An unfathomably large (New Jersey-sized) swath of protected wonderland gushing with green mountain vistas, white sand waterfalls, cola-colored rivers, one of the highest concentrations of species endemism on the planet, a tantalizing lost network of historic trails… and virtually no tourism.

Welcome to the spectacular, undiscovered Mosaic of the Espinhaço: 19 adjacent conservation units (including a National Park, multiple State & Municipal Parks, and other reserves) totaling 5 million acres of protected Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) & Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Rainforest), with little to no tourism infrastructure.

For lovers of nature, culture, history, outdoor sports, and (let’s just say it) life itself, this is the stuff of dreams.

It’s difficult to overstate just how rich the Espinhaço is in terms of biodiversity. The range accounts for less than 1% of Brazil’s national territory, yet is thought to contain over 7% of its species, including an estimated 3,000+ endemic plants & animals.

Unfortunately, the Cerrado (one of the 2 larger terrestrial biomes to which the Espinhaço Meridional belongs) is being deforested at a rate more than double that of the Amazon, and has experienced a pronounced decline in rainfall during recent decades.

Enjoy it while it’s here, like this, right now.

Getting from point A to Point B has always been an adventure in the Espinhaço, and nowhere is this more evident than along its spectacular—and viturally empty—network of historic trails.

Three types of trails predominate the backcountry here: remarkable, colonial-era stone pathways built by slaves to facilitate the diamond trade along the Estrada Real; bush trails pioneered by mule-driving tropeiros to facilitate regional commerce; and centuries-old descaminhos blazed by diamond smugglers and later revisited by 18th century naturalists (including Richard Francis Burton & Augustin Saint-Hilaire).

Our team has spent 4 years rediscovering this lost network, documenting its history, nature & inhabitants, and charting our expeditions. As much as we’ve loved having the trails to ourselves, it’s an even greater pleasure to share them with other curious, adventurous minds.

UNESCO World Heritage City; Terminus of the fabled Estrada Real; Bastion of Portuguese colonial architecture; former diamond-mining capital of the world; and shining exemplar of the “diamond in the rough” cliché.

Somehow, little Diamantina (pop. 49,500) manages to be all this and more (burgeoning college town; “musical city of Minas”; hometown of Juscelino Kubisheck and Chica da Silva; etc.), while remaining virtually undiscovered even by mineiros.

Add it all up, and you have a bonafide world traveler’s dream: a tourist mecca without tourists, smack in the middle of one of the most enchanting settings on earth.

Take it from us: Attempting to count the waterfalls of the Espinhaço is an exercise in futility. Just as futile: trying to spend consecutive days on the trail without bathing in one.

We’ll cross paths with dozens of named falls during our Expedition, from soothing cascades to show-stopping masterpieces and everything in between.

“Ice-cold” has never felt so good.

The region’s undisputed icon, Pico do Itambé (elev. 2,052 m) towers over the region like a citadel, living up to its billing as “the roof of the Espinhaço”.

Protruding over 1,102 meters over the surrounding peaks, it draws a hard line between the Rio Jequitinhonha & Rio Doce river basins and a soft line between the Atlantic Rainforest & Cerrado biomes.

Taking in the views after a challenging climb (on Day 6) promises to be one of the most satisfying & memorable moments of our Expedition, as does the golden hour descent.

And then there’s the wild night trek that follows…

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. Among the culinary treats unique to the Serra do Espinhaço: angu, quitanda, samambaia, and queijo do Serro.

We’ll have the privilege of arriving to piping hot plates of highly-caloric, lovingly-made meals—prepared by skilled hands & well-seasoned cast-iron pots over wood-fired stoves—throughout our Expedition, with a pair of more sophisticated offerings in Diamantina to book-end the trip.

Throw in a few ice-cold Antarcticas (one of the more popular national beer labels) and, well, let’s just say we rarely meet our weight-loss goals during trips. It’s worth it.

Bom apetit!

Larger than Greater Los Angeles, with just a handful of courageous residents, thousands of endemic species, and no tourist infrastructure to speak of, Sempre Vivas National Park is, without exaggeration, one of the wildest & most captivating places in Brazil.

We’ll have the privilege of spending 6 full, long days trekking, riding, canoeing, and bushwhacking our way across the Park during our Expedition, from the lush veredas of the eastern wildlands to the wind-swept campos of the west, sleeping in caves, flower-picker shacks, and hauntingly isolated ranches along the way.

Razor-sharp grasses, deadly snakes, and lack of shade are realities of the trail here—as are pristine waterfalls, nameless peaks, and unbridled tranquility.

Few places on earth manage to feel this magical, this wild, and this overlooked. Each day in Sempre Vivas is an adventure, each moment a privilege.

