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The city of Alto Paraíso[edit]
The city of Alto Paraíso is a few miles from the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. The city has a more developed urban infrastructure in comparison with the village of São Jorge: the former contains a greater amount of hotels, inns, campsites, bars, and restaurants, as well as small stores, little squares, drugstores, bakeries, ATMs etc.
In addition, the city represents a strategic spot inside Chapada dos Veadeiros, for it is closer to and equidistant from several waterfalls, woods and treks, whereas the village of São Jorge is isolated from various ecological and urban attractions of Chapada, while also constituting an interesting place to visit.
Regarding the tourist attractions in the surrounding areas of the city of Alto Paraíso, some well-known places are:
the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, already mentioned;
the Maytreia Garden;
the Canyon of Rio Preto (black river);
Sertão Zen;
Baleia Hill (the whale hill, because of its format);
São Bento Falls;
Cristal/Cristais Falls;
Couros Falls ("Catarata dos Couros");
Almécegas I Falls;
Almécegas II Falls;
Loquinhas Falls;
Segredo Falls;
Raizama Falls;
Santa Bárbara Falls;
Macaquinho Falls (little monkey falls);
Carioquinhas Falls;
Anjos e Arcanjos Falls;
Muralha Falls;
Rio Macaco Falls (located on the valley of the river);
Vale da Lua (the moon valley, because of the soil pattern which resembles the moon); and
Poço Encantado (the "enchanted" well).
The city of Alto Paraíso also has some urban attractions, such as:
the Ary Valadão Filho Avenue, the main downtown avenue which provides visitors with several stores, bars, restaurants and cultural activities;
the Skate Square;
the Bambu Square;
the Bus Station Square;
the cerrado surrounding Alto Paraíso's airport, a place located a few miles from center of the city;
balloon rides (ballooning) provided by local private companies;
gastronomic, cultural and music festivals, which happen throughout the year and present varied contents; and
a great deal of activities and therapies related to alternative or mystical approaches, available at several parts of the city.
Other pieces of information about current events may be found on the municipality's website (in Portuguese).
Couros Falls
São Jorge Village and Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park[edit]
Still within the municipal limits of Alto Paraíso, but far away from the city, the village of São Jorge is located at the entrance of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. The village offers a rustic structure and dirt roads to visitors. It has fewer houses, as well as some campsites, inns, restaurants and bars. It is a destination particularly recommended for those who crave a natural environment isolated from the great urban centers. Nonetheless, one should be aware that the village usually hosts a great number of youngsters and university students, specially during holiday seasons, when a lot of noisy parties and vehicles occupy the local roads.
The National Park provides the visitors with outstanding landscapes and ecological attractions, as well as several options of waterfalls and trails. However, visitors should be warned that some strolls and trekking sites may involve long walks in irregular, steep and rough terrain. For this reason, it is advisable that tourists should assess their own physical conditions before selecting longer itineraries. Notwithstanding, very accessible trails and waterfalls are also available at almost all spots of Chapada dos Veadeiros; further information about them can be easily obtained with local inn owners and tourist guides.
Sunset in Alto Paraíso
Seasons and precautions[edit]
The best season for tourism in the Chapada dos Veadeiros region is the drought period of the cerrado in Goiás, between May and September of each year. During the rainy season, especially between October and March, it is advisable that tourists consult local hotel or inn owners and tourist guides about rain on the river head of some waterfalls, mainly on Vale da Lua.
Exceptionally, certain trails may be harder or very distant from the city, involving a moderate level of risk. Hence, one may be obliged to accompany a tourist guide in such situations, for security reasons. In case of doubt, the local Tourist Information Center ("Centro de Atendimento ao Turista" - CAT) should be consulted.
