Bespoke Expeditions
Private, founder-led expeditions in Brazil’s Serra do Espinhaço
Bespoke trips are Gift of Go expeditions in the Espinhaço, shaped around you.
Most groups come to us after discovering the range through our Expeditions. Elisa and I draw from the same original routes and circuits as those crossings, then tune the route, crews, and pacing to your group, your dates, and how you want to move through the range.
Some travelers prefer the structure of an Expedition. Others want the same landscapes and crews, but the freedom to shape the days around their own group.
If that sounds like your kind of trip, we’re happy to talk it through.
At a Glance
GOGO,
built to suit.
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A private, custom expedition in Brazil’s little-explored Serra do Espinhaço.
Five or more days of founder-led trekking, riding, and overlanding along empty trails and dirt roads through the highlands, with peaks, waterfalls, conservation units, historic towns, and quilombola villages along the way.
Groups can mix and match routes from our circuits and Expeditions, or build new combinations within the Espinhaço with our help.
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Well-traveled individuals, couples, families, and small groups who want to explore and experience the Espinhaço on their own terms.
Travelers who like the spirit of our Expeditions but need different dates, pace, level of care, or mix of trail/town time.
Hikers, long-distance trekkers, riders, and overlanders seeking highland beauty (peaks, valleys, waterfalls), small-town and village life, and quiet roads and trails.
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Groups wanting a hotel-forward trip with light walks, famous landmarks, fine dining, shopping, etc.
Travelers hoping to see several parts of Brazil in a single Gift of Go itinerary. Brazil is massive, beautiful, and worth experiencing, but we don’t lead trips outside of the Espinhaço.
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5+ days. There is no fixed upper limit, although longer trips may only be possible in certain windows. Most Bespoke Trips fall in the 7–14 day range.
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1–8 travelers. The idea is small, private groups rather than bus-sized, though we’re open to exceptions for schools or tight-knit, purpose-driven organizations where the route and safety allow.
For larger or more structured groups—particularly schools and universities—we also run Field Expeditions.
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Bespoke Trips can range from overland-heavy itineraries with shorter walks and more time in villages and towns to multi-week, backcountry treks that match the exertion of our longest Expeditions.
What doesn’t change is the landscape: this is a highland region of peaks, valleys, and dirt roads, and active days are the default. We can dial the pace up or down to match your group, but even the most relaxed Bespoke Trip will involve regular walking on uneven ground and time outdoors in the elements.
You don’t need to be a seasoned trekker or elite athlete to enjoy a Bespoke Trip. We build itineraries around your group’s reality, not an ideal. In our experience, reasonably fit, determined, and optimistic travelers do well – as long as they arrive in good overall health and ready to be active most days.
If you have a specific activity band in mind — more trails, more riding, more waterfalls, more culture, less distance, etc. — we’ll talk it through together and build a route that fits.
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Bespoke Trips are available on select dates throughout 2026–27. Most trips run between April and September, around our fixed Expedition departures, when conditions are more stable for longer, fixed-route itineraries on foot.
We can sometimes design Bespoke Trips outside this window (October–March), especially for overland- and village-focused itineraries, but longer treks in these months are best planned with flexible dates and an openness to adapting the route to weather and conditions on the ground.
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Because each Bespoke trip is shaped around your group, route, and timing, pricing is discussed after a short conversation.
Most trips fall within a range we’ll walk through together once we understand what you’re looking for.
We’ll always speak clearly about cost before you make any decisions.
If you’d like to talk through the possibilities, we’re here.
Setting
Brazil’s Serra do Espinhaço
A vast range in Minas Gerais where high savannah meets Atlantic Rainforest, and quartzite peaks, remote valleys, and small communities still shape daily life.
It’s one of the least visited landscapes of its scale anywhere in South America, and the setting for every Gift of Go trip.
· 3 UNESCO designations
· 19 conservation units
· 3,000 plant species (estimated)
· ≈7% of Brazil’s biodiversity
Life in the Range
(All Circuits) →
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The Mosaic
A forgotten wonderland. And the stage for everything that follows.
