Pico da Neblina National Park Expedition
Planeta Exo
TripsBrazilAmazon

Pico da Neblina National Park Expedition

Amazon
14 Nights·15 Days
Amazon ToursHiking & TrekkingCommunity-Based Travel

Overview

Hidden deep in the northwest Amazon, Pico da Neblina National Park is not just a destination — it is a mythical frontier. As the highest mountain in Brazil at 2,995 m, Yaripo (its Yanomami name) towers above the rainforest canopy, cloaked in clouds and reverence. This vast protected area is Brazil's second-largest national park and one of the last truly remote regions of South America.

This Pico da Neblina Expedition is not for the faint-hearted. The journey to the summit spans roughly 70 km round-trip — with more than 3,300 m of cumulative climb — through dense rainforest, mud-laced trails, river crossings and high-altitude cloud forest. It is a physical challenge and a rare cultural encounter: you are guided every step of the way by Yanomami leaders, guardians of this sacred land, sharing rituals, stories and daily life.

In this place, the unexpected is expected; the only certainty is transformation. The Pico da Neblina trek is a deep journey into the nature and culture of Pico da Neblina in Brazil, where each day brings new challenges and revelations. To walk in the Pico da Neblina National Park is to let go of control and embrace the rhythm of the forest: slow, raw and humbling.

👉 Read more: 10 facts about Pico da Neblina

  • Explore Brazil's second-largest national park, a rarely accessed territory filled with biodiversity and geological wonders.
  • Trek to the summit of Pico da Neblina (2,995 m), the highest point in the country, through dense rainforest and rugged terrain.
  • Live a deep cultural immersion with the Yanomami people, sharing rituals, stories and daily rhythms throughout the expedition.
  • Experience the unpredictability of the Amazon on a true Pico da Neblina adventure, from flooded trails to mist-covered mountains.
  • Camp in remote rainforest settings, bathe in icy mountain streams and watch the forest shift as you climb into the clouds.
  • Disconnect from the modern world and walk one of the last wild frontiers in South America, guided by those who know it best.

  • Please note: This is Brazil's most demanding trek — a serious 15-day expedition for travelers in strong physical condition with previous multi-day hiking experience. All activities are subject to change due to weather, river conditions and the guidance of Yanomami leaders. Departure dates are strictly fixed (coordinated with the Yanomami) and each expedition requires a minimum of 3 participants.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in São Gabriel da Cachoeira

  • ArriveSão Gabriel da Cachoeira airport by 1:40 pm · transfer to guesthouse
  • Manaus → São Gabriel da Cachoeira850 km · ~2 h by plane

Our Pico da Neblina expedition begins in the remote, vibrant town of São Gabriel da Cachoeira — the most Indigenous municipality in Brazil, 850 km from Manaus (about 2 hours by plane). Arrive by 1:40 pm for the transfer to a cozy guesthouse near the Rio Negro (check-in from 2 pm). The afternoon is free to explore the riverfront; in the evening the group meets for a briefing.

Aerial view of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, the starting point of the Pico da Neblina Expedition, showing the town's white church, grid of streets and buildings on a forested peninsula surrounded by the dark waters of the Rio Negro, with rainforest and rocky outcrops stretching to the horizon

Day 2

Briefing, culture and a dip in the Rio Negro

  • ISA visitYanomami culture & conservation
  • Rio Negroswim & final gear check

After breakfast we visit the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) to learn about Yanomami culture, conservation and sustainable travel. In the afternoon we swim in the black waters of the Rio Negro and finalize gear and backpacks — a calm, grounding day before entering the forest.

Dark, gently rippled river surface with a narrow column of sunlight reflected across the water, seen during the Pico da Neblina Expedition
Open thatched-roof terrace of a riverside lodge on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with hammocks strung between wooden posts and a wide view over a broad river lined with palm trees at golden hour
Three-storey tropical building with horizontal wooden slatted balconies and a wide circular thatched roof, serving as the guesthouse base for the Pico da Neblina Expedition in São Gabriel da Cachoeira

Day 3

Into the wild: from river roads to Maturacá

  • 4x4São Gabriel → South Port · 80 km
  • Motor canoe150 km upriver · Ya-Mirim, Ya-Grande, Cauaburis, Maturacá
  • São Gabriel da Cachoeira → Maturacá~230 km · ~7 h (car + canoe)

The expedition officially begins. We leave by 4×4 for 80 km to the South Port, where the road ends, then board motorized canoes for a 150 km journey upriver. We arrive in Maturacá at sunset, warmly received by the local Yanomami association AYRCA.

