“A profound & magical experience that will leave its mark on your life. I cannot imagine someone returning home with the same horizons they had before.”

- Márcio Bortolusso, Explorer & Journalist

Private Journeys

Contents

At a Glance

Journeys: The Original GOGO Trip

  • You’re here to experience life as few have, in a part of the world that few travelers know. We’re here to show you just how vast & remarkable that place truly is.

    Since 2018, Journeys have embodied our mission to bring adventurous travelers deep into the living Stories of Places in ways that enrich their lives long after their trips have ended. Deeply immersive, profoundly educational, and relentlessly exhilarating, these private expeditions for solo & duo travelers are specially curated & guided by our Founders in order to bring you into the Story of Brazil in the most enlightening & unforgettable way possible.

    Soaring peaks, Seussian landscapes, and roaring cola-colored waterfalls set the scene; and tales of gemstones, lost historic trails, and life in the most remote corners of the high Brazilian Savannah are among the prevailing themes; but the plot of these trips is one of exploration & discovery: of new perspectives, old limits, and timeless ways of being.

    Five highly skilled & knowledgable Crew Members will accompany you during your trip full-time, night & day, and an additional 5-15 Guest Members will join & depart our fellowship along the way. The camaraderie, trials, and victories that you’ll experience alongside these men & women on the trail, and in the establishments & homes of the individuals who receive us along the way, is an integral part of what makes each Journey special.

    While we carefully consider the health, fitness, experience levels, and preferences of all applicants, Journey itineraries are ultimately decided by our Crew, and may remain undisclosed (and malleable) throughout your trip. Thus, we think these trips are best viewed by prospective travelers as true adventures into the unknown; opportunities to embrace the unexpected; experiences capable of teaching you as much about yourself as they do about the endlessly beautiful & fascinating country around you.

    For the right traveler, they’re gifts of a lifetime.

  • A highly active, deeply immersive, and profoundly educational celebration of life in the furthest corners of the Brazilian high savannah.

    Each & every Journey we craft is completely unique, curated by our Founders & Crew only after meeting & learning about each traveler.

    These trips are challenging by nature, designed to push & pull you through the myriad geographic, cultural, and socio-economic realities that comprise the essence of this wondrous & little-known part of the planet.

    Expect to be awed by the beauty of the Espinhaço and the warmth & kindness of strangers; to be challenged on the trail; to eat & drink & sleep well in places you might never have imagined; and to push—and remain—outside of your comfort zone throughout your time with us.

    The reward is the experience itself: a challenging, revealing journey deep into the living Story of one of the most enchanting places on earth, and a lifetime of lessons, stories, and memories to reflect on.

    That’s the Gift of Go.

  • As with all of our trips, we advise travelers not to expect famous international landmarks (there are none); proper City Tours; “surprise-and-delight” picnics; glamping; opulent accommodations (although we often spend at least one or two nights—and sometimes more—in very nice accommodations during each Journey); wine tastings; modern 4×4 vehicles (we prefer the field reparability of vintage models); omnipresent digital connectivity (although Wi-Fi and 3G/4G/5G are readily available throughout much of the Espinhaço front-country); television; hotel-issued shampoos, conditioners, and hand lotions; many folks on the trail; any other international visitors at all.

  • 5/5. Each of our Journeys is unique— crafted specifically with you and the Story we want to share with you in mind—but all are highly active, motion-filled trips.

    Active days are the name of the game in the Espinhaço—not because we want to test your fitness or endurance (we do not), but because our shared goal to witness, understand, and celebrate as much of life as possible while you’re with us demands it.

    You should expect successive 20+ km days of trekking (our default way of travel in the region), and potentially stretches of horseback (trail) riding, overlanding (often better described as off-roading), and canoeing, kayaking and/or boating. Bushwhacking—a related, but distinct proposal from trekking—is also a possibility during Journeys.

    Our Crew’s dedication to exploration & discovery, and to living each moment to the absolute fullest during our time together, may leave you a bit weary by the end of the trip, but it’s also what makes each experience so singular, so riveting, and so unforgettable.

  • Adventurous, physically fit, culturally curious travelers who want to experience real life in a part of the planet that few travelers—or Brazilians—know exist.

    Our Journeys are not intended to be tests of physical endurance, but due to their highly active nature, it’s imperative that travelers arrive in good overall physical condition (we require a signed bill of good health from your medical provider as part of our Application).

    That said, you do not need to be a seasoned trekker or highly conditioned athlete to complete one, as our itineraries during Journeys remain malleable throughout the course of the trip, allowing us to change plans (including activities) if necessary.

    Ultimately, the individuals who will enjoy our Journeys the most are hearty travelers who possess a genuine curiosity to explore & understand the world around them, are excited to meet & interact with individuals from different walks of life, and who enjoy pushing the limits of their comfort zone.