An unfathomably large (New Jersey–sized) sweep of protected mountain country: green vistas, white-sand waterfalls, cola-colored rivers, and one of the highest concentrations of endemic species on the planet.
Welcome to the Serra do Espinhaço—a mosaic of nineteen adjacent conservation units totaling nearly five million acres of Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, with remarkably little tourism infrastructure.
For travelers drawn to untouched wilderness, unfiltered culture, and the thought of experiencing a place that still feels undiscovered, this is the stuff of dreams.
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The Garden
More life than land. More urgency than time.
The Espinhaço accounts for less than one percent of Brazil’s territory yet harbors more than seven percent of its species, including over 3,000 found nowhere else on Earth.
Much of that richness comes from the campos rupestres, a rocky, flower-strewn ecosystem found almost nowhere else on the planet. Here it overlaps with the western edge of the Atlantic Rainforest, placing two globally threatened biomes side by side.
The landscape is resilient, but fragile. Much of the range sits atop quartzite and ironstone: coveted by the mining industry, vulnerable to extraction, and extraordinarily slow to recover from impact.
Experiencing it as it is now is a rare privilege.
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The Trails
Three centuries of movement. Years of rediscovery.
Getting from point A to point B has always been an adventure in the Espinhaço. Nowhere is that more evident than along its network of historic mountain paths.
Among the routes we follow:
• Colonial stone roads built by enslaved Africans during the diamond rush
• Tropeiro trails carved for cattle and commerce
• Hidden smuggler paths recorded by early naturalistsOur team has spent years rediscovering and reconnecting these forgotten corridors. Walking them today alongside travelers is one of the great privileges of the work.
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Waterfalls
The Espinhaço’s answer to sun, sea, and sand.
Take it from us: trying to count the waterfalls of the Espinhaço is an exercise in futility. Trying to spend more than a day or two on the trail without bathing in one is just as hopeless.
Wherever the route leads—along trails, backroads, or cattle paths—there’s a good chance a cascade is waiting nearby.
From soothing, cola-colored falls to show-stopping, white-sand masterpieces, ice-cold” has rarely felt so good.
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Homestays
Doorways into the world around us.
The trails will challenge you, and the peaks and waterfalls will leave you in awe. In our experience, though, it’s often the evenings spent breaking bread with local families—sometimes well into the night—that become the most memorable moments of a trip.
It’s impossible to come away unaffected by the graciousness of the households that receive us in the Espinhaço backcountry. These homes and the people inside them are an integral part of any crossing of the range.
Bespoke trips move through many kinds of accommodations. If your route brings us into family homes, we’re willing to bet that years from now those nights will still come to mind.
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Quilombola Communities
Memory, resilience, and the road less traveled.
The discovery of diamonds in the Espinhaço changed the fortunes of Europe—and the fate of Africa. Quilombola communities still carry that history.
Founded by formerly enslaved Africans and their descendants, these settlements remain scattered across the mountains and valleys of the range.
Often modest and quietly proud, they offer a powerful glimpse into Brazil’s layered past and the enduring strength of community.
If our route passes through quilombola territory, the time spent there can become one of the most meaningful parts of the journey.
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Riding through the Hinterlands
A choose-your-own adventure for the ages.
If you’ve ever dreamed of steadying a sturdy steed through brush, rivers, and rocky mountain passes in the Brazilian hinterlands, this is the place.
Across the Espinhaço, dirt roads, mule tracks, and cattle paths link villages, ranches, and colonial towns, and riding remains a way of life.
Many routes can be traveled either on foot or horseback. Some travelers prefer to walk while pack animals carry the load; others ride stretches of open road and high pasture.
However you choose to move, you’ll be tracing the region’s long tradition of tropeirismo—the way people and goods alike have moved through these mountains for centuries.
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Backroading
Somewhere between a commute and a quest.
There’s off-roading, and then there is navigating the backroads of the Espinhaço, where sun-scorched dirt tracks intersect rivers, potholes become craters, and harrowing bridges are simply part of the commute.
For many travelers, overland travel isn’t just a transfer between highlights; it’s part of the experience.
