Chapada Diamantina

Traveling due west from Salvador [1], after a few hours the dry and dusty landscape of the northeastern Sertão region begins to change. Mountains and strange rock formations appear and the vegetation turns surprisingly lush, with an abundance of orchids and bromeliads. The transformation signals the beginning of the Chapada Diamantina (Diamand Plateau), a vast and very ancient geological region filled with canyons and gorges, and crisscrossed by rivers and waterfalls.

Much of this unique and spectacular area is preserved as a national park [2]. If you find yourself in Salvador with three days or more to spare, visiting the Chapada Diamantina is an adventure you won’t regret.