Chapada dos Veadeiros
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros in Portuguese) is a preservation area in Brazil, north-east of the Goias state, in Brazil, 200km from Brasilia, 500 km from Goiânia at the Chapada dos Veadeiros Microregion. The park, that was created on January 11, 1961 by decree #49875/61, occupies an area of 655 square kilometres and is maintained by IBAMA.
Districts
There are eight municipalities at the Chapada dos Veadeiros Microregion:
Municipalities and respective population:
- Alto Paraíso de Goiás--5,968
- Campos Belos--16,009
- Cavalcante--10,460
- Colinas do Sul--3,516
- Monte Alegre de Goiás--6,433
- Nova Roma--3,733
- São João d'Aliança--2,147
- Teresina de Goiás--3,325
In the National Park there the 120 m Waterfall, the 80 m Waterfall, the Corredeiras, Cannyon I, Cannyon II, the Carioquinhas Waterfall and the Jardim de Maitréya. In properties with controlled access: Águas Quentes, Morada do Sol, Banho das Crianças and Vale das Andorinhas, Salto do Raizama and Cannyon do Rio São Miguel, Vale da lua, Cachoeiras Almécegas I and Almécegas II, Cachoeira de São Bento, Cataratas do Rio dos Couros, Cachoeira do Rio Cristal, Cachoeira dos Anjos e dos Arcanjos, Água Fria, Cachoeira do Rio das Almas, Poço Encantado, Sertão Zen, Cachoeira do Rio Macaco, Território Kalunga, Lago Serra da Mesa, Bocaina do Faria, Cachoeira das Neves, Mirante do Pouso Alto, Alpes Goianos, Cachoeira do Santana, Cachoeira da Ave Maria, Morada do Sol, Pedra Escrita, Cachoeira das Pedras Bonitas, Ponte de Pedra.
Geography
Climate
The average yearly temperatures of 24-26 Celsius degrees, ranging from a minimum of 4-8 Celsius degrees and reaching a maximum of 40-42 Celsius degrees.
Altitude
With altitudes between 600 and 1650 meters, it is the highest plain in Central Brazil. The highest point of the park is Serra da Santana.
Rock Formations
Its rock formations are one of the oldest on the planet. There are quartz with outcrops of Crystals. These rocks are exported and appreciated in Japan and England, where for some decades they were used for industrial work. Nowadays therapist and nature lovers seek energies and the power to cure from the Crystals and from places like Alto Paraiso. Rock crystals are present in the soil of the rich Cerrado, or open pasture. Forest growth is also still found in the region, where more than 25 species of orchids can be found, besides other Brazilian species such as Pau d'Arco Roxo, Copaíba (Copa Tree), Aroeira (California pepper tree), Tamanqueira (Cork Tree), Jerivá (a variety of Palm Tree), Buritis (Wine-palm) and Babaçu (Babassu). The main river in the park is the Rio Preto, a tributary of the Tocantins River. Along its course, there are many waterfalls, such as the Rio Preto Falls (120 meters high, 80 meters at the base) and the Cariocas Falls. The canyons are just as beautiful, with walls of up to 40 meters high and valleys of up to 300 meters.
The Local Fauna
The rich fauna of the region includes species threatened by extinction such as the pampas deer (locally known as veado campeiro), marsh deer (cervo do pantanal), maned wolves (lobo guará), jaguar, and others like the rhea (ema), seriema, tapeti, giant armadillo (tatu canastra), anteater (tamanduá), capybara (capivara), tapir (anta), green-beaked toucan (tucano de bico verde), black vulture (urubu), and the king vulture (urubu rei).
Things to Do
Due to the exquisite landscape, the Chapada dos Veadeiros receives visitors from all the world in search for harmony with nature. There are waterfalls, natural pools, canyons and trails. The savannah reveals it’s physiognomy: buriti palm paths, humid fields, fields of flowers, riverside forests, and rocky fields. At daylight people take walks with refreshing dips in waterfalls.
Nightlife
At night there are many options of music, artistic performances and many different types of food. In the city some saythere is a special energy of the lodgings, of the mystic retreats, of the meditations and of the therapies.
Websites
- [1]
- [2]*[3]
- Brazil Ministry of the Environment page about the park
- Brazil Ministry of the Environment technical details about the park
- Satellite photo (Google)
- Chapada dos Veadeiros
- Pousada Águas de Março