Our vehicle of choice is the legendary Toyota Bandeirante, a diesel variant of the Land Cruiser J40 series built exclusively in Brazil.
Brazilians like to joke that not even the brakes can stop a Bandeirante. We’ll just say this: every kilometer in a “Bandy” tends to be as memorable as the trail itself.
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The City of Diamonds
A world traveler’s dream — hidden in plain sight.
UNESCO World Heritage city. Terminus of the Estrada Real. Former diamond-mining capital of the world.
Somehow, little Diamantina manages to be all this and more—a university town, a musical capital, and a cultural crossroads—while remaining virtually undiscovered, even by Brazilians.
Music drifts through stone alleyways, tropeiro fills plates, and the view out the window might easily be mistaken for a painting from two centuries ago.
Few places are better suited to celebrate a journey through the Espinhaço.
Ways Through the Range →
Four original circuits shaped through years of fieldwork.
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The Serra
Towering peaks, white-sand waterfalls, campos rupestres, and a dense network of historic trails linking small highland communities.
The Serra often forms the backbone of our Bespoke routes—a visually arresting introduction to the Espinhaço where landscape and culture come to the surface quickly.
Its mix of terrain, infrastructure, and communities makes it especially flexible, whether you’re trekking, riding, or moving by vehicle.
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The Garden
Tree-sized flowers, nameless peaks, little-visited river villages, and overgrown historic trails.
The Garden is where we go when the goal is myth, isolation, and time spent inside the landscape rather than moving between destinations.
The terrain here asks for time and presence, whether on longer expeditions shaped around high savannah ecology, or as a wilderness chapter between other circuits.
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The Sertão
Rolling hills, thunderous falls, agrarian communities, and a different rhythm of life.
The Sertão works beautifully for routes that prioritize flow—long distances, dirt roads, and steady movement between villages, with time for river baths, waterfalls, and the slower rhythms of life that shape them.
It’s especially well suited to overland travel, riding, and longer, pilgrim-length treks, as well as mixed itineraries that combine driving, riding, and shorter walks.
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The Berço
Secluded river valleys, weathered mining towns, quilombola villages, and enduring ways of life.
The Berço lends itself to immersive routes—slower, deliberate journeys shaped by remote landscapes and intimate stays in little-visited communities, with a strong sense of continuity with the past.
The Espinhaço is already far from tourism. This circuit is for travelers who want to go further and connect more deeply with the range.
If the Espinhaço is calling, we’re happy to talk it through.
Where We Sleep
Quiet homestays. Family-run inns. Remote backcountry camps. Higher-end retreats.
The Espinhaço features a diverse array of lodging options.
Each reveals a different side of the range.
What We Eat
Tropeiro. Torresmo. Frango com quiabo.
If you’re unfamiliar with comida mineira, you will be by the end of the trip, and Brazilians everywhere will be jealous.
From piping hot homemade meals, prepared by skilled hands in well-seasoned cast-iron pots over wood-fired stoves, to more sophisticated offerings in Diamantina, we rarely meet our weight-loss goals during trips.
It’s worth it.
Crew →
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Eddie
Founder / Expedition Leader + Translator (Core Crew)
The bumper sticker on his ‘89 Toyota Bandeirante (Brazilian Land Cruiser) may read “Lost Texan”, but don’t be fooled: Dallas-born Eddie has dedicated himself to the study of Brazilian history, society, and geography for the better part of two decades. He first stepped into the Serra do Espinhaço in 2018, and has been exploring its lost trails and documenting its resilient inhabitants ever since, becoming by some accounts the region’s most well-versed foreigner in a century. The only thing he enjoys more than exploring this little-known part of the world is bringing it to life for other travelers who want to understand the range, not just pass through.
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Elisa
Founder / Expedition Leader + Translator (Core Crew)
The first time Elisa encountered the daunting “roads” of São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras during a fateful weekend getaway in 2019, she swore to her mom she would never come back. These days, she can’t seem to leave the Espinhaço, having spent the better part of her life since then driving all manner of backroads—usually with various satellite devices, emergency contacts, and communications equipment in tow—in a gangly leaf-sprung 4x4 named “Gaucha”. Bringing itineraries to life in this part of the world requires steadfast determination, impeccable planning, outstanding communication, and (lots of) patience. The rest of us just require Elisa.
