--- title: "Chapada dos Veadeiros: Waterfalls and Cerrado" description: "Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás: Vale da Lua, the Rio Preto falls and the Couros canyon. Privately guided waterfall days from Brasília, 3 to 5 days." url: https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros/ language: en --- ![Green valley of the Chapada dos Veadeiros seen from a rock ledge, with a waterfall far below under a cloudy sky](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-hero.webp) # Chapada dos Veadeiros, Privately Guided Waterfall Days Waterfalls, Quartz and Open Cerrado Chapada dos Veadeiros is the high cerrado of Goiás, three hours north of Brasília: a UNESCO-listed national park, red-rock rivers that tumble through natural pools, and canyons you walk down into. Three to five days with a private English-speaking guide, hiking at your own pace and sleeping in a pousada in Alto Paraíso de Goiás. [Request This Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros/#plan) [View Itinerary](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros/#itinerary) [Book a call](https://calendly.com/authenticbraziltravel-info/30min?utm_source=website&utm_medium=destination-hero&utm_content=%2Fdestinations%2Fchapada-dos-veadeiros%2F) - 3 to 5 days, 2 to 4 nights - Comfortable pousadas in Alto Paraíso, from simple to boutique with a pool - Vale da Lua · Rio Preto falls · Couros canyon · Almécegas Duration 3 to 5 days, 2 to 4 nights Accommodation Comfortable pousadas in Alto Paraíso, from simple to boutique with a pool Highlights Vale da Lua · Rio Preto falls · Couros canyon · Almécegas ## Brazil's high plateau, on foot and in the water Most itineraries reach Brasília only to change planes. Three hours north, the land climbs onto the Planalto Central and turns into the cerrado: rolling grassland, rock the colour of rust, and rivers stained tea-brown by the roots they run through. Chapada dos Veadeiros is where that landscape is at its best, and the national park at its heart is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a trip built around walking to water. A river cut into pale stone at Vale da Lua, a 50 metre fall at Almécegas with a natural pool at the foot of the smaller one, a day-long circuit past old quartz diggings to the Rio Preto cascades, and a canyon at Couros where you descend about halfway down the walls. The paths are real hiking, steeper and rockier than a stroll, but every day has a swim and a long lunch built in. - Waterfalls - Hiking - Cerrado 3 hours by road from Brasília airport to Alto Paraíso ![Two tall waterfalls of the Rio Preto dropping side by side into a forested gorge](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-saltos-rio-preto.webp) The Rio Preto falls, inside the national park ![Pale rock sculpted into smooth bowls by the São Miguel river at Vale da Lua](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-vale-da-lua.webp) Vale da Lua, the moon valley ## Chapada dos Veadeiros on the map Chapada dos Veadeiros lies in Goiás, Brazil. Best time to go: May to September (dry, best for hiking); rainy season November to March for fuller waterfalls. We usually plan 4 days here, privately guided and fitted into your wider route. Region Goiás, Brazil Best season May to September (dry, best for hiking); rainy season November to March for fuller waterfalls Recommended stay 4 days Ideal for Hikers and waterfall lovers who want Brazil's high plateau on a short, active add-on [Plan My Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros/#plan) ## Handpicked experiences in Chapada dos Veadeiros We don't list every tour, only the ones we'd actually send you on: the unmissable classics, plus a few most visitors never find. Signature ### Rio Preto falls and the quartz trail A day The long day in the national park: about eight kilometres along an old miners' trail through high cerrado, past the quartz diggings that founded São Jorge, to the Rio Preto cascades. You swim and take a hydro-massage under the falls, picnic, and walk back on a path glittering with crystal fragments. Signature ### Couros canyon A day The most dramatic waterfall complex in the region, on private land outside the park. A 90 minute drive on dirt road, then about 1.5 kilometres along the rim before you climb down roughly halfway into a canyon some 300 metres deep. Lunch is a home-cooked meal at a local family's house. Classic ### Vale da Lua Half a day A stretch of river that has carved the pale rock into bowls, channels and pools, which is why it is named for the moon. An easy first afternoon, and a good test of the light on arrival day. ### Almécegas falls Half a day A 2.5 kilometre walk across a working farm to a 50 metre fall, then on to the smaller second fall with a large natural swimming pool. ### Loquinhas Half a day An elevated walkway through forest, with seven natural pools to swim in along the way. A gentle last morning before the drive back to Brasília. ## Your day-by-day journey This is just one example of how your days could unfold, every itinerary is private and fully tailored, so we gladly reshape it around your pace, interests and travel dates. 2. ![Smooth pale rock bowls of the Vale da Lua](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-vale-da-lua.webp) Day 1 ### Brasília to Alto Paraíso, Vale da Lua Your guide meets you at Brasília airport, ideally for a morning arrival, and drives you to Alto Paraíso (about three hours). Lunch in town, then the afternoon at Vale da Lua before checking in to your pousada. - Transfer - Vale da Lua 3. ![Almécegas waterfall with its natural pool](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-almecegas.webp) Day 2 ### Almécegas falls A morning walk to the two Almécegas falls with a swim in the pool, a long lunch in town and a free afternoon. A slow day on purpose, before the harder ones. - Waterfalls - Swimming 4. ![Waterfall pouring down red rock cliffs at Couros](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-cataratas-dos-couros.webp) Day 3 ### Couros canyon The longest transfer of the trip, on dirt road, for the most spectacular day: the walk along the canyon rim, the descent into the falls and lunch with a local family. You are back in Alto Paraíso by the afternoon. - Canyon - Waterfalls 5. ![The Rio Preto falls in the national