Pantanal: To See the Jaguar and Cross an Item Off My Bucket List

In 2019, I travelled to the other side of the globe to tick an item off my bucket list. The journey to the Pantanal — the world’s largest tropical wetland — was long and arduous, involving three flights and a final stretch by road that seemed to go on forever. Our destination was Pantanal Norte, a lodge set on the banks of the Cuiabá River, at the far end of the famous Transpantaneira road. As we arrived, the landscape instantly reminded me of our very own Sundarbans — a mosaic of waterways, marshes, and endless green where land and water constantly shift hands. I had heard so many stories about how elusive the jaguar was here that the comparison felt natural.

But the Pantanal had surprises in store. Over the next seven days, we saw seventeen individual jaguars — and even witnessed a hunt. I still don’t know if the stories I’d heard were exaggerated, or if we were simply extraordinarily lucky, or perhaps guided by the sheer skill of our guide and boatmen. Most likely, it was a bit of everything.

Each morning, our speedboat would slice through the calm waters of the Cuiabá, river.The drivers were in constant touch with one another over radios, sharing news of fresh sightings. And when the call came — “onça!” — the chase that followed was pure theatre. The boats roared to life, cutting through narrow channels and sharp bends at dizzying speed. One had to cling tightly to the railings, holding on for dear life to avoid being tossed into the river. It felt less like a safari and more like a James Bond movie pursuit.

We were also fortunate to witness a pair of jaguars bring down a caiman — an encounter both brutal and awe-inspiring. The actual takedown happened within dense reeds, hidden from view, but we could hear the struggle — the heavy splashes, the guttural growls, and the sudden quiet that followed. Moments later, we caught a fleeting glimpse of the pair, their powerful jaws gripping the caiman as they dragged it into deeper grass along the shore. It was nature at its rawest — unseen, yet unmistakably present.

The jaguar pair, poised and patient, resting on the riverbank moments before the hunt

The Pair on the move

The Leap in to the water

The Jump ends in Triumph

Drags the prey into thick grass

On our last day, we decided to try our hand at piranha fishing. The thought of catching those fearsome fish sent a little thrill through all of us. It turned out to be great fun — we managed to reel in a few, and our boatman proudly turned them into a local delicacy for lunch. The others enjoyed the feast, while Gayathri and I, true to our ways, stuck to our bread, yogurt, and fruit diet, watching the others tuck in with delight.

Gayathri reeling in a Piranha

Looking back, the trip remains one of my most memorable — not just for the number of jaguars we saw, but for the spirit of the place itself. The vastness of the Pantanal, the rhythm of its waterways, and the quiet hum of life all around left a lasting impression. The journey was made richer by our friends, the Brookings, whose company and help made it all possible, and by our wonderful guide, Marcos, and the skilled boat driver who ensured that every single moment on the Cuiabá was unforgettable. We also encountered a wealth of other wildlife — countless birds, playful otters, stealthy caimans, and herds of capybaras — but here, I choose to stay with the jaguars, for it was their world that drew me across continents.