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Xaxau
Support & Rescue Driver (Core Crew)
The eldest son of Diamantina’s most celebrated 4x4 dynasty, Xaxau, like his brother Andre, is adventure nobility without the pretension. In addition to being one of the region’s most seasoned mechanics and welders, he happens to be an expert rider of horses, motorcycles, and (lucky for us) vintage Land Cruisers. You’ll see Xaxau and “Gaúcha” (our primary support vehicle) during your trip any time we engage the region’s labyrinth of dirt roads. It’s the moments when you don’t see him, though—as he’s driving parallel to our route—that puts our minds at ease. In the unlikely event of an emergency, there isn’t anyone we’d rather have close by.
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Júlio
Guide / Naturalist (All Circuits)
The difference between a good guide and a great one is the calling, and in Júlio’s case, that was never a question. Passionate, dedicated, and bursting with the knowledge, energy, and conviction necessary to make the world a better place, he’s both a natural-born mountain guide & a natural-born man for others. Should you opt for a larger crew during your trip, you’ll get to witness him put both of these callings (as well as his degree in Geography) to use. When the brush is thick, snakes abound, the sunlight is dimming, and there are still kilometers ahead, there’s no one on earth we’d rather have by our side.
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Santo
Local Guide + Mule Driver (Serra Circuit)
A local legend on par with the iconic mountain that towers above his remote abode, Santo has become synonymous with the spectacular crossing from Bica d’Agua to Rio Preto State Park. Stoic & hardened, yet soft-spoken & graceful, his backcountry skills are second to none (and his camp grub isn’t half-bad, either). Should we opt to climb the Espinhaço’s highest peaks during your trip, it’s likely that we’ll have the privilege of spending at least one evening with Santo & his lovely wife, Dona Maria (known throughout the region for her wood-fired stove mastery), at their charming home in Bica d’Agua.
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Valdir
Local Guide / Horsemen (Serra Circuit)
Thoughtful, percipient, and humble, with stories to share (but only if you ask) and a serene wisdom honed by decades spent living far from Diamantina, Valdir personifies the ideal GOGO guide. We don’t always make the trip to glorious Fazenda Santa Cruz do Gavião, the remote historic ranch that he’s tended to alone for the past 12 years, but when we do, it’s often simply to enjoy his company. Should we choose to explore the roads & waterfalls less traveled in our Serra Circuit, a visit to Valdir & Gavião are possibilities. There are few people we’d rather walk, ride or huddle around a wood-fired stove with.
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Genésio
Local Guide (Serra Circuit)
On expeditions as in life, you should always seek to surround yourself with resilient, kind-hearted souls who have done it themselves and want to see you succeed. This is especially true when summiting foreign peaks, and when said souls have the kind of legs capable of powering up & down said peak 1,000+ times per year for two decades. Hailing from a family of Itambé guardians, and now a full-time ranger in the State Park himself, it’s fair to say that Genésio knows Itambé better than anyone on earth. Should your Journey pass in the vicinity of the mountain, it will be a privilege to walk alongside him.
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Barbosa
Local Guide (Garden Circuit)
Humble, self-educated, self-made, and as full of stories as he is as life, Barbosa grew up on the edge of civilization, in a tiny quilombo where the lush cerrado meets the river, the palms tower over once-diamond-rich sand banks, and money was (literally) unheard of. Today, he & his gracious wife, Lucia, reside in nearby Inhaí, where they’ve begun to receive the district’s first visitors and are sharing the incredible true stories of their upbringings. Should we find ourselves in the eastern borderlands of Sempre Vivas, we may well have the privilege of hearing those stories first-hand.
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Gomercindo
Local Guide + Boatman (Garden Circuit)
Few rivers on earth are at once as pristine, gorgeous, and little-known as the Inhacica Grande, and few know “The Inhacicão” or the serra that towers above it as well as Gomercindo. Gracious & soft-spoken, yet adventurous & fun-loving, the former miner turned prolific farmer has spent a lifetime on the river & its white sand banks, cultivating a unique relationship with it that only a benefactor and guardian could have. He also knows the eastern portion of Sempre Vivas like few others. Should we have the pleasure of visiting the eastern borderlands of Sempre Vivas during your Journey, it’s likely that Gomercindo will be with us.
