Alto Paraíso de Goiás

📍 What to see

• •Vale da Lua, with a canyon, slabs carved by the São Miguel River, and natural pools
• •Cataratas dos Couros, a group of falls and pools associated with Águas do Paraíso State Park
• •Salto do Rio Preto lookout point and Cachoeira do Garimpão on the National Park's Yellow Trail
• •Canyons and Cariocas, reached via the National Park's Red Trail
• •São Jorge village, a district of simple architecture, handicrafts, and restaurants

🎒 Things to do

• •Follow the self-guided trails permitted in the National Park
• •Swim only in pools that are open and safe
• •Hire an accredited guide for crossings or longer itineraries
• •Watch birds and the vegetation of grasslands, veredas, and rocky cerrado
• •Observe the night sky at suitable locations operated with authorization

🍽️ Local cuisine

🎶 Soundtrack

• ♪Temporal de Amor — Leandro & Leonardo
• ♪É o Amor — Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano
• ♪Vida Vazia — Bruno & Marrone

🧭 Getting there

🏙️ Base city: Alto Paraíso de Goiás

✈️ Airport: Brasília–Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport, Brasília, Federal District (BSB)

• •From Brasília, the indicated road route to Alto Paraíso follows BR-020 toward Formosa, then BR-010 and GO-118.
• •For the National Park's main entrance, take GO-239 to km 36 in São Jorge, about 36 km (22 mi) from Alto Paraíso.
• •Vale da Lua lies near the park, toward São Jorge, with an unpaved final stretch.

ℹ️ Practical information

🏗️ Infraestrutura:

Good for an ecotourism base, with services concentrated in Alto Paraíso and São Jorge.

🏨 Hospedagem:

Guesthouses, hostels, and other accommodations make up the lodging offer in the municipality and São Jorge district.

🍴 Diet:

There are restaurants in Alto Paraíso and São Jorge; the National Park Visitor Center has a snack bar during operating hours, with a pause on weekdays.

🧭 Guides and agencies:

The municipal portal lists certified guides and conductors, operators, and Tourist Service Centers; for technical routes, choose properly registered professionals.

📶 Internet and signal:

The park provides Wi-Fi at the Visitor Center; in rural areas and while traveling, keep maps and contacts available offline as well.

💰 Estimated cost:

At the National Park, general admission is R$ 49.00, half-price admission is R$ 24.50, and tickets for nearby residents cost R$ 5.00 with proof of eligibility; internal transport and camping are charged separately. Other attractions have their own rules.

📝 Notes:

Vale da Lua, Cataratas dos Couros, and other nearby properties or protected areas do not automatically share the National Park admission ticket.

♿ Acessibilidade

Level: consult local operators

The National Park reports internal transport in an accessible vehicle. This does not mean the trails are fully accessible, as they range from easy paths to steep, rocky ground.

• •Confirm in advance which accessible-transport routes are operating and whether they meet the visitor's needs.
• •Assess distance, surface, grade, crossings, and restroom availability before choosing a trail.
• •The Seriema Trail is described by the park as easy, but it opens seasonally.

⚠️ Safety

🚨 Real risks

• •Flash floods and sudden rises in river and canyon flow during rain
• •Slips on wet rocks and falls on uneven ground
• •Prolonged sun exposure and dehydration in open areas
• •Smoke, fires, and access restrictions during the dry season
• •Losing one's way after leaving authorized trails

⛔ When to avoid: Avoid pools, canyons, and crossings at the first sign of heavy rain, thunder, or rising water; suspend travel if there is a fire warning, closure, or road without safe conditions.

📝 Checklist — what to bring

• •Closed-toe hiking shoes with grippy soles
• •Hat, sunglasses, and a sun-protection shirt
• •Sunscreen and insect repellent
• •Enough water for the activity's duration and distance
• •Light snack and a bag for carrying out waste
• •Map saved on your phone, portable battery, and waterproof cover for electronics
• •Rain jacket during the rainy season

✈️ Travel tips

• •Buy or check your National Park admission ticket before the visit date and observe the access window for your chosen trail.
• •Start early to hike in milder temperatures and return before the exit cutoff.
• •Do not fit the National Park, Vale da Lua, and Cataratas dos Couros into the same day; each deserves its own time.
• •Book lodging and a guide ahead of time for long weekends and high season.
• •Plan alternatives in case rain or fires alter the itinerary.

💡 Curiosidades

• •The Yellow Trail leads to Salto do Rio Preto, a free-falling waterfall of 120 meters (394 ft), and to Cachoeira do Garimpão, 80 meters (262 ft) high.
• •In the park, the Seriema Trail is only 850 meters (0.5 mi) round trip and closes during the dry season because it depends on running water.
• •According to municipal memory, the former name Veadeiros referred to the abundance of deer once seen in the region.
• •The visitor entrance to the National Park is on GO-239, in the São Jorge district, rather than in Alto Paraíso's urban center.

🤔 Did you know?

• •UNESCO's global recognition does not apply to Chapada alone: it also encompasses Emas National Park in southern Goiás.
• •The official area of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is 240,586.56 hectares (594,502 acres).
• •The Sete Quedas Crossing can take one to three days and permits overnight stays only in designated camping areas.
• •Vale da Lua is an attraction near the park, on property separate from the federal conservation unit.

📜 History and context

The settlement was known as Veadeiros and belonged to the territory of Cavalcante before becoming an independent municipality in 1953. Ten years later, it received its current name. Its history brings together agriculture and cattle raising linked to the region's former gold cycle, the passage of the Cruls Commission and the Prestes Column, and Esperanto and Spiritist initiatives that helped shape a plural cultural identity.

🌍 Global importance

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park and Emas National Park together form a serial natural property inscribed by UNESCO under ecological-process and biodiversity-conservation criteria. The protected area matters for Cerrado habitats, rare and endemic species, and the maintenance of water-recharge systems.