Aerial view of two motorized canoes navigating a dark tannin-stained river through dense Amazon rainforest during a Pico da Neblina Expedition, with a small sandy bank visible mid-frame
A white 4x4 vehicle navigating a deeply rutted red mud trail through dense tropical rainforest on the Pico da Neblina Expedition
A motorized canoe speeds across a mirror-flat black-water river on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with a dense forest horizon and billowing cumulus clouds perfectly reflected on the glassy surface
Children and adult visitors play a rope game together in an open dirt clearing beside a turquoise wooden building, surrounded by tall Amazonian palms, during the Pico da Neblina Expedition community visit.

Day 4

Blessings and the first steps into the forest

  • CeremonyYanomami elders bless the trek
  • Trek→ Camp Irokae
  • Hiking distance8 km

The day begins with a spiritual ceremony, as Yanomami elders perform a traditional ritual to bless our Pico da Neblina trek. We then continue upriver to the trailhead and hike 8 km through dense vegetation to Camp Irokae, where hammocks await under a canopy of stars.

Two Yanomami elder men in traditional ceremonial dress — black body paint, red feather headdresses, turquoise bead earrings and woven bead belts — standing together before the Pico da Neblina Expedition trek begins, with lush rainforest in the background
A Yanomami man wearing traditional face paint, red feathers and a leaf adornment clasps hands warmly with a traveler during the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with tropical forest and a mountain peak visible in the background.
A capuchin monkey with a dark cap and pale face peers directly at the camera from within dense green foliage during the Pico da Neblina Expedition
A traveler and a Yanomami elder raise their joined hands during a traditional blessing ceremony before the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with palm trees and a dramatic peak rising through clouds in the background.
Three hikers with trekking poles and backpacks navigate a muddy trail through dense, bromeliad-laden cloud forest on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, the lead hiker wearing rubber boots and a yellow shirt

Day 5

Climbing through the green maze

  • Trek→ Camp Gavião · 420 m
  • Hiking distance6 km

We leave the lowlands behind, climbing 6 km through humid jungle, slippery roots and thick vines to Camp Gavião at 420 m, beside a clearwater stream — frogs, birds and rustling leaves lull us to rest.

Travelers resting in hammocks under a green tarp shelter rigged between wooden poles in the dense rainforest, with backpacks and wicker baskets on the ground — a typical Pico da Neblina Expedition camp setup
Close-up of a wood fire burning between river stones on a Pico da Neblina Expedition camp, orange flames rising through smoke above charred logs
Chopped green vegetables on a small cutting board balanced on a stack of firewood during a Pico da Neblina Expedition camp meal preparation, with a knife resting at the edge and supply bags nearby
Close-up of a large fern frond showing rows of pinnules covered in round sori dots, photographed during a Pico da Neblina Expedition through dense Amazonian rainforest

Day 6

Deeper into the rainforest, higher in altitude

  • Trek→ Camp Bebedouro Novo · 850 m
  • Hiking distance9 km

The path winds further into solitude. We trek 9 km through untouched rainforest, every step scented with wet earth and framed by moss-wrapped trees, to Camp Bebedouro Novo at 850 m, where a river cools us before dinner.

A backpacker looks up toward the misty forest canopy through tall moss-covered trees during a Pico da Neblina Expedition, with soft light filtering through the cloud forest understory
Two men building a wooden camp structure from cut branches and logs during the Pico da Neblina Expedition, surrounded by dense Amazon rainforest undergrowth
A group of travelers on a Pico da Neblina Expedition seated on log stumps in a circle around a small campfire at night, beneath a thatched shelter in the Amazon rainforest
A full moon with clearly visible craters glowing against a completely black night sky during the Pico da Neblina Expedition

Day 7

A grueling climb, a sacred view

  • Cloud forest→ Camp Laje · 1,600 m · ~6 h
  • Hiking distance5 km

A day of challenge: we climb 800 m over just 5 km into the cloud forest. After about 6 hours we reach Camp Laje (1,600 m), where Yaripo appears on the horizon — mysterious, sacred and majestic.

