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Chapada dos Guimarães: Two Nights and the Waterfall Circuit

Two nights in Chapada town with a flexible second day, so the longer waterfall circuit is a choice and not an obligation.

Duration2 nights
TransitAbout 56 km by road to the park entrance, roughly 1 hour; the town is about 12 km further
DepartsCuiabá

After the Maratona de Cuiabá: Chapada and the Waterfalls

The Route: Cuiabá → Chapada dos Guimarães town → Chapada National Park → Cuiabá → Cuiabá Marechal Rondon Airport (CGB) Logistics: Hired driver, taxi or organised transfer. About 56 km to the park entrance and 12 km more to the town. Marathon Month: December Duration: 2 nights

Cuiabá ──(about 56 km, roughly 1 hr)──> Chapada town (2 nights) ──(about 12 km)──> Chapada National Park ──(same roads)──> Cuiabá ──(transfer)──> Cuiabá Marechal Rondon Airport (CGB)

Two nights in Chapada dos Guimarães give a rest day in the middle. The first day is for arrival and the light viewpoint walk. The second is flexible, so you can decide, depending on how the legs feel and what the weather does, whether to try more of the national park. The park authority, ICMBio, describes the town as the service base for the park, about 12 km and 15 minutes from the main entrance.

December in Chapada: wet season, with about 193 mm of rain in the month in Cuiabá. Storms often arrive in the afternoon. Plan the walking for the morning, and keep an indoor alternative for the rest of the day.

Getting There

Travel on Monday after a slow morning. The road from Cuiabá to the park entrance is about 56 km and takes roughly an hour. Agree a fare and a pick-up time for the return on the third day. Leave any luggage you do not need at the Cuiabá hotel.

Night One: Chapada Town

Choose a pousada in the town within a short flat walk of the centre, and ask about breakfast, air conditioning and a bath. Visit the Véu de Noiva viewpoint on the way in if the weather is dry. The park lists the walk as light, at about 1.2 km return, with entry from 08:30 to 16:00 and exit by 17:00.

Day Two: Choose Carefully

The park's waterfall circuit is a bigger commitment, at about 4.6 km return and rated medium difficulty by ICMBio. Some attractions in the park require an authorised guide and a booking made through the guide. Ask your pousada to arrange one the day before.

Decide in the morning. If your calves and quadriceps are still tight, or if rain is forecast, take a short town walk and rest. If you feel well, go with a guide, set an easy pace and turn round when you want to. Paths in the wet season can be slippery, and a descent is harder on tired legs than the climb.

Night Two and Getting Home

Spend the second night in the same pousada. On the third morning return to Cuiabá. The airport is Cuiabá Marechal Rondon (CGB) in Várzea Grande. The park lists closures on 24 and 25 December and 31 December and 1 January, so check if your dates are near them. Leave a margin before a flight, and avoid booking one for the afternoon of the return.