Chapada dos Veadeiros

The minute Alexandre and I picked up my friend Julz from the airport in Brasilia we headed to Chapada dos Veadeiros. Chapada dos Veadeiros is one of 4 chapadas (protected plateaus) in Brazil, each of which are some of the oldest geological places on the planet. All four chapadas are situated on giant plates made of quartz which, after some post-ocean weathering, have cliffs perfect for waterfalls and, consequently, climbing. Because of the presence of the quartz (including crystals everywhere), the ancientness of the area and a few UFO sitings, chapadas are home to the spiritually-enclined and the love-seeking contemporary "hippie" along with airstrips for the aliens <-truth. We had the pleasure of staying in Alto Paraiso (literally means "high paradise"), a city smack-dab in the middle of Chapados dos Veadeiros where a few of my Brazilian friends are renting a house for a year.

Weekly farmers market in Alto Paraiso held on Saturday mornings filled with handmade and homegrown EVERYTHING from chocolate and veggies to clothing and jewelry. Welcoming people with colourful clothing and lots of dreads.  (photo courtesy of Julie Bogle).

When we weren't staying in a character-filled old pimped-out house with fire-burning ovens, a sketchy loft, on-suite bathrooms with non-functional Jacuzzis and a resident toucan we were hiking for a few hours into the cerrado wilderness at night to arrive at our other accomodations: the top of a waterfall. Our tents on the flat rock ledge, we left the fly off to watch the incredible starry night sky only to wake up to a spectacular view which included a lush forest lining the river below, which of course, was sourced by the waterfall we slept On.Top.Of. This was Sertão Zen or "Zen Desert". Alexandre and a few other Brazilians climbed the quartz faces across the valley while Julz and I swam in a pool of water formed by the beginnings of the waterfall. None of this would be possible in the wet season as our campsite is replaced with tons rushing water widening the waterfall significantly -making for a spectacle from the climbing side of the valley, but inhospitable to the sleeping climber or the swimming spectator.

View on the hike and while sleeping (photo courtesy of Julie Bogle)

Alexandre and I setting up our tent on the flat rocky ledge on top of the waterfall in Sertão Zen (photo curtesy of Julie Bogle).

Red arrow pointing where we slept from the view point across the valley on the top of the climbing face. See streaming waterfall below and note the width to which the waterfall can grow during the wet season.

The swimming pool on top of the waterfall.

Lizards, snakes and scorpions were our neighbours in Sertão Zen.

Looking across the valley at the climbing wall from the "campsite".

Alexandre rapelling down the side of the climb.

On our way back from Sertão Zen we happened to find ourselves at a Brazilian BBQ full of fantastic people, cold beer and dancing. This happens often. Another charm to Alto Paraiso, if you Guelphites out there hadn~t been thinking this place reminds you of Guelph yet, are the jam sessions. Guitars, saxophones, cajons, bases, voice and harmonicas. Friends just picking up their instruments and playing their favourite Brazilian songs. What a treat.

Chapada dos Veadeiros also offers a lot of bouldering, all you have to do is climb under some barbed wire into a farm to find boulders you can see from the road.

All photos by Julz Bogle.

Next up, waterfalls, climbing in caves and a river adventure.