Refugio Caiman

Refugio Caiman is one of The Pantanal's best equipped lodges - mosquito screening, air conditioning and a private bathroom are a given. The lodge is a four hour drive from the airport at Camp Grande. The refugio is part of a massive 130,000 acre working cattle ranch on the southern edge of the Pantanal. It takes two hours by vehicle to get from one end of the ranch to another.

The lodge was refurbished in 2008. There are 29 rooms divided between 4 lodges.

Usually there are two daily excursions (led by English-speaking, university educated guides and a local guide) either by a specially converted open-backed safari truck, canoes, or on horse-back. These activities are all arranged locally depending on the season and weather conditions.

The lodge can be visited all year round, January-March is very humid. There are fixed arrivals and departures: Thursday to Sunday and Sunday to Thursday. In 2009, the Wet season is from January 14th to May 30th and the Dry season is from May 31st until January 3rd 2010.

Latest News - November 2008: Caiman Ecological Refuge has been voted as one of the 50 Best Ecolodges in the World by the National Geographic Adventure magazine.