WATERFALLS TRAIL

Fundão Waterfall

Bárbaros Waterfal

Bárbaros Waterfal

Overview

This tour will take you trekking for five days through the unique Cerrado vegetation in Serra da Canastra, Brazil. This vegetation is only now growing in importance among national and international scientists and is starting to have the prime support for conservation from strong NGOs, such as WWF and Conservation International. It is one of the most important biodiversities on the planet, with thousands of fauna and flora species that are unique to the Cerrado. Our trekking will take you along the north face of Serra da Canastra and into the National Park and will present you to the many wonders of this enchanting area: from the open grasslands, to the lush valley forests and from high rocky outcrops to winding rivers and secluded springs and waterfalls. The National Park of Serra da Canastra was created in 1972 to preserve the Cerrado vegetation, but also its abundant water sources, springs and rivers, especially the source of the São Francisco River, which runs for almost 3000 km before reaching the Atlantic ocean. Serra da Canastra is recommended by the BBC wildlife magazine as one of the best places to visit in Brazil for wildlife; it is an area for spotting animals that are particular to the Cerrado, such as the giant anteater, the maned wolf, emus, as well as many endemic species of birds and the rare Brazilian Merganser which is under threat of extinction.

Ancient Cave paintings

Bonfire festivities in São João Batista

Trekking/Córrego Fundo Waterfall

This place to place trekking holiday through the Cerrado vegetation and the rural area of Serra da Canastra will take you to nine different waterfalls (as well as many pools, rivers and streams). We’ll go canyoning to reach the upper part of the spectacular hidden Parida Waterfall and will visit a concealed spot where some ancient cave paintings have survived, tucked away in this quiet spot for thousands of years. We’ll camp in remote places found at the intersection between rural areas and Serra da Canastra National Park, before reaching the small village of São João Batista da Serra da Canastra located at 1200 m high and next to one of the park’s entrance.

Top of Casca D’Anta Waterfall

Casca D’Anta Waterfall

Giant Anteater

On this trekking holiday you will be able to see and learn about the Cerrado fauna and flora that is unique to Brazil, with Serra da Canastra National Park consisting of one of its most important conservation examples in the country. See the contrasts of rolling open plains, high rocky outcrops, and low-lying dense patches of forests that surround water sources. We will camp next to rivers and waterfalls and cook our dinner in open campfires, while gazing at the starry sky and listening to the sound of the waters. We will meet with many local people and farmers and be welcomed into their culture reality as we enjoy their time honored way of life and learn a bit about their customs. Our days of trekking will finish with a trip into the interior of Serra da Canastra National Park to visit the emblematic São Francisco River before its first fall: the Casca D’Anta Waterfall. There we will savor its many delicious natural pools before we take a challenging walk down the cliff to see its magnificent 180m waterfall!

Rural farmhouse

Oxen cart pulling sugarcane

Barreiro Park Land

You start and finish your trip by staying in a beautiful hotel in the lush parkland of Barreiro in Araxá, where you will have the opportunity to sample the renowned thermal spa of the nationally famous Grande Hotel (courtesy of a complimentary voucher from us!). In Barreiro you can also go for a walk round the parkland, go horse riding or kayaking, relax by the hotel pool, or take a 10 min. bus trip and explore the town of Araxá.

For those that relish the chance to visit and travel in areas off-the-beaten-track and sample different culture then the rural inland area of Minas Gerais will be a real treat. This area has yet to be infiltrated by tourism and as such the places that you will visit and the people you will meet will present you with a rural way of life that has changed little over many generations. The welcome is warm, the life slow-paced, and the farming traditional. The intimate contact and time sharing with people and nature of Serra da Canastra created by this trekking tour is a responsible way of making our journey truly sustainable for the environment and its surrounding people.

To find out more please download the detailed itinerary, or contact us by email on info@refreshecotours.com

Please read our important information before making a booking.