Visit to Chapada Diamantina national park, Bahia's natural gem

Explore the incredible caves and waterfalls of Chapada Diamantina

Walking is definitely the best way to visit one of the continent’s largest natural parks as the best sites are not accessible by road.

 Even if you are not an avid climber or hiker, it is very much possible to see the natural wonders of this region.

Brazil Selection have curated a set of excursions that present the best of the Chapada Diamantina without forcing you to travel long distances. The tours we offer require little physical effort and allow you to follow the ancient tracks of the “garimpeiros“, or gem hunters, accompanied by a local guide.

During these excursions you will come across a large variety of wild species which live in the various habitats (savanna, dry forest, rainforest) contained within the mountainous region and in the local canyons known as “chapadas”. These geological formations are characterized by their appearance; steep sided mountains with flat summits made up of large rocky plateaus and covered in low vegetation. The valleys shelter denser forests and in the most shady, humid areas, the incredible diversity of a tropical forest is found.

A stunning landscape with waterfalls such as the spectacular “Cachoeira da Fumaça,” the second highest in Brazil at 340m ! You can go on a beautiful day trip leaving from the Capão valley, on a descent of about 500m. (It takes around 4hrs walk for the round trip and 2hrs by car). In our 4 day package, we offer an excursion to the highest point of the waterfalls to admire a breathtaking view of the valley and waterfall below.

In our series of spectacular panoramic walks, there is also the excursion to the top of the Morro do Pai Inácio included in the package. This excursion is a good chance to catch the stunning sunset over the valley. From this extraordinary panorama, you can admire the full view of the Chapada in vibrant shades of orange and pink.

The wonders of nature at Chapada Diamantina

Thanks to its rugged landscapes, valleys and its biomass, The Chapada Diamantina collects a large quantity of water during the rainy season from October to April.

With dozens of rivers that flow into the valleys it plays a key role as a reservoir for a large part of Bahia state.
For visitors, the attraction is the multitude of waterfalls, streams, pools and other reservoirs creating lots of amazing places to explore.

Included in our package are some of the must see attaractions. At the Serrano river you will discover the multi – coloured cave formed by the erosion of the surrounding sandstone, and also a small crystalline waterfall and the Spring cascade.
You will also visit the vast Lapa Doce cave where mysterious animals seem to come alive in the immense formations. You will visit the Mucugezinho river that flows into a beautiful 20m high waterfall, the “Devil’s well” (Poço do Diabo) perfect to bathe in. The most surprising and amazing visit has to be the Enchanted Well of Pratinha. You will climb a small ladder to get to an under ground lake of magnificent clear blue water. There is an opening in the rock that lets the sun shine on the water creating an incredible spectacle with the walls decorated with multicoloured arabesques, a breathtaking place !
To finish, you will take a walk to the Mosquito cave. Dominated by the jagged cliffs of the canyons, the rumbling water settles regularly in large natural swimming pools. You can refresh yourself peacefully in these basins whose stones, are of different shades of red.

With this package, you will have seen the essentials of this amazing place and leave with a camera full of impressive pictures and more importantly lots of unforgettable memories of a unique and enchanting wonder of nature.

Lençois: The gateway to the Chapada Diamantina National Park

This region was deserted until they discovered gold here, then diamonds in 1844. These finds triggered a rush of gold and diamond diggers trying to make their fortunes.

This is the era when the small village of Lençois was founded and where we recommend that you stay.

Lençois means “bed sheets” in Portuguese and legend says its name comes from the hundreds of tents that appeared in the valley resembling bed sheets drying in the wind. Thanks to the opulence of the local bourgeoisie who were essentially the diamond mine owners, architectural development was very important in Lençois and the other small towns in the region. They still have well preserved, distinctly colonial buildings as well as multicolored houses and small cobbled streets typical of the 18th century that are well worth a visit.

For almost a century, Lençois and the surrounding region existed alongside the sound of pickaxes striking the stone in the diamond mines. It is important to note that the rest of the area was left intact. Apart from some small peasant villages cultivating coffee, the land went unchanged. After the diamond rush, the region was forgotten; victims of economic decline, the people left and nature took over once again.

It was not until 1973 that the heritage institute classified the region as a National heritage site and stopped all mine works. This pushed Lençois into the tourism industry and in 1985, the Chapada Diamantina National park was created. Until the 1990s this destination remained rather secret and the only visitors were hiking enthusiasts who had contributed to developing this activity in the region.

For the last twenty years however, green tourism has developed in and around Lençois and it now has a good tourist infrastructure to welcome travelers from around the world while still retaining its charm and authenticity. There are professional guides and hotels of all categories as well as craft shops and restaurants. Everything you need to enjoy an excellent holiday!

Chapada Diamantina Tours from Salvador

For now there is only the Azul airline company, flying into the Lençois airport from Salvador de Bahia.

There are only 2 flights a week, Sunday and Thursday. So you can choose to stay for either 3, 4 or 6 nights depending on what you want to do during your stay in this fabulous region.