6-Day Ultimate Chapada Diamantina Hike

We leave the town of Lençóis at 7 a.m. and drive about two hours to Guiné, a quiet little village where the Vale do Pati trek truly begins. From here the group heads into the valley and only comes back at the end of Day 3.

Hiking starts around 9:30 a.m., climbing the rocky Subida dos Aleixos up to Gerais do Rio Preto, where you can cool off in the river. After a rest we trek on to Mirante do Pati, one of the valley's most impressive viewpoints, where lunch is served. Feeling the heat? A swim in the waterfalls of Rio Funil sends it away. When night falls, we settle in for dinner and sleep at a friendly local's house.

Meals included: lunch, dinner.

Breakfast comes early, so you have the strength for today's Chapada Diamantina trekking up Morro do Castelo, a steep climb to Gruta da Lapinha at the very top of the hill. The cave is dark, so we cross it with flashlights until we reach Mirante do Castelo, another gorgeous lookout over Vale do Pati. Take in the seemingly endless landscape of mountains, vegetation and blue sky, then enjoy the slower pace back at the homestay.

Meals included: breakfast, dinner.

The third day starts in style, hiking up to see Cachoeirão from above. When the morning sun hits its 300 m falls, rainbows form across the cliff. We stop for a snack in front of the view, then walk back to Guiné, the village from Day 1. A car picks us up for the roughly two-hour drive to Ibicoara, in the southern area of Chapada Diamantina National Park, closer to the Buracão waterfall. We spend the night there.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch.

The drive from Ibicoara to the Buracão waterfall entrance takes about 40 minutes, leaving at 9 a.m. On arrival we put on life jackets and swim through a narrow crevice to reach the mighty 90 m fall and several smaller ones. Many travelers rate this one of the most impressive sights in all of Chapada Diamantina, so enjoy the water, the sun and the photos. Want more adrenaline? Talk to a guide about reaching the waterfall by rappel. The group returns to Ibicoara by 6 p.m. to eat and rest.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Day 5 begins at 7 a.m. for one of Brazil's most imposing waterfalls, Fumacinha. Its name means "little smoke", for the way the wind catches the falling water. This is the toughest stretch of the whole Chapada Diamantina hike, and its difficulty is not for everyone. Following the riverbed through stunning scenery, we reach the 105 m fall set deep inside a canyon, with the feel of a natural sanctuary. Swallows often dance around and through the water, though it does not happen every day, so fingers crossed. At 6 p.m. a car takes us to Mucugê, a small town that is our base for the night.

Meals included: breakfast.

We leave Mucugê at 8:30 a.m. for the hour-and-a-half drive to the famous underground lakes Poço Azul and Poço Encantado. Poço Azul may be the single most famous spot in Chapada Diamantina: its water turns a vivid blue when sunlight slips through the cracks in the cave roof, and snorkeling here is a must. Swimming is not allowed at Poço Encantado, but you can still admire it before the trip ends at 5 p.m. and we drive back to Lençóis.

Meals included: breakfast.