Christian Tassin
Santiago de Querétaro (Mexico)

Dear Peter,

sorry for being late in answering, but I have been traveling in Mexico to photograph at the many popular fiestas that are taking place this time of the year. Many thanks for your photos. The ride in the Pantanal was outstanding. I can only say that the whole trip was great, also the rest of the tour, including the visit to the Art Museum in São Paulo, very recomendable.

All the best and if you consider coming to Mexico ......

Christian Tassin
Santiago de Querétaro

Hartmut Portzig
Bern (Switzerland)

Dear Peter,

with great pleasure I think back of our ride through the Pantanal and can only regret that it went by too fast. On Marc´s map you could see how big the Pantanal really is and how much of it we didnt have o chance to visit. My impression was that the Vaqueiros did not think of riding being a sportive activity that would give them lots of fun or that the Fazendeiros would take pride in breeding high performance riding horses, altough one can hardly imagine a better place to ride as the Pantanal. However, there was the overwhelming nature, the friendliness of our hosts and the knowledgeable guides to compensate for those little disadvantages.

I enjoyed this adventure enormously und will recommend it enthusiastically to everyone who wants to know. One must also say that everything what I found in the internet concerning riding in the Pantanal, does not live up to your presentation and does not match the contents of your program. All the best, continuing success with your undertakings and kind regards Hartmut

Helmut Porzig
Bern

Chantal Bottelin
Paris (France)

Peter, as you can notice there is not much criticism to bring to your attention, your choice of the rides and the fazendas is excellent : you chose them as if you were taking your best friends around. We really enjoyed the 2 first vacheiros who were showing us the animals. There is a lot of sensitivity to this trip, good vibrations. I do not believe you will retire in a few years because you already plan for a new trail to the wild Pantanal.
This was really great fun to experience Pantanal with you. Our group was great and I look forward to new ridings with you.

Chantal Bottelin

Marc Framboisier
Paris (France)

Excerpt:

Morning: ride on Fazendas property, 5hs/22kms, helping (vaqueiros) cowboys trailing cattle and watch their lasso work - super interesting.

Afternoon: choice of fishing in the nearby Vazante or tour with 4x4 to watch wildlife with excellent opportunities for photo shooting
Morning: ride on Fazendas property 3hs/15kms, return to celebrate Dois birthday with barbecued lamb and roasted pig as appetizers, spilled down with Whisky

Afternnon another 4x4 jeep ride to watch wildlife
Morning: Full day ride Baia dos Padres to Refuge. Departure at sunrise. Total riding time 5.15hs/42kms, including 2 very welcomed breaks

Morning:Refuge- Barra Mansa: 3h15/15km - Afternoon: Canoe ride on the Rio Negro river - SUPER

Barra Mansa : Morning ride with new set of horses 4h30/19km
Afternoon : Rio Negro canoe ride downstream Rio Negro: superb, the B. Mansa staff took us on a traktor in direction upstream Rio Negro so that we could glide downstream in total silence, just using the current and ocosionally paddling for correction of the course. Without the noise of an engine we could easily observe many waterbirds and mammals: unforgettable. With the canoe we managed to get as close as 2-3 meters to the animals on the river banks, including families of cabiparas and also huge caymans, they didnt even take notice of us.

Morning:another ride of 3h10/14km - and returnflight with the chartered plane to Campo Grande.

Marc Framboisier

Joan Warren

Hi Peter,

I am sorry to be slow in getting back to you.  As you know, I had to leave for a business trip a couple of days after returning from Brazil. Now that I am back home,  I am delighted to give you a report from my travel to the Pantanal.  In short, it was fabulous. 

You know the Pantanal well so I do not need to tell you what a special place it is. We were able to see a vast range of animals, including an ocelot eating an egret and my 14 year old son saw an anaconda consuming a coati.  We also had a good time going out with the cowboys and tending to the cattle. 

The trip was an easy one, largely because Sergio was such a helpful guide.  I know that this is the first time that Sergio has worked for you.  Rest assured that you have found a good guide.  Sergio is very responsible and  knowledgeable about the Pantanal.  His English is quite good.  Moreover, he is a kind, relaxed man who was interesting to talk with during our trip.  He made sure that we were safe and happy.  He was especially nice to my son, talking with him and playing cards with both of us.