    If you possess these qualities and are reasonably fit, we think you’ll love it. However, due to the lack of developed tourism infrastructure in the region, we do not recommend it for first-time international travelers, nor do we accept solo applicants below the age of 25.

  • Our Journeys are intended to be as all-inclusive as possible, and include all personnel, accommodations, meals, transfers, ground & river transportation, trekking, riding, boating & camping equipment, Expedition dossier, and select GOGO merchandise.

    For more detailed information about what’s included on these trips, please see our Inclusions section below or contact us.

  • 14+ Days.

    There is no maximum number of days for a Journey with us, but we do require a minimum of 14 days in order to allow for a base-line of cultural immersion. Generally speaking, we recommend you spend as long as you can in the region, since each additional 24 hours greatly enhances our route possibilities.

  • Solo & duo travelers rejoice: our Private Journeys are designed exclusively for you.

    If you’d like to participate as a group of 3 or more travelers, please see our Small Group Expeditions or contact us about a Bespoke Trip).

    • Solo Travelers - $2,495 per traveler / per day

    • Two Travelers - $1,495 per traveler / per day

  • Select Dates from April 1 - September 30, 2025 & 2026.

    If you’re interested in traveling with us outside of those dates, please feel free to contact us.

    Book now or Contact us

Inclusions

10-20 crew members. All accommodations, vehicles, meals & equipment. 3+ years of exploration & development. One incredible untold Story.

  • All accommodations are included during your Journey. Typically, this consists of a combination of homestays, boutique inns, wilderness campsites, pousadas, park lodges, historic homes, wilderness refuges, resorts, and/or hotels.

    For more information about accommodations on our Journeys, please click here.

  • All of your meals & non-alcoholic beverages are included throughout your Journey. This includes all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as daily trail snacks.

  • We provide all ground & river transportation within Brazil, from touchdown to take-off. This Includes:

    • Round-trip transfers to/from our rendezvous point in Belo Horizonte

    • Regional overland transportation

    • Support 4x4s & motorcycles / dirt bikes

    • Emergency ground transportation as necessary

    • Horses & pack mules (if applicable during your Journey)

    • Canoes & jon boats (if applicable during your Journey)

    • Five (5) full-time Crew Members:

      • Two (2) full-time Expedition Leaders / Country Guides / Translators

      • One (1) full-time Regional Guide / Naturalist

      • Two (2) full-time Support Drivers

    • Between five (5) and fifteen (15) part-time Crew Members, depending on your unique itinerary. Part-time Crew Members include Local Guides, Mule Drivers, Horsemen, Boatmen, Cooks, Porters, Transfer Drivers, and other Support Personnel.

  • Camping + Trail

    • Tents, sleeping bags + sleeping pads

    • Camp kitchen + tableware

    • Trekking poles (upon request)

    • Water filters + purification

    Communications + Safety Equipment

    • 2-Way radios (crew-use only)

    • Satellite communications devices (crew-use only)

    • Emergency beacons (crew-use only)

    • First-Aid supplies (crew-use only)

  • All entrance fees and reservations related to your Journey are included. Depending on our itinerary, this may include entrance fees to conservation units, community festivals & events, museums, and/or other cultural and natural sites.

    • Multiple certified Wilderness Advanced First-Aid personnel (including both Expedition Leaders)

    • Three (3) full-time support / rescue vehicles

    • Multiple satellite communications devices (crew-use only)

    • Multiple first-aid kits (both on the trail & inside of vehicles)

    • Daily communication with local authorities

    • Pre-Expedition Meeting (30 days prior to your departure)

    • Pre-Expedition Group Chat (WhatsApp; to be created immediately following the acceptance of your application)

    • Post Expedition Follow-Up (approximately 30 days following your return)

    • Any other Meetings as requested

    • Expedition Dossier (including itinerary, maps, routes, basic language guide, etc.; provided pre-trip)

    • GOGO journal & pens (because there will be nights without WiFi;; provided upon arrival)

    • Travel plug adapter (for charging devices during the Expedition; provided upon arrival)

    • Emergency whistle (provided upon arrival)

    • Memory Card with photos & videos taken by crew during the Expedition (provided post-trip)

    • GoGo Tee Shirt (provided post-trip)

    • GoGo patch / sticker (provided post-trip)

Possibilities →

Setting

Once the epicenter of the global diamond trade, Brazil’s Serra do Espinhaço Meridional (the geomorphological name for the rocky mountains surrounding Diamantina, in the state of Minas Gerais) was abandoned and largely forgotten by the outside world for nearly two centuries.

Today, it’s on the cusp of being recognized as one of the most spectacular places on earth.

