Caiman Lodge Celebrates 40 Years and Unveils Villa Cordilheira
Four Decades in the Wild: Caiman Lodge Celebrates 40 Years and Unveils Villa Cordilheira
A milestone anniversary. A bold new chapter. And the Pantanal, as breathtaking as ever.
Forty years ago, a small lodge opened its doors on the edge of one of the world's most extraordinary ecosystems. Few could have imagined then what Caiman Lodge would become — not just a destination, but a symbol of how responsible, immersive travel can coexist with, and actively protect, the natural world around it.
This year, as the lodge marks its 40th anniversary, that legacy has never felt more alive.
A Story Written in the Wetlands
Since 1985, Caiman Lodge has welcomed travelers from every corner of the globe to the Brazilian Pantanal — the world's largest tropical wetland, a place where jaguars move silently through the undergrowth, giant river otters glide through mirror-still waters, and the sky turns gold at dusk over a landscape seemingly untouched by time.
Over four decades, the lodge has become more than a place to stay. It has grown into a conservation landmark, a refuge for wildlife researchers, and a home away from home for those who believe that travel at its best should leave a place better than it found it. The names of guests who have passed through — wildlife photographers, biologists, families, honeymooners, solo adventurers — could fill a book as rich as the Pantanal itself.
Forty years is not just a number. It is thousands of sunrise safaris. Hundreds of jaguar sightings. Countless nights under skies so full of stars they seem to press down on you. It is a living, breathing commitment to a place that deserves nothing less.
Introducing Villa Cordilheira
To mark this extraordinary milestone, Caiman Lodge is proud to announce the opening of Villa Cordilheira — a new chapter in the lodge's story, and perhaps its most exciting yet.
Designed for guests who want to experience the Pantanal on their own terms, Villa Cordilheira represents a new standard in private, immersive wilderness hospitality. Nestled within the lodge's vast private reserve, the villa offers the seclusion and intimacy of a world entirely your own, without sacrificing a single note of comfort.
Waking up at Villa Cordilheira means waking up inside the Pantanal. The sounds of birds calling across the wetlands. The rustle of the cerrado beyond the veranda. The knowledge that beyond your door, an entire ecosystem is going about its ancient, unhurried business — and that today, it is yours to explore.
A More Personal Way to Explore
With the launch of Villa Cordilheira, Caiman Lodge is introducing something that guests have long asked for: fully private guided tours of the Pantanal.
For the first time, guests staying at the villa can enjoy a dedicated naturalist guide exclusively to their group — no shared schedules, no compromise, no waiting. The experience is shaped entirely around you: your interests, your pace, your sense of wonder.
Want to spend the full morning waiting quietly by a riverbank for a jaguar to appear? You can. Prefer a slow, contemplative walk through the flooded forest as your guide explains the intricate web of life around you? That's yours too. Passionate about birds? Your guide will know exactly where to find the species on your wish list, and will have all the time in the world to help you find them.
This kind of flexibility transforms a safari from a curated experience into a genuine personal discovery. The Pantanal reveals itself differently to every pair of eyes, and Villa Cordilheira is designed to honor that.
Forty Years Forward
Caiman Lodge has always believed that the best way to protect wild places is to help people fall in love with them. Four decades of doing just that have shaped an operation that is as much conservation project as it is lodge — and that belief has never wavered.
Villa Cordilheira is a natural expression of that philosophy: a space where guests can connect with the Pantanal more deeply, more personally, and more meaningfully than ever before. A place to slow down, to look carefully, and to carry something real home with you.
As the lodge enters its fifth decade, the Pantanal remains as wild and astonishing as the day the first guests arrived. There is no better place to celebrate that, and no better time.
Sales for Villa Cordilheira 2026 are now officially open. We customize Brazil itineraries to include a stay at Caiman Lodge based on your preferences. We'll assist in selecting the perfect options to suit your style. (770) 736-5909.
Caiman Lodge — Pantanal, Brazil. Forty years of wild.
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