Historic Gateway into the Pantanal


Corumbá is a small historic town in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, located near the frontier with Bolivia. This is home to the Brazilian side of my family.

The town has been a feature on South America's backpacker circuit over the last few decades. Most international tourists remember Corumbá as a stopping point between Brazil and Bolivia - and/or where they caught their tour out to see the wildlife of the Pantanal. It's a historic little frontier town which serves as a regional centre for the nearby cattle ranches, and could hardly be considered a tourist attraction in itself. For Brazilians, the town is more famous as the launching point for fishing tours which are popular with business men and executives from São Paulo. With about 350 fish species including piranha, piraputanga, the prized Dorado, and several species of large catfish such as the Pintado - the location is a fisherman's paradise.

Corumbá is locally famous for its annual carnaval celebrations. Although smaller than the Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo carnavals, it has the advantage of letting you get closer and even more involved in the festivities. You'll still find glamour, spectacle and fun.
Cristo Rei do Pantanal overlooking the town of Corumbá and the surrounding Pantanal.
Corumbá, above the central Praça da Independência at sunset.
Enjoying late afternoon views over the Pantanal at Praça Generoso Ponce.
Palm tree lined Avenida General Rondon in Corumbá.
Drone view overlooking Corumbá and the historic riverport.
Contenders for the Carnaval Queen and Princess compete onstage to demostrate their samba skills.
The Baiana wing (performers in stylised hoop dresses) performing in the annual Corumbá Carnaval.
The flag bearer couple (1° casal de Mestre Sala e Porta Bandeira) opening the Vila Mamona samba school presentation.
Ward dancers (Ala das Passistas) in the Vila Mamona samba school presentation.
Ornate caraval costume and carnaval float background.
Rainha da Bateria (drumcore queen) from Apesada samba school. Corumbá Carnaval.
Dancer from the Vila Mamona samba school performing in front of the audience and judges.
Local kids dressed as part of the cultural carnaval (third night of the annual carnaval).
Carlos Henrique is a creative director for Apesada, and is seen here making headresses for performers a few days before carnaval
Telma, working with samba school Apesada, is one of a dedicated crew of organisers and workers who spend months ensuring that everything is ready on the night.
Christmas decorations and markets in the central square (Praça da Independência).
Historic steam roller manufactured in Britain by Marshall, Sons and Co (circa 1920).
Historic buildings in the historic riverport (Porto Geral).
Stylised toucan-themes flutes in Arte Pantaneira, a small tourist shop located on the riverfront.
Macaw sculptures near the entrance to Corumbá airport.
Food stall in the Sunday morning markets held near the town centre.
Afro-Brazilian Candomblé ceremony. Part of the New Year celebrations on the Corumbá waterfront.
At a local facility farming caiman for meat and leather. Caimasul manager, Weber Girardi, collecting eggs from nests in the facilitys breeding area.
Inside a pen with one year-old caiman. They tend to clump together in the pens (likely something to do with thermo-regulation).
Baby caiman (jacaré) at Caimasul facility.
Artisan at Casa do Artesão preparing fish leather for use in locally produced crafts.
Ceramic artists working on Pantanal-themed figurines at Casa do Massabarro. The Alligator-themed soldiers are a specialty item going to the local army base - going to each soldier who has completed their survival training in the Pantanal wetlands.
Landlocked Bolivia operates a small riverport via a canal connecting to the Paraguay river - allowing it to send goods to the ocean port at Buenos Aires. This barge is sending cement.
At the Bolivian riverport, loading bags of cement into containers for shipping via barge down the Paraguay river.
Iron Ore train operating at the mine in Porto Esperança, near Corumbá.
Iron Ore carriages which carry iron ore from the mine at Porto Esperança, near Corumbá.
Inside the local intercity bus station (rodoviaria). This is the entry/exit point for many visitors to the town.
Entrance to the 17th Frontier Battalion army base in Corumbá. The frontier was strengthened following the Paraguayan War of the 1870s, when the town was under Paraguayan occupation for three years.
One of the old Krupps cannons at Fort Junqueira overlooking the Paraguyan river. This is the last of five forts established in the 1880s to prevent a repeat of the invasion of Corumbá by troops arriving via river steamer.
Sadly these are now gone. Public telephone boxes in the town used to be in Pantanal-themed figurines.
Another Pantanal-themed phone box of the type that used to occur in Corumbá. I found this one in nearby Aquidauana.
Typical Pantaneiro cuisine - noting the beef also being barbecued in the background.
Local kids at election time. The time is notable for the free toys, t-shirts, hats, bags of rice and other things being handed out by candidates.
On a hot day, theres no better place to play football than amidst the fountains along the riverfront.
Andrew Mercer (Bald White Guy)
Andrew Mercer
I'm a Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing consultant based in Brisbane, Australia. I've consulted on or managed several large BI systems in New Zealand, Australia and Latin America.
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