Twin vertical rock pillars split by a deep narrow cleft rise through dense cloud on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with low scrubby highland vegetation in the foreground
A Yanomami woman crouches by a smoky open fire, carefully pouring dark liquid through a cloth filter into a blackened kettle during the Pico da Neblina Expedition
A traditional woven wicker backpack basket rests against a mossy root on the forest floor during a Pico da Neblina Expedition camp stop, with a shirtless man sitting by a fire in the blurred background among tall rainforest trees

Day 8

Approaching the realm of spirits

  • Technical ascentBase Velha → Camp Base · 2,030 m
  • Hiking distance4 km

A steep, technical ascent: 2 km to Base Velha, then 2 km more over muddy, exposed terrain to Camp Base at 2,030 m. The vegetation turns alpine and temperatures drop; we gather around a fire and prepare for summit day.

A trekker crouches beside a yellow North Face dry bag inside a makeshift wooden shelter during the Pico da Neblina Expedition, smoke drifting through the hazy air while colourful gear hangs from bamboo poles
A small yellow-petalled wildflower blooms on a slender stem against dark wet branches and still water on the Pico da Neblina Expedition trail

Day 9

Summit of Yaripo: the top of Brazil

  • Summit2,995 m · iron rungs & ropes
  • Hiking distance4 km

The big day. We set off early from Base Camp with only our daypacks, tackling a demanding trail with sections of iron rungs and ropes. The Montanha dos Ventos (Mountain of Winds) emerges shrouded in mist; after a steep 4 km ascent we reach 2,995 m — the highest point in Brazil. The world opens: endless forest below, clouds at eye level.

A smiling hiker with a red pack cover grips a fixed metal handle while scrambling up a wet, mossy rock face on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with a line of trekkers and fog-shrouded tepui vegetation stretching behind her
View from high altitude on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with rocky peaks emerging through a sea of white clouds, a bare twisted tree silhouetted against vivid blue sky, and high-altitude shrubs clinging to the foreground ridge
Hikers in rain gear scrambling up wet, fog-shrouded granite rock face on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, using an orange safety rope and iron rung handholds bolted into the cliff
Four hikers silhouetted against thick mist on a rocky ridge during a Pico da Neblina Expedition, one person raising a large colorful flag that billows in the wind

Day 10

Descent through the veil

  • DescendCamp Base → Bebedouro Novo
  • Hiking distance9 km

We begin the long descent, retracing our steps through mud, forest and fatigue, passing Base Velha and Laje to reach Bebedouro Novo. A 9 km walk that demands patience and care; at the end, the river soothes tired bodies.

Four children stand on a flat rock at the edge of a dark Amazon river, using long sticks to fish or play, with wooden canoes and exposed tree roots along a sandy clay bank behind them — a riverside scene encountered during the Pico da Neblina Expedition
A traveler with a trekking pole and large backpack smiles alongside two Yanomami guides carrying heavily loaded traditional woven baskets on a Pico da Neblina Expedition trail through dense Amazon rainforest
Close-up low-angle view of a hiker's legs on a Pico da Neblina Expedition forest trail, one leg bearing an infinity tattoo, hand holding an olive-green insulated water bottle, with other trekkers visible among dense green rainforest in the background

Day 11

Return to Camp Irokae & naming ceremony

  • Descend→ Camp Irokae (via Gavião)
  • CelebrationYanomami naming ceremony
  • Hiking distance14 km

The forest feels transformed on the way down. We hike 14 km to Camp Irokae, pausing again at Gavião. That night the Yanomami host a celebration, and each of us receives a symbolic Yanomami name — an honor reflecting the bond built over days of shared effort.

A smiling Western traveler wearing a traditional feathered headdress with tall red feathers and leaf adornments stands among Yanomami men during a Pico da Neblina Expedition cultural encounter, surrounded by Amazon forest
A crowded wooden motorized canoe carrying a local family across a dark-water Amazonian river, with an eroded clay riverbank and dense tropical forest rising behind them, during the Pico da Neblina Expedition.
Three young boys in matching red shirts play around a palm tree in a lush green clearing during the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with a dramatic rocky peak rising above the rainforest canopy in the background

Day 12

End of the trail, back to Maturacá

  • Final trek8 km → riverbank
  • Boat~2 h → Maturacá
  • Hiking distance8 km · Gavião → Maturacá: ~2 h (boat)

Our last day of hiking: an 8 km stretch to the riverbank where the boats wait. We ride 2 hours to Maturacá for a delicious lunch, then share one last evening at the Yaripo Project headquarters — stories, reflections and the friendships built along the way.

