Chapada Diamantina, Brazil

Wonder: Chapada Diamantina
Country: Brazil
Region: Bahia
Visitable: Yes
About:
The Chapada Diamantina is a mountainous region with beautiful mountains, streams, bubbling waterfalls and natural crystal pools.

Chapada Diamantina National Park or the Brazilian Grand Canyon is just a small part of the Chapada (highlands); it is located approximately 300 kilometers northwest of the Bahia State, Brazil. The park covers an area larger than the Netherlands, an expanse of 38,000 square kilometers stretching as far south as Minas Gerais.

The park contains an extraordinary variety of ecosystems, like Cerrado, Mata Atlantica, and Caatinga, and is the home of many species of plants and animals. In its area you can find different species bromeliads and orchids.

The highest mountains reach 1800m (5,660 feet) and they offer shelter to Jaguatiricas (local breed of feline), mocós (local rodents), deer's and teiús (local reptile finds a privilege ambiance).

The main rivers of the area begin in the hidden rocks of the Chapada. The Paraguaçu and the de Contas rivers cave deep canyons in the hills and planes, creating scenery of divine beauty. The same Rio das Contas will reach the ocean in the city of Itacaré, hundreds of kilometers further.


Also, the park offers diverse landscapes, encompassing swamps, valleys, mountains, spectacular waterfalls (multitude of smaller waterfalls, some of which are ideal for a cooling dip), rivers, mesas, weird and fantastic rock formations aboveground, a system of quartzite caves with crystal clear lakes, underground rivers, every level of walkers, also it is ideal for other activities such as horse riding, mountain biking, climbing, and some of the wildest eco-adventures in Brazil.
Aboveground, you can arrange a tour of the park by bike, off-road, canoe and by foot, as well as by mule and horses. Combine these activities with a swim in a cool waterhole, and you can experience the park in many forms.
Some of the favored swimming holes are Ribeirao do Meio (a 38 meters natural cascade), Sossego waterfall, Cachoeira Fumaça waterfall (or the Smoky Falls where the wind from an enormous canyon blows into a cloud of vapor that can be seen for miles, it is the Brazil’s 2nd highest waterfall (around 400 meters high).
Access to some of underground caves is granted to special groups by the environmental protection agencies and some are open only to highly qualified divers and spelunkers

Some of the best dive spots are: Gruta da Pratinha (descend by natural stairs into a crystal clear lake), Os Impossíveis (a crater shaped with vertical walls, white stalagmites and access to various tunnels), Poço de Milú (a pool with underwater passageways), Poço Encantado, etc.

Poço Encantado is a giant pool of 120 feet deep but the water is so transparent the rocks and ancient tree trunks are visible on the bottom. When the sun is just right, light comes through a crevice and creates a blue reflection on the water. Access to this pond is highly controlled for environmental protection of its rare and delicate ecosystem.

HISTORY

Explorers and adventurers coming from all over Brazil invaded Chapada de la Diamantina in the early 17th century looking for gold and diamonds. At the beginning of the 19th century, two German prospectors discovered a huge vein of diamonds in a region of unusual rock formations, tablelands, subterranean rivers, waterfalls, valleys and mountains called “Morros”.
When word got out, the ensuing diamond rush brought a rush of prospectors, called “garimpeiros” who formed the town of Lençóis as a base for explorations into what is now known as the Chapada Diamantina, or Brazil’s Lost World.

The area was off-limits and secret for many years to prevent diamond smuggling, but the spectacular scenery opened the region to tourism. The Chapada Diamantina National Park was created in 1985 in response to growing ecotourism, it is currently undergoing the implementation process, administered by the IBAMA (Environmental Institute of Brazil), headquartered in Palmeiras. It is a region of mixed terrain: verdant slopes and red-rock mesas, underground water system, waterfalls, pools, etc., makes of the park an extraordinary wonder. The climate of the Chapada Diamantina makes it an all-season destination, but evening storms provide the almost seven feet of rainfall a year.

For security and environmental protection, the local guide associations in the area should be contacted to pursuit hikes in the park. Tourist agencies, pousadas, hostels and alternative community hosting promote trips by bike, off-road, canoe and by foot, as well as by mule and horses. In addition, other interesting attractions include new age, spiritual discovery and personal growth, including regressions to past lives and esoteric activities.
Chapada Diamantina is placed in the heart of The State of Bahia. It is an ecological paradise with a great tourist potentiality. The best place to stay for visit the Chapada is the little town of Lençois. Lençóis became the third largest town in the northeast state of Bahia. Today the emphasis is on the remarkable beauty of the scenery and the feeling of vast open space that makes this a must for walkers and nature lovers alike. The access to this park is free, but some special attractions inside it have a cost.