grotto tagged posts

In Brazil, Chapada Diamantina, Diving & Snorkeling, Hiking/Trekking On  23/03/2013  No comments

On my first day at Chapada Diamantina I decided to take a tour to get a broad sense of the place. It was “Roteiro1”(Mucugezinho, Poço do Diabo, Gruta da Lapa, Gruta da Pratinha, Gruta Azul, Morro do Pai Inácio) and Mel was our guide. The first stoop was at Rio Mucugezinho where we went hiking to appreciate the river landscape. We followed the trail for about 15 minutes until we arrived at Poço do Diabo, a beautiful waterfall; there we had our first bath of the day. The water was cold but nos freezing as I imagine it would be. And after the walk under the sun, it was exactly what I was waiting for. The waterfall is big, a great shower of transparent water. Stay under the fall was easy, but the stones were slippery, so one has to be careful. The water was wonderful, invigorating as any waterfall.

After Mucugezinho, we climbed up Morro do Pai Inácio in order to see the landscape of the region. The trail is easy, but steep...

In Chapada Diamantina, Hiking/Trekking On  18/03/2013  No comments

Chapada da Diamantina is one of the great places for eco-tourism in Brazil, it reminded me Bonito (MS) or Brotas (SP), maybe because of the waterfall. In terms of ecotourism, Brazil is not behind any place. In general, places like this are organized, hotels and guesthouses are good, people are friendly and the tours are well structured. I’m proud of our ecotourism; it is not so disorganized as in Bolivia (Pampas) or Ecuador (Rio Bamba), at the same time it is not ultra organized that look like Disneyland as in Australia. And the most important, there is always (even if shallow) an ecological concern in preserving the place.

This is not my first time in Chapada Diamantina and won’t be the last. The first time was in 2007 when I took a trip with my Yoga group to Capão, on the way back to Salvador, I stayed alone in Lençóis for some more days visiting the region. After that I returned to Chapada a few other times. Now in 2013 I decided to go to places I haven’t been yet...

In + More..., America, Brazil, Chapada Diamantina, Errante and tour guides On  10/03/2013  No comments

Sérgio was our guide at Pratinha cave in Chapada Diamantina 2012.

In America, Bonito and Pantanal 2002, Hiking/Trekking On  13/12/2002  2 comments

After a 24h trip I got in Bonito really tired. I spent the afternoon in the pool sunbathing, something that becomes precious when you live in Europe.

On my second day I went to visit the “Gruta do Lago Azul”, 18km from town. I got Edson’s moto-taxi to get there. These taxi by motorcycle are very popular in Bonito. In the cave I met a group of students from Dourados, a city in Mato Grosso do Sul. I thought it was funny their curiosity towards me. I think all of them asked me where I came from. Some would get impressed.

The cave is beautiful. After going down about 400 meters we arrived at the “Blue Lake”. The clear water made possible to see the stones on the bottom. I liked to observe everybody wispering: “How beautiful!” or “It is really blue!”, “The water is so clear!”

The afternoon tour was Bonito Aventura, about 4 km from town. There I met the manager, Janaina, who explained me the tour. We tried on the wet suit and sandals...