Pristine, majestic, and appropriately daunting to get to, Santa Rita Waterfall marks the grand western entrance to Sempre Vivas NP, and to the western slopes of the Espinhaço, in general.

Known to only a handful of folks on the planet—nearly all of whom lived or worked in the surrounding area—prior to the Pandemic, the falls continue to be more of a rumor than an attraction thanks to the lack of an easily-navigable trail and/or climbing ropes.

We’ll need to engage in a pair of brief, optional climbs to reach the base & come back up again. The view, alone, makes the excursion worth it, but the swim (water level permitting) takes it to a whole new level.

Vamo que vamo!

The namesake flower of Sempre Vivas National Park is as inextricably linked to the history, economy, and identity of the Serra do Espinhaço as the diamonds that sustained the region before it.

Sixty of the estimated 100 species in existence have been documented within the Park’s borders—eight of which are found no place else on earth.

Harvesting these flowers—an activity that UNESCO has designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)—is more than a means of income for many in the region; it’s a way of life.

We won’t engage in any flower harvesting during our Expedition, but we’ll see plenty of gorgeous specimens along the trail. With enchanting shapes that range from tiny buttons & stars to tree-like stalks with giant globes, flower-spotting has a way of making even the most arduous days on the trail joyous.

We dare you not to get excited each time we pass one up close.

Centuries-old pousadas & intimate homestays will immerse us in Brazil’s fascinating culture & history, but it wouldn’t be a GOGO trip without at least one night in the middle of nowher—er, the middle of nature.

We prefer starry nights, soft sand, warm fires, & gently rolling streams, but we gladly settle for the silence of the mountains.

With 4 spectacular nights of wilderness camping and 3 nights in wilderness refuges on the itinerary (see the Accommodations section, below, for more details), we’re hoping for all of it.

The trails will challenge us, and the peaks & waterfalls will leave us in awe, but in our experience, it’s the time we spend breaking bread with local families—sometimes well into the night—that provides the most enriching & memorable moments of our Expedition. It’s impossible to come away unimpressed by the foreign, often rustic conditions, and resilient, welcoming disposition of each of the many households we’ll visit.

As if good company, unique accommodations, and home-cooked meals weren’t reason enough to embrace the experience, our patronage provides precious income opportunities for each of the households we visit—several of whose livelihoods changed dramatically in recent decades with the decline in mining—and helps build a culture that values the region’s overlooked history & natural environment.

We’ll stay in an incredibly diverse array of unique & memorable places during our Expedition. We’re willing to bet that, years from now, it will be the homestays that still cross your mind daily.

If you’ve ever dreamed of steadying a sturdy steed through the brush, rivers, and rocky mountain passes of the Brazilian hinterlands, now’s your chance: our epic traverses of the steep & spectacular Mato dos Crioulos (on Days 7 & 8), Sempre Vivas National Park (Days 14, 15 & 16), and Vale do Rio Preto (Days 23 & 24) can all be done on either foot or horseback.

Prefer to gallop? Chapter III beckons, with back-to-back afternoons (Days 16 & 17) of optional riding along open dirt roads between glorious, sun-kissed waterfalls.

Should you opt to hoof it yourself during those days, rest assured that you’ll still have access to our Expedition’s pack mules.

Regardless of whose hooves are moving, we recommend you catch your breath, take in the scenery, and immerse in the region’s long & storied tradition of tropeirismo and cavalgadas.

Minas Gerais is Brazil’s heartland, and mineiros (the state’s denizens) play the part of heartland hosts to a “T”.

Easy-going, down-to-earth, and famously chatty, with a well-documented love of food (especially comida mineira, of course) & drink (some of Brazil’s best cachaça & craft brews come from Minas), mineiros are to “friendly” what paulistas (residents of São Paulo) are to “fast-paced” and cariocas (folks from Rio) are to “care-free”.

Generally speaking, you won’t find a kinder or more welcoming bunch anywhere in Brazil.

No place embodies the deeply paradoxical existence of Sempre Vivas National Park better than the decadent main residence of Fazenda Arrenegado (literally, Forsaken Ranch). Cast away in one of the most inhospitable stretches of the Park, and camouflaged by the surrounding vegetation, “Taquaral” has become synonymous with the untamed wilderness, land disputes, and predatory fauna that the Park is known—or rather, unknown—for.

Its lone inhabitant for the past 2 decades, Sr. Levi, is a living legend around these parts, and for good reason—at this point in the Expedition, we’ll be about an 8-hour bushwhack away from the next closest human.

The ranch house (not pictured) could use a good cleaning, but we think it’s best appreciated in its natural state. You’ll have a chance to see it for yourself on Day 12. If you’ve never bathed in a horse trough, now’s your chance.

