Canyon & Waterfalls
 
Imagine the Grand Canyon covered in lush vegetation, cascading waterfalls and thriving biodiversity.

Nestled along the southern Atlantic coasts of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul among Brazil's most expansive canyons is the 28,000 hectare conservation area and National Park. The area is comprised of two parks; Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral.

Over the next few days you will ride along these steep mountains and canyons and the Atlantic coastline. Staying on traditional ranches, you will have the pleasure of sampling typical southern Brazil gaucho culture, including some of the region’s famous culinary delights. In the afternoon you may see the mysterious fogs drift in.

During the ride you will encounter several ecosystems of rare beauty and important biodiversity. The Mata Atlantica runs along the lower portion of the canyons, while fields spread across the plateaus, interspersed in the damp areas by peat bogs, that are rich in moss, lichen and bamboo. Vegetation such as ferns, lilies and bromeliads, sprouts from the slopes. And a curious species the ‘Bigsting Nettle’, with its enormous leaves measuring up to 1.5 meters, attaches itself to the rocks along the slopes.

The whole area was formed from intense volcanic activity that happened millions of years ago. Successive lava hemorrhages created the Planalto Sulbrasileiro, covered by clean fields, forests of araucarias and countless of crystalline rivers.

There are many canyons distributed throughout the region, some of them are very impressive, prevailing where enormous rocky cliffs outline the undulating landscape of the sloping foothills (coxilhas) giving the feeling of surprise and fascination when approaching their edge

The sharp vertical hillsides of basalt, present a coloration of resultants tones of the liquens and of vegetation of herbs and small bushes that alter with the nude rock.
The regional fauna is also varied and includes some rare species such as the lobo-guará (Chrysocyon brachyurus), the suçuarana or puma (Felis concolor), the graxaim-bush and the rural deer- (Ozotocerus bezoarticus). Foxes, skunks, armadillos, wildcats, woodpeckers, hawks and bugio monkeys also make up part of the local fauna.

PHOTOS - Click here

Itinerary
Please note that the itinerary may change depending on the weather at the time and other local conditions.

1st day - Transfer from Porto Alegre to Cambara do Sul where we start the ride in the canyons area. Your ride starts in this remote place in the south of Brazil near to some of the most beautiful canyons in the world. For the next five days you will ride the mountain range between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. The first night's accommodation is at the comfortable guest house of Baio Ruano Ranch (Curucaca) located between Cambará do Sul and the Fortaleza Canyon near the Aparados da Serra National Park. Dinner in a typical restaurant in the small village of Cambara do Sul.

2nd day - After breakfast, drive to the ranch where you meet the horses and start a beautiful ride along the escarpments of the area. You return to the Horses Stable for a late barbecue lunch. In the afternoon ride to the next Ranch where our guide Alencar lives and our horses will stay overnight. Return (by car) to Curucaca Guest House and have dinner there.

3rd day - After breakfast you will meet your horse in the ranch of our local guide Alencar and from there start our journey on horseback in the direction of the border of Santa Catarina, traversing a landscape of unique beauty. The flora is rich and lush with huge ferns, lilies and bromeliads. You may also see evidence of the unusual wildlife - the blue crow, Purple-chested parrot, skunks, cutias and deer. During this day you will see two waterfalls and have lunch on the banks of a river while our horses rest in the shade of the forest nearby. Overnight and dinner at a comfortable Ranch Guest House called Flor de Acucena.

4th day - After breakfast continue our ride almost all morning along the escarpments of the Aparados da Serra where the marvels of nature almost overwhelm the actual riding. Our lunch will be at 7 Mulheres (7 women) Waterfall a beautiful and famous cascade. In the afternoon we arrive at Fazenda do Silveira where a car will take us to Pousada Fazenda Monte Negro* for dinner and overnight. (1 hour drive)

5th day - A special moment today is the ride to Pico do Monte Negro (Black Mountain Peak). At 1,403ms high it is the highest point of Rio Grande do Sul. From this height you have wonderful views across a majestic landscape spreading across the skyline. In the afternoon we return to Pousada Monte Negro for dinner and overnight

6th day - After breakfast we start our ride towards Cachoeirão ( Big Waterfall). In the afternoon we arrive at Cachoeirão the biggest and most beautiful waterfall among all in our trail. Dinner and overnight at Pousada Fazenda Potreirinho*

7th day - In the morning (early) you may choose to do some trout fishing before we depart to Porto Alegre airport for your onward flight.

*The distance from Pousada Fazenda Monte Negro and Pousada Fazenda Potreirinho is 30 km. Both offer similar accommodation and food. Sometime we might have to reverse itinerary, staying first at Fazenda Potreirinho and then go to Fazenda Monte Negro.