- 3 UNESCO Designations

- 2 Biodiversity Hotspots

- 19 Conservation Units

- 3,000+ species of plants

- 7% of Brazil’s total biodiversity*

- 0.8% of Brazil’s national territory

* Brazil is the most biodiverse country on earth

Fellowship →

Where We Sleep

Accommodations play a monumental role during our Journeys, and we curate them with the same profound thoughtfulness as we do all other aspects of our itineraries.

Our guiding philosophy is to seek out places that are uniquely memorable, representative of the world around them, and relevant within the context of the Story you’re here to experience.

If you’re the kind of traveler who values authenticity & genuine human interaction over convenience & opulence, we think you’ll love the places where we sleep.

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, highly caloric homemade meals—prepared by skilled hands & well-seasoned cast-iron pots over wood-fired stoves—to sophisticated offerings in Diamantina, well, let’s just say we rarely meet our weight-loss goals during trips. It’s worth it. Bom apetit!

Themes

Diamonds & flowers. Slavery & fires. Wilderness, water & an identity crises 30 years in the making.

  • The Amazon grabs most of the headlines, but Brazil wouldn’t be the most biologically diverse country on earth were it not for its plethora of other terrestrial ecoregions, including a pair of particularly prolific—and critically endangered—“biomes” found in the Espinhaço: the Cerrado & the Mata Atlântica.

    Trailing only the Amazon in terms of size in South America, the Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah) is the richest grasslands on earth, with more than 800 species of birds, 10,400 species of plants, 120 reptiles, 150 amphibians, 1,200 fish, 90,000 insects and 200 mammals, accounting for approximately 5% of the species on earth and nearly a third of Brazil's total biodiversity.

    The lush Atlantic Rainforest, meanwhile, harbors more than 1,000 species of birds, 20,000 species of plants, 2,000 vertebrate species, and 300 mammals.

    The prolific levels of endemism witnessed in both biomes (particularly with regards to flora in the Cerrado, and trees & fauna in the Mata Atlântica), and the existential threats faced by each, has led to their respective designations as global “hot spots”.

    Biogeographically speaking, the Espinhaço is the tale of these two biomes. Due to its relatively high altitude (especially uncommon in the Cerrado), the range represents a unique & fascinating transitionary zone, with markedly elevated levels of endemism. The Cerrado’s campo rupestre ecosystem, for example, located nearly exclusively within the Espinhaço, is thought to be the single most biodiverse ecosystem in Brazil.

    You’ll be able to witness the transformation and interplay between biomes & ecosystems throughout your Journey, particularly as we travel east-west (or vice-versa) between the native ranges of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. It’s a glorious thing to experience.

  • At the turn of the 19th century, a plethora of adventurous European naturalists anxiously visited the Espinhaço, from England’s John Mawe (1804) and George Gardner (1836), to Austria’s Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege (1810) and Johann Baptist von Spix & Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius (1817).

    Among this esteemed cadre of visitors, it is arguable that none were as prolific—or later celebrated—as France’s Augustin de Sainte-Hilaire or England’s Sir Richard Francis Burton, both of whom visited the region during the mid-19th century as part of larger expeditions into the Brazilian interior, and whose respective journeys & musings have transcended their considerable scientific contributions to become the thing of legend.

    French botanist Saint-Hilaire was particularly prolific during his travels in Brazil, collecting many thousands of previously uncategorized specimens and describing them during later publications. Among his most influential treatises on the subject, Brasiliae Meridionalis (Saint-Hilaire et al., 1825–1833) is widely regarded as the first systematic treatment of the vegetation in the Cerrado, and his contribution to the knowledge of Brazilian biodiversity has been described as incalculable.

    As for Burton, his forays into the vast Brazilian interior appear to have been based largely out of personal curiosity. As an official British consul stationed in Santos, São Paulo, he eagerly pressed northwestward towards “the diamantine lands” while musing enthusiastically about the geographic curiosities, exotic cultural customs, and economic activities of the Brazilian backcountry and its inhabitants.

    While Sainte-Hilaire’s contributions were inarguably greater, Burton appears to have had the better time in the Espinhaço, frequently waxing poetic about the people, parties, and natural beauty of the region, while referring to Saint-Hilaire as a “scientific Mr. Ledbury”.

    “How unhappy is the traveller who, like Saint-Hilaire, is ever bemoaning the want of ‘society,’ of conversation, and who, ‘reduced to the society of his plants,’ consoles himself only by hoping to see the end of his journey!" He writes in Explorations of the Highlands of the Brazil (1869).

    Our Expedition will, at various times, trace the routes these naturalists took in the Espinhaço. Had they known what natural & cultural treasures lied beyond those trails (or merely had the luxury of leisure time or anonymity), they might well have altered their course. Fortunately, we do.

  • Getting from Point A to Point B has always required a journey in the Serra do Espinhaço. 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; an extensive network of bush trails pioneered by mule-driving tropeiros to facilitate regional commerce; and centuries-old descaminhos blazed by contraband smugglers & later revisited by 18th century naturalists (such as Richard Francis Burton & Augustin Saint-Hilaire) during prolific expeditions across the Cerrado.