The incomparable “vila” of Santa Bárbara is full of contradictions. A bonafide oasis (replete with hot springs, swimming pools, crystalline creeks, and a resplendent waterfall) in the middle of the dusty Sertão? A partially restored historic textile mill that doubles as a chic hot springs resort town? A chic hot springs resort town featuring “chalets” that look like (and, in fact, are) decadent former employee homes?

Quirky, a little unorganized, and more than a little self-important—yet undeniably gorgeous & gostoso—Santa Bárbara is as much of an experience as it is a place, and honestly, its unmissable & unforgettable as both.

There’s a lot to take in, and we’ll be exceedingly grateful to try our best during back-to-back nights (Days 17 & 18), including one of our Expedition’s two Rest Days.

So much about Sempre Vivas is about the journey, the feeling, and the remoteness. It’s fitting then, that even the journey to get there—in our case, a 28-km drive along bucolic dirt roads, followed by a gorgeous 5-km hike and a half-day canoe ride up one of the Jequitinonha River’s most pristine tributaries—is spectacular.

While there are multiple points of entry (though no official entrance) to the Park, none is more dramatic than the Inhacica Grande River, whose nutrient-rich waters & powder-sand shores comprise the Park’s wild eastern border.

Here, amidst the rocks & palms, white sand & birdsong, even Diamantina (a measly—but brutal—3 hours away overland) feels a world away. And yet this is just the starting point for perhaps the most epic stretch of our expedition: a 5-day crossing of Sempre Vivas.

We’ll be sleeping underneath the stars tonight, on soft white sand, next to the fire. Welcome to Chapter II.

Nestled tightly against the water-flowing (& water-falling) western edge of the Espinhaco, snuggled gracefully between deep & gentle river bends, unassuming Curimataí (pop. 1,500) is the kind of Place that calls little attention on the itinerary, but lingers on the mind endlessly afterward as a feeling of peace, warmth, and joy.

After 5 days in the harsh conditions of Sempre Vivas, we’ll sop up all of the low-key goodness that we can get: soft pillows; friendly folks; full bellies (oh, the meals!); cold, flowing beverages; and top-notch people-watching from shaded front porches.

Even as we saddle up & head south towards greener pastures (and hot springs!), we usually do so with heavy hearts: few places are harder to leave.

One thought that helps us get through the heartbreak: you can always come back.

There’s “off-roading”, and then there is navigating the often-surreal backroads of the Espinhaço, where sun-scorched dirt roads intersect with rivers, potholes become craters, and harrowing bridges, devastating lombadas, and the occasional white sand beach are all just part of the daily commute.

While we won’t be tackling the worst of what the region has to offer during our Expedition (those would be the “roads” of Sempre Vivas, which we’ll prefer to trek & ride this time around, thank you very much), we’re confident you’ll come away with a new appreciation for the roads in your part of the world.

Our vehicle of choice, the legendary Toyota Bandeirante (a little-known diesel variant of the J40 series produced exclusively in Brazil from 1962-2001), ensures that our roadtrips in the region are as exhilarating & memorable as our time on the trail.

As your captain speaking, we recommend you relax & enjoy the ride.

The Espinhaço Meridional’s first & most celebrated conservation unit, Rio Preto State Park harbors over 26,000 acres of immaculate cerrado, including a pristine stretch of its namesake river & a pair of striking waterfalls.

We’ll spend 3 glorious days (Days 7, 8, and 9)—including our first Rest Day—traversing the Park, from its hauntingly beautiful & little-visited southern reaches to its spectacular, water-blessed north, passing through sweeping canyons, steep escarpments, fast-moving rivers, funky hoodoos, and all manner of rocky outcrops along the way.

If it weren’t for the flowing fields of campo limpo and sparkling groves of sempre-vivas, you might swear we were in the U.S. Southwest.

It’s a feast for the senses, and the perfect place to conclude our all-star stretch at the end of Chapter I.

The peaks & Parks get more glory, but nothing shaped this region or brought more fortune & glory more than the rivers that run through it, and none more so than the Jequitinhonha.

Solemn yet dignified even after centuries of callous abuse, the river’s crystalline waters once ran rich enough with gemstones to both buoy a distant empire and cradle a young nation.

Today, irreparably scarred & forgotten, it remains forgiving enough to provide an economic lifeline for 500,000 Brazilians living downstream.

In theory, we’ll cross enough rivers, creeks, and streams during our trek for it to “get old”, but there’s something about gazing on the Jequitinhonha from its banks, then stepping into it, that will always be special.

Come for the mythical waterfall, stay for… the gentle breeze rolling over the pastures?

We’re not sure what it is about tiny Santa Rita (pop. 12?) that makes it linger on our minds, but whatever it is, we can’t seem to get enough.

