The Jaguars of Pantanal
Come join me for a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife photography workshop in Brazil to experience the ultimate adventure in the heart of Pantanal Matogrossense National Park. Nowhere else on Earth can you find such a large concentration of wild Jaguars, one of the most elusive and secretive big cats. August is a great time to visit this region as the dry season is in full effect. This limits the number of wading pools deep in the jungle, providing ample reason for the Jaguars to come to the banks of the river to explore, hunt, sleep and relax.
Trip Dates
July 31st – August 7th, 2025
Tuition Costs
$7350
Group Size
8 (Max)
Difficulty Level
Easy
The Jaguars of Pantanal, Brazil
The wildlife photography workshop in Brazil starts in the town of Cuiaba, located in the State of Mato Grosso. Here you will be picked up early in the morning at a hotel located just outside the airport and driven to the town of Porto Joffre where we will stay for the first six nights of this wildlife adventure. Every day we will head out to explore the Pantanal by boat in search of Jaguars and other wildlife. This will consists of a minimum of 8hrs on safari each day, split between our morning and late afternoon adventures. From there we head further inland where we spend two nights and 3 days looking for Ocelots, anteaters and other types of birds in an area known as Santa Teresa.
In addition to photographing these incredible big cats, you will also have the opportunity to photograph Giant River Otters, Capybara, Caiman, Heron’s, Kingfishers, Tucans, Jabiru, Tapir, Ocelots, and an assortment of monkey species to name a few.
What is Included?
- All Ground Transportation
- All Accommodations
- All Local Guides & Permits
- All Main Meals
What is Not Included?
- All Flights
- Visas to Enter Brazil
- Snacks & Alcohol
- All Tips for Local Guides & Drivers
Sign Up Today & Join Us On This Trip of a Lifetime!
* please read the workshop F.A.Q. section on this page to learn more about visiting Brazil and check out our cancellation policies if you have any questions.
Areas to Explore
- Cuiabá
- Pantanal
- Porto Joffre
- and much more...
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
This is a GREAT question! Not only do I have a deep love of South America as a whole, but for the last 8 years I have been leading workshops to Brazil and the Pantanal region of the country. Over the years I have hand picked the best local guides, boat drivers and accommodations to make sure that my clients not only come away with incredible photos of Jaguars and other wildlife, but they have an amazing and enjoying experience in the process.
In addition to running close to 20 photography workshops a year all over the globe, I spent a number of years working for National Geographic as a photography instructor in South America. I am a firm believer in the organic approach I take to teaching photography, which involves a mixture of technical, philosophical, and hands-on learning that gives you the best opportunity for not only furthering your photography skills but retaining that information as you progress as an artist well after our time together has ended.
The workshop starts on July 31st, 2025 in Cuiaba, Brazil. You will want to arrive a day early as the workshop starts early in the morning on the 31st. If you do plan on arriving early, we recommend the following hotel:
The workshop ends on August 7th, 2025. If you can get a flight that leaves at 6pm or later, you will be fine. Otherwise, you will want to stay an extra night just to be safe. Always confirm your flight times with us before purchasing.
You fly into the Marechal Rondon International Airport (CGB) in Cuiaba, Brazil.
Most likely, but please consult the Brazilian Embassy to make sure. Many nationalities can apply for an eVISA online.
Yes. It is required that you purchase travel insurance for this workshop. Why? Because things happen when one travels internationally, whether that might be a simple travel disruption such as a delayed flight or lost luggage. On top of that, a last minute cancelation, even for a medical emergency, would mean a complete loss on the cost of the trip if you don’t have travel insurance to help you recover some of those costs. Travel Insurance is always a good idea for a trip that is expensive such as this one.
We highly recommend either World Nomads or Insured Nomads.
We will be spending most of our time in the Porto Joffre region of the Pantanal, which is home to a large number of Jaguars. Our main hotel is located right on the river, giving us easy and fast access to the extensive river systems in the region. Rooms are based on double occupancy, include an air conditioner, hot showers, and provide all breakfast, lunch, and dinners for our entire group.
The Jaguars of the Pantanal region of Brazil are tied to the rivers and streams that flow throughout the region. It is here that they hunt, rest, mate, and raise their young. Because of this, we will have our own private boat to move us around the river systems in the area as we photograph as much wildlife as we can in the region.
While our main focus will be photographing Jaguars, the Pantanal region of Brazil is incredibly diverse. You will have plenty of opportunities to see caiman, capybara, egrets, heron, a variety of kingfisher species, river otters, toucans, blue macaws, jabiru, coati, anteater, tapir, spoonbill, a variety of monkeys and much much more!
Because this workshop focuses on wildlife, you will want to bring fast telephoto lenses. I highly recommend bringing something that covers the 200 – 600mm range if possible. You can get away with a 70-200, but you will have to crop in some on your images fairly extensively.
To learn more about Colby Brown Photography workshops in general, please visit our FAQ page…
Meet Your Instructors & Guides
Colby Brown
Owner/Photographer/Author
Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Specializing in wildlife, landscape and travel photography, his photographic portfolio spans the four corners of the globe and all 7 continents. Not too long after picking up his first digital camera in 2006, Colby was leading workshops for National Geographic in South America, further spurring his love for both travel and photo education. In 2011, he founded The Giving Lens, an organization that blends photo education with support for various non-governmental organizations (NGO) and causes around the world, such as child education, clean drinking water projects, and women’s rights.
Testimonials
I've taken 3 of Colby's workshops now and each one of them is better than the last! This Brazil trip is really awesome. Outside of the incredible animals, we had a very intimate group, the facilities were clean & comfortable, and the guides were wonderful about(...)
When I signed up for the workshop with Colby in the Pantanal, I didn't really know what to expect. This was my first trip with Colby and my first photography workshop ever! About two months before the trip, his other clients had an emergency and had to push(...)
This was my first workshop with Colby, and I cannot recommend it enough. I love wildlife, and watching majestic jaguars from a boat was just spectacular. Everything about the trip was perfect, from the accommodations to the photos I brought home. Colby is a(...)
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Cancellation & Refund Policy
No one wants to miss out on a trip of a life time…but things do happen. In those situations, the following applies…
The first thing to note is that deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable. In addition, all cancellations are subject to a minimum of a $150 service charge to cover PayPal transaction fees. In most situations, we ask for the remaining balance of a workshop is to be paid 120 days from the start of the workshop in question. If you wish to cancel within 120 days from the start of a workshop and we find someone to fill your spot, you would be entitled to receive a refund (minus your deposit and the $150 processing fee) or transfer to another workshop with no penalties or fees.
If we don’t find someone to fill your spot, what does your refund window actually look like?
120 Days or More...
Your deposit will be transferable to another Colby Brown Photography Workshop without issue.
90 to 120 Days
You will receive a refund of 50% of the full tuition fees minus the non-refundable deposit.
Less Than 90 Days...
If you wish to cancel within 90 days of your workshop starting, you are not entitled to a refund.