  • Don’t expect to read much about it on the interwebs, but the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional (the geomorphological name for the mountainous region surrounding Diamantina) harbors a remarkable 19 conservation units, encompassing approximately 5,000,000 acres of protected area—an area similar in size to the state of New Jersey.

    Collectively, the units are known as the Mosaico do Espinhaço, and feature one of the highest concentrations of species endemism on earth.

    We frequent many of these units, including Sempre Vivas National Park, the State Parks of Biribiri, Rio Preto, and Itambé; the Águas Vertentes State Environmental Protection Area; the Rio Manso and Serra de Minas Municipal Environmental Protection Areas; the Várzea do Lajeado e Serra do Raio State Natural Moument, and others.

  • There’s a saying among garimpeiros in the Espinhaço that “all stones look like diamonds, but diamonds don’t look like any other stone”. The same might be said about Sempre Vivas National Park, a vast expanse of pristine high-altitude savannah that certainly doesn’t feel like any other stretch of cerrado in the region.

    Spanning 1,241 km2 (roughly the size of Los Angeles), but with only 3 inhabitants, Sempre Vivas is the deep outback of a region that could itself justifiably be described as the outback. Untamed, spectacular, and controversial, the Park is a true undiscovered gem—it’s genuinely shocking how few tourists from Brazil & abroad make their way here.

    We don’t always go to Sempre Vivas during Journeys, but if we do, don’t expect to see anyone else.

  • The gypsy woman who convinced an unsuspecting miner to leave his purse of “cursed” diamonds in her capable hands for the evening. The mysterious “captain” who came by river, made an unscrupulous fortune, and spent the rest of his days as a Robin Hood-type backcountry fugitive. The rancher who was hugged to death by a giant anteater near Inhai. The orphan girl who was raised in a cave near Biribiri.

    Welcome to the Serra do Espinhaço, where miners, mule-drivers, and other mestres of the backcountry recount the colorful history of the (not-so-distant) “good ol’ days” to barkeeps, house guests, and any of the rest of us who take interest. We, for one, love to listen.

  • According to the UN, a staggering 89% of Brazilians now reside within urban areas (typically defined as population centers with 2,000+ inhabitants), compared to 56% of people worldwide. Our Journeys cast a light on the lives of the remaining 11%.

    We’ll likely pass through more than a dozen communities during your Journey, many of them rural. From quaint colonial hamlets to bucolic quilombos, festive cowtowns to chic historic villas, mystical railway communities to UNESCO World Heritage City Diamantina, each & every community on our itinerary has its own compelling character, setting, and reason for being. Sometimes, it feels as though a brisk 25-km trek whirled us into a different world…

  • Serra is a word you’ll hear often—in a dizzying array of contexts—throughout your Journey. The most ubiquitous meaning nationally is “saw” (as in the serrated blade), but in the Espinhaço the usage skews towards the word’s many other literal meanings: “mountain range”, “mountain”, “ridge”, “highlands”, etc. Our trip may be set in the Serra do Espinhaço, but we technically leave the serra (lowercase, as in “mountains”) when we descend into the lowlands east & west of the range.

    About those lowlands: throughout most of Brazil, the word Sertão refers to the inhospitable hinterlands of the Brazilian northeast, an almost-mythical landscape famous for unbearable heat, tortured trees, poverty, and hardened folks.

    In the Espinhaço, however, even the Sertão manages to be green, lined by waterfalls, punctuated by riparian forests and bursting with fresh water.

    Word play aside, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll have the opportunity to experience both the serra and Sertão during your Journey.

  • UNESCO World Heritage City. Terminus of the fabled Estrada Real. Living testament to Portuguese Baroque & Rococo architecture. Former diamond capital of the world.

    Diamantina somehow manages to be all of this & more: the cultural capital of the Espinhaco; a vibrant college town at the crossroads of the past & present; the spiritual, economic, and logistical center of the region.

    Even UNESCO couldn’t resist the (truly) inevitable cliché, describing the city as “a colonial village set like a jewel in a necklace of inhospitable rocky mountains.”

    And yet, Diamantina (pop. 49,500) remains largely unvisited even by mineiros, known to current generations primarily as a former Carnaval town & provincial backwater.

    When people ask us what we like so much about Diamantina, we tell them “It’s a tourist Mecca without tourists.” Which makes it a traveler’s Mecca.

  • Tropeiro. Tutu. Torresmo. Frango com molho pardo. If you’re unfamiliar with the hearty regional cuisine of Minas Gerais, you will be by the end of the trip—and Brazilians everywhere will be jealous.