Cast away on an impossibly privileged patch of windswept, high-altitude campos between the Espinhaço’s last line of mountains and the sweltering lowlands below, this remote ranching outpost inhabited by a clan of likable, hard-drinking cattlefolk is either the beginning of the sertão or the last stand of the Espinhaço… or both.

At the end of the day, Santa Rita is a Rorschach Test, and you’ll have plenty of time to take it—over a home-cooked feast and ice-cold cervejas, no less—on the evening of Day 21. Let’s see what conclusions you come up with…

It doesn’t matter how you get there or from which direction you come, the Serra da Maravilha (literally, Marvelous Mountain) is a sight to behold.

Strikingly similar to Rio de Janeiro’s (much more famous) Sugarloaf Mountain—but with about 1,000,000 less visitors per year—this postcard-perfect mountain and tiny hamlet of the same name (pop. < 10) are little known even in the immediate region.

We’ll have the privilege of taking in the scene from a variety of angles during our epic journey on Day 3.

Perhaps more so than any other single natural attraction in the Serra do Espinhaço, this perfect set of cascades—and the paradisical 1,000-acre valley of pristine wetlands & powder white sand beaches that enshroud it—has the potential to represent the majestic beauty & nature of the Cerrado to the world; the most glorious setting in a region with 19 conservation units; the most gifted waterfall in a region bursting at the seams with them.

Or maybe its owners will double-down on their vision to turn it into the Espinhaço’s version of Copacabana: a bonafide Brazilian beach scene in the middle of the Cerrado, replete with the holy trinity of churrasco (barbecue), butecos (dive bars), and barulho (multiple competing automobile soundtracks).

You’ll have plenty of time to ponder the future of the falls during our visit & overnight (on the beach!) on Day 20. We recommend doing as the locals do: getting your bikini & beach towel ready, and preparing to be awe-struck.

One of the ironies of summiting mighty Itambé (on Day 6) is that the epic view on top lacks Itambé itself.

Meanwhile, just some 20 km away, the much smaller & more approachable Pico do Raio (literally, Lightning Peak; 1,387 meters) presents an unbeatable view of not only Itambé, but of the nearby colonial hamlets of Sao Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras, Milho Verde, and Capivari, as well.

When you consider that its base lies along one of the most beautiful stretches of trail in the region and includes a white sand beach, gently flowing waterfall, and natural infinity pool… well, it could at least be argued that the experience gives Itambé a run for its money.

You’ll have the chance to see for yourself on Day 4. Think of it as a sign of beautiful things to come.

A dusty, rough-around-the-edges (but only the edges) town that time forgot, Conselheiro Mata (pop. 200) feels like a regional homage to the American Wild West, but its quirky mix of residents, fertile soil, and location halfway between Diamantina & the cowboy-cultured Sertão makes its cultural identity a bit more murky: is this a (crystal) mining town? A mystic town? Or the beginning of cattle country?

The decision may not be Conselheiro’s to make: the sleepy community is blessed with a plethora of named waterfalls that range from thunderous (Cachoeira do Trombador) to magical (Cachoeira das Fadas; pictured) to downright world-class (Telêsforo), and “influencers” & Belo Horizontinos have begun taking notice.

For our money, Conselheiro is the Espinhaço’s future ecotourism capital; the Chosen One—it just doesn’t know it yet.

Located just a stone’s throw (and a wild hair?) away from 50,000 lively residents, with 42,000 acres of lush cerrado, dozens of miles of well-kept trails, a pair of highly Instagramable (and swimmable) waterfalls, and a historic textile mill-turned-gated community of the same name, it’s no wonder that Biribiri State Park is the most visited conservation unit in the Espinhaço.

While its location adjacent to Diamantina can make the Park (& its pub) a bit of a hotspot for locals during weekends & holidays, the vast majority of visitors tend to stick to the road & roadside waterfalls, meaning there’s a good chance we’ll have one last day (Day 27) of gloriously empty trails before making our descent into Diamantina.

Historic yet modern, urban yet rural, rustic yet comfortable, and surrounded by agua, serra, and cerrado, “the vila” is an unbeatable place to spend the penultimate night of our journey, and our final evening on the trail together.

Twin peaks, attached at the hip, tower over the wind-swept high plateau at the southern edge of Rio Preto State Park, diving the Black and Araçuai in the process.

Known by locals for centuries as Serra Grande (literally, “Big Mountain”; residents of the valley below could only see the taller of the twins), Two Brothers Peak (1,825 m) is not only the 3rd highest in the Espinhaço Meridional, but (unlike Itambé) a true pleasure to summit, with a long and gradual approach giving way to a refreshingly short ascent and stunning 360-degree view that more than makes up for the effort.

If our pace is good, you’ll have the chance to take it all in during Golden Hour on Day 6. As a bonus, there’s nothing quite like finding our way back, headlamps blazing, to Mozart’s tiny ranch house in the dark.

