With its massive rock formations, viewpoints, and waterfalls, Chapada dos Guimarães National Park is one of the top attractions in the Brazilian Cerrado. Here, you’ll find trails for all fitness levels, rivers and pools perfect for floating, breathtaking waterfalls—many of which are ideal for swimming—and remarkable caves, all within a protected area of the Cerrado’s unique ecosystem.
In this post, I’ll share everything you can do in Chapada dos Guimarães, an ideal spot to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Cerrado, complete with charming inns and easy access from Cuiabá.
Interested? Then come along!
All our posts about traveling in Brazil, be sure to check them out before planing a trip to my home country:
- Brazilian Amazon - How to visit the Amazon Rainforest
- What to do in Alter do Chão: Exploring amazonian beaches and rainforests in Brazil
- What to do in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso
- The best tours to do in Bonito, Brazil, in 4 days
- Ultimate Guide to Bonito: Exploring the Southern Brazilian Pantanal's Hidden Paradise
- Bonito, Brazil with kids: When is the right age to visit?
- Complete guide to visiting Lençóis Maranhenses: Tips and essential itinerary
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How to get to Chapada dos Guimarães
The town of Chapada dos Guimarães is about 65 km from Cuiabá and 80km from Cuiabá Airport. We covered this distance by car in just over an hour.
We departed from São Paulo (Congonhas Airport) on a direct flight late on a Friday afternoon — just over two hours of flight time. There are flights connecting Cuiabá to major cities across Brazil, and with some advance planning, you can find great deals on airfare (like we did!).
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When to visit Chapada dos Guimaraes
Chapada dos Guimarães is a year-round destination..
The climate is generally hot and rainy throughout the year, but summer can get particularly warm and is also the rainiest season — February tends to have the most rainfall. On the upside, the rivers and waterfalls are at their fullest, making swimming even more refreshing.
Winter brings drier weather. July and August are typically the driest months with clearer skies, though you may encounter some fog. Temperatures are also cooler, sometimes dropping to around twelve °C
We visited in November, taking advantage of a three-day holiday weekend. The weather was mostly warm and cloudy, with a brief but heavy afternoon rain shower each day, complete with lightning and thunder. The downpours lasted less than half an hour and didn’t affect our plans—in fact, they provided a refreshing break after a day of outdoor activities and made the evenings much more pleasant.
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Where to stay in Chapada dos Guimarães
We stayed at Pousada do Parque , which was not only charming and comfortable but also ideally located on the edge of Chapada, within the boundaries of the National Park. The girls loved the pool and the garden with swings. The restaurant was excellent, offering the perfect spot to unwind with a delicious meal while enjoying an incredible view after a day of hiking and swimming.
The property also features two seasonal waterfalls (though they were dry during our stay), an observation tower, and a few trails.
If you prefer staying in town, the best area is near the Igreja Matriz Santuário de Sant’Ana square, where you’ll be close to bars, restaurants, shops, and travel agencies. If this sounds more like your style, check out the beautiful Casa Quineira.
Check availability and rates here:
How to get around Chapada dos Guimaraes
We decided not to rent a car. Instead, we arranged transportation to and from the airport with the inn and did all our activities with the same guide, who drove us in his 4 x 4. While having your own car would lower the cost of tours, we found it more convenient to rely on the guide. The only downside was that we would have needed to arrange transportation if we wanted to go into town at night. We had planned to do that one evening, but after a full day of exploring, we were so tired—and the inn was so comfortable—that we ended up staying in.
If you plan on renting or driving your own car, keep in mind that most attractions are accessed via dirt roads, and some are only reachable by 4x4 vehicles (such as Crista do Galo and Poço da Anta). With a regular car, you'll need to park and continue on foot for part of the way.
It’s important to note that public transportation to the attractions is very limited.
There are also several local tour agencies that organize guided tours through Chapada, it’s worth checking out.
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How long to stay in Chapada dos Guimarães
We spent three full days in Chapada, which was enough to visit the main attractions of the National Park:
– day 1: upper part of the Park
– day 2: lower part of the Park
With five days you can see all the most popular sights in the park: an additional day could be spent at Morro de São Jerônimo and another at the Waterfalls Circuit, with time left for more waterfalls and viewpoints.
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What to do in Chapada dos Guimaraes - Central Brazil
The main reason to visit is, of course, to explore Chapada dos Guimaraes National Park.
