Marimbus and Roncador River

In Belize, Chapada Diamantina, Paddling On 09/04/2013 No comments

I had visited the Chapada Diamantina several times but still haven’t been to “mini Pantanal” of the Chapada, the Marimbus. So it was time to get to know this paradise. I told Cirtur agency that I would like to paddle. I did not want to go on the boat just looking, I wanted to feel the river with my body. The guide took us to Lençóis and we left for the river where we would take the canoes. On my boat, there was just me and a couple of tourists.

Right at the place of embarkation, they have already taken an extra paddle for me. We were slowly paddling and enjoying the scenery. It was really a Pantanal in the Chapada. Incredible colors, green, the reflection of the sky in the water … In some places, with more closed forest, they looked like the Igarapés of the Amazon.

After a time in the river, we stopped to make a small trail until the waterfalls of the Roncador River. Relaxing the cold water and the small pools that form in the rocks. A delight on a hot summer day. And to finish the course, we stopped for a delicious lunch of homemade food.

The way back was paddling upstream. When I got tired, the couple offered to help to paddle too. We watched the canoe from the other group of tourists where no one was paddling along with the guide. He suffered to carry them back against the current. Even if they wanted, they could not help because they had no extra paddle. I was glad to have them bring a paddle for me. I would feel very uncomfortable if the guide had to paddle all the time alone, with nobody helping him.