Jardim, MS: the town where the Rio da Prata and the macaw sinkhole are

Where it is and why it matters

Jardim is a municipality in south-western Mato Grosso do Sul, next to Bonito, in the same Serra da Bodoquena. The confusion over names has a practical cause: the hotels and tour desks are in Bonito, but several of the most sought-after attractions are in Jardim — and visitors, who buy everything in Bonito, do not always notice they crossed the boundary.

For anyone planning, that information is gold. The Jardim attractions lie in the same direction and can be grouped into one day, saving hours of driving that would otherwise be spent going back and forth to Bonito between them.

What there is in Jardim

• Rio da Prata: the longest float in the region, with a forest trail before the water.
• Buraco das Araras: a giant sinkhole with a colony of red-and-green macaws, seen from viewpoints.
• Lagoa Misteriosa: a flooded sinkhole with snorkelling, a zipline and technical diving.
• River stretches and swimming spots with simpler facilities and fewer people.

The geography behind the attractions

Jardim sits on the same limestone system of the Serra da Bodoquena that supplies Bonito, and so repeats the same phenomena: clear spring-fed rivers and dolines — the ground collapses that form pits and craters.

The difference is that here the dolines are spectacular. The Buraco das Araras is a dry crater with a bird colony; the Lagoa Misteriosa is a doline that filled with water and whose depth has never been fully measured. Two outcomes of the same geological process, a few kilometres apart.

How to plan the day in Jardim

Order matters. Floats have fixed times and the water is clearest early, before many groups have entered; macaw watching is best at the start of the morning and the end of the afternoon. A well-built day usually runs: float at the first slot, lunch on the route, and the Buraco das Araras late in the afternoon when the birds return.

The classic mistake is leaving the Buraco das Araras for the middle of the day, as a quick stop between two bookings. The sinkhole is still impressive, but the macaws are in the shade and the visit delivers half of what it could.

The logistics of a day in Jardim

The attractions lie on rural roads, at distances ranging from a few to a few dozen kilometres from one another. Travelling between them takes longer than the map suggests, because much of it is on dirt.

So a realistic itinerary is two attractions a day with room to spare — not three. Anyone trying three usually arrives late at the last one and misses exactly the hour that mattered.

When to go

From May to September, in the dry season, the water is clearer and the dirt roads firmer — the most predictable period for floats. From December to March it rains more, the heat favours swimming and the forest is greener, with a higher risk of a cloudy river. The Buraco das Araras works all year and does not depend on rain.

Frequently asked questions

Should I stay in Jardim or in Bonito?

Hotels, restaurants and tour desks are concentrated in Bonito, and most itineraries run from there. Jardim works well as a day trip.

Do I need a car?

The attractions are rural, on roads outside town. Without your own car, transport depends on what you arrange with the activity.

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