Fazenda San Francisco occupies 14,800 hectares (36,556 acres) and produces rice and raises cattle. The ranch is in the basin of the Paraguay River. The trip requires 3 hours from Campo Grande and 4 hours from Bonito. Fazenda San Francisco offers nature lovers the opportunity to explore the Brazilian Pantanal. This area has some of the richest in biodiversity in the world.

There are nine rooms at Fazenda San Francisco, all with air conditioning, fans, fridge, and bathroom. There is capacity for 40 people. There is a bar and restaurant, swimming pool and hammocks to relax in. Three vehicles are available for photographic safaris and two boats are available for wildlife viewing and fishing. There is a lookout tower offering a panoramic view of the Pantanal. Many trails through diverse types of land offer an ideal place to observe birds and animals. For the more adventurous, there is the chance to go horseback riding and canoeing.

Fazenda San Francisco is committed to conservation. Research projects about the flora and fauna of the Pantanal have been conducted on the site, like the ecology of ocelots and the study of density and economic viability of the Carandá palm tree. Fazenda San Francisco is also a wildlife rehabilitation center and supports the rehabilitation and reintroduction of wildlife rescued from the illegal pet trade. There are also long term monitoring programs like the Hyacinthine Macaw Project and the Blue-fronted Parrot Project. Fazenda San Francisco is also the headquarters of Project Gadonça, which studies the depredation of livestock by jaguars and Pumas. The lodge also offers a conservation program for Brazilian school children.

By staying 4 days/3nights, you will have time to enjoy the Fazenda San Francisco. With hundreds of bird species on the property, the chance of observing a greater number of birds is considerably enhanced. While visiting Fazenda San Francisco you wil be offered two diurnal tours and one night tour or night activity, all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), overnight in a room with an air conditioner, fan, and private bath. All guests are given a bird list for Fazenda San Francisco, use of a Pantaneiro guide or a specialized birding guide service.
                   
Activities
Some of the activities at Fazenda San Francisco include a photo safari by day or evening in an open truck, walks on a suspended trail, a boat tour on São Domingos Creek, boat tour on Miranda River (one of the main rivers in the Pantanal), nature hikes, a night safaris by car or boat and evening lectures about the Pantanal.  There is also horseback riding and canoeing.

Bird Watching

Fazenda San Francisco is excellent for birding. The l bird list has 332 species, with several endangered birds like: Hyacinthine Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata), Comb duck (Sakidiornis melanotos), Black-and-white Hawk-eagle (Spizastur melanoleucus), Hooded Siskin (Carduelis magellanicus), among others.

Fazenda San Francisco is a strategic place for resting and feeding of dozens of migratory birds. Species coming from the Northern hemisphere like Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and sandpipers.  Several migratory birds from the Southern hemisphere are also found like Coscoroba (Coscoroba coscoroba), South American Stilt (Himantopus melanurus), Common Snipe (Gallinago paraguaiae), and some flycatchers (Long-tailed Tyrant Colonia colonus, Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrranus savanna and Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus). Some of these species come in hundreds and even in thousands, staying for months in the area until their return to their breeding grounds.

Some of the reasons for the great number of birds are: abundance of food resources and different types of habitat. Here you can find open fields and “vazantes”, semi-deciduous forest, savannas and wetlands like creeks, river, oxbow lakes, channels and irrigated rice fields.
 

Staying on in Brazil? Whether your interest is wildlife or culture, in a short extension tour you can experience more of the rich living heritage of this vibrant country. And for the adventurous wildlife enthusiast, why not visit Hyacinth Camps? We can even arrange hotels and transportation.