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Amazon or Pantanal? Where to see wildlife in Brazil

Published October 14, 2026 · 2 min read

The Amazon has the greatest biodiversity on Earth; the Pantanal makes wildlife far easier to see. Compare the two to choose the right trip, or combine both.

Brazil has two world-class wildlife destinations, and they are very different trips. The Amazon is the largest rainforest on Earth. The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland. Here is how to choose.

The short answer

  • Choose the Amazon for the rainforest itself: giant trees, rivers the size of seas, pink river dolphins, and visits to riverside communities.
  • Choose the Pantanal to see as many animals as possible, including your best chance of spotting a wild jaguar.

Seeing animals: dense forest vs open wetland

The Amazon holds an extraordinary number of species, but the forest is dense, so animals are often heard before they are seen. Expect monkeys, macaws, toucans, sloths, caimans and river dolphins, with good guides making all the difference.

The Pantanal is open country: grasslands, lagoons and gallery forest. Animals gather around the water, especially in the dry season, so sightings are frequent and close. Capybaras, caimans, giant otters, hyacinth macaws and jabiru storks are everyday sights.

Jaguars

The northern Pantanal, along the rivers near Porto Jofre at the end of the Transpantaneira road, is one of the best places in the world to see wild jaguars. Boat safaris there have high success rates in the dry season, roughly July to October. In the Amazon, jaguars live throughout the forest but are rarely seen.

When to go

  • Amazon: good all year. Choose high water (about December to June) for canoeing through flooded forest, or low water (about July to November) for trails and beaches. See our guide to the best time to visit the Amazon.
  • Pantanal: the dry season (about July to October) is best for wildlife. From about December to March much of the region floods and some areas become hard to reach.

Getting there

  • Amazon: fly into Manaus, then continue by boat or road to a jungle lodge.
  • Pantanal: fly into Cuiabá for the northern Pantanal and the Transpantaneira, or Campo Grande for the southern Pantanal (close to Bonito).

Can you do both?

Yes. Both regions connect through Brazil's domestic flight network, and many travellers combine a few nights in the Amazon with a few nights in the Pantanal on a two-week trip. Plan the Pantanal leg for the dry season and the Amazon fits around it.

Plan your trip