Spanning 33,000 hectares, the park was established in 1989 and protects part of the cerrado, Brazil’s second-largest biome. The park is open year-round with free entry, although some areas require a guide. More information on how to visit can be found on the official ICMBIO website .
Beyond the park itself, there are plenty of nearby attractions, mostly waterfalls and scenic viewpoints.
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1st day – Stone Town and Bridal Veil Waterfall
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A Cidade de Pedra (Stone Town) is one of the most stunning spots in Chapada. Wind and rain have sculpted the rock formations into impressive cliffs that drop up to 350 meters, resembling the ruins of an ancient city—hence the name.
In the valley below, you can spot the sources of some of the park's rivers, such as the Rio Mutuca and Rio Claro . We were lucky enough to see a few pairs of scarlet macaws , along with many other birds and reptiles.
The site is accessed via a 20 km dirt road, best suited for 4WD vehicles, and a guide is required. From the parking area, it’s about a one km round-trip hike to the viewpoint.
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One of Mato Grosso’s most iconic landmarks, Cachoeira Véu de Noiva (Bridal Veil Waterfall) is the park’s most popular attraction. Formed by the Coxipó River, the waterfall plunges 86 meters down a sandstone cliff into a large pool below.
When we visited, the waterfall wasn’t flowing with much water, but it was still as beautiful as ever.
The viewpoint is easily accessible, just a short paved path from the parking lot. Unfortunately, after an accident a few years ago, it's no longer allowed to descend to the pool or swim there.
We had lunch at the nearby restaurant, which serves well-prepared local food.
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Waterfall Circuit of the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park
Starting from the Bridal Veil Waterfall, you can explore the park’s Waterfall Circuit, formed by the waters of the Independência stream, which cascade into six waterfalls: Sete de Setembro, Pulo, Degraus, Prainha, Andorinhas, and Independência. Between Prainha and Andorinhas, there are two natural pools where you can swim. The entire route is about 6 km round trip, and swimming is permitted in all waterfalls except Independência.
Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was too late to start the trai — entry is allowed only between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., and you should plan for about five hours to complete the circuit. It’s always a good idea to check the schedule ahead of time with a local guide or on the ICMBIO website.
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2nd day – Morro da Crista do Galo and floating on the Rio Claro
This tour takes you to the lower part of the park, in the Rio Claro Valley — the area we saw, the day before, from Cidade de Pedra.
You’ll need a guide for this tour, and a 4WD vehicle is recommended. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to walk the last 4 km of the road, which includes some sandy sections. Once you reach the trailhead, the hike is fairly easy, about 5 km long.
The first stop is at Crista de Galo (which translates as Rooster's crest - seeing the photos you will understand why the place is named), a rock formation offering a stunning panoramic view of Chapada and the valley.
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Next, we visited Poço da Anta, which is perfect for swimming and floating alongside different species of fish. We continued to the Poço Verde, where we got back in the water, but this time for a 30-minute float downstream, through a beautiful stretch of dense forest.
We had lunch at Cachoeira da Salgadeira Tourist Complex, located along the road that connects Cuiabá to Chapada. It’s set by a stream with several spots for swimming and offers a restaurant, outdoor play areas for kids, walking trails, and a small museum featuring a replica of a dinosaur that once lived in the region. While it’s not a must-see, it’s a nice place to stop for lunch if you're passing by.
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3rd day – Caves Circuit and Stone Bridge
On our last day, we did the Cave Circuit, located on private property with a restaurant where we later had lunch. A guide is required for this tour, and visitors must wear protective leggings to safeguard the area from the knee to the foot.
You have two options for the trail: the full route is about 12 km round trip, or you can take transport provided by the site in adapted trucks, which covers a large portion of the route, reducing the walk to around 2,5 km.
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The tour begins at the Ponte de Pedra (Stone Bridge), offering a fantastic view of the cliffs and the surrounding cerrado forest. From there, you can either continue the trail to the caves or return to the reception area to take the truck further along the route, which is what we chose to do.
The kids absolutely loved the ride in the truck. It added a unique and adventurous touch to the day. There are two stops along the way: most visitors get off at the first stop to begin their tour at the Aroe Jari Cave and finish at Pobe Jari Cave (where the truck makes its second stop). However, our guide suggested we do the route in reverse, starting at Pobe Jari and finishing at Aroe Jari.
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Pobe Jari Cave, which means “Cave of Two Mouths” in the indigenous language, is about 500 meters long and has two entrances, as the name suggests.