Our stay at Pedras Bay was great.  The dona, Rita, is very warm and hospitable.  She made every effort to make our stay as comfortable as possible.  She even arranged for Dito, a cowboy from another farm, to travel with us for the week.  Dito was great- funny and very kind to my  son.  He even gave him lessons on how to use a lariat.  We were well cared for the entire trip.
The trip was perfect for my son because he is passionate about horses.  Even though I do not share his passion, I too enjoyed the trip. 

I was impressed with the entire trip and will be glad to serve as a reference for any potential clients.  My son had such a good time, he asked me to send you the attached file.  You are welcome to put something on the WEB too.

I hope that this information is of use to you.  Please let me know if you have questions. 

Many thanks,

Joan

Max Warren (14)

When my mom and I went to the Pantanal we saw so many different animals.

What I like about the Pantanal is its terrain. There is a dry and wet season. We went when it was turning into dry season so there was still wet land and with more dry land every day.

Our trip to the Pantanal was based on horseback riding. If you love horseback riding this would be a great place for you. I have been riding for 10 years and I’ve never had so much fun on a horse before. I am 14 years old now. On horseback we explored the area. We went through marsh waters on horseback because sometimes there was no other way. I loved that part of the trip.

Working with the cowboys was so much fun! My mom and I got to go and herd cattle with them. There were 700 cattle and only eight people to hold them together! We had to go through the marsh water with the cattle. The interesting part of the trip was when the cowboys treated the calves. The umbilical cords were infected, so the cowboys had to lasso the calves, treat the umbilical cord, and cut the ear to mark it was a male or female. Some of the mother cows would get mad when their baby was lassoed. So they would try to get charge the cowboys. That was breath-taking!

This trip and experience was a blast!

Perrine Verniau
Paris (France)

Dear Peter,

I wanted to thank you again for this great week in the Pantanal. You asked for us to give you ideas for improvement but honestly it was just perfect this way!!!

We left each other pretty quickly at the airport, it was such a rush, I was the person to get into the plane for Fortaleza and yes my bag followed up to Fortaleza!!!

I spend such a good time over there too. I wanted to go to Jericaquara and some other places that were so beautiful. But there is so much left to see, that for sure i'll come back to this great country! I want to discover Bahia, Rio and Amazonia, wel, I have another trip in mind!!

My parents are so ready to discover your country as well. I am going to give your contact, and I believe my mother will get in touch with you to organize that!!!

Perrine Verniau

Delphine Chatellier
Paris (France)

Hello Peter,

I arrived in France on Monday, but I did'nt see my luggage.
I received it at home,  a few days later.

I really enjoyed the horse trail. The horses were very nice and easy to ride. The hosts at  the fazendas were very friendly.
Fauna, birds and mammals were beautiful.

In summary, I will recommend this trail to friends, I would love to see the CD photo if you come in Paris.

Delphine Chatellier

Myriam Comte
Paris (France)

Hello Peter,

I have just arrived from London, and I am very happy to find your mail and the beautiful pictures. (Thank you)

As you know, after Pantanal, I was traveling in Sao Paulo, Iguazu falls and Costa Verde (Parati included). Pantanal had been the most interesting and charming place of my trip in Brazil.

I loved every thing, beauty of the landscape, atmosphere of the riding horse, and the marvelous animals, mainly birds. I did not have seen so many and different beautiful birds. The nice cowboys and their cattle work, the kind and the safe horses....

Myriam Comte

Billie Grether
Basle (Switzerland)

A libertade me falta....
(It is the freedom that I am missing…)

All started when I punched my favorite passions “Brazil+Riding” into the search engines and Peters website came up. It sounded all very tantalizing but I needed a push to convince myself to go on an organized tour. We e-mailed back and forth and even telephoned a couple of time. Was supposed to be a 2 weeks journey ended up to be an extensive riding adventure  in both regions the Brazilian Pantanal and the highlands of Santa Catarina and I got more that I had hoped for.

