GREETINGS FROM … are short field notes. Friends of OLLI send us their impressions from their travels.
Jalapão State Park. An impressive nature reserve in the heart of the country—the largest protected area in the Cerrado, Brazil’s tropical savanna. Rivers, rock formations, and a diverse array of wildlife: jaguars, maned wolves, and macaws.
Bom Dia from the other side of the world.
For the past few months, we—Andrea and Mike from 4-xtremes —have been traveling through Brazil, the fifth-largest country in the world. In other words, it’s 206 times the size of Switzerland! So planning a sensible route isn’t all that easy.
Right now, we’re practically in the heart of the country. Few overlanders make it this far, but the “detour” is well worth it!
Although the savanna looks rather dry at first glance, we’re swimming here in paradisiacal waterfalls, and the highlight is the Fervedouros. These true oases offer a unique experience. And the springs with crystal-clear water, fed by underground aquifers, have an incredible feature.
💡 Did you know that you can’t sink in the “Fervedouros” of Jalapão? The pressure of the water gushing out of the ground there is so intense that it keeps you afloat—an almost magical feeling, just floating there.
It’s a 400-km drive to go all the way around the park. But we’re only doing about 200 km because we’ll be continuing eastward afterward. The “road” is mainly a sandy track that’s easy to drive on thanks to the daily rain. Locals tell us, however, that it’s very challenging to navigate the route during the dry season because the sand is extremely loose and deep then. Good thing we’re here during the rainy season!
We’re also happy about the “cool” temperatures at this time of year. It gets to about 35 °C every day, but during the dry season it’s another 10 °C hotter. If you’d like to visit this wonderful park, we’d recommend coming here between October and April. A 4x4 and air conditioning in your vehicle are a plus—and don’t forget your swimsuit, because you’ll be using it several times a day here.
We’re going to keep moving now, because our next highlight is a mere 600 kilometers away. Até a próxima, amigos!
Andrea & Mike
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