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Next, we reached the Lagoa Azul, a stunning cave with a turquoise lagoon formed by water that springs from the rock. Swimming isn’t allowed, but the sight is spectacular.
We then continued the trail through the cerrado forest to reach Kiogo Brado Cave, which means “Birds’ Nest” in the indigenous language.
In my opinion, this was the most impressive of the three caves. We entered from one side and walked its full 270-meter length, with 20-meter-high walls towering over us, before exiting the other end.
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The last cave we visited was Aroe Jarior "Morada das Almas" (Dwelling of Souls) in the indigenous language. Spanning over 1.550 meters, with multiple forks and exits, it’s the largest sandstone cave in Brazil. Its main chambers are Chuveiro, where a waterfall cascades down, and Teto Dourado, where droplets of water on the ceiling reflect light from the lanterns, creating a golden glow.
In the same area, we also stopped at Cachoeira do Relógio Waterfall, where we took a refreshing swim to wrap up the tour.
We did all of our tours with guide Iziel (+55 65 9 9966-3050). If he’s unavailable, it’s worth checking with other local agencies for tours like these.
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Other Attractions
Here are some other recommended tours in the region that we didn’t have time to explore:
- Alto do Céu Viewpoint:
The only viewpoint offering a complete view of Cuiabá and other nearby cities. It has some trails and is popular in the afternoon for watching the sunset as the city of Cuiabá begins to light up.
- Morro dos Ventos:
With easy access, this site features a restaurant and two viewpoints, including a deck that overlooks Chapada from a height of two hundred meters.
- Morro de São Jerônimo:
The highest point in the park, offering a breathtaking view of the region. However, getting there requires completing a beautiful but challenging twenty km round-trip trail with several steep inclines. A guide is required for this hike.
Additionally, there are several waterfalls located in private areas around the park, many of which feature changing rooms, bars, restaurants, and playgrounds for children. Some of these include:
- Marimbondo Waterfall and Geladeira Waterfall
- Circuito das Águas do Cerrado
- Jamacá Waterfall
- Pingador Waterfall
- Mata Fria Waterfall
- Balneário do Rio Paciência
- Balneário do Rio Claro
- Balneário do Rio Mutuca
- Estância Fênix
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Curiosities
What are Chapadas?
A chapada is a type of landform with an elevated area of considerable size, featuring a relatively flat top and bordered by steep cliffs. The lower regions of chapadas are typically flat with low-growing vegetation. These areas are home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna and are often protected for environmental conservation.
How many Chapadas are there in Brazil?
There are seven Chapadas, in six Brazilian states:
1️⃣ Chapada dos Guimarães, in Mato Grosso
XNUMX️⃣ Chapada Diamantina, in Bahia
XNUMX️⃣ Chapada dos Veadeiros, in Goiás
4️⃣ Chapada do Araripe, in Ceará
5️⃣ Chapada dos Parecis, in Mato Grosso
6️⃣ Chapada do Guarani, in São Paulo (Analândia and Brotas region)
XNUMX️⃣ Chapada das Mesas, in Maranhão
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Detailed itinerary
Here’s our detailed Google MyMaps route – just click and save it to your Google account. When it’s time to plan your next trip to Chapada dos Guimaraes, you’ll already know where to start 😉
On the map, you can see all the details of our journey, including where we stayed and the places we visited. There are different layers in various colors, one for each day of activities, plus a final layer for the spots we didn’t have time to visit.
In this post, I explain how I use Google MyMaps to plan my trips. It's an amazing resource for saving places, calculating routes and distances, and overall trip planning. I really love using Google MyMaps for my travels!
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All our posts about traveling in Brazil, be sure to check them out before planing a trip to my home country:
- Brazilian Amazon - How to visit the Amazon Rainforest
- What to do in Alter do Chão: Exploring amazonian beaches and rainforests in Brazil
- What to do in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso
- The best tours to do in Bonito, Brazil, in 4 days
- Ultimate Guide to Bonito: Exploring the Southern Brazilian Pantanal's Hidden Paradise
- Bonito, Brazil with kids: When is the right age to visit?
- Complete guide to visiting Lençóis Maranhenses: Tips and essential itinerary
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- What to do in Cartagena de Indias – Colombia
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- The best of Colombia – 12-day itinerary
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- Torres del Paine photographic expedition - Chilean Patagonia
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