From Foz we had decided to head to Bonito via Campo Grande. Now I know that there are a lot of people who may think we're mad not to visit São Paulo or Rio and completely off our rockers not heading to some of Brazil's beautiful beaches but neither of those things are really us. We're more small town, nature and wildlife type travellers. To get to Bonito from Foz you have a couple of options. The first is the 10-hour bus journey to Dourados and then a 6-hour journey to Bonito. Alternatively you can do 13 hours to Campo Grande and the 4-6 (depending on your transport choice) to Bonito. The reason we chose Campo Grande was it wound up being much cheaper than Dourados and seemingly slightly less hassle as well. This journey should cost R$157pp ($66.60 AUD/50.35 USD). Campo Grande doesn't really have a lot to offer travellers other than being a jumping point for Bonito and the Pantanals. Due to this there are quite a few hostels that also out source tours to both places. We spoke to 3 operators while we were there and spoke to other travellers who had taken these trips. The first person we spoke to was Al (based in Foz do Iguazu) from Santa Clara Pousada & Camping. He offered us the camping option 2 nights/3 days (either tents, hammocks or outdoor dorms) for R$560 ($238AUD/180 USD) or the air-conditioned dorm for R$780 ($331.40AUD/250 USD). This included all meals and transport from our hostel in Bonito or Campo Grande to the Pantanals but not our onward journey after. For an additional R$30 ($12.75AUD/9.60 USD) transport to Corumba can be arranged so you can cross into Bolivia (alternatively you can go to Campo Grande or Bonito – all for additional costs). A quote from a representative in Campo Grande from Santa Clara was R$790 ($335.60 AUD/253.35 USD) for the camping option and this was exactly the same trip with the same company so it pays to shop around! The other option we were given for 2 nights/3 days was R$650 ($276 AUD/208.30 USD) for an air-conditioned dorm all meals includes, similar wildlife trips and all transport from Bonito and to Corumba included. After much negotiation with both tour companies (via Whatsapp) offering us trips to the Pantanals we decided to go with Santa Clara tours due to their great reputation. We ended up paying R$590 ($250.50 AUD/189.10 USD) for the tour (in the air-conditioned dorm, which we had to ourselves) plus an extra R$90 ($38.20 AUD/28.85 USD) each for transport to Santa Clara and R$30 ($12.75AUD/9.60 USD) each for transport to Corumba. In Campo Grande we stayed in a basic but nice hostel called Morena Hostel Hospedagem for R$30 ($12.75AUD/9.60 USD) each in a 4 bed female only dorm with private bathroom. This also included a decent breakfast. As we’ve said, other than the tour jumping point there isn't much to do in Campo Grande so we decided to set out on an urban safari through the city to the local park. It was a 5 km walk from our hostel but we had all day. This was a fairly intense walk in the heat but we made it to the park, only to find that it was just like every other city park you can go to...or so we thought. Turned out all you needed to do was look a little deeper. They weren't just more trees, they were mango trees, laden with mangoes and the birds were a lot more exotic than were used to. While trying to get a mango from one of the trees I spotted a brown lump by the water, in the distance. Low and behold there were a group of 8 capybaras (the worlds largest rodent) just sitting under a cluster of trees in the shade. We approached them very carefully and it turns out at least this group were pretty relaxed. We were able to get up very close without stressing them out and they happily lazed around posing for pictures. As these were on my wildlife bucket list I was over the moon. So, needless to say, it was not a wasted trip to either the park or Campo Grande! Arriving in Bonito we discovered that the hostel we had decided on was on the other side of town from the bus station and there were very limited options in the way of transport. So schelping through the heat we headed across town. Now the hostel we stayed in Che Lagato (R$45.30/19 AUD/14.55USDpp) was a very nice hostel but the deal we thought we were getting through booking.com turned out not to be such a good deal. Breakfast was not included (although it was very good) and cost an extra R$10pp ($4.20 AUD/$3.20) and the staff were friendly but not particularly helpful. They did have a great happy hour though which gave you 2 caipirinhas for the price of 1 costing R$8 ($3.35 AUD/2.55 USD). Next door to the hostel is a tour agency that we booked the Aquario Natural tour with. This trip is a half-day snorkeling trip through the jungle. It is expensive for backpackers but worth every cent. You walk along a forest path to a clear water spring and get into the river. From here you float 800m down stream seeing some spectacular fish and riverscapes also included is your wetsuits and gear and the trip is topped off by a fun zip line jump into the river. We had a fantastic guide who was very knowledgeable and we even spotted monkeys and a caiman on site. At this particular location there is a resident antar who comes and goes as he pleases and is extremely friendly…if he's home. The