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Deraldo
First-Mate + Porter (Garden Circuit)
In a remote farming community historically dominated by beans (with the occasional corn crop), Deraldo went a different direction: broccoli. His successful harvests have not only improved the diets of elementary school children across Diamantina, they’re disrupting long-held beliefs about his community’s agricultural potential. But Grade A broccoli isn’t the (only) reason that Deraldo is on our crew—having grown up along the banks of the Inhacicão, he knows the waterways like few do. He also happens to own the best outboard motor around, which we’ll happily employ should we elect to boat down the river during your Journey
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Tau
Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)
There’s an undeniable energy born from living out one’s dream, and Tau beams it in spades. Born & raised in quaint Curimataí, he spent decades as an entrepreneur in the big city rat race before finding his way back home. Today, he & his equally enterprising wife, Gilma, run our favorite pousada west of Sempre Vivas, where we’d happily find ourselves sleeping & (especially) dining should your itinerary call for it. An avid outdoorsman & expert horseman, Tau often guides those of us who hoof it along the sun-kissed sertão roads around the region.
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Alvimar
Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)
Stoic, courageous, courteous, and thoughtful, Alvimar is, in many ways, the embodiment of the idealized sertão man. A lifelong cowboy, he spent years fighting remote wildfires in Sempre Vivas National Park, ascending & descending the Espinhaço’s rugged western escarpment and criss-crossing the Park’s little-known campos by foot & horse. Today, Alvimar wears a different hat, tending to livestock & crops on his small ranch north of Curimataí. His familiarity with the sertão, knowledge of the Park’s western frontier, and expert skill with horses make him an incredibly welcome addition to our crew, should we find ourselves in his neck of the woods.
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Pê
Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)
Confident, charismatic, and cool in a way that only a natural-born cowboy can be, Pê & his lovely wife, Nica, have been housing & guiding our crew since the early days of our explorations in the Espinhaço. Born & raised in the tiny one-family outpost of Santa Rita, on the windswept southern frontier of Sempre Vivas National Park, Pê performed multiple tours as a Park firefighter before returning full-time to ranching, and is renowned across the region for his riding acumen. Should we attempt to cross the spectacular Rio Preto River Valley during your Journey, we’ll likely have the pleasure of riding with Pê & his brother, Lu.
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Levi
Local Guide (Garden Circuit)
The lone resident of a storied, abandoned ranch situated in one of the wildest stretches of cerrado in Brazil—a full day’s trek through untamed brush from his closest neighbor—Levi has become something of a living legend among the folks living in the borderlands; the mere mention of his name eliciting reverence, sympathy, gossip, and outcry in short order. He is a man with stories to tell, and precious few visitors to tell them to. Spending time with him, and sharing the story of our own journey to his home, is a highlight of any trip to the region, and the stuff that lifelong memories are made of. A day with Levi is a day for the ages.
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Esdra
Porter (Garden Circuit)
Despite growing up on the banks of the nearby Inhacicão, Esdra had never been to the fields atop Sempre Vivas National Park where his father (Gomercindo) was raised—nor had he ever hiked uphill with a pack on—until he accompanied our crew as a last-second porter in early 2024. He had his doubts as to whether he would enjoy the experience (and rightfully so: how much fun does a sweaty trek through the wilderness really sound to a 20-year-old?), and we had ours, too (how much weight can a rookie 20-year-old really carry uphill?). Luckily, the experience was great for all of us, and we now have a pair of porters (including Gomercindo) in Sempre Vivas. In fact, rumor has it, he & his father may now become two of the Park’s newest guides…
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Dorico
Local Guide + Horseman (Berço Circuit)
There are only 3 are residents left in Sempre Vivas National Park, and (as one might imagine) all of them are remarkable for their resilience & courage. Of them, Dorico may be the most sage. Hailing from the “nearby” (60-minute trek) flower-picking village (and former colonial-era barracks) of Macacos (pop. < 20), he has spent the past 30 years living alone in his rustic pau-a-pique home at the foot of (gorgeous) Serra da Gamba. Humble, soft-spoken, and gracious, he carries himself with a lightness of being. There are few men left like Dorico. We treasure our moments alongside him, whether on the trail or by the campfire.
