The park Serra da Capivara was founded in 1979, and by 1991 was considered by UNESCO as humanity’s cultural heritage. In 1994 the IBAMA (Environmental Brazilian governmental agency) and Fundação Homem Americano (American Men Foundation) did bring great projects concerning the park preservation. The landscape is stunning with imposing canyons, steep slopes and multi-colored rock formations. The vegetation is formed by estuaries of humid forest which infiltrate through the rock walls. The rivers are perennial and there is a concern to preserve water from occasional rainfall.
The “caldeirões” are holes carved naturally on the rocks which are responsible for the lack of water. The biggest tourist attraction is the archeological sites. The sites have inscriptions dating back to 30.000 years ago. Only three of the 400 sites have been totally excavated, making one thinks what future avalanches will uncover. The fauna is diverse and includes red macaws, lizards, snakes and monkeys. “Capivara” as the park is named, is an animal that lived there millions of years ago together with other animals now extinct like the “saber tiger” and the “giant sloths”.
Photos/Courtesy: Museu do Homem Americano and Agência Brasill
How to get there:
Flying from/to Teresina (state of Piaui) or Petrolina (state of Pernambuco). When you reach the small town of Raimundo Nonato (there is also an airport for small planes) you can hire registered guides.
BR$36 and approximately US$7,50 in June 2020. The dollar value depends on the exchange rate in relation to the Brazilian real. You can save 10% overall if you have a group of 10 or more.
Best time to visit:
From April to October, when it does not rain and temperatures are milder.
Typical food:
Grilled goat or as said in Portuguese: bode assado.
*For airline tickets from the United States to Brazil or Latin America, customized travel packages, hotels and cruises in the United States, please contact our travel agent Magali DaSilva. Phone / WhatsApp 1 (323) 428-1963
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