Jagged rocky peak of Pico da Neblina rising above a dense Amazon rainforest canopy at dusk, silhouetted against a soft blue and peach sky
Close-up of a large handwoven wicker backpack loaded with supplies and coiled vines, carried by a person in a red shirt along a dirt trail in the Amazon, on the Pico da Neblina Expedition

Day 13

Journey back to São Gabriel da Cachoeira

  • Boat150 km · Maturacá, Cauaburis, Ya-Grande, Ya-Mirim
  • 4x480 km → São Gabriel da Cachoeira
  • Maturacá → São Gabriel da Cachoeira~230 km · ~7 h (boat + car)

We visit the local handicraft stalls and say goodbye to the Yanomami community, then travel 150 km by boat and 80 km by car (about 2 hours) back to São Gabriel da Cachoeira, where a snack, a warm shower and a real bed await.

A wide, sediment-rich river reflects green light as dense Amazon rainforest lines both banks, with a tall, sharply peaked mountain rising behind the canopy under a partly cloudy blue sky — a dramatic landscape on the Pico da Neblina Expedition.
Two travelers silhouetted inside a covered motorized canoe on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, one flashing a peace sign as the sun bursts through clouds over a wide Amazonian river

Day 14

A day to breathe

  • RestWariró artisan shop · optional massage

A free day to rest, visit the Wariró artisan shop, book a massage or walk around town, integrating the experience. In the evening we celebrate with a farewell dinner and a toast to the peak we reached.

A glowing orange sun sets over a wide river on the Pico da Neblina Expedition, with silhouetted boats on the water, a potted plant in the foreground, and distant hills on the horizon
Silhouettes of flooded forest trees rise from still water during a golden sunset on a Pico da Neblina Expedition, with a towering cumulus cloud lit from behind on the horizon
A bald uakari monkey with a vivid red face and golden-orange fur perches on a tree branch in a lush green rainforest, encountered during the Pico da Neblina Expedition
Close-up of a cream-white five-petalled wildflower covered in rain droplets, hanging from a slender stem against a dark blurred green forest understory during the Pico da Neblina Expedition

Day 15

Farewell to the forest

  • Departuretransfer to São Gabriel airport
  • São Gabriel da Cachoeira → Manaus850 km · ~2 h by plane (departure arranged around your flight schedule)

After breakfast we pack up and transfer to São Gabriel airport, marking the end of this Pico da Neblina expedition. You return not only with photographs but with a renewed perspective on the Amazon, the Yanomami and the transformative power of nature.

Jagged rocky peak of the Pico da Neblina Expedition rising above a dense Amazon rainforest canopy under a dramatic cloudy sky at dusk

What is Included

  • Accommodation: 4 nights guesthouse (Pousada Bawary, shared rooms) in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, 2 nights at the Yaripo Project headquarters in Maturacá and 8 nights in rustic forest camps (hammocks)
  • Meals: all breakfasts (except day 1), late lunches on days 3–13, dinners in the forest camps and boat-journey snacks; meals adapted for dietary restrictions
  • Transfers: all ground transportation from São Gabriel da Cachoeira airport and back (4x4 and motorized canoe per itinerary)
  • Activities & tours: ISA cultural visit, Yanomami blessing and naming ceremonies, the summit ascent and pre-expedition guidance on equipment and physical preparation
  • Guide: Vivalá facilitation team plus qualified, trained Yanomami guides throughout
  • Insurance: travel insurance for all days of the itinerary

Not included

  • Flights: round-trip flights Manaus / São Gabriel da Cachoeira
  • Meals: meals in São Gabriel da Cachoeira and personal trail snacks
  • Drinks: drinks throughout the trip
  • Travel insurance: travel and rescue insurance (mandatory — contact us for details)
  • Equipment & extras: personal equipment and an optional personal porter
  • Personal expenses & tips: tips, drinks, handicrafts and other personal expenses
  • Any services not previously mentioned: extra transfers, tours or activities outside the itinerary

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$ 4,650/ per person