Bonito, MS without a car: how visitors actually get around

Bonito is one of the few nature destinations in Brazil that works properly without a car, and the reason is the same voucher system that catches visitors out in other ways.

Because every attraction is sold through an agency, transport to it is a normal part of what agencies arrange. Shared transfers run to the main properties, pick up at accommodation in town, and are built around the entry times on the vouchers. That is not a workaround for people without cars; it is how a large share of visitors get around.

So the honest answer is that a car is convenient rather than necessary, and the decision is about flexibility and money rather than about whether the trip is possible.

What works without a car

• The main attractions, which all have transfer options arranged through agencies.
• The town itself, which is small enough to walk end to end.
• Arriving and leaving, with coach services and shared transfers on the Campo Grande route.
• Evening meals, since the restaurants are concentrated in the centre.

What a car actually buys you

Freedom of timing, mostly. With a car you can leave for a trail at first light, stop at a river beach on the way back, and visit the attractions that are too far out to justify a shared transfer. Groups of three or four also find it cheaper than paying per seat for every transfer.

What it does not buy you is access to attractions themselves. The voucher still has to come from an agency and the entry time is still fixed, so the car changes the journey rather than the booking.

The roads, if you do drive

Paved roads connect the town to the main routes, and the last stretch to many properties is unpaved farm road. A standard car handles those in normal conditions. After heavy rain they turn slippery, and that is the moment to ask locally rather than to trust a map.

Fuel and services are in town, not along the way. Leave with a full tank for the attractions that are an hour out, because there is nothing between.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to hire a car in Bonito?

No. Transfers to the attractions are arranged through the same agencies that sell the vouchers, and they pick up at accommodation in town. A car adds flexibility and can be cheaper for a group of three or four, but the trip works properly without one.

Is there public transport to the attractions?

Not in the sense of a bus route you can turn up for. The properties are private and spread across farm roads, and the transport that serves them is the shared transfer arranged with your booking. Plan the transport at the same time as the voucher, not afterwards.

Can I just take a taxi to an attraction?

For the closer ones it is possible, but it is rarely the better option: the attraction takes several hours and the driver either waits or you arrange a return. The shared transfer is built around the entry time on the voucher, which is the part that actually has to line up.

How do I get from Campo Grande airport to Bonito without a car?

Shared transfers and coach services run the route, which is around 300 km and takes roughly four hours by car. Book it alongside the first night rather than on arrival, and leave margin before any attraction booked for the following morning.

Written by: Adriano Habermann Last updated: October 12, 2026