Bonito and Pantanal: a 10-Day Itinerary

In 10 days you can spend 4 days in the Pantanal and 5 in Bonito, with one travel day in between and the return on day 10. The most efficient order is to fly into Campo Grande, drive west on the BR-262 highway into the Pantanal, then head south to Bonito and leave from there. The best season for this combination is May to September, the dry season.

This page sets out the day-by-day logic. It is built for travelers who want both experiences without rushing: after about a week in Bonito the tours start to repeat, while the Pantanal offers something Bonito does not, which is wildlife watching in open wetland country.

The 10 days at a glance

Days 1 to 4: the Pantanal

Day 1: arrive in Campo Grande

Fly into Campo Grande, the state capital, which has far more flights than Bonito; international visitors usually connect in São Paulo. From there, rent a car or book a transfer and take the BR-262 to the Miranda or Buraco das Piranhas area, where the Pantanal lodges are. Arrive in daylight: there are dirt stretches and animals on the road.

Days 2 to 4: a Pantanal lodge

Lodges (pousadas pantaneiras) sell full-board packages with activities. Check what is included; the usual program covers:

• wildlife drives;
• boat trips;
• horseback riding;
• night spotting (focagem noturna), searching for animals with spotlights.

In the dry season the Estrada Parque Pantanal, a dirt road of about 120 km starting at Buraco das Piranhas, is rich in wildlife and worth driving at least in part, with your own car or a guide. If you stay at Passo do Lontra, you are already on it. Ask the lodge in advance whether English-speaking guides are available.

Three nights is the minimum for an unhurried visit. If you need to cut, take a day from the Pantanal, not from Bonito: the travel day between the two is still needed.

Day 5: drive to Bonito

From Buraco das Piranhas to Bonito is about 230 km, roughly 3 to 4 hours by car. Leave after breakfast, arrive mid-afternoon, check in and keep the evening for Projeto Jiboia, a snake talk that starts at 7 p.m. and takes no effort.

Do not book a water tour for this day. Arriving late for a voucher time slot usually means losing your place.

Days 6 to 9: Bonito, one area per day

Bonito’s attractions lie 6 to 72 km from town in different directions, and mixing areas on the same day means more time on the road than in the water. The four days below follow the same logic as our 5-day Bonito itinerary.

Day 6: south

Morning at Rio da Prata, the most sought-after snorkeling river in the region, with lunch included. In the afternoon, Buraco das Araras, a sinkhole with red macaws on the same road. This is the most competitive day of the trip: book well ahead.

Day 7: west

Blue Lake Cave at the first time slot, followed by São Miguel Cave, a few kilometers away. Free afternoon.

Day 8: north

Estância Mimosa in the morning, a waterfall trail with lunch, and Nascente Azul in the afternoon, which combines a short snorkel with a river beach.

Day 9: near town

A shorter snorkel at the Sucuri River or rafting on the Formoso River. Keep the afternoon free for shopping on the main street and a regional dinner.

Day 10: departure

If there is a flight from Bonito that day, you leave from the town’s airport, 13 km from the center. Bonito’s flight schedule changes by season, so check operating days before fixing the dates of the whole trip. Otherwise, drive back to Campo Grande, about 297 km and 3 to 4 hours: leave early and allow plenty of margin before your flight.

Variations

Flying into Bonito

If your outbound flight lands in Bonito, reverse the order: do the tours first and finish in the Pantanal, then continue to Campo Grande. It works, but you need a car or transfer from Bonito to the Pantanal and from there to the airport.

Fewer than 10 days

Without time for an overnight stay, take the day trip to Fazenda San Francisco in Miranda, 164 km from Bonito: departure around 5 a.m., back around 6 p.m., with a wildlife drive, a boat trip and lunch, for about R$438 per adult (2026 reference). It is not the deep Pantanal, but it gives you a sample without changing hotels. Details in the Pantanal from Bonito.

With children or older travelers

Swap Rio da Prata for the Sucuri River or Nascente Azul with small children, and the Blue Lake Cave (about 300 steps) for Buraco das Araras for travelers with limited mobility. See accessible Bonito for seniors.

What to book in advance

• Flights 90 to 180 days ahead: they set every other date.
• Pantanal lodge and Bonito’s most popular tours 60 to 90 days ahead. Pantanal lodges have few rooms.
• Rental car or transfers 30 to 60 days ahead, especially for July and December.
• Environmental fee for each batch of Bonito tours. See how the TCA works.

The full sequence is in what to book first in Bonito.

When to do this itinerary

May to September. It is the dry season in the Pantanal, with animals concentrated and roads in better shape, and the clearest-water period in Bonito. In June and July, mornings can drop below 12 °C (54 °F): pack a jacket for dawn wildlife drives and for getting out of the water after snorkeling.