This 6 night Jaguar Photography Safari is a 7 day small group adventure (6 People Max) personally led by Benjamin James, founder of Journey with Jaguars and professional wildlife photographer.

You’ll share transport and boat excursions with other photography focused guests, while enjoying your own private room at the lodge.

Together we’ll spend FIVE (5) full days on the rivers of the Pantanal, the best place on earth to encounter wild jaguars. Your first and last days are spent travelling the iconic Transpantaneira to and from the lodge, while the middle four belong entirely to the water.

This trip is designed for photographers of all levels. You don’t need to be advanced, and you don’t need to arrive with perfect settings or expensive equipment. You don't even need to be a photographer to join! The focus is simple: being in the field, finding great wildlife moments, improving naturally, and enjoying the experience.

Throughout the trip, I’ll be there to help with settings, composition, positioning, light, animal behaviour, and the small decisions that make a big difference in wildlife photography. At the end of each day, there will also be time to look over images together, talk through what worked, and go through edits in Lightroom for anyone who wants to learn more.

From dawn to dusk, our team will track jaguars through their natural habitat, with giant otters, caimans, kingfishers, jabirus, and hundreds of bird species all around us. Evenings are for unwinding at the lodge, backing up your images, talking photography, and recharging for the next day on the river.

This is not a formal, hand held photography masterclass. It’s a real Pantanal jaguar safari, led by someone who knows the river, understands wildlife photography, and wants to help you come home with stronger images and a deeper connection to the place.

Our guests have ranked us among the top 10% of tours worldwide on TripAdvisor. Read their reviews HERE!

The moment you land at Cuiabá International Airport, your English-speaking guide and a member of our transport team will be there to greet you, and from that point on, the adventure begins.

If you're arriving the day before (August 14th), we recommend staying overnight at a hotel near the airport such as Amazon Hotel Aeroporto. We'll pick you up directly from your hotel the following morning to join the group transfer.

If you're flying in on the morning of the tour (August 15th), please make sure your flight lands no later than 10:45 AM. Most flights from São Paulo and other major hubs arrive between 9:15 and 10:45 AM, which lines up perfectly with our departure.

Between 10:00 and 11:00 AM, the group sets off together in a private van, heading south along the legendary Transpantaneira Highway, which is an adventure all on its own. We'll stop for lunch at a local restaurant along the way and keep our eyes peeled for wildlife right from the road: capybaras, caimans, jabiru storks, and plenty more.

After roughly 6 to 7 hours on the road (including lunch and photo stops), we'll arrive at our partner lodge in Porto Jofre, sitting right at the gateway to prime jaguar territory.

You'll be welcomed and shown to your room, which is air conditioned and comes with a small private bathroom. Once you've settled in, we'll sit down for a hearty dinner, walk through the plan for the days ahead, and get a solid night's rest before we hit the river at first light.

A few important notes for group travel:

All guests travel together on the shared van transfer. Arrival flights must land by 10:45 AM at the latest on August 15th. Departure flights should be booked for 3:00 PM or later on the final day (21st), as the group returns together.

*Guests who book flights outside these windows will need to cover private transport costs.

Wake up to the sounds of the Pantanal and fuel up with a buffet breakfast from 6:00 AM — fresh fruits, breads, spreads, eggs, coffee, juice, and tea.

By 6:30 AM, you’ll board our Journey with Jaguars boat just as the sun rises over the river.

This is prime jaguar territory, and our expert guides and pilots know exactly where to search.

Every moment out here is different. Jaguars on the bank, giant otters in the current and an abundance of birds. The raw unpredictability is what makes this place unforgettable.

Lunch comes fresh to the boat because we never leave the river during the day. The action doesn't stop, and neither do we. You stay on the water from sunrise to sunset so you're always in the right place at the right time.

As the sun sets, we cruise back to the lodge for a relaxing buffet dinner — with options including meats, fish, salads, rice, and beans. Then it’s time to rest and recharge for another full day on the water.

Included on board:
– Ice-cold water and soft drinks (always complimentary)
– Beer available on request at a small additional charge
– A large cooler stocked for the day
– Shade canopy and comfortable seating

*Dietary preferences can be noted at checkout.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the lodge, surrounded by the sounds of the Pantanal one last time.

Afterwards, our private transport team will drive you back to Cuiabá International Airport for your onward journey. The drive offers more chances to spot wildlife along the Transpantaneira, so keep your camera ready — you never know what might cross the road.

You’ll arrive at the airport with plenty of time for your flight, feeling fulfilled, inspired, and just a little bit wilder than when you arrived.

*We recommend booking onward flights from 3:00 PM onwards to allow for a relaxed transfer back to Cuiabá without any rush.