I appreciated the beautiful landscape of the São Joaquim National Park, die overwhelming hospitality of our hosts Elvio and his wife Rosi, Hilarios friendliness, despite his tough work, the patience everybody had with me, the early morning Camargo, better than any Italian Capuchino, the unbelievable meals Rosi put on the table and, of course, the rides cattle drives with Elvio and team.

My next venture would take me to an outlet where I was supposed to learn something about the “Doma Racional“  but did not live up to my expectations. It but  showed me the another side of Brazil instead. I really missed the simplicity and cordiality of Elvio and his wife.

So was I looking forward to my next destination, which was the world largest wetland, the Brazilian Pantanal. The 3 weeks stay there did touch me, I must admit.  Ritas ranch is just gorgeous.  I soon changed my delicately decorated and air conditioned room with the hammocks under the giant Mango trees, which enabled me not only to watch the miraculous sun downs and sun rises, but I did also enjoy at closest possible distance, the hilarious morning concert of all the hundreds of birds species, for which the region is well known. I did find the most appropriate comments on the birds of the Pantanal  with the pictures of Manoel de Barros: to find the blue I use the birds !  Everyday I made new discoveries in this environment with bustling wildlife and vegetation. I rode with the peões, the Brazilian cowboys who´s tough job I became to respect. I loved to ride after the calves to help to bring em in for treatment. My biggest success was when Tião said “ today you really did gallop a lot”.

I went with Rita and Negão on a trail to the Rio Negro for a week. On a neighboring  fazenda  I was introduced to an educational project called “Escola Pantaneira”  aimed to grant basic education to the children of the peões,  who otherwise and mainly because of the distances and climatic conditions of the Pantanal, would have difficulties to go to school at all.  

Rita was an excellent host, explaining this unique environment,  pampered  me, while I enjoyed life in the saddle and my personal freedom on this beautiful spot called Pantanal. Peter rode with me and my friend on the last part of the trail. Like in São Joaquim did I enjoy his esprit and charm and first of all, his deep knowledge of Brazil and many other issues.

I will never forget when we rode together through the night. Suddenly we were embedded in a sea of stars, cormorants flying in front of us as being on a string and far ahead the light of  the Barra guiding us home.

Thanks Peter for everything, your way, your openness and human warmth, the super organization of this unique travel adventure. I want to come back.

Billie Grether

Domenico Piolanti
Forli (Italy)

Dear Peter,

I have received today, from Cheval d´Áventure, the CD with the wonderful photos you made in the Pantanal. My wife, an enthusiast for photos of all kind, engaged in effusive comments and compliments. While watching on the screen I relived the unforgettable experiences and emotions of that trip. I hope you are well and you do find full satisfaction with the tours you organize. Thank you again and all the best.

Caro Peter,

ho ricevuto oggi, da Cheval d'Aventure, il CD con le meravigliose foto che tu hai fatto nel Pantanal. Le ho appena viste con mia moglie, appassionata di foto, e i complimenti si sono sprecati. Ho rivissuto, guardandole, le emozioni e le sensazioni di quei giorni indimenticabili. Sono stato a cavallo, in settembre-ottobre 2007, in un ranch nel Wyoming con amici e mi è stata fatta la foto che ti invio ( avevi ragione, io e Giuliano Gemma abbiamo punti in comune...... ).

Spero che tu stia bene e che tragga, dai viaggi che organizzi, tante soddisfazioni. Ancora grazie e tanti saluti.

Deirdre Silver
New York (USA)

Thanks so much for great trip. It felt likestepping back in time. So fascinating to see the cowboys work with the exotic cattle surrounded by wildlife and wide open spaces. Very interesting and different.

All the best,
Deidre

Ricardo and Carry Chama

Peter,

Hope you're doing well. I miss being in Brazil right now. It was one the most memorable experiences I had in a long time. Thanks for everything you've done for us.

I'm finishing editing the videos. If you are interested in getting a copy, I'll send them to you when my cousin - who travels often to Rio- can get them to you.

Ricardo and Carry Chama

Raquel Goldhardt and Brad Rosen
Santa Monica, CA (USA)

Once again I would like to thank you for everything.
It was definitely the best of all the tours that Brad and myself did in Brazil.

Janis A. Riven
Toronto (Canada)

Jennifer and I arrived back from our trip to the Pantanal and Rio not only safe and sound, but enriched by a remarkable journey. I would like to tell you a little bit about our experience, so that you will consider recommending this trip to your clients, and perhaps even trying it yourself.

