Explore the Pantanal

We had a fantastic trip in Mato Grosso do Sul with the local guide Gabriel from Icterus Ecoturismo e Expedicoes. Great accommodations, food, plenty of photographic opportunities and everything was very well organized. We photographed 79 different species of birds in 5 days! I highly recommend Gabriel and Rafael.

Christer Sundell ★★★★★ 5 months ago

Gabriel—Gabby—is, quite simply, the guy who speaks bird. Fluently. He (along with Rafael) organized a flawless trip, right down to what we jokingly believe was a full-town blackout in Bonito timed perfectly for our arrival—after a 12-hour travel day in nature, filled with countless wildlife stops. When we finally arrived in complete darkness, Gabby handled everything with such calm and ease that it only highlighted how experienced and capable he is. Now, about that “speaking bird” thing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Gabby doesn’t just hear birds—he anticipates them, identifies them instantly, and then casually talks back to them like they’re old friends. And somehow…they answer. It’s both impressive and incredibly helpful. He’s also wonderfully patient, helping us locate birds hidden deep within dark branches, and even showing us the English translations of their names on his phone—something we truly appreciated. On one day alone, we saw seven species of raptors I had never seen before, including the unforgettable Laughing Falcon. Beyond his almost supernatural skills, Gabby is one of the kindest, warmest people you’ll meet. He makes you feel comfortable immediately and brings a quiet joy to everything he does. The highest compliment I can give: I got home this morning and already miss both him and Belle, our other fabulous guide. That says everything. I’ll absolutely be back—and hopefully soon—to spend more time with these two extraordinary humans.

Debby Krim ★★★★★ 6 months ago

Gabriel and Raphael were great guides, allowing me to experience the nature of the pantanal in a personal way and to learn about the ecosystems. Persistence with Jaguar eventually paid off and great views were had. I recommend these very knowledgeable and dedicated guides.

Mark Cornwall ★★★★★ 10 months ago

We (from Germany & Brazil) rather impulsively decided to visit Pantanal without much preparatory research. We want to travel in an ecological conscious way, observing flora & fauna with minimum impact. However, we also appreciate a bit of comfort and do not enjoy to "suffer". Icterus organized a truly incredible combination of travel by boat, hiking, observing wildlife, kayaking, swimming and socializing in a small group of tourists. We booked a 4 day trip to Serra do Amolar, a picturesque natural reserve on the border to Bolivia. Icterus cooperates with the prestigious Instituto Homem Pantaneiro (IHP), which heads a remarkable effort of preservation, social, ecological and economical integration. They took good care of our group at their lodge at Serra do Amolar, including food & beverages. We thank Icterus and it's team, in particular our guide Gabriel (who is an acomplished biologist), for the unforgettable experience, as well as the comprehensive organizational service in and around Corumbá. We will definitely return! A closing advice for other travellers: we recommend contacting Icterus before making any arrangements. They offer flexible excursions, tailored to individual interests, and for a reasonable price that supports preservation efforts. We did not have that advice, and therefore missed out on a hike at night.

Andr Cam ★★★★★ a year ago

I highly recommend Icterus Ecotours for all of your birding and wildlife viewing of the South Pantanal. Rafael and Gabriel are excellent naturalists as well as super nice and very professional. Their love of the Pantanal is obvious and they also speak excellent English which helped me a lot as I do not speak Portuguese.

Marc Evans ★★★★★ a year ago