We are a group of passionate people who love nature in all its forms. Through our birdwatching and wildlife journeys we get to live our “Magic Moments in Nature”. There is something truly magical about the jungle’s solitude, the symphony of dawn, the encounter with a rare and secretive bird, the thrill of spotting a wild animal that ignores you… These moments leave an indelible mark, and we’re devoted to sharing them with you!
We firmly believe that the recipe for an exceptional nature experience includes meticulous planning and local expertise. Our tours are built on well-crafted itineraries, precise logistics, and, most importantly, friendly, seasoned local guides who find joy in sharing their passion with others.
Our company is based in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso state, the Geodesic center of South America and a strategic gateway to the Pantanal, Cerrado savannas and the Amazon Rainforest.
Let us introduce our field and office teams, which range from avid birders to seasoned wildlife experts, and an office team to back them at any time! With the common thread of a deep love for nature and for sharing this nature with our clients.
Let us introduce our field and office teams, which range from avid birders to seasoned wildlife experts, and an office team to back them at any time! With the common thread of a deep love for nature and for sharing this nature with our clients.
Even with well planned itineraries and seamless logistics, surprises could happen along the way – especially when traveling in remote areas! That’s when our office team comes to the rescue, supporting our guides and clients 24/7.
Senior Leader and Director at Birding Pantanal, has been a professional guide since 1998, leading tours throughout Brazil. He has co-authored the definitive field guide entitled “Birds of the Pantanal” (Aves do Pantanal) and a few papers on ornithology. All of our leaders share Giuliano’s passion and commitment and are specialists in the areas where they guide.
Born in Cuiabá-MT, Lisa Canavarros is graduated in Law School at the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, and post graduated from the University of Pablo de Olavide – Seville, Spain, with extensive experience in Labour-Law. After many years working as a lawyer, her life took a sharp turn when she started helping her husband Giuliano Bernardon on his new- born company, Birding Pantanal, and soon proved to be indispensable for the business.
Since 1998 guiding visitors from all over the world, I have been able to develop
my communication skills and understand the importance of hospitality and cordiality to people. Therefore, my commitment is to promote good communication in the work environment to strengthen the results of collective efforts. Whether in the office as an operation manager or as a guide, leading visitors, I am always committed with good practices in safety and sustainability.
They are more than just guides; they are expert birders, photographers and naturalists with a true vocation to open your eyes to the hidden wonders of the natural world. With each journey, our guides don’t just enhance your adventure; they leave an indelible, positive impact on your life and on the magnificent landscapes we explore throughout Brazil.
Leonardo Patrial is a Brazilian biologist and ornithologist whose passion for nature developed still as a little kid, on the many camping and fishing trips taken with his family. Fluent in English, he moved to the USA at the age of 17, where he went to High School in Fort Scott, Kansas, and joined the Hunter Education Course offered by the Kansas Wildlife Department. Back in Brazil, he got his degree in Biology, specializing in Conservation Biology and Wildlife Management. In 2007 he moved with his wife and daughter to the coast of Northeast Brazil, where they have a restaurant in Itacaré, State of Bahia.
Sergio Freitas is one of those nature enthusiasts that have the job of his dreams. His first contact with the Pantanal and the Amazon happened while he was studying Biology and had the opportunity to travel to these areas a few times, during the field classes. Later, while doing his master’s degree on ecology and biodiversity conservation, he decided to research the fishes of the Pantanal. He published several papers and articles on ecology and climate change, and even described new species of fish for the Pantanal basin.
Introduced to ornithology as an early graduate student, Bianca Bernardon is a field biologist and holds a master’s degree on the ecology of the Mato Grosso Antbird, accomplished after extensive field research in the Pantanal. Bianca is one of the people who influenced her brother Giuliano into ornithology, and on the other hand was influenced by him to become a professional guide and lead nature tours. Birdwatching tours and field research have taken Bianca all over Brazil, including the Pantanal, the Cerrado (Brazilian savannas), the Amazon, and the endemic-rich Atlantic Rainforest and Northeast Brazil. With a deep knowledge and respect for all places and creatures, she is equally skilled with the wildlife as she is with people.
Victor do Nascimento was born in a ranch in the Pantanal, where his father used to work as a cowboy. He grew up there, and during his childhood developed a deep connection with this habitat and the wildlife around. He used to work as a tractor driver at the ranch when one day, in 1993, he had the opportunity to guide some tourists around the property. That was the moment his life started to change, and Vitinho began to study more and more about the nature he already knew so well.
Marcelo da Rocha is a person that not just loves nature: being in nature is his life, his religion, where he finds himself happiest and inspired. He grew up in a small rural village near the Iguassu river in Brazil, and as a young kid he used to have insect’s collections and chase all the creatures that made a visit to his backyard. He used to walk by a forest reserve on the way to school, and that was too tempting… when he was 12 he would often skip classes to spend hours in solitude in that forest, exploring, observing and learning. This naturally led him to chase a job in tourism, so he started leading visitors to the amazing Iguassu Falls.
Johny De Carli is the newest (and youngest) guide to join the Birding Pantanal team. He is a smart, calm and considerate person whose passion for nature started at an early age, with a set of VHS tapes narrated by David Attenborough, and with the time spent exploring the little forest patch near his home. When he was 10 he had already decided to be a biologist! At the age of 17 he started to study biology in university, and after trying different specializations, found his passion for ornithology, taking part on lab studies and field research, including several expeditions for species assessment and banding.
René Santos became a biologist because of his love for parrots. Since he was a kid it was clear to him and his family that one day he was going to follow a career in ornithology. Even before university he started working with the care and breeding of captive birds, when he had the late Nelson Kawall (a renowned Brazilian ornithologist specialized in parrots) as his inspiration and mentor. He also volunteered at the São Paulo Zoo, where he got to know some of the wild parrot conservation projects and joined the teams that worked for conservation of Lear’s and Spix’s Macaws.
