Cuiabá's main function for most travellers is as a base for excursions into the surrounding wilderness. The Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimarães are the two big destinations, both within striking distance.
Chapada dos Guimarães lies about 65 km northeast of Cuiabá. This sandstone plateau is dramatic: red cliffs, deep canyon valleys, waterfalls, and the Véu de Noiva (Bridal Veil) cascade that drops 86 metres into the forest. The town of Chapada dos Guimarães itself is a pleasant base with some good restaurants and guesthouses. Day trips are easy by car or organised tour.
The Pantanal stretches south of Cuiabá along the Transpantaneira highway, which begins at the town of Poconé (about 100 km south). This raised dirt road crosses 122 wooden bridges and runs through some of the most wildlife-rich terrain in South America — caimans sunbathe on the banks of every pool, capybaras graze along the verges, and jabiru storks nest in the treetops. Guided lodge stays are the recommended way to experience it; most lodges arrange transfers from Cuiabá.