Aquidauana, Gateway municipality to Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Aquidauana is a municipality in Mato Grosso do Sul that serves as a gateway to the Pantanal wetlands. The landscape features the Serra de Maracaju mountains and the Aquidauana River, which winds through floodplain areas and creates diverse ecosystems.
The settlement was founded in 1892 by five cattle ranchers and grew from a military post established during the Paraguayan War. It gained status as a formal municipality in 1918.
The Terena people live in several communities across the municipality, maintaining their language, crafts, and ceremonies as part of daily life. Their presence shapes local traditions and gives the region its distinctive character.
The MS 450 highway connects the area to the Piraputanga Park Road and provides access to natural attractions and lodges along river basins. Plan your visit during the dry season from May to October, when river routes and forest trails are more accessible.
Rock carvings left by hunter-gatherers from pre-colonial times are visible throughout the region. These marks provide evidence of early human settlements that existed in this part of Brazil.
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