trips that you book don't include transport so it's worth noting that this will have to be booked separately and if there is no room on the shared vans you need to book a taxi. We paid R$231($98 AUD/74 USD) each for the trip and then an extra R$40 ($17 AUD/12.80 USD) for the shared minivan each. All the tour companies have to work within the regulated prices set by those who own the land the tours are on. These prices are set annually and it means that it is irrelevant which tour company you choose, as they are all the same trips and prices. The only thing that might change is tour companies buy slots on each tour. Just because one is sold out on the day you want to go does not mean that they all will be. After Bonito it was time for us to head on to the Pantanals. This trip is advertised as a 3-day trip but was really more of a 1.5-day once you factor in travel time from Bonito. We were picked up from our hostel and dropped of at the pickup point. From here Santa Clara collected us in their pickup truck with bench seats on the trailer giving you a great view of the wildlife as you head into the Pantanals. We managed to see caiman (small crocodiles), capybara and plenty of bird life on our trip to the Santa Clara grounds. From here we were dropped off and left to our own devices until dinner time. The food was great and there were even some resident macaws, parrots and wild pigs that joined us while we chilled out in hammocks. The next morning we were up early ready for our safari and trek. This was actually just a trip down the same road in the same pickup truck we'd been in the day before and the noise of the truck did scare away a lot of the animals. This being said we did manage to spot toucans (among countless other birds), capybara and a few more wild pigs. On the trek we were mildly more successful spotting caiman, macaws, howler monkeys and another toucan. Then it was back into the truck and back to Santa Clara. The afternoon activity was a 3 hour boat trip which provided ample bird spotting, more capybara (this time swimming by the boat), plenty of caiman and on the way back we saw jaguar tracks that our guide followed, but unfortunately we had come along too late. The evening activity was a night safari back on the truck. Now wildlife is never guaranteed, but this did seem pointless as the truck was loud enough to scare off any animals, particularly those that only come out at night. We saw a fox and a bush deer but the highlight was the baby armadillo that our guides friend found before we had even left Santa Clara's grounds. We arrived back exhausted and hungry so dinner was a welcome sight. On the morning we were due to leave the final activity was piranha fishing which was a lot of fun but a very short trip. I (Riv) caught the fish of the day, which secretly made my inner feminist very proud. After our final lunch (for which we ate our catches) it was time to get back on the road to Corumba so that we could make the border crossing into Bolivia. The system for this process is that the pickup truck takes you back to the main road where you wait for the local bus. We had a good laugh about being stranded in the middle of nowhere while being eaten alive by mosquitoes and then in true backpacker style the bus arrived and we were on our way. On arrival at the bus station in Corumba we were approached by a strange Greek man smelling slightly of urine who offered to show us his guesthouse. Not entirely convinced we were making the right decision but choosing to be trusting, we followed him into the streets of Corumba making sure we kept our wits about us. The guesthouse (Bed and Breakfast 4 Cantos) we were shown was cheap and functional. There was decent internet, and a basic breakfast included for only R$35 each…done! We woke up early to head to yet another country (our 3rd in 2 weeks which is even excessive by our standards). The local bus station where we were to catch the bus was only 6 blocks away. The bus cost R$3.25 ($1.60 AUD/1.20 USD) each and we needed to catch the bus stating ‘Frontera’ on the front (the locals are very friendly and willing to point you in the right direction). It dropped us right outside the Brazilian border checkpoint where we needed to exit Brazil. Be warned this queue moves ridiculously slowly and it took us 2 1/2 hours to exit Brazil. You need to get in the line that is closest to where the bus drops you off. If you are confused there is a Spanish/Portuguese speaking tourist information centre at the checkpoint. After being processed you walk through to Bolivia over the bridge. The customs office is on the left hand side. This was a very quick process and only took us 10 minutes. At this checkpoint there are ATMs and money-changers that give really good rates for American dollars and Reals. There are now changers at the bus station but none at the train station so make sure you get enough money to get you through to your next destination. There are also taxis waiting to take you to the Quijarro bus/train stations, which should cost around 10 bolivianos ($1.90 AUD/1.45 USD). Overall we absolutely loved Brazil. Brazilians were some of the friendliest and most helpful people we had come across and really made us enjoy our time there. We left