Vila Velha, Guartelá Park and Tibagi

The Vila Velha State Park has been completely restructured recently and its main attractions are the sandstone sculptures, the Dourada Lake and the Furnas caves with their very high walls and internal lakes. Unfortunately, the caves can only be seen from outside, because the elevator is temporarily out of order.

The Park is open from Wednesday to Monday and can be reached by a mini bus. The tours are led by a local guide and they last for approximately three hours, offering the possibility of visiting the rock formation on foot.

Vila Velha has an incredibly contrasting landscape. One side is full of wide open grassland and the other is covered with Araucaria forest with close and humid vegetation.

Tibagi, a town located in Campos Gerais, was formerly used as a resting point for cowboys and was an important centre for diamond mining. There is an interesting historical museum where different materials and tools used for the production of diamonds are exhibited. The city also offers other attractions such as trekking and extreme sports.

The Guartelá State Park is around 18 km from Curitiba and has the sixth biggest canyon in the world, with a total length of 32 km. The Park offers trekking at various levels and the possibility of river baths in the "panelões", as the trekkers call the natural water holes formed along the river.

During the guided tour, participants will pass by Indian stone paintings which are around 300 years old. A complete tour, taking in all attractions, takes around five hours.

The rafting tour starts in the centre of Tibagi, on the River Iapó. There are different levels of difficulty. For beginners, a 40-minute tour at difficulty levels I and II is recommended. It can be extended to an hour or an hour and a half. The more experienced participants may try difficulty levels II and III which, depending on the water level, can be extended to a 3-hour excursion, covering a distance of 12 km.

Twenty kilometres behind Tibagi is the waterfall Salto Puxa-Nervos, located on a private property. Here the participants have the opportunity to rappel down the waterfall! Access, however, is not easy and requires good physical condition.

This tour will be offered with a local guide for maximum security. It is recommended for adrenaline lovers only!

Day 1: Leaving Curitiba at 7:30AM for the Guartelá State Park and Tibagi (approximately 215 km from Curitiba). Trekking in the park with a local guide, seeing, besides other attractions, the Indian stone paintings (around five hours of walking). For this tour, do not forget your bathing suits, a rain jacket and a pullover, to cope with the low temperatures. A lunchbox will be provided.

The tour will continue to Tibagi where there is an optional rafting tour on the River Iapó. Overnight stay in Tibagi.

Day 2: After breakfast, participants will have the option of rappelling down the waterfall. After this, the tour will depart for Vila Velha and visit the unique sandstone formations (approximately one and a half hours), the Dourada Lake and the caves.

Return to Curitiba at about 19.00 hours.

What the cost includes

• private transportation in a car or van depending on the number of participants
• local English speaking guide and local park ranger (Spanish, French or German speaking guides are available. Participants are requested to indicate preference at the time of booking. )
• one night's stay in a double room in Hotel Itagy, including breakfast (single room available for an additional cost of R$ 70 per person)
• entrance fees and local hiking guide for Guartelá State Park
• lunch-box for the first day.

What the cost does not include

• Meals not listed
• Rafting and rappelling
• Personal expenses