South America : Brazil : Central West : Goiás : Chapada dos Veadeiros

Chapada dos Veadeiros

Chapada dos Veadeiros is a natural area in the state of Goias, Brazil. It is also the name of a National Park within that area, listed as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO for being an outstanding preservation area of the Cerrado – one of the world's oldest and most diverse tropical ecosystems.

Culture and History

The National Park has an area with 65,515 hectares. It boasts great landscapes, gorgeous waterfalls and lakes and is sought after by many travelers in search of true contact with nature.

The region's other attractions such as the Moon Valley and the Almécegas waterfalls are situated in nearby private areas, being accessible through the payment of a daily fee.

The Chapada region is also a magnet for mystics attracted by the alleged properties of the its crystal soil and rumored UFO appearances.

Rumour has it that, according to NASA, the Chapada is Earth's brightest point as seen from space. Lying on a quartz crystal bed, it's said to reflect light like a mirror.

History

The National Park was created in 1961.

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Cerrado wildlife, including orchids, buritis and many threatened animal species such as the pampa deer, swamp deer, jaguars, guará wolves, rheas, crested seriemas, tapitis (small hare-like rodents), giant armadillos, great anteaters, capybaras, tapirs, red-breasted toucans, king vultures and black vultures.

Climate

Chapada’s climate is tropical, hot and semi-arid. The average annual temperature is around 25ºC (77ºF). The National Park is closed to the public during the rainy season (December to February). During the rest of the year it is mostly sunny and hot. At the height of the dry season (September), the temperature can peak at 40ºC (104ºF).

Travel to Chapada_dos_Veadeiros, visa requirements

The city of Alto Paraiso de Goias, the main gateway to the Chapada, is 230km (143 miles) from Brasilia.

By air

There are no regular flights to the Chapada region. Flyers usually land in Brasilia (frequent flights from everywhere in Brazil) then travel overland to one of the gateway towns.

Buses to Chapada_dos_Veadeiros

By car

The road condition from Brasília is OK. Access is done by the BR-020 and the GO-118 roads, through the cities of Formosa, Sao Gabriel and Sao Joao D'Alianca. To reach the National Park, take GO-327 to the Sao Jorge Village, where the entrance to the park is located.

Fees/Permits

Admission to the National Park costs R$ 3.

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