Chapada Diamantina
Brazil
The highland plateau of Bahia, Brazil's walking and driving heartland. Diamond-rush colonial villages, table-top cerrado mountains, 100m waterfalls into swimming holes, underground lakes glowing with refracted light, and the most extraordinary cerrado scenery in Brazil.
Explore on the interactive map →Stops along the route
- Lençóis
Colonial diamond-mining town at the park's heart. Cobblestone streets, coloured facades, and the Ribeirão do Meio natural rock waterslide.
- Morro do Pai Inácio
The flat-topped mesa defining the Chapada skyline. A 40-minute climb delivers panoramic cerrado and canyon views stretching to every horizon.
- Igatu
A ghost diamond village of stone ruins on a rocky hillside. Dry-stone walls and collapsed miners' homes tell the story of the bust that followed the boom.
- Poço Encantado
Underground cave lake that glows electric blue when sunlight enters the shaft directly, best seen April to September.
- Mucugê
Preserved 19th-century diamond town with a cemetery of white-domed mausoleums and sempre-viva everlasting flowers blooming on the rocky hills above.
- Cachoeira do Buracão
A 100m waterfall crashing into a canyon swimming hole near Ibicoara. The final approach winds through the canyon walls themselves.
Where to Eat
- Restaurante Sabor da SerraBrazilian
Offers traditional Bahian dishes with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
- Bistrô Café do MatoCafé
Cozy café serving artisanal coffees and homemade pastries in the heart of Lençóis.
- Restaurante Garimpo GourmetInternational
Fusion cuisine blending local ingredients with international flavors in a rustic setting.
- Pizzaria Capão GrandePizza
Wood-fired pizzas with a variety of toppings, popular among locals and tourists alike.
Things to Do
- Gruta da Lapa DoceCave
Explore one of the largest limestone caves in Brazil, adorned with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.
- Cachoeira da FumaçaWaterfall
Embark on a hike to witness Brazil's second-highest waterfall, plunging 340 meters into a misty abyss.
- Museu Vivo do GarimpoMuseum
Discover the history of diamond mining in the region through artifacts and guided tours.
- Parque Municipal de MucugêBotanical Garden
Stroll through gardens showcasing native flora, including the rare Sempre-Viva flowers.
Travel advisory
Access roads to most waterfalls, caves, and trailheads are unpaved and may require river crossings in a high-clearance vehicle. A local guide is highly recommended for canyon and cave visits as trails are poorly marked. Visit between November and March for full lagoons but expect some roads to be muddy.