Canyons in Southern Brazil

There are some amazing canyons in southern Brazil. Learn a little about them here!

Cambará do Sul, a city around 200 kilometers (124 miles) from where I live (Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, my state), is the gateway to two amazing canyons: Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza.

Itaimbezinho is the most famous, located in Aparados da Serra National Park. To get there from Cambará you will need to drive 15 kilometers on a non-paved road. The park has a simple but nice infrastructure and will you pay a small fee to visit it.

Check out the wonderful views!

Fortaleza Canyon is located in Serra Geral National Park and has no infrastructure. It's 23 kilometers (14 miles) from Cambará do Sul. The first 11 kilometers (around 7 miles) are well paved but on the rest you will feel like you are in the middle of an off-road race (meaning: terrible road). And when you get there you will find nothing but the cayons, I mean, no trails, no restrooms. And, unless you just want to take a quick look around, I strongly advise you to hire a tour guide. But as you can see below, the view is incredible!

If you are traveling with children, Itaimbezinho is your best choice (it is also the best alternative for less adventurous adults like me 😉 ). You will feel safer, with safety rope fences along the trails. And there are restrooms! If you go to Fortaleza canyon, will you have to hold your kids' hands most of the time, which is not a very easy task!

Well, we think this a great alternative if you're ever around this corner of the world!

Click here for more adventures in South America!