Corumbá was founded in 1776. It is a port and border city, located on the River Rio Paraguay and make border to Bolivia. By 1840 it was the biggest river port in the world, boasting a dozen foreign consulates. Ships would enter the River Rio de la Plata in the South Atlantic and sail up the River Rio Paraná to its confluence with the River Rio Paraguay, then continue up to Corumbá. The crumbling but impressive buildings along the waterfront reflect the wealth that passed through the town during the 19th century. With the coming of the railway, Corumbá lost its importance as a port and went into decline. Today the city is the southern gateway to the Pantanal, good for fishing and ecological tourism.

The city is about 400km northwest of Campo Grande by road (by bus it might take 7hours to go). Campo Grande is the Capital of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. (Distance to Bonito 335km). Due to Corumbá's strategic location near the Paraguayan and Bolivian borders, the city has a reputation for poaching drug-trafficking and gun-running. Be cautious if you come here, good to make pre-booking of reliable services. There is an airport in Corumbá, 3km from downtown, but regular flights are unfortunately not so regular, you may consult Packtours. Other possibilities to go is via Bolivia; By train or bus from Santa Cruz to Quijarro which takes about 20hours, and then a transfer from the railway station in Bolivia to Corumbá, Brazil (Quijarro is located only 2km form the border). By air from Santa Cruz to Puerto Suárez, which takes 1hour, and then a transfer from the Bolivian airport to Corumba, a distance of 20km. Important: If you are coming from Bolivia, you wont be allowed to enter Brazil without a yellow-fever vaccination certificate.