Brazil’s Wild Side: From Feiticeira to the Pantanal
Swap beach towels for hiking boots and city nightlife for nature after-hours. From jaguar-spotting safaris in the Pantanal to hidden island waterfalls, Brazil’s adventures are its own kind of rhythm.
If you’ve ever thought safaris were reserved for the plains of Africa—cue the opening sequence of The Lion King—it’s time to zoom out. Way out. Because across the Atlantic, Brazil quietly holds one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet: the Pantanal. It’s a place where jaguars nap in the shade, macaws buzz across the sky, and caimans laze along riverbanks. Think of it like the IRL nature documentary you never knew you needed.
The best part? You don’t need to miss Brazil’s samba-fueled cities or postcard-perfect beaches to experience it.
The other Brazilian jungle
The Amazon might get all the attention (and most of the Instagram love), but for wildlife lovers, the Pantanal is Brazil’s best-kept secret. This massive wetland—the largest in the world, in fact—spans an area bigger than England.
Without the Amazon’s dense tree cover, the Pantanal offers clearer views and better odds of spotting animals that usually stay hidden. Think ocelots on the move, capybaras lounging in pairs, and the flash of a hyacinth macaw’s bright blue wings cutting through the sky.
People travel here for one animal in particular: the jaguar. Seeing one in the wild feels like winning the wildlife lottery. They’re notoriously elusive, often slinking through tall grass or resting beneath brush. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse…like I did. My jaguar sighting wasn’t cinematic; it was a sleepy cat curled up under a tree. But even that fleeting moment, knowing a wild jaguar was just a few feet away, was the kind of thrill you never forget.
Still, the Pantanal is about more than just a single animal encounter, it’s about the totality of it all. Imagine cruising in an open-air jeep, surrounded by nothing but the hum of nature, turning a corner and suddenly seeing an anteater lumbering along the trail. Or gliding down a river with parakeets chattering overhead and caimans slipping silently into the water beside you. Every moment feels like you’ve stumbled into a living, breathing version of Planet Earth.
A safari, Brazilian style
Days in the Pantanal run on nature’s schedule. You’ll wake early for morning drives, when animals are most active, and cool off in the midday heat before heading back out at sunset…because, yes, the wildlife has a nightlife too. Lodges in the area often organize open-air excursions by 4x4, boat, or even on foot depending on the season.
It’s not uncommon to come back from a single day having seen a dozen species you’ve never encountered before. You may arrive hoping to see one big cat, but you’ll leave realizing the Pantanal’s magic lies in the ensemble cast.
From the wetlands to the waterfall
A short flight (and ferry ride) away, on the lush island of Ilhabela, another side of Brazil’s wild beauty awaits. This is where you’ll trade binoculars for hiking shoes and head toward Feiticeira Waterfall and its namesake beach—a trail that manages to pack jungle, waterfall, and ocean into one unforgettable half-day adventure.
Once you reach the waterfall, the cool water is a welcome reward after the very humid climb. You can swim beneath the falls, or keep going a bit farther to Feiticeira Beach, a secluded strip of sand where the jungle meets the sea. At one end of the beach, huge boulders hide a smaller, almost secret beach on the other side. The tide can make getting there an adventure in itself, but that’s half the fun. When you finally round the rocks and find yourself standing on that quiet cove with barely another soul in sight, it’s one of those “is this real life?” moments travel is all about.
Not just for hardcore hikers
The Feiticeira trail might sound intense, but it’s surprisingly doable—even for the self-proclaimed “I don’t hike” crowd. The trek to the waterfall takes under two hours, even with plenty of breaks (and let’s be real, photo stops). Sure, it’s hot and buggy (this is Brazil, after all), but come prepared with water, sunscreen, and bug spray, and you’re golden. Plus, there’s nothing better than jumping into the waterfall at the end of the trail to cool off.
What makes the experience even better is that Ilhabela is a car-free island. The hike becomes not just a way to see a sight, but a way to experience the island itself. You’ll cross paths with locals, pass small lookout points, and catch glimpses of the ocean through the trees. It’s an adventure that feels earned in a “this place feels extra special because I worked a little to get here” kind of way.
Brazil, but make it wild
Together, the Pantanal and Ilhabela’s Feiticeira trail show off two sides of Brazil that go way beyond beaches and cityscapes (though you should definitely do those, too). One is about slowing down and watching nature do its thing, the other is about getting up and moving through it.
So next time someone says “Brazil” and your mind jumps straight to Rio or Carnival, remember there’s a wilder way waiting just beyond the city lights.
