How not to book a Pantanal tour!
Trip Start
Mar 07, 2007
1
27
75
Trip End
Oct 04, 2007
Campo Grande,
Brazil
Friday, June 8, 2007
BEFORE THE TOUR -
We were hit up for a tour within minutes, only by one company who told us the company we wanted to go with were closed, sounds familiar, right? But there wasn~t really anyone else in sight and it sounded ok and we were tired and just wated to go. Also two other Aussies were going with them and they~d looked around and decided it was the best... so off we goto the Pantanal within minutes. Wicked, we have been teased with stories of Anacondas, Jaguars, Anteaters and Piranhas. Our only friend who has been here came back with a massive tick.
AFTER THE TOUR -
The company were Greentrack, the owner, Murilo is charismatic and talked us into it pretty easily, I feel he could talk anyone into it, and there were a few fibs to get us there. Anyway without going into details, although the tour was great and we saw loads of animals (see next entry). BUT, the company has major issues, our guide quit halfway through the tour, leaving several people in the middle of the jungle with no guide, which is unbelievably irresponsible I reckon. There were huge miscommunications between the office and the property, seeing one guy not picked up for three days after he was supposed to go, they seriously just forgot him! Luckily he had nowhere else to go and was ok with it. And we were picked up a day before our guide told us we were going, with a lift going to town we didn´t want to go to at 11 o´clock at night, and then hit up for the travel costs, or told we were having the police called on us and we couldn´t leave the Pantanal. It was a full on situation, and there were some heated words. Anyway we got out alive but I really couldn´t recommend the company to anyone, I did not find them professional, and we were hung out to dry for their mistakes and lack of communication. It sounds like many people have similiarly bad experiences in this region, with Greentrack and Ecological Expeditions as well. I can´t recommend an alternative - sorry! But be careful! There are some cowboys out there!
Comments
I think the opposite
My experiance with Greentrack was exactly the opposite and most people I have talked to in the area share my very high opinion of them. I think you must have just gotten them on a bad day or there must have been a miscommunication. They are a wonderful company and provide an unforgettable experiances. I highly recommend GT to other travellers.