“You should visit the Pantanal” is advice that sounds simple enough, until you start planning and realize the Pantanal isn’t one single destination. This vast wetland stretches across Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay, but the largest and the best-developed part lies within Brazil. And even there, it’s split in two: Pantanal North in the state of Mato Grosso, and Pantanal South in Mato Grosso do Sul. These aren’t just different regions on a map, they offer genuinely different experiences, and it’s a detail that gets glossed over far too often when people simply say “go visit the Pantanal.”
I’ve visited both, so I’m writing this comparison from first-hand experience. Here’s my honest breakdown of Pantanal North vs South, to help you figure out which one best fits the trip you’re planning.
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Table of Contents - Pantanal North vs South: Which one is best
- Pantanal North vs South – Quick overview
- When to visit Pantanal North vs South
- How to get to Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
- How to get around Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
- How expensive is traveling Pantanal North vs South
- What wildlife can I see in Pantanal North vs South
- Finishing thoughts about Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
- FAQ about the Pantanal
Pantanal North vs South - Quick overview
When you think of The Pantanal, the image that comes to mind is probably closest to the North: wild remote nature, big rivers and good chances to spot wild jaguars. This area of the Pantanal is the best for those dedicated to wildlife watching and who come to the Pantanal with one goal in mind: to see jaguars in their natural habitat.
Pantanal South is more popular with backpackers and other travelers following a route across South America as it’s generally a little cheaper than the North and easier to get to from other popular places to visit. The North is more remote.
| Pantanal North | Pantanal South | |
|---|---|---|
| Main gateway | Cuiabá | Campo Grande & Corumbá |
| Self-drive possible | Yes | Yes |
| Tours offered | Yes | Yes |
| Accommodation cost | High | Slightly lower on average |
| Best for | Spotting jaguars, deep dive in nature | Different activities incl. wildlife watching, ranch culture, staying closer to other popular places |
When to visit Pantanal North vs South
For both regions the best time of year to visit is the dry season. When there is less water around, animals gather around the remaining waterholes to drink, especially early in the day and around sunset, offering the best chance to see them. In the rainy season, or just after, the Pantanal is full of water and animals stay more spread out so it’s harder to find yourself at the same place at the same time to see them.
Our guide in Pantanal South also explained that jaguars tend to hunt more along the rivers when they are lower, making it more likely to see them here. One reason is that there are more caiman in the water when the water levels in the Pantanal are lower, they have less places to go. And the second reason is that the river banks are higher, forming cliffs from where the jaguars can spot caiman and jump them.
We visited the South in the beginning of June, which was a little too early in the season. There was water everywhere and we felt like the animals were very spread out. On the river cruise we could also see how hunting here was very difficult for the jaguars with the high water levels as our guide explained.
We visited the North in mid July, and it was the perfect time. The water was low enough to see animals, but it wasn’t the peak of the high season yet or unbearably hot on the boat.
How to get to Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
Pantanal North
The best way to get to Pantanal North is by plane. This area is quite far away from other touristic destinations. Prefer to travel overland? You can take a bus from Belo Horizonte or Brasilia.
Whether you travel by bus or plane, you’ll arrive at Cuiaba: the capital of the State of Mato Grosso and the main gateway to the Northern Pantanal. If you wish to travel closer to the Pantanal itself, you take a local bus to Poconé. Poconé is the last town before hitting the Transpantaneira, the road that crosses the Pantanal until reaching Porto Jofre, which is the touristic heart of the Pantanal. This is the place where the boat tours to see jaguars and other wildlife leave from.
While Poconé is closer than Cuiaba, Cuiaba is much bigger. Many tours leave from here, and if you prefer to self drive the Pantanal, the best place to rent a car is from Cuiaba airport.
Pantanal South
There are two gateways to the Pantanal South: Corumbá and Campo Grande. Corumbá is smaller, but closer. Campo Grande is the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul and receives many more and cheaper flights than Corumbá. From both cities you can rent a car, or join a tour.
The southern part of the Pantanal is closer to other popular places than the North, like Bonito, Foz de Iguaçu and Bolivia. If you’re coming from Bolivia, you can take a bus from the border to Corumba. Coming from the Iguazu Falls, Campo Grande is closer and Bonito is more or less in the middle.
Bonito is often called a gateway to the Pantanal as well, but while it’s relatively close, it’s not quite on the doorstep. It is possible to join a tour from here though, but you have to search a little since most agencies focus only on the attractions of Bonito itself.
🚌 Tip: Traveling by bus? Many websites in Brazil require a CPF, a Brazilian fiscal number, to book online. Avoid this by booking through a page like Busbud↗, or buy your ticket at the terminal.
How to get around Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
There are various ways to travel the Pantanal and it’s pretty similar both in the North and in the South.
You can join a tour which combines staying at 2 different pousadas , self driving, or pick one pousada and spend your time there. Which way is the best completely depends on your preference and budget.
For the North, we picked the self drive option and stayed at two different pousadas as this was cheaper than joining a tour and it gave us complete freedom to move along the Transpantaneira at our own pace and adjust our itinerary if needed.
In the South we did a combination and rented a car from Campo Grande to drive to the one Pousada where we’d stay: Pousada São João↗.
🚗 Planning to self-drive the Transpantaneira?