park](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros-saltos-rio-preto.webp) Day 4 ### Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park The big hike: eight kilometres through high cerrado to the Rio Preto cascades, a swim and picnic under the falls, and a late lunch in São Jorge on the way home. - National park - Hiking 6. Day 5 · Finale ### Loquinhas and back to Brasília The elevated forest path at Loquinhas with its seven pools, lunch in Alto Paraíso, then the three hour drive to Brasília airport for an afternoon flight. - Transfer - Return ## A plateau that rewards early starts Chapada dos Veadeiros works for most of the year, and the season decides how it looks. May to September is dry, clear and the best for hiking. November to March brings the rains, fuller waterfalls and green slopes, with the odd afternoon storm. [Plan My Trip](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-dos-veadeiros/#plan) ## Included in every journey ### A private guide English-speaking guides throughout. German-speaking guides are almost always available on request. ### All transfers Private, air-conditioned transfers between Brasília airport or hotel and Alto Paraíso, and to every trailhead. ### A comfortable pousada In Alto Paraíso de Goiás, from simple and central to boutique with a pool, chosen for the evening after a day of walking. ### Entrance fees and meals Park and waterfall entrance fees, breakfast, lunches and picnics are part of the programme. ## Frequently asked questions When is the best time to visit Chapada dos Veadeiros? + May to September is the dry season and the most reliable for hiking: clear skies, cooler mornings and stable trails. November to March is the rainy season, with fuller waterfalls and green slopes but afternoon storms and slippery paths. Late in the dry season, around September and October, fire risk rises and parts of the national park have closed in some years, so we always keep a second waterfall day in reserve. School and public holidays are busier. How many days do we need? + Three days, two nights, is the minimum to see Vale da Lua and the national park without rushing. Four days add the Couros canyon, and five days give you the whole circuit including Almécegas and Loquinhas at an easy pace. The region also works as an extension if you are already flying through Brasília. How do we get there from Brasília? + Alto Paraíso de Goiás, the base for the region, is about three hours by road from Brasília airport. Your guide meets you at the airport and drives you the whole way, and brings you back for your flight. We suggest arriving by mid morning and flying out in the afternoon, so no day is lost to transfers. How hard is the hiking? + It is moderate. The paths are rockier and steeper than a walk in the park, and the national park day is about eight kilometres, but nothing needs special equipment and every day has swimming and a long lunch built in. If you want less, we drop the long day and add another short waterfall. Tell us honestly what suits you. Is this the same as the Chapada Diamantina? + No. Chapada dos Veadeiros is in Goiás, near Brasília, and is high cerrado with red-rock rivers. The Chapada Diamantina is in Bahia, inland from Salvador, and is tabletop mountains and caves. They are about 1,000 kilometres apart and different trips. Can we combine it with other places in Brazil? + Yes, it fits easily because Brasília has direct flights across the country. It pairs well with the Pantanal, which is a flight from Brasília to Cuiabá, or with Rio de Janeiro before or after. Tell us the rest of your route and we will fit the days around it. A little Brazilian sunshine ## Your Brazil starts here. A few ideas are all we need to start planning something personal. - 24h response - Completely non-binding - Personal consultation > “Great service from beginning to end!” Juancarlos Marcano, USA · Google review Rather compose it yourself, stop by stop? [Design your own journey](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/my-journey/) ## Read on, travel on Pairs well with this - [![Aerial view of a brown Pantanal river winding through green floodplain and lagoons](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/pantanal-river-aerial.webp)Northern Pantanal The World's Greatest Wildlife Stage](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/pantanal/) - [![White sand dunes and rain-water lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/lencois-maranhenses-hero.webp)Lençóis Maranhenses White Dunes, Turquoise Lagoons](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/lencois-maranhenses/) - [![Flat-topped mountains of the Chapada Diamantina at dusk, seen from a rocky ledge with pink cloud above](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/images/destinations/chapada-diamantina-hero.webp)Chapada Diamantina Tabletop Mountains and Long Days on Foot](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/chapada-diamantina/) [All destinations](https://www.authenticbraziltravel.com/destinations/) ## What travelling with us was actually like - > My wife and I have always been thrilled by Brazil, but we had never dared to organise the trip ourselves. Authentic Brazil Travel planned the whole journey for us, including some destinations we did not know. The trip was superbly organised, the guides were great, the accommodations lovely and the transfers punctual. Thanks to the wonderful guides and their tips we felt safe the entire time and got to discover a lot of new things. Gladly again! Ali Siblani Germany Google review · August 2026 · translated - > I had an excellent experience with Authentic Brazil Travel. They coordinated my trip across several cities in Brazil, including Salvador, Foz do Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, and Florianópolis, and everything was handled professionally and smoothly. … I would definitely recommend this agency to anyone looking for reliable and professional assistance when planning travel within Brazil. Great service from beginning to end! Juancarlos Marcano USA Google review · August 2026 - > Me and my family had a great experience. Communication was hassle free and they always cared for our needs and safety. Sindre Jakobsen Norway Google review · July 2026 [Read all reviews on Google](https://search.google.com/local/reviews?placeid=ChIJSfLb3hU7J5URipiU_l6zmNk)