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João
Local Guide + Horseman (Berço Circuit)
It is said that there are more former residents of Sao João da Chapada (pop. 2,000) living in a single suburb of Sao Paulo (pop. 22,000,000) than in Sao João itself, and we believe it. The creation of the Parks and subsequent prohibition of traditional ways of life—particularly, mining, hunting, and flower-picking—in their vicinity sent many able-bodied residents afar in search of jobs. All of which makes João’s decision to return to his rural life so fascinating. Humble, well-traveled, and wise, he’s lived a fascinating life, making him wonderful company on the trail. We look forward to his stories—and horsemanship—each time we’re near São João.
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Caio
Overland Driver
When we meet at Tancredo Neves International Airport (the rendezvous point for all of our trips in the Espinhaço) on Day 1, you’ll be forgiven for thinking we’ve brought along a personal security detail. Towering, stoic, and probably wearing a sharp pair of aviator sunglasses, our Crew’s official overland Driver, Caio, was formerly a professional mixed martial artist in his hometown of Montes Claros. Now the proud owner of both a local taxi service and a small (but growing!) poultry farm on the outskirts of Diamantina, he is exactly the kind of serious, enterprising, and (most relevantly) punctual individual that this city—er, our Crew—needs. We’ll have the pleasure of riding with Caio to & from the airport to bookend your trip. After two weeks in a leaf-sprung, 35-year-old Land Cruiser, we think you’ll be grateful we’ll be taking his vehicle.
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Michel
Support Driver (All Circuits)
A year abroad in Australia taught Michel—then a biology undergrad—the power of travel, and convinced him that his hometown of Diamantina deserved to be rediscovered by the world. Since then, he’s become one of the most renown photographers in the Espinhaço, documenting its storied history and sharing his striking portraits of its denizens & every day life through publications like The Guardian, National Geographic Brazil, and more. As a member of our crew, Michel gets to put his passion for both cultura mineira and vintage Toyota 4×4s—as well as his fluency in English—to use, teaching others about the wondrous region he calls home.
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André
Support & Rescue Driver (All Circuits)
A soft-spoken, big city-loving motorcycle enthusiast born into (decidedly small town) Diamantina’s most celebrated family of 4x4 mechanics, “Dézinho”, like his brother Xaxau, is adventure nobility without the pretension. He’s also a remarkable motorcycle pilot, as well as a devoted part-time P.E. teacher(!). As the official dirt bike rescue driver of our trips, we’ll hope to not see too much of André during our days on the trail. But it’s his constant, reassuring presence along the roads parallel to our route that allows us to push forwards with confidence. In the unlikely event of an emergency, there isn’t anyone we’d rather have close by.
What’s Included
Beds, meals, crews, gear, and logistics. All shaped to the route and the way you want to travel.
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Bespoke trips move through a range of places—homestays, pousadas, small inns, campsites, and local homes—depending on the route.
Some are simple, others more refined. All are chosen for where they sit and how they connect to the experience.
If you’d like to explore more elevated accommodations in certain segments, we’re happy to talk through what’s possible.
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All breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and daily trail snacks are included.
Most meals are rooted in traditional comida mineira—hearty, local, and prepared in homes, small kitchens, and along the trail. In larger towns and Diamantina, there are also opportunities for more varied or refined dining.
If you have specific needs or preferences, we’ll plan for them in advance.
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All trips include arrival and departure transfers from Confins Airport, along with support vehicles and ground transport as needed.
Depending on the route, we may also incorporate horses, pack animals, or river travel.
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Elisa & I lead each Bespoke trip ourselves, supported by a core team that includes at least one driver with a 4×4 support vehicle.
From there, we build the crew to match the route, adding local guides, cooks, horsemen, or other specialists as needed.