    While the Serra do Espinhaço doesn’t enjoy the same claims to culinary fame as wealthier parts of the state (especially the Campos dos Vertentes region), you can still expect generous portions of savory comfort foods cooked in rustic cast-iron pots over wood-fired stoves.

    Treats unique to the region include angu, quitanda, samambaia, carne de sol (ubiqitous throughout the sertão, but less so south of the Espinhaço), frango caipira, and queijo do Serro, a locally-produced semi-cured cheese that’s won international awards & generated a promising amount of culinary hype around the Serro microregion in the process.

  • We’re fond of saying that the difference between arriving in a small community by foot and by vehicle is the difference between arriving in a ghost town & a metropolis.

    Exaggeration or not, there’s nothing quite like being received graciously by kind souls in “the middle of nowhere” after a full day (& sometimes night) of trekking through the harsh elements.

    Having the opportunity to experience how folks truly live in this part of the world is a privilege few will ever know. Being able to enjoy a home-cooked meal and (where possible) a hot bath is even better.

  • Before diamonds, flowers, and tourism (or the lack thereof), the Serra do Espinhaço was a story about water. And ultimately it is water—not natural beauty—that has protected the region once again.

    The birthplace of several of Brazil’s most economically-vital waterways (including the Jequitinhonha, Doce, and San Francisco Rivers), the Espinhaço is bursting with tributaries, creeks, streams, marshes, and peatbogs. Voluminous waterfalls cascade down its escarpments on all sides, creating fertile farmlands to the east, and breathing life into the sertão to the west.

    The region can be difficult to explore by foot and even vehicle during the summer months, from December to February, due to the constant presence (or at least threat) of rain and lightning, rapid rivers, and muddy terrain—although this is when the vegetation is at its most verdant, and waterfalls at their fullest.

    The daily storms typically taper off by early March, making fall (March - May) one of the most beautiful times of year to explore the region: gushing waterfalls, exuberant vegetation, plentiful springs, and crossable rivers.

    Winters (June - August) are extremely mild & dry, making for near-perfect hiking conditions (certain pests aside), although water levels continue to drop as the year goes on.

    The long dry season finally breaks in the Spring (September - November), making September another wonderful month to travel the region: the savannah landscape is parched, dotted by colorful bouquets of flowers & cactus fruit, with gently-flowing waterfalls and easily crossable rivers.

  • The Mosaic (colloquially referred to as simply os Parques, or “the Parks”) represents perhaps the single largest challenge facing the Espinhaço today.

    While most residents are quick to recognize the inherent beauty of the region, and the importance of the waters that flow from it, the persistent creation of conservation units on previously privately-held lands is viewed by many as the overreach of an inept government at best, and the encroachment of an indifferent & destructive force at worst.

    The issue at stake is largely economic: the mountains harbor an abundance of rare & precious minerals in one of the historically most-impoverished places in Brazil. The trenches are the tiny impoverished communities located along the outskirts of the Parks who have, within the span of a few short decades, found themselves divided by a proxy-war showdown much larger than themselves.

    Some point to tourism as the way forward, with the beauty of the region supplanting diamonds & flowers. Others point to the abject lack of tourism in the region today as a sign of the government’s inability to supplant the resources, and the need for the region to make money now.

    With environmentalists & mining industry lobbyists both making fervent pleas to local government officials, the future of the region’s resources remains murky. You’re bound to hear different perspectives on the Parks throughout your Journey. Let’s see what conclusion you arrive at.

  • What comes next is anyone’s guess. The new mayor of Diamantina, by all accounts a likable man and one of action, has done well to balance the interests of the mining industry with those of environmentalists. It’s a tight rope to walk, and one that may not be able to walked sustainably. Whether there is an actual vision for Diamantina beyond the present is less certain.

    It’s our view that the Espinhaco should begin on the path to becoming the next epicenter of ecotourism & in Brazil (a title currently held by its equally stunning sister region, Chapada Diamantina), with Diamantina as the logical hub, but that seems unlikely to happen in the next decade (if ever). With districts lacking basic civil infrastructure, Parks lacking basic visitor infrastructure, and no visible push to market tourism beyond its historic center (principally, the Vesperata & Carnaval), Diamantina seems content to fade further in the background, even as the global community champions its immediate environs.

    The vision necessary to drive that kind of change may simply not be in place yet. Or maybe its just dormant, and your Journey is about to wake it.

Odds & Ends

Prerequisites

  • prior trekking and/or outdoor experience is strongly recommended, but not required.

  • all applicants must undergo a complete physical examination & receive their physician’s approval in writing no more than 3 months prior to the commencement of the expedition.

getting there & away

We are more than happy to offer recommendations regarding travel arrangements to & 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

  • Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance

  • Visas

  • Any meal or activity not detailed in our 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 travel insurance. Please feel free to contact us about any questions you have pertaining to insurance.

