While planning a trip to the Pantanal, I was admittedly a little overwhelmed with the different options available – Flotels, Pousadas, staying on land or on the river… trying to see what made sense for a Pantanal jaguar safari. After lots of research and quote gathering, we ended up doing this trip through Pantanal Safari Tours, which specialises in jaguar tours. We opted to stay on a flotel during the entire trip to gain us quicker access to the jaguar hotspot.

I had never stayed on a flotel before, let alone a tour like this so I truly had no idea what to expect. Luckily for yous, I’m here to spill the tea so you’ll enter the experience with a general idea of what to expect.

Day in the life on a Flotel Safari

I’d say your schedule isn’t too dissimilar to that of an African safari. The entire day revolves around daylight and wildlife activity. Most flotels and nearby pousadas operate with two main safari timings – a dawn outing and an afternoon/dusk outing. Your total time spent on the water is approximately 8hrs. There is some downtime between the two outings – I personally used it to recharge my camera (and my) batteries, back up photos, have lunch and take a quick nap before the next session.For safety, flotels don’t tend to offer a night excursion. A typical day looks like this:

0500 – 0530hrs: wake up, gear prep
0530 – 0600 hrs: breakfast
0600 – 1100/1130 hrs: morning boat safari
1100/1130 – 1430 hrs: lunch, personal downtime
1430 – 1730/1800 hrs: afternoon boat safari
1730 – 1900 hrs: downtime
around 1900 hrs: Dinner
2130hrs: Bed

The exact timings aren’t fixed. Variations of this schedule can depend on weather, wildlife activity, river conditions and your operator or where you’re staying.

What is a Flotel in the Pantanal?

A flotel is essentially a floating hotel. It’s quite a distinct way to experience nature in Brazil and the Pantanal. Instead of returning to a land-based lodge after each outing, you sleep on a floating lodge positioned on the river, closer to the areas used for jaguar safaris.

Every day, you’ll launch from the flotel and within a couple of minutes, you’re in the look out for jaguars. The direct river access is your advantage so you can optimise your time spent on the water. Rather than spending almost an hour from your pousada, you’re now on the river finding jaguars.

Where flotels operate (regions & logistics)

If you’re planning the wider trip, I’ve covered how to get to the Pantanal, when to visit and how to organise a safari in my full Pantanal guide.

In my experience, flotels are most commonly deployed in northern Pantanal in a location called Three Brothers River (Rio Três Irmãos), about approximately 30 mins boat ride from Porto Jofre. To get here, most travellers will fly to Cuiaba before taking a land transfer to Pocone followed by gravel roads through Transpantaneira to Porto Jofre. The journey from Cuiaba to Porto Jofre can take the whole morning depending on the road conditions.

Rio Três Irmãos is world-renowned for the jaguar sightings. Flotels are commonly anchored to a point for the whole season and are not anchored close to each other, which makes the whole experience feel quite private. However, with the changing river levels and seasons, the flotels may move anchor points.

Route: Cuiabá → Poconé → Transpantaneira → Porto Jofre → boat transfer → flotel

Comfort, facilities & what a flotel room is like

Flotel cabins vary from basic to very comfortable depending on the operator. We went through Pantanal Safari Tours and were booked on to Barão do Pantanal. I personally thought they were great! We had a private cabin with a small window. The bathrooms were basic but clean, air conditioning (essential in the heat!). All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) were included and were served buffet-style. On the roof deck of our flotel, there was a small jacuzzi which you could use during the lunch break. The top deck was also open for sunrise or sunset views.

From outside your room, you could look out into the Pantanal and watch animals. During our lunch break we actually saw a family of capybaras feeding on the vegetation around our flotel. Our guide had mentioned previously that some guests had seen a jaguar in the jungle from the flotel – rare but there’s always a chance!

Note: This isn’t a luxury hotel experience. Space is limited, the bathroom is basic and you’re very much there for the wildlife rather than the accommodation. If you’re expecting a five star floating resort, you’ll probably be disappointed. If you’re expecting somewhere clean and functional to sleep between boat safaris, it does the job perfectly.

Power, data, WIFI(practical planning)

A major question I had before our trip was with regards to electricity… I think ever photographer knows the pain of how will I charge batteries or back up my files? I actually brought 5 spare batteries  and a battery pack just in case there was no electricity (you never know!). Fortunately, our flotel had electricity available in all rooms and in common areas. So charging your power banks or camera batteries was straightforward.

Tip: Always ask your operator specifically what the charging policies are – if electricity is readily available or only during a certain window.

As for staying connected, our flotel had WIFI onboard, which was a really nice surprise! It was free and unlimited. I was ready to break my Duolingo streak (if you know, you know). The internet was really quick and reliable throughout our stay. However, when several devices were connected, the internet connection was a bit slower.

Food & Drinks

As mentioned above, all meals were included during the tour. Except for sodas and beers/alcoholic options. These could be paid separately in cash (in USD or Brazilian Reals BRL). If you have any sort of dietary restrictions, let your tour company know in advance so they can accommodate to you. The food is modest and tasty Brazilian comfort food.

Don’t forget to bring a water bottle because you can refill it onboard. As the weather is incredibly hot and you will end up sweating a lot… I’d recommend bringing electrolyte packs to help yourself during your trip.

Vaccines, insects and swimming

During peak/dry season (March – October), insect levels are lower but never zero…  I’d recommend you wear insect repellent and reapply throughout the day… There is a lot of vegetation in the area so you can never be too careful. As will most travel to remote destinations, I’d recommend verifying with your travel clinic about what sort of vaccinations you should get.

