History:
340 km from Campo Grande, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the logde ‘Pousada do Xaraes’ is situated in one of the most beautiful geographic regions of the Pantanal, the Abobral Pantanal, washed by the river Abobral. The lodge is part of a commercial cattle ranch carrying about 1.500 head in a total area of 4200 ha. It was previously called ‘Hotel Fazenda Xaraes’ open to tourist from 1991 to 2000 and was owned by local businessmen.

In 2001 it was purchased by Portuguese businessmen and the name was changed to ‘Pousada do Xaraes’ (‘the Xaraes Lodge’), and the previous infrastructure was totally remodeled and amplified giving it excellent conditions of both comfort and quality. The lodge now has the capacity to receive 46 guests in its facilities which include na all purpose multimídia event room, dining room, sitting room with fire place, games área and bar, kiosk for barbecues and a woodfired stove, mini-gym, dry sauna, ecological swimming pool (no chemicals) children pool, poli-sport court, football pitch, beach volleyball pitch, lassoeing track etc.

The Lodge:
The lodge’s 17 apartments are distributed among three buildings, all of which are but a few meters from the Abobral river. From these trees you can hear the marvelous songs of the Pantanal birds or the trilling roar of the monkeys, which in the early morning, come to the trees on the banks of the river. All the apartments have private bathrooms, air conditioning.

Frigde bar and telephone, with rustic decoration and a welcoming atmosphere. In each set of rooms, there is a varanda with fans amd hammocks providing na alternative resting area. Of the 17 apartments, 8 are doubles, 6 are triples and 3 are guadruples, with a total of 46 comfortable and spacious beds. The restaurant dining room. Which overlooks the gardens from whose trees the nesting birds can be heard all day, is equeipped with fans anda ir conditioning and decorated in the rustic style that is characteristic of the whole guest house.

Delicious food, typical of the Pantanal, is served in a buffet system while being kept hot on a woodfired stove. The room also hás restrooms for both men and women. The sitting room, in the same rustic style as the rest of the lodge, is surrounded by the garden, and has various areas for chatting, reading, table games, snooker, television and bar, meters fro mthe river, there is a beautiful view of the Pantanal, with its characteristic sounds and scents, and also the ecological swimming pool in which no chemicals are used. You can also participate in the following activities: horse riding, trips by boat, canoe or horse cart, photographic safaris in a 4x4 pick up, ecological trailing and, after dark, spot lighting of nocturnal fauna, always acompannied by bilingual guides and local guides.

How to get there:
The Xaraes Lodge is 340 km from Campo Grande, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and 130 km from Corumbá. The main town in the southern pantanal. From eather of these centers, take the main highway, BR262, as far as the foresty police station at ‘Buraco das Piranhas’. Then 29kms of dirt road, 17 of which are on the road park. This state road, created in 1993, is today, one of the most important access roads to various regions in the Pantanal, such as Abobral, Nhecolandia, Paraguay and Paiaguas. The road park is made up of the MS184 and the MS228 state roads combined with a 30 meter strip of conserved land on eather side.

The total extension is about 120 km which includes the ferry crossing of the Paraguay River and the more than 100 wooded bridges that are necessary t oallow drainage of the flood waters that cover mosto f the land in the flood season. In the food season, access from the road park to the lodge is made by boat, using for this the Abobral river, which is very beautiful and where it is possile to observe a great variety of wildlife and typical regional vegetation.

On approaching the lodge’s ranch, you go through some wonderful countryside which contains all sorts of animals, such as:
Capivaras, the largest South American rodent. - Jacarés, the South American Alligator - Tuiuiús, Wood Íbis - Tamanduás, Giant Ant Eaters - Garças, Storks and Herons.

It is also possible to travel to the lodge from Campo Grande, Arquidauana or Corumbá by air táxi that use the private airstrip on the farm, which is totally fenced off to animals.

Birdwatching:
As one of our guests said in 2005: ‘Xaraes is a real birds paradise’. Its landscape is the southern Pantanal in a nutshell: all ecotypes are present, even during the driest month it still hás swamps and a river with more or less stagnant or flowing water and even more important: is hás the unique combination between cattle farming and nature conservation. All these factors togather are highly attractive for birds, and their followers the human birdwatchers. Xaraes Ecotourism welcome amateurs but also professional ornithologists. Bilingual guides with na excellent knowledge of the area and the location of even the most reclusive and shy birds are always available.

Not anly are all southern Pantanal ecotypes present at Xaraes but their area is also extensive enough for viable populations of several rare species. It is one of the better locations for Hyacinth Macaws, flying over or seaching for palmnuts, they alsway offer and unforgettable experience. Around the Pousada you can find several species of parrots, Campo Flickers, Ferruginous Pigmy-Owl, Tanagers, Crested Oropendola, Troupials and when there are enough flowers, our flying jewels, the Hummingbirds. For all guest or party we prepare separate programs. After arrival we offer you a welcome drink and discuss with you our options with na open eye for your wishes.

The rates:
Package includes 4 days 3 nights in comfortable apartments with aircondition and minibar, full meal plan and two daily tours with english speaking guide.
Children’s accomodation only together with at least 2 adults