Getting There
By Plane -- TAM (tel. 0800/570-5700 or 067/4002-5700; www.tam.com.br) and TRIP (tel. 3003-8747 or 0300/789-8747; ww.voetrip.com.br) offer daily flights to Corumbá via Campo Grande. Corumbá's airport is 5km (3 miles) north of downtown on Rua Santos Dumont (tel. 067/231-3322). A taxi to downtown (the best option) costs about R$25.
By Bus -- The bus station is on Rua Porto Carrero (tel. 067/3231-2033) about 3km (2 miles) west of downtown. Andorinha (tel. 067/3231-2033 or 0300/210-3900; www.andorinha.com) has nine buses per day to Campo Grande (approx. 6 hr.). It costs R$82.
Getting Around
Corumbá is so compact you can walk pretty much everywhere in the center of town. There are taxi stands all over town. Taxis can also be hailed on the street, or by calling Taxi Ponto One (tel. 067/3231-4043). Taxis are more expensive than elsewhere in Brazil. A trip from the bus station to downtown costs about R$25.
Visitor Information
The tourist information office, Setur, is on Rua Manuel Cavassa 275 on the waterfront (tel. 067/3232-5221; www.corumba.com.br). Open Monday to Friday noon to 6pm.
Tour Operators in the Corumba Pantanal
Local tour operators can set up all the logistics of your journey, sometimes cheaper than you can do by contacting the lodge directly. It's worthwhile making contact, if only to compare prices. Operators in Corumbá have, in recent years, been eager enough for business to offer serous discounts (Pantur has been offering a two-for-one deal on airfare). Pantur (tel. 067/3231-2000; www.pantur.com.br) offers day tours along the Estrada Parque into the Pantanal, and fishing expeditions along the Paraguay. Perola do Pantanal (tel. 067/3231-1470; www.peroladopantanal.com.br) specializes in multiday fishing expeditions along the Paraguay, but also offers photo safaris along the Estrada Parque. Canaã Viagens e Turismo (tel. 067/3231-3667; www.pantanalcanaa.com.br) also specializes in fishing expeditions, but offers a few eco-tourism options as well. Generally speaking, a 5-day, 4-night eco-tourism adventure includes accommodations at a Pantanal fazenda, horseback-riding trips, and wildlife-watching, and starts at about R$1,400 per person.
City Layout
Corumbá is a small and pretty city, laid out in a perfect grid on a cliff top, overlooking the Pantanal toward the west. The center of the city is a green city square called Praça da Independencia. Bordering the square to the north and south are two of Corumbá's principal streets, the Rua 15 de Novembro and the Rua Frei Mariano. To the west of Praça Independencia, the 2 blocks of Rua Frei Mariano between Rua 13 de Junho and Avenida Rondon make up Corumbá's principal shopping district. North a block along Rua 13 de Junho is another, slightly seedy square called the Praça da República. On the east side of that square is the Museu do Pantanal. Avenida Rondon itself is a wide boulevard running along the edge of the cliff overlooking the Paraguay River and Pantanal. It's a pretty street lined with tall Imperial palms, where Corumbáianos like to stroll in the evening. At the intersection of Rua Frei Mariano and Avenida Rondon, a small street -- Ladeira Jose Bonifacio -- runs steeply downhill to the marina and port area, the Porto Geral. The port is currently about half-renovated; there are a number of outdoor cafes and a few restaurants on the waterfront. It's also the place to find the tourism office and fishing and tour operators.
Fast Facts
Car Rental -- Localiza, Rua Cabral 22064, Centro (tel. 067/3231-6000).
Consulates -- Bolivian consulate, Rua Cabral 1607 (tel. 067/3231-5605).
Currency Exchange & Banks -- Banco do Brasil, Rua 13 de Junho 914 (tel. 067/3231-2686). HSBC, Rua Delamare 1068, has an ATM (tel. 067/3231-5455).
Hospital -- Clinica Prontomed, Rua Major Gama 782 (tel. 067/3231-1301).
Internet Access -- Cyber Point, Rua Major Gama 1387 (tel. 067/3232-4381). Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 11pm; cost is R$8 per hour.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