wishing that we had been able to explore more, however due to the expense it was time to move into the cheaper countries in South America. Now with that we will give you the breakdown of budget busting Brazil. Budget Time $$$ What it actually cost: 10 days = $1304.71 AUD Entertainment: $824.37 Accomodation: $206.73 Food: $123.46 Transport: $116.58 Drinks: $28.54 Souvenirs: $4.20 Miscellaneous: $0.84 That means we spent an average of $65.25 each a day. Brazil and budget are not two words that really go together comfortably. It is a country that is as expensive than any Western European country or most places in North America. For this reason, as a traveller you simply have to make the concession that if you are going to go, you are going to spend a lot of money, it's that simple. Prior to going I did my usual research and calculations and figured out that we could managed on $50AUD/day. Once we were actually on the ground in Brazil Riv and I quickly realised that this was a manageable budget if all we did was stay in the cheapest hostel in every location, participated in free activities and ate from the supermarket or at fast food restaurants! That is not a particularly enjoyable way to travel around a country like Brazil which has so much to offer. Brazil became our budget buster and redistribution of previous savings location. We couldn't visit Brazil and simply turn it into a game of 'how can we save money?'. There are ways to make it a little cheaper but basically you just have to accept that a visit to Brazil will involve a big dent in funds. When we were in Foz and Campo Grande we found some good buffet restaurants to eat in for lunch. These weren't too expensive (around R$15/pp) for all-you-can-eat, they have a good selection of homemade Brazilian dishes, like feijoada and can function as your only big meal of a day to save a few $s. While in Bonito we stayed at a place outside of the centre which meant we got something a lot nicer for a lot less than we would have in town. Finally, we shopped around carefully for all the tours that we did. Many of the popular attractions in Brazil (like the Pantanals) have a lot of competition and the standards are all pretty high. So, do your research, ask questions and haggle...the only thing they can do is refuse to lower their prices and if they don't at least you tried! Most importantly though, just remember, Brazil has so much to offer and sometimes when you travel it's more important to have the experience than to save the money! Even I had to conceded and accept that the budget had to be of secondary importance in Brazil, there was too much amazing stuff that would be missed otherwise! LGBT: Brazil was strikingly the most gay-friendly country we have been to so far in South America. In all the places we went we saw openly gay couples both male and female, including small places like Bonito. Brazil has marriage equality and we found Brazilians very welcoming and friendly towards Dani and me.
0 Comments
Visiting One of the New 7 Wonders of the Natural WorldWe arrived back in Buenos Aires after our 21 days of luxury cruising ready to swing back into backpacker life. We had a day in Buenos Aires before we were due to depart the boat so we headed to the local bus station, Retiro, which was luckily within walking distance of the port. We purchased tickets to Puerto Iguazú, which is on the Argentinian side of the falls. This is an 18 hour overnight bus and we left at 1.30pm. The company we took was Singer and despite being the cheapest we found they were comfortable and the movies they played were modern and in English. On arrival we went to find the guesthouse that a friend of ours was staying in. We ended up at Hostel 10, which cost us $100 Peso ($8.45 AUD/$6.5 USD) each a night for a 28 bed dorm. Now this is the cheapest place we could find in the area, but you definitely get what you pay for. The bathrooms are grimy, the bunks aren't exactly comfortable (in fact some where actually broken) but it's cheap, has air con, a pool out the back, a very basic breakfast and a view of Brazil from the window. For $100 Peso we couldn't really complain! We spent the day wandering around town before getting up early the next day to go to the falls. To get to the falls you head to the local bus station and purchase your ticket from the information office. Tickets cost $130 Peso ($11 AUD/8.45 USD) each for a return ticket and the bus takes about 30 minutes. Once you get to the falls it will cost you $330 Peso ($27.90 AUD/21.40 USD) each for the entrance fee. This includes the cost of the train you take up to Garganta de Diablo. Tip: Do the inferior and superior trails in the morning which gives times for the queues to die down and head to Diablo in the afternoon. There are great wildlife spotting opportunities in the park. We saw coatis (which look like a combination of an opossum and a raccoon), native birds, caiman and we even spotted a monkey (although we were told this is rare). Our favourite trail was the 'superior' which gives you the most awe inspiring views of multiple cascades. It's a great day trip and if you have your ticket validated at the office when you leave you can return for a second day half price if you feel you need a bit more.