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Equipment is tailored to the itinerary, but typically includes:
– 4×4 support vehicles and a support motorcycle
– Camping equipment when required (tents, sleep systems, kitchen setup)
– Water filtration and purification systems
– Communications and safety equipment carried by the crew -
All required permits, park fees, and local permissions are included and arranged in advance.
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We travel with satellite communications, first-aid equipment, and a dedicated support and rescue structure.
Elisa and I, along with members of the crew, are trained in Wilderness Advanced First Aid, and we operate with established protocols for remote travel in the region.
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You’ll receive a detailed expedition dossier before departure, and a small set of items during and after the trip— including a journal, a photo archive from the journey, and a few practical tools for the trail.
Weather & When To Go
Conditions in the Serra do Espinhaço change greatly over the year. The notes below constitute general patterns; exact weather will vary by year, route, and altitude.
The daily storms in the Serra do Espinhaço typically taper off in March, making April & May some of the most beautiful months to explore the region: gushing waterfalls, exuberant vegetation, plentiful springs, and rivers that are still crossable.
June & July are mild and dry, with optimal hiking conditions: warm, sunny days and crisp, cool mountain weather in the evenings, with hardly a cloud in the sky.
The dry season reaches its zenith in August & September, resulting in a parched savannah landscape. Colorful bouquets of flowers and cactus fruit dot the campos, waterfalls flow gently, and rivers and streams are easily crossable.
The long dry season usually breaks in late September, making October – March an exciting, beautiful, and unpredictable time to travel in the region. Waterfalls roar, dirt roads melt, and the Cerrado is in full bloom. Daily storms create wet and wild trail conditions: rivers are often uncrossable on foot, and peaks and high crossings may require alternative routes. They also turn the landscape a thousand shades of green.
We sometimes design overland- and culture-focused itineraries during this period, but longer treks during these months are best planned with flexible dates and an openness to adapting the route to weather and conditions on the ground.
January
April
August
Availability & Pricing (2026–27)
Bespoke Trips
Select dates from April 1 – Sep 30, 2026 | 5+ days minimum
Elisa and I lead each trip ourselves, alongside a crew built for the route and the way you want to travel.
Because each trip is shaped around your timing, interests, and group, pricing is discussed after a short conversation.
Most trips fall within a range we’ll walk through together once we understand what you’re looking for.
Base trips include Elisa and I as expedition leaders and translators, one support and rescue driver, standard Bespoke accommodations and meals, and all standard fees and permits.
Additional crew members, vehicles, pack animals, and equipment are added as needed depending on the route and your group’s goals.
Considering a Bespoke expedition?
Talk with Eddie →
For larger or more structured groups,
Let’s talk it through →
Odds & Ends
Prerequisites
prior trekking, riding, and/or outdoor experience is not required.
all applicants must undergo a complete physical examination and receive their physician’s approval in writing no more than 3 months prior to the start of the Trip.
Additional Reading
A Flower & A Way of Life in Peril, Scientific American
Life on the rocks in Brazil’s Campo Rupestre, the guardian
Explorations of the highlands of Brazil, Sir richard burton
Brazilian Diamonds: A Historical & Recent Perspective, Gems & Gemology, Spring 2017 Vol. LIII
The Espinhaço Range Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO
Globally important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) Proposal, CODECEX
getting there & away
We’re happy to offer recommendations regarding travel arrangements to and from our rendezvous point in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Please be aware, however, that Gift of Go does not make airfare reservations or book flights on behalf of clients.
What’s Not Included
Airfare
Minimum medical & emergency evacuation insurance (Required)
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
Visas (required where applicable)
Any meal or activity not detailed in the itinerary
Alcoholic beverages
Gratuities (Tips & Donations)
Travel Insurance
A minimum level of medical & emergency travel insurance is required in order to travel with us. Details are outlined in our Terms & Conditions, and you will not be permitted to join the group until you have provided evidence of adequate coverage. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have pertaining to insurance.
