FACTS ABOUT BONITO: Bonito is quite small town with only 17.000 inhabitants. The town is situated in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, approximately 300km from the airport in Campo Grande City, between 250km & 350km from accommodations in the south part of Pantanal, about 1.170 from Sao Paulo City and 1.600km from Rio de Janeiro.

HOW IS BONITO: Apart from the Pantanal, the small town of Bonito is one of the major tourist destinations in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The town itself has no attractions, but the natural resources of the area are impressive. Beautiful rainforest area with hundreds of waterfalls, lakes and rivers of crystal clear blue water, over 80 dry and flooded caves, and endless species of fish and other wild animals, are some of the attractions in the region of Bonito. Visitors arriving to Bonito soon realize it: the word “bonito” (“beautiful”) is not enough to describe the wonders created by nature in that region.

The great concentration of lime in the soil around the area where Bonito is located is responsible for the transparency of waters and by then existence of a wide variety of geological formations. And the best way of appreciating local natural beauties is by going on an adventure tourism tour. The most indicated activities include diving in caverns, observing the underwater fauna and walking along trails in the forest. Places like Gruta do Lago Azul (Blue Lake Cave), the Natural Aquarium, and rivers Sucuri, Peixe, Formoso and Prata, are the most indicated. There are a great number of caves with underground, deep lagoons into which experienced divers may risk to explore. It was here, in Lagoa Misteriosa (Mysterious Lake), that diver Gilberto Menezes de Oliveira reached the depth of 121 metros, the deepest underwater dive ever recorded in Brazilian caverns. Packtours can provide scuba dives going no deeper than 20 meters without risks for amateur divers, in the Mimoso Cave. But pay attention, cave-diving is indicated only to those who have great experience and an adequate equipment.

Bonito is a model-city in terms of sustainable tourism. It has adopted a system of visitations with the purpose of preserving the local natural environment. Therefore, most tours must be pre-booked, as the demand is high and the availability limited. The majority of visited places is located inside private properties, and requires normally accompanying local guides. To avoid negative impacts on nature, it has been established a maximum number of tourists per day who may visit each attraction. The access for all activities is easy and all ages can have a lot of fun in Bonito. It is also nice to combine the excursion to Bonito, with a trip to the South of Pantanal.

TIPS: Visiting the majority of Bonito's attractions must be previously arranged by a local operator like Packtours, which appoint an accredited guide to follow visitors. Since there are a maximum number of visitors at each attraction, it is recommended that visitors make reservations with some time of antecedence, especially during the high season (December to March and July).

Heat and strong sunrays in the area during summer seasons suggest the use of light clothing, hats and solar protection. For trail walks, it is important to carry backpacks, to wear on-slipping sneakers or sandals and raincoats.

Visitors don't need to bring diving mask, snorkel and neoprene suits to go on floating tours as all necessary equipment is normally included in the service.

WHEN TO GO / CLIMATE: Bonito can be visited any time of the year. The climate is humid and tropical, and it is hot and rainy between October and March, which might be the best period to visit the region. Between June and August, the weather is dry and cold, and night temperatures may go below 10ºC. The annual average temperature is 22ºC.

HOW TO GO: According to the distance to other attractions / cities in Brazil, the most common way to reach Bonito is by air, via the airport (CGR) in Campo Grande. From Campo Grande it is necessary to arrange a land transport that may take approximately 3hours to go one way. It exists also local charter traffic from Sao Paulo direct to a new airport in Bonito, but then the travel must be for one week stay (7nights), traveling only on Saturdays or Sundays.

HOW LONG STAY: For the first time visitor we recommend at least a three night stay, to able the visitors to enjoy the place and its main attractions, shorter stay is not justified according to the time consuming access. For programs combining a visit of the South of Pantanal, then a minimum of two nights can be justified, as the traveler already is in the region. However, Bonito has some many exotic and enjoyable attractions, so it won’t be any problem to stay for one week or more.

EVENTS:
Festival (July)
The Bonito Festival is held every year, during one week during July, providing music performances, ecological videos, theater, folklore and fine arts exhibits.

ATTRACTIONS:

FLOATING
Wearing special neoprene outfits, a mask and snorkel, visitors float on calm and crystalline water rivers, being able to see with excellent visibility the underwater flora and fish from the Pantanal region – “piraputangas”, “pintados”, “pacus” and “dourados”. Check below & links of main locations for floating tours.

Natural Aquarium – Baía Bonita Ecological Park
Floating occurs along the 600-meter area near Baía Bonita River spring. Along the Animals Trail, which is also inside the ecological reservation, it is possible to see local specimen like oysters, armadillos, “guará” wolfs, alligators and anacondas.

Prata River
The tour starts with a one-hour walk along the trail – inside the native forest that is the habitat of species like hogs, monkeys and birds. Floating occurs for 2 km along rivers Olho d’Água and Prata, one of the most crystalline in the whole region offering also a great diversity of fish. Visitors can also opt to go on a horse ride.

Bonito Adventure
It includes descending Formoso River and exploring natural submerged grouts. After walking along some 2 km in a forest trail, visitors may float on the transparent waters of Formoso River, which runs along river rapids and rocky formations.

