O Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park[1] (PNCV) is an altitude cerrado preservation area, located in Chapada dos Veadeiros, with about 40% of its area in the municipality of Alto Paraíso de Goiás and the rest in the municipality of Cavalcante, in the northern region of the state of Goiás.
Understand
The unit is located on land ranging between 1,400 and 1,667 m, in Chapada dos Veadeiros, a ridge that acts as a watershed for the Amazon basin (Tocantins and Maranhão rivers) and Platina (Paranoá river), and which constitutes the highest pediplane in the Central Brazil, including the Pouso Alto hill, the highest point in Goiás (1667 m), close to High Paradise, outside the Park. The area is an important drainage dispersal center, with most of its rivers carving out "V"-shaped valleys. Among these rivers, the main one is the Preto River, a tributary of the Tocantins. The Park lies between the geocoordinates 13º51' to 14°10' of South latitude and 47°25' to 47°42' of West longitude. Walks to the park's attractions have an average of 4.5 km each way, 4.5 km back, giving access to Salto do Rio Preto or "garimpão waterfalls", Carioquinhas and Canyons 1 and 2. All these hydrological formations are in Rio Preto, border between the municipalities of Alto Paraíso and Cavalcante.
The PNCV was recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 2001.
History
It was created in 1961 by the then President of the Republic, Juscelino Kubitschek, with the name of Tocantins National Park with an area of 650,000 ha. This area has been reduced several times, down to 65,514 ha today. Public use is only allowed in 3% of this total, the rest of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is reserved for research and preservation purposes.
Landscape
The landscape, so exotic and spectacular, has even been the setting for a BBC series called Walking With The Beasts.
Flora and fauna
Among the species of fauna that inhabit the park, around fifty are classified as rare, endemic or at risk of extinction in the area. Mammals to highlight: Guara wolf(Chrysocyon brachyurus), deer (Blastocerus dichotomus), pampas deer (Ozotocerus bezoarticus), giant armadillo(Priodontes giganteus), giant anteater(Myrmecophaga tridactyla), capybara(Hidrochaeris hidrochaeris) and tapir(Tapirus terrestris). With regard to birds, of the 312 species, the Brazilian Merganser (Mergus octosetaceus), endemic and endangered; The emu(American Rhea), green-billed toucan(Ramphastus dicolorus), King vulture (sarcoramphus pope), burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) and various species of hawks. With regard to flora, 1,476 plant species have already been identified in the park, of which 6,429 exist in the Cerrado biome. The phytophysiognomy shelters clean fields, dirty fields, paths and riparian forests. In the fields and paths, beautiful palm formations buriti (flexuous breast) accompany humid places, springs, marshes and watercourses.
Climate
Altitude Tropical. From October to April it rains, currents and waterspouts happen, and the Park eventually suspends permission for river bathing, depending on the situation. The Moon Valley, for example, contains many spaces where waterspouts can occur, so it is necessary to pay attention to warnings. From May to September it doesn't rain, the vegetation is dry, and the waterfalls in the Park seem even more beautiful at the end of the trail.
To arrive
By airplane
Most travelers arriving by air do so through the airport of Brasilia. There is a small domestic airport in High Paradise, which does not receive regular flights.
By bus
The companies that make the Brasília-Chapada dos Veadeiros route are Real Expresso and Santo Antônio.
By car
- Leaving Brasilia, take BR-020 towards Formosa (For those arriving by plane: Airport > South Eixão > North Eixão > Bragueto Bridge > Torto Balloon > Posto Colorado > Sobradinho) and turn left onto BR-010 (GO-118) after Planaltina (the balloon is fine flagged) toward High Paradise; once there, take GO-239 and drive 36 km (the first 22 are asphalt) to Saint George, where the headquarters and the only entrance for visitors to the Park are located.
- Leaving Goiania, go through Brasília and follow the route above.
- Leaving São Paulo, take Via Anhangüera (SP-330) to Uberaba. From there, take the BR-050 to Brasília.
Fees and Permissions
The PNCV is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, throughout the year, according to the following schedules: entry from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and departure until 5:00 pm; in summer time, entry is from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and departure is until 6:00 pm.
Entrance is only allowed with the accompaniment of accredited guides. Currently, guides are authorized to guide groups of 1 to 10 people, charging R$ 100.00 for the group. In the morning, many guides are at the park entrance waiting for groups; it is common for unknown people to form groups right there at the entrance, to lower the cost per person of the guide service (with ten people, the fee is R$ 10.00 per person).
Look
- Track 1 - (easier) waterfalls Canyon 1 (only in the dry season), Canyon 2 and carioquinhas
- Track 2 - (steepest) waterfalls 80 m and 120 m, known as the Leap of Rio Preto or "garimpão waterfalls" and rapids, with very good natural hydromassage
Both trails pass through the bucolic well highway, which only has water when it rains.
Knife
- ballooning - flights from R$ 590 per person. Packages with the Ballooning in Chapada.
- Miraflores Farm - bike tour (R$ 70/day) guide (R$ 120 for groups of up to 8 people). Admission for sightseeing costs R$ 15 per person.
With the
Bring a snack and bring the trash back.
Drink it
Take a full canteen. The water in the rivers is drinkable, so make sure you only have enough water to get to the first bathing stop. But it is advisable to fill your canteen in areas farther away from where bathers enter, so as not to get water with too much diluted sunscreen.
sleep
Inside the Park is prohibited. See Saint George and High Paradise.
Safety
Wear sunscreen, watch your step and listen to the guide. Watch out for the dangers of forest fire (in drought) and waterspouts (from October to April it rains, rivers flood, waterspouts can happen, and the Park may eventually suspend permission for river baths). Take proper precautions.
Leave
- Alto Paraíso de Goiás (36 km)
- Cavalcante (123 km)
- south hills (34 km)
- Nikeland (114 km)
- Saint George (600 m)
- Teresina de Goiás (100 km)
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