CONNECTIVITY NOTES
Connectivity on Bespoke Trips varies by route. In general, 5G, 4G, and 3G signals are widely available in the Espinhaço frontcountry (towns and villages, where we often spend evenings and mornings), but can be sporadic or unavailable in the backcountry (where we may spend much of our days). Your connectivity will depend largely on your carrier, plan, and the route we build together. If you’d like, we can provide you with a Brazilian SIM card upon your arrival. Wi-Fi is available at many of our accommodations during most mornings and evenings of the trip.
Proofs of Life →
Scenes from the Espinhaço
FAQs
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Both Bespoke trips and Journeys are private expeditions led by Elisa and I. The difference is how they take shape and where decisions are made.
Bespoke trips are shaped with you around your dates, interests, and group. We design the itinerary before you arrive, then guide it with intention once you’re on the ground.
Journeys are built around one traveler and unfold in the field over time. The route, pace, and decisions evolve day by day, shaped by what we’re seeing, who we’re meeting, and how the experience develops as we move.
Both draw from the same range of terrain, communities, and possibilities. Both can go deep. The difference is structure.
If you’re traveling with others, or prefer a more defined plan from the outset, Bespoke is the right place to start.
If you’re traveling alone and want something more open and fully immersive, a Journey is usually the better fit.
If you’re not sure which format fits, we’re happy to talk it through.
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All of our trips move through the Espinhaço’s landscapes and communities, but they do it in different ways.
Expeditions are fixed-date, small-group trips (2–8 travelers) led by Elisa and I, with defined routes, durations, and crew structures. You join a departure and move through the experience alongside other travelers.
Bespoke trips are private and built around your group. We start with your people and your dates, then design a route around your goals, fitness, and preferred way of moving through the range.
Crew is another key difference. Expeditions run with a larger, ensemble team. Bespoke trips always include Elisa and I, along with a core support structure, with additional crew added as needed depending on the route and group.
In simple terms: Expeditions are fixed and shared. Bespoke trips are private and shaped with you.
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They’re flexible, within a defined structure.
Because Bespoke trips are designed in advance, we usually begin with a clear route and plan. That allows us to move with intention and make the most of the time you have.
That said, we’re in the field with you, and we adjust when it makes sense. If a place calls for more time, we can stay. If something isn’t working, we can shift course.
Some elements are easier to change than others. Routes that rely on vehicles tend to be more flexible. Multi-day treks and remote crossings require more commitment, especially when they involve local hosts, guides, and permits arranged in advance.
In practice, most trips settle into a rhythm: structured enough to carry you forward, with enough room to respond to what unfolds along the way.
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We do, within reason.
Most Bespoke trips are designed for one to eight travelers, but we can sometimes accommodate slightly larger private groups if the route, season, and safety plan make sense.
For schools and universities, we also run Field Expeditions—longer-form programs designed around academic and field-based work in the Espinhaço.
If you’re considering a larger group, reach out with your numbers, dates, and goals, and we’ll let you know what’s realistic.
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Our regular guiding season runs from April through September, when conditions are generally more stable for longer, route-based travel.
Outside this window (October–March), storms are more frequent, rivers run higher, and trails can be less predictable.
We can sometimes design Bespoke trips during these months—especially for overland- and community-focused itineraries—but multi-day treks require flexible dates and a willingness to adapt in the field.
If you have specific dates in mind, we’re happy to talk through what’s realistic.
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Booking is done on a first-come, first-served basis. Because we run a limited number of founder-led trips each year, availability across all formats is tight.
We generally recommend reaching out at least 120 days before your ideal start date.
That said, if you’re inside that window, it’s still worth reaching out. If there’s space, we’ll do our best to make it work. If not, we can look at alternatives or future dates.
If your dates are fixed, or you’re hoping to travel during peak season (June–August), earlier is always better.
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Visa requirements depend on your nationality and can change over time. As of December 2025, citizens of some countries (including the United States, Canada, and Australia) are required to obtain an e-visa before arriving in Brazil.
We strongly recommend checking the latest entry requirements with your local Brazilian consulate or official government travel site before booking flights, and again in the months leading up to your trip.
We’re happy to point you toward the relevant resources, but we’re not able to provide legal or immigration advice.