By air
Salvador (SSA), ~6 h by road; limited flights to Lençóis
South America · Brazil
Chapada Diamantina, Brazil
Mesas, caves and waterfalls in the Bahia highlands
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to October — dry season
Don't miss
Fumaça Falls
The Morro do Pai Inácio
Poço Encantado
The town of Lençóis
Things to do
Hiking the Vale do Pati
Fumaça Falls
The Morro do Pai Inácio at sunset
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Jeilsonandrade · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Hiking boots, a headlamp
A quieter corner
The Poço Azul cave pool, lit blue at midday
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Chapada Diamantina?
It's about 6 h by road from Salvador (SSA), and there are limited flights to Lençóis.
When is the best time to hike in Chapada Diamantina?
April to October, the dry season. Bring hiking boots and a headlamp.
What are the highlights of Chapada Diamantina?
Hiking the Vale do Pati, Fumaça Falls, the Morro do Pai Inácio at sunset, and Poço Encantado.
What's a hidden gem in Chapada Diamantina?
The Poço Azul cave pool, lit blue at midday. Back in Lençóis, try the hearty Bahian cooking.
About Chapada Diamantina
- Mountains
Where it is
Chapada Diamantina is a highland region of table mountains, canyons and caves in the centre of Bahia state in north-eastern Brazil, west of Salvador, with the old diamond town of Lençóis as its main base and peaks rising to just over 2,000 m.
History
Diamonds found here in the 19th century brought a rush of prospectors who founded towns such as Lençóis, Mucugê and Andaraí. The boom faded later in the 19th century, and Chapada Diamantina National Park was created in 1985 to protect the region's landscapes, which now draw hikers.
People
The Chapada's small towns are home to descendants of the diamond prospectors, the garimpeiros, many of whom now work as hiking guides, and quilombola communities of African descent live in its valleys. Portuguese is spoken, and Lençóis honours Senhor dos Passos, patron of the miners, with a festival each year.
Known for
- The Fumaça waterfall
- Sunset from the Morro do Pai Inácio
- Treks in the Vale do Pati
- Blue cave pools such as the Poço Encantado
- The colonial diamond town of Lençóis
Did you know?
The Fumaça waterfall plunges in a long, thin stream that the wind often blows into spray before it reaches the bottom, which gives it its name, meaning smoke.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.