Hike Brazil's Lost World
Trek among ancient monoliths and plunging waterfalls in Chapada Diamantina National Park, a rugged and isolated hiking paradise
What's Included?
Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Traverse Brazil’s ‘Diamond Highlands’ on remote trails, surrounded by striking mountain plateaus in the Vale do Pati
Clamber up the 300m canyon of Cachoeirão Falls, and up 200 steps to Mosquito Waterfall
Explore the quartz cavern of Gruta do Castelo and take a dip in Poço Azul - a subterranean pool with a blue glow
Immerse yourself in the rural communities of this sparsely populated region, hiking between village homestays
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Brazil
Welcome to Salvador - the colourful capital city of the state of Bahia. You’ll be picked at the airport and taken to your hotel in the historic part of town. Home to a fusion of cultural influences, Brazil’s third-largest city hums with life and basks in a tropical climate. Explore the sights if you have time, or catch up on sleep in preparation for the adventure which begins tomorrow.
Day 2
Westward to Lençóis
Driving
Meet your guide and your fellow travellers for breakfast and to chat through the adventure ahead. Hop in the van for a road trip westwards through the Bahia countryside, to Lençóis. This compact and characterful colonial town is the gateway to Chapada Diamantina National Park. Explore your new surroundings, before going for dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3
Chapada Diamantina National Park
Hiking
Journey by van to the trailhead in the village of Guiné - you'll travel over paved and dirt roads. Begin hiking up Beco Hill, where you'll take in the first of many great views of the Serra do Esbarrancado. Walk down into the valley, cross the Rio Preto and push on up the other side to reach a lookout point over to the remote Pati Valley. Begin the craggy downhill scramble that leads onto the trail and into the open valley, pressing onwards to your first homestay.
Day 4
Funis Falls and Gruta do Castelo
Hiking
Set off this morning following the path of the Funis River, past tumbling waterfalls and deep pools, until you reach Funis Falls. Take a breather, enjoy a refreshing dip in the pools and tuck into lunch, before heading up the Serra da Lapinha trail to reach the Gruta do Castelo. Here, a cavernous quartz cave glistens and leads to a stunning view of the valley's far side. Steadily make your way down the muddy trail to your next homestay.
Day 5
Cachoeirão Waterfall
Hiking
Fuel up on breakfast - you're going to need it, today's hike is a big one. Lace up your boots, grab your pack and head up a steep section of the trail leading to the spectacular Cachoeirão Waterfall. The towering 300m walls of the canyon spring several waterfalls, with more cascades appearing in the rainy season. Take a dip in a nearby pool, explore the canyon and get a unique view of the Pati Valley. Then follow the trail, winding downwards and on to your next homestay - and a very well deserved dinner.
Day 6
Pati Valley
Hiking
Head into the valley to traverse the lowland Pati de Baixo, hopping over rocks as you follow the Pati River. Today is a less arduous day where you can take in the mountain views, stop for wild swims in the river and soak up the remote beauty of the national park. After a spot of lunch, continue the trail onwards to your homestay for the night. Kick back and relax ahead of the final hike day tomorrow.
Day 7
The Império Mountains
Hiking
Driving
Hit the trail, which wind upwards on an ascent through the Império mountain range, with views of the Pati Valley getting more sublime with each step. Appreciate nature at its best whilst tucking into lunch, then continue over the crest to hike the long and steady descent into the town of Andaraí. Jump in the van for your undulating, dirt road journey back to Lençóis, stopping en route at the stunning Poço Azul - a cave with a subterranean pool of luminescent blue water, where you can take a dip and soak up the natural beauty.
Day 8
Mosquito Waterfall and Morro do Pai Inácio
Hiking
Driving
Travel to Mosquito Waterfall, where the water cascades from a height of 60m and has carved a towering cleft in the vegetation-draped rock. There are 200 steps up (and back down), but this is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Brazil to swim in.
Back in Lençóis, set off on a short sunset hike up to Morro do Pai Inácio. Take in the picture postcard views and admire the contoured curves of the Serra do Espinhaço mountain range.
Day 9
Salvador
Driving
Bid farewell to Lençóis and take a road trip back to Salvador. Wander the charming, historic streets of this UNESCO World Heritage city and savour the flavours of the Afro-Brazilian culture in one of the many local restaurants.
Day 10
Goodbye Brazil
Enjoy breakfast in Salvador and explore some more of the sights before your host takes you to the airport in time for your onward flight.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Salvador International Airport (Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães), Bahia
Any time on Day 1
Ends
Salvador International Airport (Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães), Bahia
Any time on Day 10
Transfers
Your host will meet you on arrival at Salvador International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in the city. On Day 10, your host will transfer you back to Salvador International Airport in time for your onward flight.
