Choice guide
Rio da Prata, Estância Mimosa or Lagoa Misteriosa: which experience fits you?
A welcoming guide to understanding the differences between three nature experiences in Bonito and Jardim and how each one can complement your trip.
Floating among fish, spending the day among waterfalls, or contemplating a deep blue that seems endless: Bonito and Jardim bring together very different experiences. This guide helps you understand the profile of Rio da Prata, Estância Mimosa and Lagoa Misteriosa so you can choose your first visit with more clarity.
Rio da Prata: for those who dream of floating among fish
For many travelers, the first big wish when visiting Bonito and Jardim is to experience the region’s famous floating tours in crystal-clear water. At Rio da Prata, that expectation becomes an immersive experience, guided by a gentle current and surrounded by underwater gardens and a remarkable variety of fish.
The portal presents it as the most complete floating experience in the Bonito, MS region. Along the route, species such as piraputangas, dourados, curimbatás, piaus and matogrossinhos make the underwater scenery the true highlight. Rather than simply observing nature from outside, the feeling is of becoming part of it for a while.
It is also a strong choice for travelers who value structure, close guidance and the atmosphere of a working farm that extends the experience beyond the river itself. On the same property, Rio da Prata can also be combined with Lagoa Misteriosa on the same day, depending on schedules and availability.
Estância Mimosa: for those who want trails, waterfalls and swims
If your idea of a day in nature includes walking, stopping for several swims and discovering new scenery around every bend, Estância Mimosa may be the best match for you. Here, the relationship with water unfolds along the trail that follows the Mimoso River, through riparian forest, natural pools and views framed by the Serra da Bodoquena.
According to the portal, the route includes ten waterfalls and nine swimming stops. That gives the outing its own rhythm: a day measured more by dips in the water and contemplative pauses than by the clock. Each stop invites you back into the water, and the trail itself is an essential part of the charm.
Beyond the waterfalls, the visit includes the farm atmosphere, regional gastronomy and the living character of the place, where sustainability and conservation appear as part of everyday practice. It is especially appealing to travelers who enjoy gentle hiking and a variety of landscapes within the same day.
Lagoa Misteriosa: for those who want to discover the depth of blue
Some travelers are looking not just for an activity, but for a feeling that is hard to compare with anything else. Lagoa Misteriosa belongs in that category. The attraction is presented as an encounter with deep, serene and enigmatic blue water, where extraordinary transparency changes your very sense of distance.
The portal states that an expedition carried out in 1998 reached 220 meters in depth without seeing the bottom of the cavity. That silent vastness explains the site’s name and the kind of emotion it stirs. During the floating tour, the body stays on the surface while the gaze drifts through shafts of light, small fish and shades of blue that seem endless.
For those who want to go further, the lagoon also offers discovery scuba dives and routes for certified divers, always with specialized guidance. It is especially suited to travelers drawn to mystery, depth and landscapes that impress less through movement and more through sheer scale.
What all three have in common
All three tours share something essential: a commitment to conservation, hospitality and careful visitor experience. On the portal, that connection appears in the perpetually protected private reserves, in sustainability practices and in the ISO 21101-certified safety management systems present at the attractions.
They also share the same travel philosophy: nature not as a distant backdrop, but as a lived experience approached with attention, respect and time to observe.
How to choose based on your travel style
- Choose Rio da Prata if your priority is floating in a crystal-clear river with a strong presence of fish.
- Choose Estância Mimosa if you want to spend the day among trails, waterfalls, natural pools and repeated swims.
- Choose Lagoa Misteriosa if you are most drawn to deep blue water, transparency and a sense of vastness.
- Combine experiences if you want to discover different sides of the destination on the same trip.
- Consider Rio da Prata and Lagoa Misteriosa together if you would like to connect two distinct water-based experiences on the same property, depending on schedules and availability.
- Include Estância Mimosa if you want to balance floating or diving with a day focused on waterfalls and walking.
Useful guidance for a first visit
Rio da Prata and Lagoa Misteriosa are in Jardim; Estância Mimosa is in Bonito.
All three tours are different and can complement one another in your itinerary.
Rio da Prata and Lagoa Misteriosa can be combined on the same day, depending on schedules and availability.
Grupo Rio da Prata does not offer accommodation, so that part of the trip should be arranged separately.
Reservations are issued by accredited local agencies, and the team can help answer questions before you choose your experience.
A choice that can also be complementary
The best choice does not depend on which tour is “better,” but on the kind of memory you want to bring home. Some travelers return thinking about the shoals of fish at Rio da Prata, others hold on to the rhythm of the waterfalls at Estância Mimosa, and others keep remembering the quiet blue of Lagoa Misteriosa.
On a first trip, understanding those differences helps a great deal. At the same time, noticing what connects them reveals something important about the destination: in Bonito and Jardim, nature can be felt in many ways. Explore Grupo Rio da Prata’s tours and discover which ones fit your journey.
Three experiences, different sensations
Each of these tours reveals a different way to experience nature between Bonito and Jardim. Explore them and find out which ones fit your trip.
Explore the tours