Fazenda Barranco Alto
A rustic family-run ecolodge deep in the Pantanal offers an authentic farm experience and wildlife safaris, to just a handful of treasured guests.
Set in a wild, remote corner of the Pantanal, family-run Fazenda Barranco Alto is a sprawling lagoon-pitted ranch the size of the island of Jersey, but the cosy accommodation for visitors consists of just six guest rooms. The yawning wetlands, where the farm is situated, host a mind-boggling 4,791 species of wildlife, and the lodge’s guides will send you out in a 4WD, by motor boat, on horseback, in a canoe or on foot in search of it.
With luck, you’ll identify hyacinth macaws, with their gorgeous electric blue plumage, lanky storks, families of giant otters and the grinning caiman’s mating rituals. Maybe even a jaguar – but that’s a long shot. You can bird-watch from a hammock, or sit beside a river quietly fishing. At the end of the day you can cool down with a dip in the velvety dark waters of the Rio Negro and move on to an ice-cold sunset caipirinha.
This is a genuine farm experience – the one-storey en suite accommodation is rustic, but you’ll feel part of the landscape, and be able to engage with the authentic Pantanal cowboys who work there, as well as the members of the family. All your meals are home-cooked using traditional ingredients, many of them plucked from the fazenda’s own garden.
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97% of our clients rated their experience with us as Excellent or Good.
Tailor made holiday
Our specialists have been expertly crafting award-winning tailor-made holidays to Latin America for 40 years. We would be delighted to create a truly personalised trip which perfectly matches your wishes and requirements.
Ben Line - Travel Expert
Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.
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Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert
A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.
Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert
Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.
Evie Oswald - Travel Expert
It's hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert
Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.
Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert
Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.
Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert
Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.
