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Tips

The Caiman Ecological Refuge wishes our guests a great travelling experience in Pantanal, therefore some important tips are listed below:

Staying at Caiman Ecological Refuge:

For better enjoyment of the Pantanal experience a minimum of three to four night stay is recommended, which provides better knowledge of Pantanal, its nature and culture, as well as the possibility of joining most of the activities offered.

What to bring?

In the Pantanal is good to be prepared with some equipment. Below you will find our suggestions:

• Insect repellent - which should be taken with you during the activities;

• Sun screen or sun blocker - according with your skin;

• Casual clothing, comfortable and resistant. Cotton clothes are lighter and more comfortable than synthetics. But some synthetics like supplex or tactel are good, as they dry faster, are lighter can be easily packed;

• Short pants and T-shirts are appropriated for some activities, although you also should bring long trousers as well. A long sleeves shirt of light color is also very useful, against sun and bugs. It is important to consider that dark clothes like black and dark blue attracts mosquitoes;

• The best colors to wer are the light tons, like brown, beige and green, which don't highlight you in the landscape, not scaring the animals. Avoid strong colors like yellow, blue and red;

• A raincoat or poncho is necessary in the wet season, but always recommended, even in the dry season. It is sold in the our gift shop;

• A wind break coat is recommended in all seasons, and if you plan visiting the Pantanal from June to August, winter time in Brazil, make sure to bring heavier coats, as cold fronts reach the Pantanal very suddenly;

• Comfortable shoes, like hiking shoes or tennis shoes, at least two pairs, if you come during the wet season, as they usually get wet during the activities. In the hotel areas, sandals and flip-flops are safe;

• A small day pack could be useful to carry your equipment, insect repellent, etc, during the tours;

• Controlled Medications and of habitual use - remember that you are going to a remote area, where some medicine is hard to be found;

• We remind you that there are swimming pools at all lodges, thus, bathing suits are recommended;

• Photographic camera;

• Sun glasses with UV filter;

• Hat or cap;

• Binoculars - extremely useful during the tours. Can be rented at the reception desk;

• Flashlight - for the night walk.

NOTE: At Sede lodge there is a gift shop and emergency items, like insect repellent, shampoo and rinse, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary pads, batteries, raincoats and hats.

Recommended reading:

In English:

•   Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica. by Martin R. de la Pena, Maurice Rumboll, Gustavo Carrizo, Aldo A. Chiappe, Jorge R. Mata. An outstanding field guide that covers a vast geographic area and includes a wealth of information for more than 1,100 species of birds. . . . It should be purchased by anybody interested in the birds of southern South America.
•   Pantanal: South America's Wetland Jewel. Russell A. Mittermeier, Monica Barcellos Harris, Christina G. Mittermeier, Jose Maria Cardosa Da Silva, Reinaldo Lourival, Gustavo A. B. Da Fonseca, Peter Seligmann, Theo Allofs. An informative overview of the Pantanal's natural and human history is provided by scientists with Conservation International (CI), an organization instrumental to the preservation of the region.
•   Brazil: Amazon and Pantanal (Travellers' Wildlife Guides). David L. Pearson, Les Beletsky. Ecotourism or ecotravel is travel to (usually exotic) destinations specifically to admire and enjoy wildlife and undeveloped, relatively undisturbed natural areas, as well as indigenous.

In Portuguese:

•   Entendendo o Pantanal. OTAVIO AUGUSTO COSTA DE LACERDA. Editora Alvorada: A intenção desse livro é valorizar a cultura pantaneira, o seu jeito simples de falar, de expor suas ideias e que, às vezes o autor até mesmo pensou tratar-se de um dialeto próprio, personificando ainda mais o seu modo de agir e de expressar, na maioria das vezes incompreensível para aqueles que visitam o pantanal pela primeira vez. Obra, sem precedentes no Brasil, é a única que traz ao leitor o significado das palavras e expressões mais usadas no Pantanal, o que faz dela uma rica fonte para quem quer conhecer melhor toda a beleza e encanto do pantanal brasileiro.
•   Guias Philips Pantanal e Bonito: Brasil HORIZONTE GEOGRAFICO(ED) . Guia ilustrado com todas as dicas para uma boa viagem. Estadia, alimentação, ecoturismo, pesca esportiva, cultura pantaneira, geografia e história, além de roteiros exclusivos.
•   Pantanal: Cores e Sentimentos. FABIO COLOMBINI. O livro faz uma síntese da sensibilidade e pujança da alma brasileira. É um pedaço do Brasil para encher os olhos do mundo. As fotos densas e emocionantes de Fabio Colombini trazem legendas em quatro idiomas: português, inglês, francês e espanhol.

What is the best time of the year to visit Pantanal?