places to go in the pantanal

Hello fellow travellers! I've only got a limited time to spend in the Pantanal and I would like to know the best places to go and things to do. I have read about the Transpantaneira being the best place to see wildlife in Brazil but its also 1 and a half hours away from Cuiaba. I was wondering if anyone knows of any cheap accomodation near to the transpantaneira or if there is any form of transport from Cuiaba to the Transpantaneira? Thanks!

The transpantaneira connects the little cities Poconé and Porto Jofre.
Take a regular bus from Cuiabà to Poconé or eventually straight to Porto Jofre.
There you can look for a "pousada". The "pousadas" and "fazendas" along the Transpantaneira are very touristic and (very) expensive.
All this "pousadas" are equiped to make the excursions in the Pantanal. The advantage doing like this is that you can discuss the price.

Thanks that was very helpful!

Hi Smilinv,
My opinion is better to visit the southern Pantanal out of Campo Grande. The reason is the following. It is much easier to reach the pousadas or fazendas by your own. In Campo Grande you have the choise going with a low budget operator (almost 40 Euro a day, all included) that will take you from there into the Pantanal and back. There are several low budget operators that have their office in the busstation (rodoviaria) of Campo Grande. If you want I can give you the names and websites. You can contact them in english. Otherwise you can take a regular line bus up to Miranda and from there go to a pousada or fazenda. This is a bit more luxureous. The excursions in the southern Pantanal are the sam as in the northern Pantanal. I was more than 20 times in the southern Pantanal (as I lived in Brasil) and saw almost all the animals and birds living in the Pantanal.
For more info for names and adresses, please mail me again.

thanks!