Chapada Diamantina or Chapada dos Veadeiros? In doubt which Chapada to visit? Hard to choose between these two wonderful destinations, right?! But we will try to help you with your decision!
Chapada Diamantina or Chapada dos Veadeiros?
When we think of traveling to a plateau, the two most common ones that come to mind are: Chapada Diamantina and Chapada dos Veadeiros. But now, which one to choose?
Being in an amazing place where nature shows some of its most beautiful and wild forms really provides a unique and extraordinary experience for anyone.
The plateaus are sought after both by tourists who want to enjoy the energy of nature, and by those looking for adventure and extreme sports, such as trekking, rafting, climbing and abseiling.
One important thing to know is that the two plateaus are greatly influenced by the climate, which we can classify between dry periods, from May to October, and periods of rain, from November to March. And deciding which season to go will greatly influence the type of trip you will take.
The two plateaus are controlled by a governmental institute for the preservation of the environment, ICMBio, and have national parks whose main objectives are the preservation and maintenance of the place.
If the question is “which is the most beautiful plateau?, there is not much difference, because each one of them has unique beauties and landscapes. It is not possible to compare one with the other in this regard, as they are completely different environments and biomes.
Chapada Diamantina
Chapada Diamantina is the largest of all the chapadas in Brazil and is one of the favorite destinations for trekking lovers. It is made up of 24 municipalities in the state of Bahia and features 3 types of biomes: Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga, allowing access to several different landscapes and environments in a single trip.
Chapada Diamantina is undoubtedly one of the richest and most magnificent regions in Brazil. It has an infinity of natural landscapes capable of taking the breath away of the most experienced traveler. It has several attractions ranging from very high waterfalls to huge walls and canyons. It is the perfect destination for those looking for peace and quiet and also for those who enjoy adventures.
If you think attractions are just nature walks, you are wrong! There are several cultural activities to visit, such as Casario de Lençóis, which preserves the colonial houses from the end of the 19th century; the Byzantine Cemetery, which houses miniatures of churches and chapels in Gothic and pointed shapes; and the Living Museum of Garimpo, with a collection that features diamond cutting and mining tools, clothing and other artifacts from the time.
Chapada dos Veadeiros
Located in Goiás, in the center-west of Brazil, about 250km from Brasília. Chapada dos Veadeiros is made up of eight municipalities, the most important for tourism being Alto Paraíso and its village known as Vila de São Jorge, and the city of Cavalcante, at the northern end of the park.
Chapada dos Veadeiros leaves nothing to be desired in relation to the beauty and grandeur of Chapada Diamantina.
This chapada has a mystical and hippie feel. What makes this region esoteric, standing out from all other plateaus, is the presence of quartz crystals and cave paintings, and also because it is located at the same latitude as Machu Picchu. This mysticism, in fact, became so popular that today the Chapada is considered a source of fortification and spiritual healing for groups of mystics, spiritists, hippies, naturalists, among others.
Known as the cradle of waters, the diverse and imposing waterfalls should be included in the tourist itinerary of everyone who goes to the place. As well as natural pools, canyons, rivers and rock formations over a billion years old.
Among the most famous attractions are the Cachoeira Santa Bárbara, with its dazzling pool of blue-green tones; the Moon Valley with unique rock formations, which really resemble the surface of the moon and is very easy to reach. The Raizama Waterfall, which is located within a 100-meter-long canyon that makes it ideal for practicing adventure activities, and the Saltos do Rio Preto Waterfall, with two drops of 120 and 80 meters.
In Chapada dos Veadeiros there are also more cultural tours, such as visiting the Kalunga communities, people descended from quilombolas. Recognized by the government of Goiás as a Brazilian historical and cultural heritage, it occupies an area of more than 230,000 hectares of protected cerrado and is the largest remaining quilombo community in Brazil.
Choose between Chapada Diamantina or Chapada dos Veadeiros
This choice is really not an easy task!
It is the conditions of your trip, such as available time, budget, group profile and time of year that will “show you” the best destination for your trip.
A tip: make your choice, but be sure to visit both destinations. Both Chapada Diamantina and Chapada dos Veadeiros have their peculiarities and cannot really be compared or replaced.