CONNECTIVITY NOTES

5G, 4G & 3G signals are widely available across the Espinhaço frontcountry (where we will spend the majority of our evenings & mornings), but are sporadic in the backcountry (where will spend the majority of our days). Your connectivity will depend largely on your carrier & plan; if you’d like, we can provide you with a Brazilian SIM card upon your arrival. WiFi is available at our accommodations during the majority of the mornings & evenings of the Expedition.

recap

“Exhilarating.” “Magical.” “Remarkable.” There’s simply nothing like a GOGO Journey.

14+ days

1-2 travelers

5 full-time Crew Members

5-15 part-time Crew Members

2 full-time support vehicles

All accommodations & meals

All permits & entrance fees

Pricing / Calendar (2025-26)

Private Journeys

14+ Days, Solo & Duo Travelers Only

Select Dates from April 1 - September 30, 2025

Select Dates from April 1 - September 30, 2026

Solo Travelers: $2,495 person / day

Duo Travelers: $1,495 person / day

3+ Travelers: Contact Us

Gallery (→)

F.A.Q.s

  • We have walked alongside enthusiastic travelers with no previous trekking experience who have done extraordinarily well, and with grizzled mountaineer types who have struggled greatly.

    Objectively (and conservatively) speaking, you’ll need to be physically fit enough to carry a 5-10 kg (10-20 lb) backpack for 14+ days over an average of 22.5 km (and 1 km of cumulative gain/loss) across varied mountainous terrain, in warm, sunny weather.

    The Serra do Espinhaço is a relatively low-altitude range (avg. elevation 1,042 m; max. elev. 2,002 m), but the nature of the trails themselves (which can be overgrown during stretches) and constant presence of streams, rivers, insects, and overgrown flora can turn otherwise easy hikes into challenges.

    While our experience is that Journeys tend to get physically easier as the trip goes along, each individual is different, and personal variables like sleep schedule, food intake, alcohol consumption, and hygiene, as well as external factors like rain, cloud cover (or lack thereof), and terrain consistency can drastically impact the overall experience on the trail.

    If you are at all concerned that your fitness level may present a challenge, we encourage you to speak with your trusted medical advisor or physical trainer & assess whether this trip is right for you.

    If you’d like to speak more with us about the physical nature of the trip, please don’t hesitate to contact us. While we will make every effort to detail the key metrics of your Journey on your itinerary, we think it’s possible that some folks will overestimate the physical nature of it, while others will underestimate it.

  • You’re here because you want to truly understand a Place, and we’re here because we want to share that Story.

    We’ve operated trips of various lengths over the years—from 7 days to 35—and have found that 14 days is a bit of a sweet spot. For one, we find it exceedingly difficult to attempt to convey the myriad realities of any Place—let alone a country as complex & diverse as Brazil—in less than 14 days. We also find that it can be challenging for visitors to immerse in their surroundings in a shorter time frame.

    Ultimately, we believe that the longer you travel with us, the more rewarding & memorable your experience will be, but 14 days gives us enough time for us to accomplish our respective goals.

  • We do. If you’d like to explore the possibility of traveling with us for less than 14 days, please consider booking a Bespoke Trip, or contact us.

  • While our Journeys are limited to solo & duo travelers, we do offer custom trips for groups of all sizes.

    If you’d like to explore the possibility of traveling with us as part of a larger group, please consider booking a Bespoke trip, or contact us.

  • Authenticity is at the absolute core of everything we do on our trips, and this philosophy extends to the food that we eat, from the meals that we share in the mornings & evenings to the smallest of snacks on the trail.

    We’ll be breaking bread together dozens of times over the course of your Journey, with the vast majority of our meals occurring in local homes, small restaurants, and pousadas. In practical terms, this means you’ll be eating lots of genuine, homemade, unsophisticated comida mineira—and, good news: the regional cuisine of Minas Gerais is diverse, hearty, and delicious.

    While relatively unknown abroad, the cuisine is much-beloved in Brazil, where it is celebrated for both its methodology (traditionally employing wood-fired stoves & cast-iron cookware) and ingredients, which often include locally-sourced fruits & vegetables, fresh dairy products, and pork & chicken—with beef & seafood being notably less common in Minas than in neighboring states.

    In the Serra do Espinhaço, specifically, dairy plays a notable role in the economy & kitchen, with several local cheeses having attained significant national and even international acclaim in recent years. At the breakfast table, cakes, breads, and pastries like quitandas and pão de queijo (ubiquitous across Brazil, but decidedly more famous in Minas) often make appearances alongside local fruits & yogurt, while lunches & dinners tend to feature any number of starches (potatoes, pasta, farofa, and angu—similar to polenta), stewed or sautéed vegetables (collared greens are particularly common, but also okra, zucchini, carrots, pumpkin, and cabbage), torresmo (pork cracklings; ubiquitous throughout Minas), and a home-raised protein (usually chicken or pork, but sometimes stewed or salted beef), along with the ever-present arroz e feijão (rice & beans).