The discovery of diamonds in the Espinhaço dramatically changed the fortunes of not only Europe, but of Africa. Today’s quilombola communities—semi-autonomous backcountry settlements founded by slaves or their descendants prior to the 19th century—bear witness.

The Jequitinhona River Valley (of which Diamantina is the capital) is home to more than 80 official quilombola communities—and many more unofficial ones—dozens of which dot the Espinhaço.

Sleepy, unpretentious, and near-universally backdropped by stunning scenery (early founders were often rural workers on remote ranches, or former slaves who sought to move as far from civilized areas as possible), they provide an unforgettable glimpse into the diverse cultural landscape of the Espinhaço and Brazil, at large.

We’ll have the privilege of passing through a number of quilombola villages during our Expedition, overnighting in 5 of them. It’s an unmissable experience.

From diamonds & stately architecture to former presidents & raucous Carnaval celebrations, Diamantina has more than its fair share of claims to fame.

It’s a bit ironic (and endearing?), then, that its most beloved tradition has become the humble Vesperata, a festive nighttime open-air serenade by the hometown band. (Plot twist: the musicians are the ones up in the windows & on verandas, while those of us getting serenaded are down on the street).

We’ll have the immense privilege of catching a Vesperata on the evening of Day 27. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable evening of Beatles, samba & bossa nova, Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB), and sing-along wedding rock tunes.

There isn’t a party on earth where we’d rather celebrate the final night of our Expedition together.

Drinkable white-sand-beach waterfalls & pristine cola-colored rivers. A labyrinth of lost trails winding across Seussian landscapes. Soaring peaks, picturesque mountain hamlets, and a slow-motion carousel of lush high savannah vistas.

If we were to draw up the perfect stretch of backcountry to introduce travelers to the stunning natural beauty, warm culture, and compelling history of Brazil, it would look a lot like this. Prepare yourself for some of the most enchanting trekking and riding anywhere in South America.

Big cats, sharp plants, and (very) overgrown trails. Lost-world waterfalls & nameless peaks. Disputed lands. Fearless residents. Tree-sized flowers. And some of the most pristine high savannah landscapes on Earth.

Sempre Vivas National Park is as daunting as it is glorious—and it is glorious. Here, in the untamed wilderness of the Park, the lush trails of the Serra and the wide-open spaces of the Sertão might as well be a million miles away. Few places manage to feel this wild, this overlooked, and this magical.

Festive cowtowns, mystical railway settlements, and far-flung single-family outposts. Ice-cold cervejas & hot spring resorts. Legendary waterfalls. Legendary hospitality. And miles (& miles) of open dirt road.

The bucolic scenery and vast, relatively flat distances between communities in the lowlands west of the Espinhaço lend themselves to pilgramatic treks, spirited gallops, and blissful roadtrips. Show-stopping waterfalls abound, but it’s the festive evenings and the sense of peace, warmth, and joy that mark this Chapter of our Expedition.

Secret river valleys & thunderous falls. Forgotten mining towns & soulful quilombola communities. Intimate homestays. Wood-fired meals over tales of hardship & glory. A slave-built highway cascading gracefully into the City of Diamonds.

The vast region to the north & northwest of Diamantina is at once its most explored (in terms of natural resources), its least explored (in terms of tourism), and its most neglected (in terms of administration). At this point in our Expedition, we’ll have been immersed deeply in the Story of Brazil for weeks. This is where our Story comes full circle.

The trails will challenge us, and the peaks & waterfalls will leave us in awe, but in our experience, it’s the time we spend breaking bread with local families—sometimes well into the night—that provides the most enriching & memorable moments of any trip in this part of the world.

As if good company, unique accommodations, and home-cooked meals weren’t reason enough to embrace the experience, our patronage provides precious income opportunities for each of the households we visit—several of whose livelihoods changed dramatically in recent decades with the decline in mining—and helps build a culture that values the region’s overlooked history & natural environment.

We’ll stay in an incredibly diverse array of unique & memorable places during our Expedition. We’re willing to bet that, years from now, it will be the homestays that still cross your mind daily.

Pousadas (small, family-run inns) are synonymous with travel in Brazil—the kind of rare institution capable of transcending socioeconomic & generational particulars.

Welcoming hosts, charming personal touches (many establishments are the lifelong dreams of their owners), and (at least) all of the necessary amenities are par for the course, with café da manha, in particular, often being a source of great pride.

We’ll have the privilege of staying at a 6 incredibly unique pousadas during our Expedition, from chic historic inns to low-key country charmers. By & large, they represent some of our very places to sleep—and eat!—in the region.

Bom descanso!

