in the Pantanal. The management team has done a remarkable job curating a wilderness-inspired atmosphere — from the rustic yet stylish furniture to the carefully chosen artwork, the lodge feels both authentic and elevated.||The true highlight of staying at this property are the Jaguar and Hyacinth Macaw on-site sanctuaries. These programs are doing incredible work to protect endangered species, and the educators are not only knowledgeable but passionate. They make you feel that your stay directly supports their vital conservation efforts.||Where Caiman falls a bit short, however, is the lack of wildlife. The guides work hard to find animals, but sightings, at least while we were there, were sparse. During our stay, we saw plenty of caiman (small crocodiles), capybara (the world’s largest rodent), foxes, and ranch horses — but only one jaguar and two anteaters. I’d skip the evening drives, but recommend the morning drives, where it increases your chances of seeing wildlife.||If your priority is staying at a beautiful, thoughtfully run lodge with a strong conservation mission, Caiman is exceptional. But if your primary goal is to maximize wildlife sightings — particularly of jaguars — I would recommend heading to the Porto Jofre area, where sightings are abundant.