Nobres
Region Of Crystal Clear Spring Fed Rivers And Caves North Of Cuiabá, Often Compared To Bonito · Nobres, Mato Grosso
Nobres is a municipality in Mato Grosso, roughly two to three hours by road north of Cuiabá, where limestone hills filter the water of small rivers and springs until it runs almost perfectly clear. Most visitors stay in the small village of Bom Jardim, a district of Nobres close to the main attractions. The best known is the Aquário Encantado, a tiny spring pool so clear and full of fish that snorkelling in it feels like swimming in an aquarium. On the Salobra and Estivado rivers visitors float downstream with mask and snorkel among piraputanga and other fish. At the Lagoa das Araras, a marshy lake of buriti palms, red-and-green and blue-and-yellow macaws gather in the early morning. The region also has caves, including a Gruta do Lago Azul with a blue pool, and small waterfalls. Nobres is often compared to Bonito in Mato Grosso do Sul, and the comparison is fair in the water but not in the organisation: it is cheaper and less crowded, but visits run through local operators and private landowners, and services are simpler.
Bom Jardim district, Nobres, MT, Nobres, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Almost every attraction is on private land and visited on a guided or booked trip, so hours depend on the operator and the landowner rather than on a public timetable. Most sites open during daylight only, with snorkelling and floats in the morning and early afternoon, when the light through the water is best. Visitor numbers at some sites, such as the Aquário Encantado, are limited, and places may be booked for a set slot - book through your pousada or a local operator a day or more ahead, and more in July and on holidays. The Lagoa das Araras is best at dawn, when the macaws are active, so trips there leave very early. Some sites close for maintenance or after heavy rain, when the rivers turn cloudy and floats may be cancelled. Operators and pousadas change, and the rules about swimming, sunscreen and group sizes are set by each site, so confirm the current arrangements before planning a trip around a specific river or cave.