Serra do Cipó
Serra Do Cipó National Park, Created 1984, Rocky Highlands Of The EspinhaçO Range About 100 Km From Belo Horizonte · Santana do Riacho, Minas Gerais
Serra do Cipó is a stretch of the Espinhaço mountain range roughly 100 km north-east of Belo Horizonte, protected since 1984 as a national park and surrounded by a wider environmental protection area. It is rocky highland country of quartzite ridges, clear streams, waterfalls and swimming holes, covered in the campos rupestres, a rare rock-grassland vegetation full of plants found nowhere else, from canela-de-ema shrubs to sempre-viva flowers and orchids. The classic walks run from the park entrance along the valley floor to the Cachoeira da Farofa and the narrow Cânion das Bandeirinhas, long but mostly gentle, often done by bike. Outside the park the village of Serra do Cipó has pousadas, restaurants and private waterfalls such as the Cachoeira Grande, and the area is one of Brazil's best-known rock climbing spots. Its audience is mainly Belo Horizonte: it is the city's weekend escape, crowded on holidays and quiet midweek. From abroad it is worth adding to a Minas trip for two or three days, not a journey on its own.
Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó, Santana do Riacho, MG, Santana do Riacho, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The national park opens in the daytime every day, with entry through staffed gates, the main one near the village of Serra do Cipó. Entry to the long trails typically stops by early afternoon so that walkers get back before dark, and staff close gates in the late afternoon; confirm the current cut-off, as it has changed over the years. Entry has historically been free, but fees and online registration have been introduced at some Brazilian national parks, so check before going. In the fire season, roughly August to October, trails or the whole park can close at short notice when fires burn in the dry grassland. In the rainy season, roughly November to March, sudden flash floods in the streams, known locally as cabeça d'água, can close swimming spots and river crossings. Private waterfalls outside the park, such as the Cachoeira Grande and the Véu da Noiva, keep their own daytime hours and charge their own fees. The village is packed on long weekends, Carnival and holiday periods, when pousadas fill weeks ahead and the MG-010 road from Belo Horizonte backs up on the return; midweek is far quieter.