One of the most common questions we receive when planning a jaguar safari in Porto Jofre is: is it better to stay on a houseboat or in a hotel?
The short answer is that both options work very well — but they offer quite different experiences. Each has its own advantages and limitations, depending on your priorities, comfort expectations, and how you want to spend your time on the river.
Panorâmico Houseboat
Below, we break down the pros and cons of houseboats versus hotels in the Porto Jofre area to help you decide which option is the best fit for your trip.
Location
One of the main advantages of staying on a houseboat is its strategic location. During the jaguar season, houseboats in the Porto Jofre region do not actively navigate; instead, they remain moored at fixed points along the riverbanks, positioned close to the prime jaguar-viewing areas, functioning as a “floating hotel”.
Porto Jofre map – click for larger view
The houseboat we use, Panorâmico, is typically anchored about five minutes by boat from the area known as “Arrombado”, one of the most productive and well-known jaguar areas in the region. While there is, of course, much more territory to explore, Arrombado is often considered the informal “gateway” to the core jaguar habitat and serves as a useful reference point.
By comparison, the land-based hotel is located about 15 to 20 minutes by boat from this zone. This does not mean that jaguars are not seen along the stretch of river between the hotel and the Arrombado — they certainly are, and we often have excellent encounters there, sometimes just minutes from the hotel. However, the majority of our time is typically spent around the Arrombado area and further upriver, where jaguar activity tends to be most concentrated.
Comfort
We work with the best houseboat and the best land-based hotel in the Porto Jofre region, which means that comfort is not a concern in either option. In both cases, rooms are well appointed, featuring private bathrooms and air conditioning.
Houseboat cabin – click for larger view
The hotel naturally offers more space to move around. Guests can enjoy gardens, open areas for walking, and good opportunities to observe and photograph wildlife right on the grounds, including birds and capybaras. There is also a swimming pool and other common areas where you can relax between activities.
The houseboat, by comparison, has fewer open spaces, as expected. That said, the cabins are surprisingly spacious for a boat and are often compared more to a standard hotel room than to a typical vessel cabin. One thing to keep in mind is that a houseboat can occasionally be a bit noisier, with sounds from people moving around and a faint background hum from the generator.
Food
Food quality is excellent at both the houseboat and the land-based hotel, and meals are prepared in a traditional Brazilian style, with a wide selection of fresh, flavorful dishes served at every meal. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are offered in self-service buffet format, allowing guests to choose according to their preferences and appetite.
Both accommodations are well equipped to cater to different dietary needs and restrictions, including vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as gluten-free options. Whenever possible, special dietary requirements can be accommodated at both locations, especially when communicated in advance.
The main difference lies in variety. The land-based hotel, being larger and hosting more guests, typically offers a broader selection of
Houseboat restaurant – click for larger view
dishes at each meal. This allows for a wider rotation of recipes and side dishes throughout the stay. The houseboat, while more limited in space and kitchen capacity, still delivers high-quality, well-prepared meals that meet the expectations of travelers spending long days out on the river.
In short, while the hotel tends to provide more variety, food quality and overall satisfaction are consistently high in both options, and guests are happy in this regardless of where they choose to stay.
Boats
The boats used for daily jaguar photography outings are excellent in both options. They are modern, well maintained, and designed specifically for long hours on the river. All boats are spacious and comfortable, with cushioned seats, reliable shade, and new, modern engines that allow for quiet navigation and quick repositioning when needed.
Typical boat used in Porto Jofre – click for larger view
Just as important as the boats themselves are the drivers and guides. In both cases, they are highly experienced, know the rivers intimately, and are among the best at spotting wildlife and positioning the boat for photography.
All boats are equipped with radios for communication on the river. The boats operating from the hotel, however, have a small additional advantage: besides using the standard analog radio frequency shared by all boats in the region (including those from houseboats), they also have access to a high-quality digital radio system that allows communication exclusively among the hotel’s fleet, which is relatively large.
Is this an advantage in favor of the hotel? Slightly, yes. The private digital network can sometimes mean faster internal communication and quicker responses to jaguar sightings within the hotel’s group. That said, both options are very effective on the water and deliver consistently strong jaguar encounters.
In the end, choosing between a houseboat and a hotel in the Porto Jofre area comes down to personal preference rather than right or wrong. Both options offer excellent jaguar viewing, comfortable accommodations, good food, and well-equipped boats. Whether you value being permanently positioned closer to the core jaguar areas, or prefer more space and amenities on land, either choice can deliver an outstanding Pantanal experience. What matters most is being in Porto Jofre at the right time of year, with a solid operation and a well-planned itinerary — the jaguars will do the rest.