The UV index that you can experience in the Pantanal is anywhere from 8 (very high) to 11+ (extreme). My recommendation would be to wear a sun shirt, wide brimmed hat, sunblock, sunglasses and a buff to protect yourself from the UV rays. The boats don’t usually have a sunshade because it actually makes it different for jaguar viewing.

Technically, you might be surrounded by water, but that doesn’t mean you should jump in. Our guide (Roger) poured plain water off the side of our flotel and the piranhas went wild! Wouldn’t suggest swimming in piranha infested waters – that’s for sure! If you fancy a dip, head to the rooftop jacuzzi to cool off instead.

Ethics & behaviour: what guides expect

Currently, best practices/rules are not enforced by the government on tour operators in the Pantanal as of yet… However, tour operators have come together to set some responsible tourism codes of conduct. Responsible operators prohibit baiting and aggressive approaches. They recommend a minimal distance between the boats and jaguars. Avoid photographing with flash near big cats and always follow the guide’s instructions.

Crowds & exclusivity: what you might not expect

We had varying experiences in the Pantanal… Tourism in the Pantanal, despite its remoteness, has been booming in recent years. On one hand, we had several sightings of jaguars where it was just us or one other boat. And those are the truly special moments… We came across a jaguar swimming across the river after it fought with another jaguar. There was an open wound on the jaguar’s face and you could hear the roars coming from the other jaguar in the jungle. Incredible.

Similar to African safaris, boat operators are communicating with each other via radios. They will try to spread out and some operators will move to quieter sides of the channels to reduce disturbance. But sometimes there are those iconic sightings that everyone will flock to see. That means multiple boats are at the same sighting during peak season. We had over 20 different boats surrounding a jaguar perched on a tree. While the sighting was truly incredible, it felt quite exploitative.

So, while a flotel can give you quicker access to jaguar territory, it doesn’t guarantee an exclusive wildlife experience.

Best months & sighting probability

The best time for jaguar sightings is generally associated with the dry season, when wildlife becomes easier to spot around shrinking waterways. However, conditions vary between years and different parts of the Pantanal. I covered more about when the best months to visit the Pantanal in my detailed travel guide.

What to pack for a flotel jaguar safari (photographer-focused)

Generally, I would pack this similarly to what you could pack for a safari trip. This is loosely what I had packed for my trip:

General items

• • Waterproof bag + dry bag
  • Sun cream
  • Insect repellent
  • Portable charger

Clothing

• • Teva sandals or flip flops (you don’t need closed-toe shoes on the boat)
  • Loose hiking pants (if you want to cover yourself from the sun)
  • Shorts
  • Long sleeve sun shirts or Khaki button up shirts
  • Wide brimmed hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Buff
  • Waterproof/Rainjacket

Camera + Photography gear

• • Primary telephoto: 400 – 600 mm (or equivalent) for big cats at distance.
  • Secondary zoom: 24–70mm or 70–200mm for habitat and tighter portraits.
  • Fast memory cards and at least one SSD for nightly backups.
  • Rain cover
  • Lens cloths + Lens blower
  • I wished I brought: Monopod/beanbag for boat stability

Power & data

• • Power bank
  • Several Battery packs
  • Solar charger as a top-up (if you’ll be off grid)
  • Laptop + SSDs

Costs & how flotels compare to lodges (planning budget)

It’s hard to give you the price of just a flotel as ours was an all inclusive package with Pantanal Safari Tours. However, the price packages we were quoted in September 2025 (including: guide, all meals, transfers from/to Cuiaba, WIFI all safaris) was:

4 day package in a Flotel: $1800 per person (double occupancy)
4 day package in a pousada: $2200 per person (double occupancy)

The Pousadas were located approximately 45 mins from the state park rather than 5 mins from the flotel. However, at a pousada, you’ll have more creature comforts and opportunities to spot other animals apart from jaguars – like anteaters or maned wolves! Keep in mind, these prices were from 2025 so be sure to reach out to different tour companies for the most up to date pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How likely am I to see a jaguar?

Sightings are never guaranteed but the dry season gives the highest odds. Good operators with local guide networks and flotels increase your chances.

Will there be wifi / hot showers / power for charging?

Amenities vary by flotel. But in our experience on Barco Barao, we had electricity around the clock. Be sure to check with your operator.

Is it safe to photograph from the boat?

Yes absolutely. Always secure gear and avoid sudden movements that might destabilize small boats.

Can I bring children / is it family friendly?

We actually didn’t see any children or families during our time there. I’d recommend checking with operators for family-friendly tours.

Should I tip guides?

Tipping is customary in many ecotourism contexts. The tip box on the boat is for the boat staff. The guide and boat operator are tipped separately.

How crowded will sightings be?

During peak season some sightings can attract multiple boats. We had over 20 boats at one sighting.

Our overall experience on a flotel

For our first experience of the Pantanal, I think the flotel was a fantastic option for us. If, like us, your main goal is seeing jaguars, river otters and capybaras – staying on a flotel is hard to beat… Staying on a flotel might not be for everyone as the accommodation is basic (but well organised and clean). However, you’re on the river and your safari starts immediately, meaning your travel time looking for wildlife is a lot shorter than most.

If I were doing the Pantanal again and wanted to see other animals like the anteater or maned wolf, I might opt for a few additional nights in a pousada to experience more terrestrial wildlife. However, I’d always add a flotel for the jaguars. But if you only have a couple of days – definitely go for the flotel experience.