See ten incredible national parks to visit in Brazil – 05/10/2023 – Tourism

Brazil has 74 national parks which, since the 1930s, have played a fundamental role in preserving local ecosystems. Those open to visitors —some have access restricted to researchers— offer a unique opportunity to get in touch with nature in its raw state.

In the fourth chapter of the series of reports on one hundred unmissable places in Brazil, Folha presents a selection of ten national parks that mix scenic beauty, historical richness and biodiversity. Check below:

Jaú (AM)

The visit to the second largest national park, in the heart of the Amazon, takes place aboard the voadeiras, small boats that depart from the cities of Manaus or Novo Airão and travel through the warm, dark and mirrored waters of the three rivers in the park. Attractions include freshwater beaches (dry season, from September to February), water trails (in flood season, between March and August), waterfalls and kapok, the largest and oldest trees in the Amazon rainforest. Admission is free, but it needs to be previously authorized by ICMBio (environmental conservation agency).

Lençóis Maranhenses (MA)

The rains that fall on the coast of Maranhão between February and May accumulate on the sands of the largest dune park in the country, forming lakes of warm, crystalline water that make the place one of the most popular — and Instagrammed — destinations in the country. As the drought undermines the lakes, the best time to go is from May to August. The park does not charge admission, but to visit it, you need to hire an accredited driver in the cities neighboring the park, such as Santo Amaro do Maranhão (262 km from São Luís) and Barreirinhas (183 km from Parnaíba airport, in Piauí).

Fernando de Noronha (PE)

Unwary people can get frustrated with the rules that govern the island of Fernando de Noronha, which has 70% of its territory within the limits of the marine national park. To access these areas, in addition to a hefty ticket (R$179 for Brazilians), it is usually necessary to queue to get a spot (the number of visitors per day is limited) and to hire a guide. Even so, one or the other attraction may be closed. But, when putting on the snorkel and looking underwater, everything makes sense: the rules allow the tourist to have contact with a practically untouched ecosystem, with fauna that includes sharks, turtles and even dolphins.

Chapada das Mesas (MA)

The interior of Maranhão has large rocky plateaus, such as Morro do Chapéu, which look like large stone tables on the horizon —which give the park its name and offer trails with panoramic views. But the fame of the place really comes from the waterfalls of crystalline waters, which form cinematographic natural pools such as Poço Azul, within the Cachoeira do Rio Cocal Natural Reserve (R$ 70 a ticket), which also guards the Santa Bárbara waterfall, the largest from the park, with a drop of 75 meters.
The main point of support to access the park is the municipality of Carolina, 220 km south of Imperatriz on the BR-010

Serra da Capivara (PI)

The oldest traces of human presence in the Americas, dating back to 50,000 years ago, were found in the caves of this park. There are countless stone artifacts, skeletons and cave paintings that make up more than 1,000 archaeological sites, the largest concentration of its kind on the continent, which placed the park on the list of World Heritage Sites by Unesco. The accompaniment of a guide hired in advance is mandatory.
The main point of support to access the park is the municipality of São Raimundo Nonato (PI), 303 km from Petrolina (PE)

Chapada dos Veadeiros (GO)

One of the oldest and most diverse tropical ecosystems in the world, the cerrado is a refuge for thousands of species in times of climatic fluctuations and is also known as the “cradle of waters”, since, before circulating throughout the continent, the rains that fall there form the more than 2,000 waterfalls cataloged in the park. In 2001, together with the Emas National Park, in Goiás, it was declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.
Access to the park is possible from the municipalities of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Cavalcante, Teresina de Goiás, Nova Roma and São João d’Aliança

Chapada dos Guimaraes (MT)

Just over 60 km from Cuiabá, the city that bears the name of the park is the main gateway to its trails, waterfalls (such as Véu de Noiva, 86 meters high), caves and lookouts —on clearer days, it is possible to sight the capital of Mato Grosso and even the Pantanal plain. Access is free, but some attractions require a guide. Some walks in the surroundings are also worthwhile, such as the Morro dos Ventos Viewpoint and the Aroe Jari and Kiogo Brado caves.

Serra da Canastra (MG)

Less than 100 km from the famous Capitólio (MG), this park is home to the sources of the São Francisco River and its first waterfall, Casca D’anta, with a 186-meter drop and natural pools where you can bathe. A 1.6 km trail allows you to appreciate it from below, while another, more rustic, 3.3 km trail leads to the upper part. Access is free but, on long holidays, it is recommended to schedule a visit on the ICMBio website.
The park gates are close to the municipalities of São José do Barreiro (SP) and São Roque de Minas (MG)

Serra da Bodoquena (MS)

Among the attractions of Bonito (MS) are the trails and waterfalls of this park, an area of ​​Atlantic forest in the middle of the cerrado that is also influenced by the Pantanal —which explains the richness of its biodiversity, which includes jaguars, jaguars, pardas, capuchin monkeys and rivers with super crystalline waters with well-preserved riparian forests. Further north, in the municipality of Bodoquena, a trail of medium difficulty leads to the canyon of the Salobra River, where it is possible to bathe in the middle of walls that reach 80 meters in height. Tickets are free, but you need to hire a guide.

Itatiaia (MG and RJ)

In the Serra da Mantiqueira, between Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, this was the first national park created in Brazil, in 1937. In its lower part, attractions include the Véu da Noiva and Itaporani waterfalls, and natural pools such as Maromba and the Blue Lake. Already in the high part, the mountains and rocky elevations make the trekkers happy. At Pico das Agulhas Negras, with an altitude of 2,791 meters, it even snowed in the 1980s. It is also possible to make crossings with overnight stays, whose itineraries range from 22 to 32 km. Tickets start at R$22 per day.
From the municipality of Itatiaia (RJ), the BR-485 leads to the entrance in the lower part; access to the upper part is via BR-354, 26 km after Engenheiro Passos, partquedoitatiaia.tur.br