    When it comes to home-cooked meals, we rarely make special requests—we want our hosts to serve us the food that they feel comfortable preparing, and that they would eat were we not at the table to join them—but we do occasionally ask for beefed up quantities (no pun intended; we’ll be doing a lot of trekking, after all). That said, we cannot emphasize enough how hearty the portions tend to be at the homes & restaurants where we dine, and travelers frequently site meals as being among the true highlights of the trip.

    As a final note about home-cooking and restaurants: many of the folks preparing our do so with great humility & gratitude. With the possible exception of Diamantina (where we’ll enjoy more sophisticated meals on the first & final evenings of the Expedition), the Espinhaço is not a wealthy region, nor does it receive much in the way of international tourism. For many of our hosts & hostesses, cooking for a group of famished foreigners is both a rare treat & an event to be taken seriously. We consider it a privilege to break bread with them.

    While home-cooked meals typically comprise the bulk of our meals during Journeys, we also enjoy a variety of meals in other settings—particularly in Diamantina, the Sertao, and Sempre Vivas National Park. Should we traverse Sempre Vivas National Park, we’ll likely eat rustic tropeiro-style camp grub: hearty portions of rice, beans, farinha, and salted beef cooked over the campfire. Meanwhile, in the Sertao, where we often stay in nicer pousadas and/or resorts, lavish buffets, gourmet burgers, and Brazilian-style pizzas are options.

    Our goal when it comes to food is to portray the diverse culinary realities of the region, while making sure that we always have enough sustenance to make it to the next town. If you’ve read this far, we think you’ll love it.

  • One of the most compelling & enriching aspects of all of our trips is the diverse array of accommodations we stay in, including a number of distinct private residences.

    We’re incredibly dedicated to bringing travelers into the wide range of realities that exist (ad co-exist) within a Place, and spending time with local families is an essential part of that. Given that each of the homes we stay in differ greatly in terms of location, appearance, hygiene, privacy, connectivity, and comfort, as well as the nature and number of folks living in the household, however, it’s tricky to generalize about the experiences as a whole.

    That said, all of the homes we be stay in could be described as (at least) welcoming and safe, with beds, kitchens, restrooms, furniture, protection from the elements, and varying degrees of creature comforts (refrigerators, couches, porches, etc.) to accommodate their respective dwellers. Almost all have electricity; several have some form of connectivity or another (either Wi-Fi or 3G/4G); and man have hot water showers (whether electric, gas-fired, or wood-fired). Most of the homes that we stay in are made of modern materials (concrete, wood, etc.), with a few notable exceptions being handmade using local clay or mud, branches, and palm leaves.

    Bathrooms range from “oh, this is nice!” to (how should we put this) less-than-well-thought-out, and beds vary greatly in their stiffness (from “wow, that’s stiff” to “wow, that’s not stiff at all”). If you have a dialed-in mattress at home, it won’t be anything like that, but it also usually beats a sleeping pad & sleeping bag (you’ll have plenty of experience with both to compare afterwards).

    With a very small handful of exceptions (all of which are remote), the homes we stay in do not belong to folks in abject poverty (although, depending on the itinerary, we may pitch our tents in abandoned homes in vast wilderness areas—these as “wilderness refuges”, not “homestays”), nor do any belong to the rich & famous. Many of the families we stay with during our trips had never received paying guests prior to our initial field trips in the Espinhaço, and only one had ever received a foreigner.

    Of course, the real magic of homestays happens within the homes: during meals, loose conversations, and by simply enjoying the presence of one another. There’s nothing in the world like being warmly received and well fed after a long day on the trail, especially when it’s by folks as gracious & humble as these.

    If you’ve read this far, we think you’ll love it, and we guarantee it will be one of the most memorable & enriching experiences of your time here.

    For more information about specific homestays, please feel free to contact us.

  • 3G, 4G, and (to a lesser extent) 5G signals are widely available across the Espinhaço frontcountry (where we will spend the majority of our evenings & mornings), but are sporadic in the backcountry (where will spend the majority of our days). Your connectivity will depend largely on your carrier & plan; if you’d like, we can provide you with a Brazilian SIM card upon your arrival. WiFi is available at our accommodations during the majority of the mornings & evenings of the Expedition.

  • Walking along uneven trails, pot-holed dirt roads, and large (& small) rocks for days on end can take a toll on any of us. To that end, we employ two (2) full-time support vehicles (and 2 full-time Drivers) to accompany our expedition during each day of your Journey: one 4x4, and one dirt bike (a motorcycle built for trails). These vehicles run parallel to our expedition, and maintain contact with us via radio (and satellite, when necessary).