We were greeted at the airport by Peter Rohmer and a young university student who was our driver to the airfield outside of Campo Grande to pick up our air taxi to the ranch. Despite our 20 hours in transit, Peter made us feel relaxed, welcomed and in safe hands. The air taxi was ready and waiting and we had a smooth flight to the ranch. Rita and a gaggle of lovely young children were our greeting party as we taxied down the grass strip runway, and we were ushered like royalty to our simple, but clean, fresh and functional bedroom with private bathroom off the main salon. We relaxed on the front gallery and 'decompressed' with very relaxed conversation with Rita, visiting friends, Peter and Ronny, the air taxi pilot. Peter would translate the important stuff, but mainly he was good at letting us acclimatize our ears to Portuguese - we were there to learn as much as we could about everything!

Lunch was the first of all the delicious meals we were to have, both at Rita's and then at the Pouso Alto. All meals were highlighted by local cuisine, the most delicious meat I have ever tasted, home made breads, beignets and rolls, exotic fruits and vegetables, home made cheeses, compotes, and cane fudge and caramel sauces. During our trip we were treated to fresh piranha, caiman, suckling pig, a BBQ of the hump of the Asian cow, and many other delicacies local to the country and the Pantanal.

After a walk to help digest and start to learn about the magnificent birds and wildlife, we went on a short ride to test our riding legs. Ryan, the Pantanero horses are wonderful. I am not an experienced or natural rider. Yet the horses and the saddles are made for comfort and security. I have never felt more safe or confident on a horse - and there were many changes of horse during the trip. They are all very calm and surefooted. While some are bumpy on the trot, they all have fast, smooth walks and very smooth cantor. We were able to ride over 10 hours on the first full day, and be ready for a sunrise start the next day!

We were always escorted by at least one ranch hand, as well as Peter, and often there would be an additional escort to ensure we were well guided to the various destinations. Another remarkable aspect of Peter's advance planning was that each day of riding found us at a shady shelter, either a beautiful natural shelter or a ranch, when it was time for lunch/siesta. All the people we met during our trip through the Pantanal were very gentle and friendly. Even though no one could speak any English, we were all keen to communicate and we always found delightful ways to do so.

Our hosts, Rita and then Fernando, treated us like visiting friends rather than paying guests. They were kind and attentive hosts. Special experiences were Fernando arranging a spur of the moment night safari - there was a full moon - because Ronny, the pilot, insisted he could find us a jaguar in the dark. And he did! (I think). But nothing will erase the memory of the millions of glitters reflecting off the large ponds - the unwinking yellow eyes of the caiman - or the light-frozen capybara willing us to pass on our noisy journey across the moonlit savanna. Or Rita finding out that Jennifer loved fishing - instantly a truck with a driver was at her disposal - again, escorted by Ronny, the pilot, who is a skilled hunter and delightful card player, Jen caught the biggest and the smallest piranha, and even gained enough confidence to go swimming in the cool ponds.

The fact that the fazenda includes a boarding school for 30 Pantanero children who Rita supports from her own pocket, provided an additional aspect to our time there. The children provide another element - a rich and intense source of discovery about Pantaneran social and economic issues - as well as a delightful environment of laughter and soft voices to add to the symphony of the birds.

I could write a travelogue, and perhaps I may, about the Pantanal. When I consider the enormous distances, the uncertain communication lines, power outages, and the general chaotic and off-handed nature of Brazilians towards tourism, I am only beginning to realize the amount of patience and organization, and attention to detail required by Peter to make our trip so successful. He is an intelligent guide and sensitive to the quirks and personalities of his clients. He was flexible and adept at changing course when he got to know our particular tastes and interests. The time in Rio was great. The hotel beautiful - right on Copacabana beach - we went to non-tourist places for meals and entertainment - in a painfully too short period of time, thanks to Peter, we got a very tantalizing taste of Rio.

Eric, both Jennifer and I would be happy to provide references to any of your clients who may be considering a trip to the Pantanal, or feel free to use any of my foregoing remarks.

Thank you for helping organize this extraordinary experience.