Jalapão in 5 Unforgettable Days

General information about Jalapão

The name Jalapão comes from a tuber called “jalapa” that grows abundantly in the region and has medicinal uses.

Jalapão is the land of fervedouros — natural springs where an underground river surfaces with nowhere to drain, forming a kind of natural pool.

An impermeable layer of rock blocks the water from draining into the aquifer below, and when the water surfaces, the pressure is so strong it pushes sand upward, which keeps you from sinking.

The region is estimated to have more than twenty fervedouros, though only ten are open to visitors.

One thing worth knowing about fervedouro tours: each one has a set visitor capacity and a time limit, but if nobody’s waiting, you can usually take your time without worrying.

Five towns make up the Jalapão region: Ponte Alta, Mateiros, São Félix, Rio da Conceição, and Lizarda — though only the first three have real tourist attractions.

Our trip to Jalapão

I’ll walk you through our trip day by day to show what’s possible, since Jalapão is enormous and the drive between towns takes a while. On top of that, the connecting roads aren’t paved.

Our itinerary ran 5 days, and we originally booked with Paulo from Rota das Araras / Rajalapão, though he had a scheduling conflict. In the end, we did the trip with Elizeu instead.

Elizeu is fantastic, and we’d highly recommend booking with him — he’s warm, easy to talk to, and since he was born and raised in the region, he knows every trail, road, and detail of the local flora and fauna.

We were able to customize our itinerary with Paulo, and we’d recommend doing the same, since the standard packages are short and there’s so much more to explore in the region.

The packages include lodging and meals, though drinks aren’t included.

Day one in Jalapão

We left Palmas heading toward the main attractions, starting with Lagoa do Japonês.

Lagoa do Japonês

• Like most attractions here, this is on private property
• A green-tinted river leading to a cave and a wooden deck
• A 5-minute boat ride gets you there, though you can also swim
• Facilities include restrooms, changing rooms, and a restaurant
• A 300-meter zipline
• Open 8 AM to 6 PM, per the guidelines we were given

Genuinely unmissable for how clear the water is, and the cave is beautiful too — we’d recommend wearing water shoes, since the rocks underfoot can cut your feet.

Oddly enough, this lagoon technically isn’t part of Jalapão itself — it’s located in the municipality of Pindorama.

Pedra Furada in Jalapão

• Private property
• Cars park nearby
• A five-minute trail
• Carved from sandstone
• A beautiful spot for sunset

The whole scene is stunning — the rock formations are gorgeous from the moment you arrive.

From there, we headed to Ponte Alta do Tocantins, considered the “Gateway to Jalapão,” where we spent our first night.

Day two in Jalapão

Cânion Sussuapara

• A 12-meter waterfall dropping through a narrow, damp-walled crevice
• Private property
• Wooden stairs lead down into the canyon

Photos honestly don’t do justice to how beautiful these rock walls are — you have to see it in person. This was, without question, the most beautiful spot we’d seen by day two, and an absolute must-see.

Cachoeira do Lajeado in Jalapão

• 15-meter drop into a natural pool
• Free entry
• Doesn’t usually appear on standard tour agency itineraries

Since it’s not privately owned, this waterfall has natural, somewhat rough trails, but the swim is worth it.

Cachoeira da Velha

• The largest waterfall in the park
• 15-meter drop, 100 meters wide
• Has a walkway and viewpoint
• Swimming isn’t allowed

Just a quick photo stop, but genuinely beautiful.

Prainha do Rio Novo

• One of the largest freshwater rivers in the world
• A good diving spot
• Close to Cachoeira da Velha
• Watch out for the current

The current is strong, but cooling off in this clear water is well worth it.

Dunas do Jalapão

• Formed by erosion of rocky ridges
• 200 to 400 meters across
• Views of Serra do Espírito Santo, golden-grass wetlands, and lakes

Every minute of the drive out here is worth it — the sunset from the dunes is beautiful.

Right after the show, we continued on to Mateiros, where we spent the night.

Day three in Jalapão

Serra do Espírito Santo

• Moderate trail difficulty
• Distance: 1.4 km round trip, with about 200 meters of vertical gain on the way up
• A long, flat sandstone plateau leading to pyramid-like rock formations at one end — a 5 km round trip, though signage along the way suggests each stretch is 3 km
• Located right next to the dunes
• Best for sunrise or sunset
• The only tour here with a separate admission fee

A beautiful outing, and genuinely worth waking up at 3 AM for sunrise — afterward, we ran the 5 km to see the dunes, but the sunrise itself was unbeatable.

Download the GPX file for the climb up Serra do Espírito Santo.