$After 3 sleepless nights (such a crash into reality from the ship) it was time to head over to Brazil. The border town on the Brazilian side is called Foz do Iguaçu. To get there you catch the local bus from the same bus station you catch the bus to the falls. It costs $20 Peso ($1.70 AUD/1.30 USD) and is relatively straightforward. At the Argentinian border everyone must exit the bus including the driver to go through customs. This means that you have plenty of time and the bus will wait for you. However Argentinians don't need to clear Brazilian immigration so you will need to inform the driver that you need to get off at the Brazilian border (this time the bus will not wait for you). This is a pretty quick and simple process too, provided you've filled out your immigration form before you get to the front of the queue. From here you go to the bus stop and wait for the next bus to come along. We hear the next step isn't always a smooth one. If the original bus driver has given you a ticket you should be able to use this to board the next bus from the same company (2 companies do this route from Argentina) however we have read that not all bus drivers allow this so you may need to pay again. Had this happened to us it would have been a pain, but it would only have cost 4 Brazilian Reals($R), so just make sure you have a little bit of currency when doing this crossing in case. In Foz you are dropped off at the local bus station. We had decided to stay a night in Foz and move on the next day so we checked into San Remo, which we found after wandering a short distance from the station. It was R$135 ($56.75 AUD/43.45 USD) for a triple room or R$100 ($42 AUD/32.20 USD) for a double, had aircon, a private bathroom, fridge and a great breakfast included! Now for the controversial bit....we made the decision not to visit the Brazilian side of the falls...not because they don't appear fantastic but because to do both sides is very expensive and where the Argentinian side is a day trip we were told that the Brazilian side has a lot less to do if you aren't going to combine it with other activities such as the boat trips. This meant that the R$60 each made it just too expensive to justify after we had already seen it from the other side. The Brazilian side is easily done on a day trip from Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) but make sure that as above you ask to be let off at Brazilian customs as you can get into a lot of trouble trying to get back into Argentina at the end of the day without the right stamps. Also some nationalities need a visa or to pay a reciprocity fee that does make this a very expensive trip if you're not carrying on into Brazil. The buses to the falls leave from the local bus terminal and cost R$2.90 ($1.20 AUD/0.90 USD) each way. These falls are truly sensational and well worth the time to visit them. The surrounding towns aren’t much to write home about but Puerto Iguazú is definitely the nicer of the two however Foz has better amenities. I would imagine that if you arriving from Brazil that seeing the Brazilian side first may be worth it. Both Dani and I left feeling that the views from the superior trail may just be one of the most beautiful natural sights we’ve ever seen. Budget Time $$$What it Actually Cost : 4 days = $403.70 AUD $236.18 on transport $52.21 on accommodation $48.30 on food $9.57 on drinks $57.44 on entertainment $0 on souvenirs $0 on miscellaneous This worked out at an average daily budget of $50.45 AUD per person. This is higher than we would have liked and also higher than our average daily costs in the rest of Argentina. The reason for this is the length of the trip. We are usually able to balance expensive transport or excursions with cheaper days but with a 4 day trip this isn't possible.
Penguins and Whales and Seals...Oh My! |
Follow us on Instagram or send us a messageArchives
November 2018
Categories
All
|