Compare rental car prices in Cuiabá before you go.
How expensive is traveling Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
Pantanal North
Northern Pantanal, and especially the Porto Jofre area is not cheap. While you can definitely save some money by self driving instead of joining a tour, go in the shoulder season instead of the height of the peak season and stay a little further from Porto Jofre, it will always be an expensive trip. Having said that, for me it was 100% worth the money we spent.
You can find a breakdown of the money we spent on our trip in this article. In order to find the best deal, I recommend messaging a few Pousadas and tour agencies and ask for prices as they can vary.
Pantanal South
The Southern Pantanal is a little cheaper than the northern part, but you can still expect to pay € 100+ per night full board with activities. It’s the river cruises to see the jaguars that make the North more expensive.
What wildlife can I see in Pantanal North vs South?
The whole Pantanal is a paradise for wildlife lovers and you can see an incredible amount of animals here. Some examples are:
Mammals: Jaguars, tapirs, giant anteaters, peccaries (a species similar to wild boars), monkeys, capybara, agouti, foxes, ocelot
Birds: Macaws, including the rare hyacinth macaw, toucans, owls, herons, roseate spoonbills, storks, including the iconic Jabiru
Reptiles: Snakes, including anacondas, caiman
As all animals are wild and free, there is no guarantee to see them, which makes it extra special when you see an animal. It’s all about being at the right place at the right time. Having said that, Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas in the Pantanal North has the highest density of jaguars and the best chances of seeing them.
This is the real difference between seeing wildlife in Pantanal North vs South: Your chances of seeing a jaguar are higher in the north than in the South.
🚤 Know before you go: The high concentration of jaguars means Porto Jofre and the Encontro das Águas area are anything but undiscovered. During peak season, don’t expect a solitary wildlife encounter, it’s common to find several boats gathered around a single jaguar sighting and guides radio sightings to each other. This is nice as it increases opportunities to see one, but it also means that everyone is grouping around the same jaguars. In the South there are much less river cruises offered, it’s more popular as a fishing destination.
Finishing thoughts about Pantanal North vs Pantanal South
The biggest difference between Southern and Northern Pantanal is that the North is wilder and offers the highest probability to see jaguars. The South houses more active cattle stations and a more varied experience beyond wildlife watching only.
While there are lots of cattle stations in the Pantanal in general, the South has a higher density of working cattle stations. This naturally limits the living space for wild animals. But that doesn’t mean there are no wild animals in the south. We saw a giant anteater here which we didn’t see in the North for example. And a bum of a tapir before it disappeared in the bushes.
So which one is the best? Well that’s really up to you to decide. Are you looking for a more varied experience, which includes horseback riding, fishing and hiking? Or an easy to incorporate destination on a longer South America trip? Go south. Is wildlife watching your absolute priority and is your one and only goal to see a jaguar? Go North.
| Guide | What You'll Find |
|---|---|
| Our Amazing 6-Day Self-Drive Pantanal Itinerary | A day-by-day account of our self-drive adventure through the Pantanal to inspire you. |
| Spotting Jaguars in the Pantanal on a Budget | A practical guide covering when to go, where to stay, and a full cost breakdown for a self-drive jaguar trip. |
| How to Visit Iguazu: Everything You Need to Know | The world's biggest waterfall system makes the perfect add-on to a Brazil trip, covering both the Brazilian and Argentine sides. |
| The Ultimate Brazil Travel Guide | Your complete guide to traveling Brazil, from the Pantanal and the Amazon to colonial towns, chapadas, and stunning beaches. |
FAQ about the Pantanal
While it is possible, it’s good to note that it’s not that easy to do. The Pantanal is a vast area with little infrastructure. A boat trip from the south to the north takes various days. Driving from Corumbá to Porto Jofre means driving about 1300 km over at least 2 days.
Generally, yes the Pantanal is a safe destination for travelers, including for self-driving. As with any remote, wild area, it’s worth using common sense: check road and weather conditions before setting out (especially during the rainy season), keep a respectful distance from wildlife and follow the instructions of the staff at the pousadas. Especially in the North many won’t allow you to walk around after dark due to the high population of jaguars.
Phone signal can be limited once you’re away from the main cities, so it’s worth planning accordingly and downloading offline maps.
Yes, both North and South Pantanal can be visited independently, since self-driving is possible in both regions and some pousadas offer the possibility to explore the property independently.
Having said that, most pousadas include or offer tours during which you’re more likely to see wildlife than exploring on your own.
The Pantanal itself is one continuous wetland, so there’s no natural line running through it. The North/South divide actually comes from Brazil’s state borders. Pantanal North sits in the state of Mato Grosso, while Pantanal South sits in Mato Grosso do Sul. Interestingly, these were originally one single state, only split into two in 1977 (officially taking effect in 1979). At the time, “Pantanal” was even one of the proposed names for the new southern state, since it’s the region’s best-known feature, though “Mato Grosso do Sul” was chosen instead.
For good wildlife photos, I’d recommend a camera with a zoom lens. Animals will look very far away in phone photos. That said, it depends on your priorities: if you’re traveling for months and don’t expect to use a camera much beyond this trip, it’s probably not worth buying one just for a few days in the Pantanal. A phone can still capture the overall experience and closer sightings just fine.