Track powered by Wikiloc

Download the GPX file for the trail to the Serra do Espírito Santo lookout.

Track powered by Wikiloc

Fervedouro dos Buritis

• Private property, like most fervedouros
• Named after the buriti palms found here
• Beautifully colored water
• Cost: R$20 for 20 minutes

Comunidade Mumbuca in Jalapão

• A village in the municipality of Mateiros
• 165 residents, descendants of enslaved people from Bahia
• A mix of Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian heritage
• The Indigenous term “mumbuca” refers to a native blue bee common in the area
• Men and women have distinct roles — men work the fields, women handle the craftwork
• They produce handicrafts from golden grass (capim dourado) and buriti palm straw

We visited, but honestly, we saw more beautiful golden-grass crafts back in Palmas.

Fervedouro do Ceiça

• The first fervedouro to become publicly known
• Named after its owner
• Has one main spring, with strong water pressure
• Round-shaped, surrounded by green banana trees
• Cost: R$20 for 15 minutes
• No restaurant on-site

The banana trees really stand out, and the entrance to this fervedouro is genuinely beautiful.

Fervedouro do Rio Sono

• Colder water
• A more square-shaped pool with a wooden platform
• Has a restaurant serving home-style food
• Cost: R$20 for 20 minutes

Since we arrived in the afternoon, we got to enjoy it longer and only left once we were tired of the water.

That said, there are mosquitoes, and the fish here nip at you.

We had lunch at this fervedouro’s pay-by-weight restaurant, though the food was pretty standard, nothing regionally specific. Read more in where to eat in Jalapão.

Fervedouro Encontro das Águas

• The strongest current of all — nearly impossible to sink here
• Close to where the Sono and Formiga rivers meet
• Small, and the water isn’t blue
• Closed indefinitely during our visit due to COVID-19 risk, per a sign at the entrance

Day four in Jalapão

Cachoeira da Formiga

• One of the most beautiful waterfalls in the region
• Clear water
• Also on private property, as with most spots here
• Cost: R$25, no time limit

The water pressure is quite strong, but the color more than makes up for it, and swimming here is a lot of fun.

Fervedouro Buritizinho

• Intensely blue, clear water like most fervedouros
• The deepest spring of them all
• R$20 for 20 minutes

A small fervedouro, but genuinely beautiful, with warm water — we liked it so much we actually went back a second time during our trip.

Fervedouro das Macaúbas

• Crystal-clear green water
• Cost: R$20 for 20 minutes

As soon as your legs sink into this fervedouro, you feel a gentle massaging pressure, a bit different from the others.

Fervedouro Puro Encanto

The pressure here is much gentler, so you sink in as soon as you enter.

A large fervedouro, and like most, costs R$20 for 20 minutes.

Fervedouro Veredas

• The newest fervedouro in the region
• Actually two fervedouros in one
• Has a platform restaurant for sunset views
• A deck leading into the first fervedouro

Definitely plan your visit around sunset here — it’s worth it.

Day five in Jalapão

Fervedouro Bela Vista

• Widely considered the most beautiful fervedouro in Jalapão
• 15 meters across
• Access via a wooden platform
• Has an on-site restaurant and inn — guests staying there can swim at night
• Located in São Félix do Tocantins
• Cost: R$25 for 20 minutes

With better infrastructure and a nicer platform than most, this fervedouro is large, with clear blue water, and just as transparent as the rest.

One tip: if you stay at the inn here, you can go for a night swim — a unique experience worth trying.

Fervedouro Alecrim

• Rivals Bela Vista in size
• Located in São Félix do Tocantins
• Cost: R$15 for 20 minutes

A large fervedouro with solid infrastructure, much like Bela Vista.

Cachoeira das Araras

• A waterfall dropping over a green rock wall
• Has a lunch restaurant on-site
• Cost: R$45, no time limit, lunch included

Beyond the beautiful waterfall and setting, we had lunch here, and it was, without question, the best meal we had in Jalapão.

Serra da Catedral

• Located between São Félix do Tocantins and Novo Acordo
• A rock face resembling a cathedral façade
• Protected as an ICMBio private reserve (RPPN)

A quick stop, just for a few photos.

Poço Encantado

Of everything on this trip, this is honestly the one spot we’d consider skipping. When we visited, water levels were low, and after seeing so many other beautiful sites, this one felt a bit anticlimactic. Even so, Andrey managed to have fun in the small falls and got some funny videos out of it.

If you’re planning your own trip to Jalapão, especially if you have a few extra days, check out what to do in Palmas and Taquaruçu do Porto.