Charming pousadas & heartwarming homestays connect us deeply to Brazil’s culture & history, but it wouldn’t be a GOGO trip without at least one night in the middle of nowher—er, the middle of nature. Lucky us, we’ll have 4 such opportunities during our Expedition.

When it comes to memorability (and, let’s be honest—location), there’s simply nothing like camping in the wilderness, be it on soft white sand next to a majestic waterfall, alongside a gently rolling stream in the pristine high savannah, nestled by the fire in a hidden rock shelter, or underneath the stars in a Tolkienesque river valley.

The Espinhaço is beautiful, and few experience it like this. It’s a privilege to be able to experience it alongside you.

In our minds, the best accommodations are paradoxical by nature, simultaneously tasked with providing us a safe haven from the strange world outside our door and an intimate glimpse into that very world.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, this notion perfectly describes the 3 wilderness refuges where we’ll stay during our Expedition.

Cast off in locations far from civilization, they are at once the most basic structured accommodations we’ll overnight in (think: roof, walls, and front door), and the most profound. It should also go without saying that their respective locations are, well, unbeatable.

If you like your accommodations with stories & soul, you’re in the right place.

Any attempt to convey the Story of Brazil without at least a cursory exploration of its diverse socioeconomic realities would be incomplete at best, and tragically misled at worst.

While rustic wilderness shelters, high-end pousadas, and diverse homestays each tell a part of that Story, we’d be remiss to not include at least a few nights of (rural) Brazilian-style opulence on the itinerary.

Thankfully, the incomparable “vila” of Santa Bárbara has us covered. A historic textile mill-cum-hot springs resort “town” in the middle of the dusty Sertão, replete with multiple lodging options, swimming pools (& poolside bars), gourmet pubs & restaurants, highly photogenic (but admittedly lukewarm) hot springs, and a resplendent waterfall, Santa Bárbara is as much of an experience as it is a place, and honestly, its unmissable & unforgettable as both.

There’s a lot to take in, and we’ll be grateful to try our best during back-to-back nights (Days 17 & 18), including one of our Expedition’s two Rest Days.

As AirBnB can attest, sometimes the best way to experience a place is as one of the neighbors. We’ll have the privilege of overnighting in a pair of very different, but equally charming homes during our Expedition.

Unlike homestays (in which the household is present & receives us), our group will have these places all to ourselves, allowing us to literally make ourselves at home.

The fact that the stays happen to nearly bookmark our time together (one is on Day 2 and the other on Day 24) is serendipitous, as both homes lend themselves exceedingly well to evenings of celebration, reflection, and rest.

State Park lodgings tend to be hit-or-miss affairs in Brazil, with many Parks lacking (or perhaps mismanaging) the funds necessary to provide appetizing public facilities.

Rio Preto is not one of those Parks. With dozens of expertly located, well-kept “chalets” (really, simple rooms with private baths), the Park is not only considered among the most beautiful in Minas, it is the gold standard in the Espinhaço in terms of its administration.

We’ll have the pleasure of spending 3 full days & nights (including one of our 2 dedicated Rest Days) in the Park, including a pair of nights at the main visitor’s area.

With virtually endless nearby water attractions (pristine swimming holes, waterfalls, white sand beaches, etc.), a well-groomed grilling area, and a sometimes bustling restaurant & bar, it’s the perfect place to rest our weary feet and celebrate the end of Chapter I.

Each & every one of the accommodations on our itinerary is unique, memorable, and important in the context of the Story we want to share. That said, in our minds, a handful of those places rise above that threshold, becoming highlights and even destinations in and of themselves. They are, in a word, iconic.

The Fazenda Santa Cruz do Gavião is one of those places. Quietly perched atop a campo high above the banks of the mighty Jequitinhonha, amidst some of the lushest Cerrado in the Espinhaço, the ranch is majestic in a way that only a once-noble, centuries-old ranch can be; hauntingly isolated, surreally peaceful, and utterly enchanting. Remote and mostly unoccupied during the year, it’s existence was but a myth to us until mid-2024, when we made our first visit, and has quickly become one of our favorite places—accommodations or not—in the region.

You’ll have a chance to experience it, as well as the kindness of its host (and fellow Crew Member), Sr. Valdir, on the evening of Day 7.

Call it a budget hotel, call it a business hotel; for the purposes of our Expedition, we’ll just call it the hotel.

On a 28-day journey into the Story of Brazil, we found it borderline irresponsible to not include at least one night in the class of digs that a Brazilian working man or woman might stay in during a visit to the region.

Conveniently located near the main praça of the unassuming, homey agricultural community of Santo António do Itambé, the family-run Hotel Pé da Serra gives us everything we need (friendly, low-key service, no-frills rooms, simple breakfast), and nothing that we don’t (noisy streets, unruly guests, unkept rooms)—a bigger ask than you might think when it comes to hotel options in the Brazilian interior.