Airport transfers are included in the price if you arrive on Day 1 and depart on Day 10. If you wish to arrive before the trip start date or stay longer at the end, your host can arrange private airport transfers - see Optional Extras for prices.
Travel options
There are indirect international flights to Salvador from the UK and major European hubs, which commonly consist of an outbound flight connection via Lisbon.
From the US, there are indirect flights from various major hubs which most commonly transit via São Paulo.
For those arriving early or wanting to stay on, extra nights accommodation can be arranged with your host at an additional cost. Please see Optional Extras for more information.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 8
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 9
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 10
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
The cuisine in the Brazilian state of Bahia has a blended heritage of Portuguese dishes with African flavours, herbs, spices and cooking techniques. You’ll experience different variations of meals from Salvador to Lençóis and at each local house on the hike. For breakfast you can expect fresh bread, porridge, fruit, eggs, cassava and beijú (a tapioca flour crêpe), with coffee and juices. For lunch, sandwiches, cake and fresh tropical fruits will mainly be the order of the day. For your evening meal, you could be served rice, beans, braised palm tree heart and squash cortado, chicken or farofa (toasted cassava crumbs), together with rice and beans.
Vegetarians and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Salvador
In Salvador you'll bed down at the Bahiacafé Hotel, located in Praça da Se, the gateway to the historic centre. This cosy hotel has a boutique feel and blends local art with African-inspired decor. You’ll stay in twin-share rooms with private bathrooms. The sights of the city, including Rio Branco Palace Museum and Terreiro de Jesus Plaza, are only a short walk away.
Lençóis
In Lençóis you’ll stay at Pouso da Trilha, a centrally located pousada in this small, well-preserved colonial town. The pousada is a comfortable historic house, and its garden makes a great place to relax after hiking with fruit trees, hammocks and decking. You’ll stay in twin-share rooms with private bathrooms.
Pati Valley
During your 5-day hike across Chapada Diamantina National Park, you’ll stay with local people along the way. A fantastic opportunity to experience life in rural communities, you’ll stay in shared same-sex dorms with bedding and shared bathrooms provided. You'll dine together at each of these homestays, which are rustic, comfortable and warmed by wood-burning stoves.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge at Salvador and Lençois accommodation, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability). Please note, it is not possible to have a private room at the Pati Valley homestays.
We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.
Guides
Local, English-speaking tour leader and guides
Accommodation
2 nights in a hotel, 3 nights in a historic pousada and 4 nights in local homestays
Meals
All breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners
Transfers
Airport transfers and everything in between
Permits
All permits, tickets and entry fees
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
What do I need to bring?
BAGS
- Main baggage rucksack or soft overnight duffel bag
- Large daypack (minimum 50 litres) for kit on the multi-day hike
- Waterproof liner for large daypack and drybags
CLOTHES
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof trousers
- Breathable wicking layers
- Fleece jacket or similar
- Warm hat
- Buff or neckscarf
- Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
- T-shirts
- Underwear and socks
- Swimwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Hiking boots (worn-in)
- Sandals/light shoes
SLEEPING
- Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner (optional)
- Travel pillow or pillowcase
OTHER
- Universal travel plug adapter
- Power bank or solar charger
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel insurance documents
- Ear plugs
- Insect repellent
- Suncream (high factor)
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Toilet kit (toilet paper, biodegradable bags to carry paper out to dispose of)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Headtorch or torch
- Reusable water bottle(s) x2 litre
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
- Water purification tablets/treatment system
Pre/post trip accommodation in Salvador Hotel
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Salvador Hotel
… Per night
Optional private room upgrade Salvador and Lençóis (Single/Twin/Double)
Payable Before Departure
Optional private room upgrade Salvador and Lençóis (Single/Twin/Double)
…
Private Transfer from Salvador Hotel to Salvador Airport (per vehicle)
Payable Before Departure
Private Transfer from Salvador Hotel to Salvador Airport (per vehicle)
…
Private Transfer from Salvador Airport to Salvador Hotel (per vehicle)
Payable Before Departure
Private Transfer from Salvador Airport to Salvador Hotel (per vehicle)
…
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 191kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
Tap water in Brazil is not safe to drink. You will be able to refill your water bottle using filtered water available at the accommodation. Please pack your own reusable bottle, it will be well used.
Water bottles with inbuilt filters are becoming increasingly popular for travellers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide for advice on the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion and not expected in Brazil. If you wish to tip the tour leader and local guides, we suggest the below as a guideline per person:
£4 / $5 USD / R26 BRL per person, per day
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
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DEPARTURE DATES
