Brazil Nature Tour: Chapada dos Veadeiros & Jalapao

Welcome to Brasilia, the futuristic and lively capital of Brazil! On arrival, take our private transfer to your hotel and relax.

Built in the late 1950s as the new capital to speed up inland development of Brazil, Brasilia with innovative urban design and imaginative buildings is well-known in the world as the youngest UNESCO-listed city and a landmark in the history of town planning.

In the morning, with a complete tour of the Federal Capital, you will get a general understanding of the city design, visit some monuments inside, and enjoy enough photography stops.

After lunch at a barbecue restaurant, travel about 230 km (about 3 hours) to Chapada dos Veadeiros.

Formed 1.8 billion years ago, as one of the oldest tropical ecosystems in the world, Chapada dos Veadeiros is famous for its waterfalls, hiking trails, and exotic landscapes.

From the Espaço Infinito farm, walking along the scenic trail passing by the edge of the Raizama canyon, we will arrive at the Vale da Lua (Moon Valley) that is full of crater-like gaps. Mother nature has spent millions of years and trillions of liters of water creating this geographic miracle on the Sao Miguel River, so today we can pretend to be on the moon even without a chance for space travel. A great place for photography and swimming!

Lunch in the late afternoon in Sao Jorge.

Explore some of the noted waterfalls in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park today. Hiking along the trails ascending and descending, we will spot the 120-meter high Saltos do Rio Preto, the most-visited fall and the postcard of Chapada. Not far from it is Garimpao with a drop of 80 meters. It is nice to swim in its crystal-clear pool with fish. On the way back from the walk, enjoy another bath in the natural hydromassage of Pedreiras.

After breakfast, we will travel 57 km west to visit one of the most impressive complexes in Chapada, the Cataratas dos Couros. After 1.5 hours' drive, walk about 1.5 km along the Rio dos Couros, where the river falls into a large canyon with approximately 300 meters of unevenness and creates a series of waterfalls and pools. Descend along with one of the river banks until a part of the drop, where it is possible to see the falls above and below.

This morning, we will travel 8 km to the waterfalls of Loquinhas. Walk 1.5 km along the suspended wooden walkway in the gallery forest and visit seven turquoise pools and some small cascades.

Return to the inn at 11:30 am, check-out, have farewell lunch in Alto Paraiso and then travel 375 km (about 5 hours) to Pirenópolis.

Climb to Serra dos Pireneus with a stop at Mirante do Ventilador, 1,150 meters high, for commanding views of the city and the local geography. Afterwards, visit the Vargem Grande Reserve, where along the trails under cerrado and woodland fields, three waterfalls wait for your appreciation. Later on, visit Parque dos Pireneus, stopping at relevant points of the purest savannah and rock formations, such as Vila dos Becos, and ending at the highest point in the region, Pico dos Pyrenees, with 1,400 m of altitude.

Beyond striking waterfalls and purest savanna, Pirenopolis is also known for vintage Portuguese colonial architecture. After breakfast, tour through the Historic Center visiting the main sights of Pirenopolis. Then, visit the national heritage Fazenda Babilonia, a colonial mansion built by slaves at the end of the 18th century, and enjoy a hearty coffee from Goias. This colonial coffee is said to have rescued the Tropeira cuisine of the past century.

Afterwards, depart for Caldas Novas (280 km, about 4 hours on the road).

Free day to enjoy the pools with hydro-thermal waters, a trademark of Caldas Novas. There are 15 thermal pools, 3 covered, temperatures between 38 and 48 degrees, 2 cold water pools, 1 semi-Olympic, 4 hot tubs, 1 covered, 1 children's pool, 2 natural saunas, slides, showers, 4 swim-up bars and whirlpool. Lunch is included at the hotel.

After breakfast, take a 2-hour road transfer to Goiania Airport for your flight to Palmas, the capital of Tocantins state that was built in 1989 to foster regional development in central Brazil.

Arrive in Palmas with airport reception and transfer to your accommodation.

Depart towards Jalapao with 180 km to Ponte Alta, where the asphalt ends and the dirt road starts. It is also the last place on the way you can buy sunscreen, repellent, etc.

After lunch at Ponte Alta, continue the journey to Suçuapara Canyon for a refreshing walk (about 400 meters for round trip) through the water and over rocks, and then to the mysterious Serra da Muriçoca by crossing the sources of the Vermelho River. At the top of the mountain, enjoy the whole immensity of Jalapão and identify the Serra da Jalapinha, the Serra do Espírito Santo and further on the horizon Serra Geral da Bahia.

Late in the day, arrival at Safari Camp Korubo (120 km on a dirt road) located on the banks of the Novo river, where the guide and employees will present and give tips about the day to day at the camp. After a welcome drink, dinner will be served.

The early birds can go to the Safari Camp Viewpoint to enjoy the magnificent sunrise behind Serra do Espirito Santo. It is also possible to use the terrestrial telescope to see the mountains around the camp and the cliffs that form Jalapao Dunes.

After a delicious breakfast on the river bank and detailed instructions of the canoeing, descend the Novo River to enjoy its wild nature (about one hour - easy level). Later on, return to the safari camp for lunch.

In the afternoon, after a well-deserved rest, set off for a trip to the dunes with a brief stop en route for photos of Rio Novo and its rapids. The dunes are formed by golden-colored sands and surrounded by immense plateaus, paths, and lakes, forming a surreal and vibrant natural look with gigantic cliffs that change color according to the light.

Today's first stop is the Fervedouro and Formiga waterfall, a small but powerful cascade with emerald plunge pool. Due to the pressure of the water that is born, it is impossible to sink.

Next, we will cross the Vale do Rio Preto between the Serras do Meio and Espírito Santo. The route is rich in visuals and will invite travelers to stand at the windows and viewpoints of vehicles to feel the fresh air, enjoy the scenery, and take pictures. Arrive at Fervedouro do Soninho - Korubo exclusivity with another 75km travel on a dirt road. Here, you may take a bath in the waters of the Sono River, where cold water contrasts with the warm water from the Fervedouro.

Later on, depart towards Cachoeira da Formiga (15 km on a dirt road), a drop that forms a natural pool of crystalline waters and emerald green, and then Mateiros (25 km on a dirt road) where your cell phone will recollect the signal and you can buy golden grass crafts, ice cream, etc.

Early in the morning, depart for the Serra do Espirito Santo Viewpoint Trail (24 km on a dirt road). This wild and mysterious place provides a panoramic view of the entire region of Jalapao from where we can also get a sense of how the famous dunes are formed through water forces. The 8km medium level hike will be with great physical wear and only recommended for those who are in good health and do regular physical activities.

After the tour, return to the safari camp for lunch. The afternoon will be free to enjoy the camp or anyone who wants can go for a light walk nearby.

After breakfast, visit the Cachoeira da Velha (70 km on a dirt road). With its imposing horseshoe-shaped falls, it is the largest in Jalapão. After that, we will reach the beach of Cachoeira, an extremely pleasant and shaded place with shallow and crystal-clear water. After lunch, return to Palmas. Arrival at the hotel and overnight in Palmas.

Morning at leisure until being transferred to the airport.