There are more swanky places to stay in town, but on an Expedition chock-full of unique & exotic accommodations, we think the Pé da Serra is a gem for precisely the opposite reasons. If you’re anything like us, you’ll love it.

Expedition Leader + Translator (Full-Time)

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 “rediscovered” the Serra do Espinhaço in 2018, and has been exploring its labyrinth of lost trails and documenting its resilient inhabitants & enchanting landscapes ever since, becoming arguably the region’s most well-versed foreigner in a century during the process. The only thing he enjoys more than exploring this spectacular & little-known part of the world is bringing it to life for other adventurous & culturally curious travelers.

Expedition Leader + Translator (Full-Time)

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 drones, satellite devices, emergency contacts, and communications equipment in tow—in a gangly leaf-sprung 4x4 named “Gaucha”. Bringing itineraries of this scope 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.

Regional Guide + Naturalist (Full-Time)

The difference between a good guide and a great one is the calling, and in Julio’s case, there 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. You’ll get to witness him put both of these callings, as well as his prolific knowledge of the flora, fauna, and geography of the Espinhaço, to use throughout our Expedition. When the brush is thick and snakes abound, the sunlight is dimming and there are still long kilometers ahead, there’s no one on earth we’d rather have by our side.

Driver + Support Guide (Full-Time)

The eldest son of Diamantina’s most celebrated 4x4 dynasty, Xaxau, like his brother André, is adventure nobility without the pretension. In addition to being one of the region’s most seasoned mechanics & welders, he happens to be an expert rider of horses, motorcycles, and (lucky for us) old 4x4s. You’ll see plenty of Xaxau and “Gaucha” (our primary support vehicle) during our Expedition as we cut long distances using the region’s labyrinth of dirt roads, but it’s the moments when you don’t see him—when he’s driving parallel to our route—that puts our minds to ease. There aren’t many folks on earth we would trust with our lives. We trust Xaxau.

Driver + Support Guide (Full-Time)

A soft-spoken, big city-loving motorcycle enthusiast born into (decidedly small town) Diamantina’s most celebrated family of 4x4 mechanics, “Dezinho”, 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 support driver of our Expedition, 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.

Local Guide / Horseman / Mule Driver (Chapter I)

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). There’s nothing on earth—let alone in the Espinhaço—like arriving at he & his wife, Dona Maria’s, beautiful, humble abode in paradisical Bica d’Agua after climbing (and descending) Itambé on Day 6. We’ll then trek (or ride) alongside him during Days 7 & 8 as we make our way to the region’s 2nd highest peak. If you see the man break a sweat, please let us know.

Local Guide / Horseman (Chapter I)

Thoughtful, percipient, and gracious, with stories to share (but only if you ask) and a serene wisdom honed by decades spent living far from Diamantina, Valdir is the embodiment of a GOGO guide. We don’t always make the trek to Fazenda Santa Cruz do Gavião, the glorious, 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. Lucky for all of us, we’ll have that privilege on Days 7 & 8 of our Expedition. There are few people anywhere whom we’d rather walk, ride or huddle around a wood-fired stove with.

Local Guide (Chapter I)

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 in nearby Capivarí, 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. We’ll have the pleasure of walking alongside him on his home turf during Days 5 & 6 of our Expedition.

Local Guide (Chapter II)

One of the kindest, open-hearted souls we know, Barbosa grew up in a tiny quilombola community on the edge of civilization, 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, Lúcia, reside in nearby Inhaí, where they’re excited to receive the community’s first international visitors and share the incredible true stories of their upbringings. We’ll have the privilege of hearing those stories first-hand—both in Inhaí on Day 11, and on Days 12 & 13 as we drive, canoe, and trek across the wild eastern borderlands of Sempre Vivas.

Local Guide + Boatman (Chapter II)

Few rivers on earth are at once as pristine, gorgeous, and little-known as the Inhacica Grande, and few know the “Inhacicão” or the flower-bearing campos above it as well as Gomercindo. Thoughtful & soft-spoken, yet famously adventurous & fun-loving, the former miner turned prolific farmer has spent a lifetime on the river & its white sand banks, cultivating a symbiotic relationship with it in the process. He also happens to own multiple canoes, a tractor + trailer combo that seats 12, and an incredible sense of humor. You’ll get to see for yourself on Days 12 & 13, as our Expedition heads into the Sempre Vivas wilderness.

First-Mate + Porter (Chapter II)

In a remote, risk-averse farming community historically dominated by beans (with the occasional corn crop), Deraldo zagged and grew… broccoli? His successful harvests have not only improved the diets of elementary school children in nearby Diamantina, they’re disrupting long-held beliefs about the region’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. We’ll paddle, then trek alongside him as we journey into the high savannah hinterland on Days 12 & 13.