Sucuri River (The Anaconda River)
The transparency of its calm waters, with large shoals of fish, springs and exotic plants are all just incredible. Floating on Sucuri River goes on along a 2-km stretch, with average duration of 45 minutes. It is located on São Geraldo Farm, where visitors also have access to walks on trails in the forest and horse or bicycle tours.

CAVES

Gruta do Lago Azul (The Blue Lake Cave)
Incredible geological formation with limestone rocks, with width of 100 meters and depth of 70 meters, full of espeleo-themes. At the end of the grout there is a lagoon of transparent waters, resembling a huge bluish mirror.

Gruta de São Miguel (The Saint Michel Cave)
The grout is rich in limestone formations. Access is available through a suspended trail surrounded by native forest. Located in the Anhumas Vale Ecological Park Natural Reserve, it is considered one of the best attractions in Bonito.

WATERFALLS

Peixe River Waterfalls
One of the most beautiful natural scenarios in Bonito.

Boca da Onça Eco Tour
It offers trails, waterfalls, the practice of “rapel” and plenty emotions on Bodoquena Hills.

The Aquidabã Waterfalls
It is one of the highest waterfalls in the area, from where visitors can view the Bodoquena Hills, inside an indigenous protection reserve.

Mimosa Ranch and Eco Tourism
A delicious and unforgettable adventure in ecological tourism - respect for natural environments, interaction with nature and regional culture.

The Waterfalls Park
A trail going through six beautiful waterfalls from where visitors can view beautiful landscapes and photograph, and also freshen up in a delicious bath.

Ceita Core Farm
Beauty and color, trails and grouts, waterfalls and animals, all that in a single place.

OTHER TOURS / ACTIVITIES

Macaw Hole / Dig
A trail along a hill’s underground path 124 meters deep, with a diameter of 500 meters.

Vivo Project
Leisure and environmental education to demonstrate that it is possible to ally nature conservationism, ecological tourism and production in a regular farm.

Rafting on Formoso River
The river’s descent is an "Indiana Jones"-type adventure.

Monte Cristo Resort
It offers plenty waterfalls and a very beautiful landscape.

“Float” Boia-Cross
Thrilling adventure on Formosinho River waterfalls, with more than seven river rapids visitors can float down.

Formoso River Ecological Park
It offers trails in the riverside forest surrounded by exuberant flora including a descent along Formoso River.

The Cowboy’s Route – “Quadricycle”
Fun and adventure on top of four wheels through the old cowboy’s trail.

Discovery Dive
It is excellent for inexperienced divers who wish to try the sensation of diving with "scuba" equipment. It also pleases more experienced divers since it offers a view completely different from that of seawaters. In Formoso River, along millions of waterfalls’ bubbles, or in Prata River, along with fish, it is possible to dive for approximately 30 minutes, after visitors receive guidance on safety and dive always in the presence of an Instructor.

Baía Bonita Ecological Reserve
Snorkeling under waters deemed among the most transparent in the world.

Sucuri Bar
Nature in its most beautiful state of preservation and environmental balance.

Eno Bokóti
In Terena language, it means "plenty waterfalls". This tour hides many unforgettable surprises along the two thousand meter stretch along riverside forests sideling Peixe River.

Tarumã Resort – Lomba Farm
Ecological complex with a beautiful natural pool, including a trail leading to a pretty waterfall.

Segredo Farm
For visitors who wish to spend an unforgettable day.

Padre Island
Great number of waterfalls and natural pools along Formoso River

Prata River Ecological Nook
Unforgettable dives in one of the most crystalline rivers in the world.

Peixe River
It offers a trail in the forest full of birds, into 11 waterfalls and natural pools of crystalline waters for floating, diving and viewing shoals of fish.

ADVENTURE TOURISM

The Anhumas Abyss
An opening on the ground takes us down into a vertical abyss. It is necessary that visitors use the techniques of “rapel” to get to the bottom of the cave, 72 meters below the surface. Down there, there is a lake with approximately 8- meters in depth, where diving allows viewing limestone formations.

“Lagoa Misteriosa” (the Mysterious Lagoon)
40 km away from Bonito, in the municipality of Jardim, this Lake thrills visitors due to its depth and transparency of water. During winter months – from June to September -, visibility surpasses 40 meters. Access to this blue-water lake is quite difficult, however, the effort pays due to the landscape it offers to divers. Diving is allowed according to the limits established by the certification granted to each diver. There are also special circuits for “Cave Divers”.

Mimoso Cave
Located 35 km away from downtown Bonito, it is one of the most beautiful caverns in the world for diving, one that requires more experience from divers. Divers must be certified, at least, as “Overhead Divers” so they can risk exploring the 70-meter extension of the cavern, located 20 meters below the surface. To enter the Cones Hall, named after the immense rocky formations of up to 8 meters high found inside that “hall”, divers need an “Intro to Cave”-type certificate. Mimoso Cave is considered one of the most amazing cavern-diving points in Brazil.

SHOPPING

Indigenous Handcraft
Ceramics works made by the Kadiwéu, from the Bodoquena Hill; accessories made with seeds, like collars – Rua Cel. Pilad Rebuá

Wood and bone objects
Furniture and accessories made of noble recycled woods with detailed engravings of cattle bones – Rua Duque de Caxias, 203