Vale da Lua

📍 What to see

• •Rounded hollows, channels, and slabs sculpted into the paraconglomerate
• •Confined stretches of the São Miguel River
• •Natural pools, small falls, and rapids
• •An open view over the Cerrado terrain

🎒 Things to do

• •Follow the access trail rated easy
• •Photograph the rocky riverbed’s forms in soft light
• •Enter only permitted pools where the current has been assessed
• •Observe erosion features without leaving authorized areas

🍽️ Local cuisine

🎶 Soundtrack

• ♪Pense em Mim — Leandro & Leonardo
• ♪Pode Chorar — Jorge & Mateus
• ♪Muda de Vida — Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano

🧭 Getting there

🏙️ Base city: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, with additional support in Vila de São Jorge.

✈️ Airport: Brasília International Airport — Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek

• •From Brasília, travel by road to Alto Paraíso de Goiás via the GO-118 and BR-010 connection.
• •From Alto Paraíso, take GO-239 toward São Jorge; the municipal portal reports 28 kilometers (17.4 mi) of paved road and 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) of dirt road.
• •The entrance is at kilometer 29 (mile 18) of GO-239, in a rural area; continue to the gatehouse by following the signs.

ℹ️ Practical information

🏗️ Infrastructure:

Basic at the attraction and more complete in the base towns.

🏨 Where to stay:

Guesthouses, vacation homes, and other accommodations are available in Alto Paraíso de Goiás and Vila de São Jorge.

🍴 Food:

Restaurants, snack bars, and markets are concentrated mainly in Alto Paraíso and São Jorge.

🧭 Guides and agencies:

Alto Paraíso’s Tourism Department maintains a list of accredited guides and operators for services in the area.

📶 Internet and signal:

No official, site-specific information was found on mobile or internet coverage at the riverbed; plan the visit without relying on continuous signal.

💰 Estimated cost:

A R$ 50 visitor fee per person is reported in an update posted by the attraction’s official profile; transportation, food, and lodging should be budgeted separately.

📝 Notes:

The source record reports simple parking, a gatehouse, and basic restrooms. Capacity may be strained on holidays.

♿ Accessibility

Level: consult local operators

The trail is described as easy, but the route to the riverbed includes natural ground, roots, rocks, and wet surfaces. No official information was found that confirms a wheelchair-accessible route.

• •Request updated information from the gatehouse before planning a visit with someone with reduced mobility.
• •Use a companion’s support at crossings or in rocky areas.
• •Do not regard the rocky riverbed as an adapted route.

⚠️ Safety

🚨 Real risks

• •Rapid rise in water during heavy rain in the river basin
• •Smooth rocks and slippery slabs
• •Variable current in pools and rapids
• •Sun exposure and dehydration

⛔ When to avoid: Avoid entering the river in rain, with a storm forecast, at high water, or when visitation is closed.

📝 Checklist — what to bring

• •Sunscreen and insect repellent
• •Hat or cap and sunglasses
• •Sneakers or hiking sandals with good grip
• •2–3 liters (0.5–0.8 gal) of water per person
• •Dry bag for phone and documents
• •Light snack

✈️ Travel tips

• •Arrive close to opening time to enjoy softer light and cooler temperatures.
• •Set aside two or three days in the region if you want to combine this outing with other Chapada attractions.
• •Confirm river conditions at the gatehouse, especially from October through April.
• •Bring cash or Pix as an alternative payment method, and reconfirm the fee before you leave.

💡 Fun facts

• •The site registered by the Geological Survey of Brazil stands at an elevation of 904 meters (2,966 ft).
• •Its entry in the Brazilian Commission on Geological and Paleobiological Sites carries the number 077.
• •The geological survey classifies the geosite’s degradation risk as low.

🤔 Did you know?

• •The hollows are not craters: they are forms created by weathering, dissolution, and the water’s abrasion of the rock.
• •Visitor access is across private land, although the attraction lies near Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.
• •Along the same route, the landscape brings together evidence of sedimentary, metamorphic, structural, and geomorphological processes.

📜 History and context

The popular name arose from the outcrop’s unusual appearance, marked by hollows that recall the surface of the Moon. In the Geological Survey of Brazil’s register, the site is associated with the Brasília Belt and the São Miguel paraconglomerate, whose matrix favors dissolution and the fluvial development of curving features.

🌍 Global importance

The federal geological register assigns international relevance to the geosite and national relevance to its educational and tourism value. The visit also forms part of the regional Cerrado landscape, a biome protected nearby by a group of parks recognized as World Heritage.