Local Guide (Chapter II)

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. We’ll have the privilege on Days 13 & 14.

Porter (Chapter II)

Esdra had never been to the flowery fields atop Sempre Vivas where his father, Gomercindo, spent summers as a child—nor had he ever hiked anywhere with a pack on—until he accompanied our Crew last-second as a porter in early 2024. He had his doubts as to whether he’d enjoy the experience (and rightfully so: how much fun does 48 hours of sweaty bushwhacking really sound to a 20-year-old?), and we had ours, too (how much weight can a rookie 20-year old really carry uphill though the wilderness?). Luckily, the experience was enlightening for all of us, and not only do we now have a new porter to help us trudge uphill on Days 12 & 13, but Esdra recently became one of the Park’s newest guides.

Local Guide + Horseman (Chapter III)

There’s an undeniable energy born from living out one’s dream, and Tau beams it in spades. Born & raised in the impossibly quaint lowlands village of 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’ll very happily find ourselves sleeping & dining on the evening of Day 16 (you’ll see what we mean when we get there). An avid outdoorsman & expert horseman, Tau will ride alongside those who choose to hoof it on the sun-kissed road to Santa Bárbara on Day 17.

Local Guide + Horseman (Chapter III)

Stoic, courageous, and eminently courteous, Alvimar is, in many ways, the embodiment of the idealized sertão man. A lifelong cowboy, he spent years fighting remote wildfires in Sempre Vivas, ascending & descending the Espinhaço’s rugged western escarpment and criss-crossing the Park’s little-known campos by foot & horse. Today, he wears a different hat, tending to livestock & crops on his small ranch north of Curimataí. His familiarity with the Park’s rugged western frontier and expert riding skills make him the man for the job when it comes to leading our Expedition into the lowlands on Days 15 & 16.

Local Guide + Horseman (Chapter III)

Confident, charismatic, and cool in a way that only a natural-born cowboy can be, Pê & his lovely wife, Nica, have been housing, feeding, and guiding our Crew since the early days of our explorations in the Espinhaço. Born & raised in tiny Santa Rita, on the windswept southern frontier of Sempre Vivas, Pê spent years leading firefighter crews in the Park before returning full-time to ranching, and is renown across the region for his riding—and driving—acumen. We’ll be relying on the latter during our Expedition, as he leads us along the gorgeous-but-devastated backroads to & from Santa Rita on Days 21 & 22.

Overland Driver (Chapter III)

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 Espinhaço’s most renown photographers, documenting its storied history and sharing striking portraits in publications like The Guardian, National Geographic Brazil, and more. You’ll get to experience his passion for cultura mineira and the Espinhaço backroads—as well as his well-honed English—as we tour the Sertão’s bucolic red dirt roads from Days 17 - 21.

Local Guide + Horseman (Chapter VI)

There are only 3 are residents left in Sempre Vivas National Park, and (as one might imagine) all are courageous, resilient, and remarkable. Of them, we humbly submit that Dorico may be the most sage. Hailing from the “nearby” (3-hour round-trip trek) flower-picking quilombola village of Macacos, he’s spent the past 30 years living alone in his rustic pau-a-pique home at the foot of Serra da Gamba. Warm-hearted & soft-spoken, with a striking lightness of being, he is completely, impossibly at home in a place & circumstance in which few other humans could fathom spending a single evening. We’ll have the privilege of riding alongside him during our crossing of the surreal Vale do Rio Preto on Days 23 & 24. It’s an experience to cherish.

Local Guide + Horseman (Chapter VI)

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 life as a subsistence farmer in the Espinhaço so fascinating. Adventurous & well-traveled, considerate & wise, he’s a unique & compelling figure in the region, and wonderful company on the trail. Riding alongside of him & Dorico through the Vale do Rio Preto on Days 23 & 24 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Local Guide (Chapter VI)

At first glance, Poliana makes for an unlikely Crew Member. Born & raised in the quilombola hamlet of Quarteis do Indaia, her most pressing duties have long included raising children and tending to crops. If there’s one thing that all of our Crew Members have in common, though, it’s a passion for bringing positive change to their communities, and in that light, Poliana couldn’t be any better suited for the job. She’s also bold. In 2023, after repeated fruitless efforts by our Crew to locate the historic trail leading from her hometown to neighboring São João, she shrugged, threw on a pair of flip-flops, and led us through the overgrown brush herself. You’ll have the pleasure of walking with her—and possibly an entourage of jubilant village kids—on the same trail on Day 25.

Transfer Driver (Days 1 & 28)

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 a local taxi service, 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 2 weeks in a leaf-sprung, 35-yr-old Land Cruiser, we think you’ll be grateful we’ll be taking his vehicle.