Aparados da Serra Canyons

Amazing Experience through the Grand Canyons

An active 4 days tour of the "Grand Canyons" of Brazil, trekking through the canyons and highlands of Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks.

Instead of red dust, here you will find green, lush canyons, some up to 7km long and 800m high. They have a unique biodiversity: Atlantic rainforest at the bottom, cloud forest in the steep escarpments and Araucaria Forest on the tablelands known as Campos de Cima da Serra.

The canyons are within the Aparados da Serra and the Serra Geral National Parks and from our base in the coastal plains we will explore the Itaimbezinho, the Malacara and Índios Coroados canyons.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1: Transfer from Porto Alegre (3 hours 30 min) or Florianópolis ( 4 to 5 hours) to Refúgio Pedra Afiada. Rest of the day free. Dinner at the lodge.

Day 2: Optional trek or day trip of your choice.

Day 3: Optional trek or day trip of your choice.

Day 4: After breakfast transfer back to Florianópolis or Porto Alegre.

Some optional trips and treks:

Malacara Canyon viewpoint
After breakfast we drive up the “Serra do Faxinal “ to reach the tablelands of the Campos de Cima da Serra. After an hour´s drive, we will start a 8 miles trek through a typical catlle ranch that will take us to the border of the Malacara canyon, the lushest of the canyons in the National Park. The scenery up here is of immense fields cut by small rivers, waterfalls and pockets of Araucaria forest. When we reach the viewpoint we will have, in a clear day, views all the way to the coast. After a snack lunch, we make our way back to the car. In sunny or warm days we can enjoy bathing in one of the pristine rivers near the canyon.
Return to the lodge mid-afternoon.

Itaimbezinho and Índios Coroados Canyons
We drive up the Serra to visit the most famous of the Brazilian canyons, the Itaimbezinho, inside the Aparados da Serra National Park. Here we will do some light walking to the best viewpoints of the canyon. As Itaimbezinho was the first canyon to be under protection of the National Park, there is more abundance of Araucaria woods here. On the way back, a light walk will take us to the viewpoint of the Índio Coroado canyon, with its 70m waterfall. Return to the lodge mid afternoon.

Rio do Boi trail
You will enter the Itaimbezinho Canyon through the river that cuts through the canyon, the Rio do Boi. At the start of the trail the river runs through a valley forming small waterfalls and natural pools. At the end of the trail we will be inside the canyon, underneath its magnificent 800 m-high basalt escarpments. Snack lunch on the trail.

Please note: this trail can be demanding as you need to cross the river many times and most of the walk is done on its rocky bed.

Pedra Branca summit.
Today, you will trek inside the Atlantic Rainforest climbing 500m to the top of the Pedra Branca rock, an excellent viewpoint to the whole Mampituba River Valley. Here you can best understand the different geological formations of this area. At the top, you will have a snack lunch and hopefully clear views to the coast. Return to the lodge in the afternoon. Dinner.