    In the event of a non-life-threatening injury, travelers have the option of either returning home or (hopefully) remaining with us in Brazil. In the case of the latter, should you find yourself too tired or injured to continue with our itinerary, we will move to an itinerary that will allow you to experience the region by vehicle as opposed to foot.

    During certain days when horses or pack mules are available, injured or tired travelers may opt to use those animals as transportation until reaching our destination.

    Life-threatening injuries will be treated as such, with travelers being escorted to the appropriate local facilities, where further determinations will be made. It is imperative that you have purchased travel insurance prior to your trip with us. For more information, please see our application or feel free to contact us.

  • First & foremost: if you have any dietary restrictions, we ask that you communicate them to us as early as possible (our Application covers this, as well), so that we have adequate time to prepare a solution together. This is especially important (as you know) with regards to food allergies & intolerances.

    Generally speaking, veganism, vegetarianism, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, kosher, keto, dairy-free, diabetic, and low carb diets will not pose a problem on our trips, but it’s imperative that we a) understand the nature of the restriction(s); and b) have ample time (60 days absolute minimum) to prepare a meal plan for you, given the complex nature of the trip.

  • Our Journeys are intended to be as all-inclusive as possible. Unless otherwise noted, all personnel; accommodations; meals & snacks; in-country transportation; and permits, permissions & entrance fees are included in our prices, as well as “big ticket” trail items (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.; although you are certainly welcome to bring your own); multiple pre-expedition meetings; expedition dossier; and select GOGO merch.

    Our prices do not include airfare, travel insurance, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, or tips (if any).

  • Clothing & outdoor gear are an important component of this trip, and we will cover the topic in detail during our exploratory (and especially) pre-expedition meetings.

    To schedule an exploratory meeting, please apply here or contact us.

  • Unless otherwise agreed to prior to your departure, the rendezvous point for all of our Journeys is Tancredo Neves International Airport in Confins, Minas Gerais (Brazil). You will need to provide us with your flight information during the Application process, but it’s critical that you provide us with any last-second updates or changes to your flight so that we can rendezvous at your terminal by noon on Day 1.

    While we do not handle any airfare involved with getting to/from the rendezvous point, we are more than happy to refer you to an agent who does. We’re also happy to recommend routes, accommodations (whether in Confins, nearby Belo Horizonte, or elsewhere), ground transportation options, and anything else you might need to help you arrive comfortably at our rendezvous point by the time our expedition starts.

    Should you have any questions or concerns about getting to/from Brazil, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

  • Great question. With all accommodations, meals, personnel, transportation, and other significant travel expenses already paid for—and with the vast majority of establishments in Brazil accepting credit card—how much cash should you exchange/bring on your Journey?

    The answer is, it depends. While itineraries vary greatly, your best opportunities to spend cash will likely be on alcoholic beverages and local souvenirs. If you plan on tipping, that may be a consideration, as well.

    Ultimately, if your time in Brazil will be limited to your time with us and you are bringing a credit card (which we strongly recommend), we think $250-$500 total cash should be plenty. If you plan to travel around the country before and/or after your trip, however, you’ll want to factor that in separately.

    Regardless of how much spending cash you’d like to have on hand during your trip, you’ll want to do all of your currency exchanging either prior to leaving your country of residence or at Tancredo Neves International Airport upon your arrival, as there are no currency exchange houses in the Serra do Espinhaço, and foreign currency is not (usually) accepted.

  • By and large, Brazilians enjoy partaking in a good drink or two, as does our Crew.

    During the evenings of your Journey, ice-cold beer and/or locally-made cachaça will usually be available either on the premises or on in town. Cachaça may be available during our camping nights in the bush, as well.

    Our policy on alcohol is that it should be consumed responsibly only after our arrival at that evening’s destination, and that it not interfere with your—or our Crew’s—ability to respectfully immerse in our surroundings and achieve our goals each day.

    At the end of the day—literally and figuratively—we want nothing more than for everyone to enjoy themselves, and alcoholic beverages certainly play a part in that.

    If the behavior becomes a problem, however, we have an obligation to remove you from the trip as per Section #12 of our Terms & Conditions policy.

  • Tips are unexpected, but welcome. They are also 100% at your discretion.

    We only ask that if you do decide to tip, that you do so at the end of your Journey, to the Expedition Leaders, who will then distribute those tips on your behalf and per your direction.

    If you’d like to tip specific amounts to specific individuals (or make donations to specific communities), we are more than happy to deliver those contributions on your behalf following the conclusion of your trip. Otherwise, any/all tips received by GOGO during your Journey will be split equally among all Crew Members, including both full-time & part-time Members.

    If, during your Journey, you’d like to tip someone outside of our Crew (for example, a host/hostess or local cook), you may do so either during your interaction with that individual (e.g. after your meal, after your stay, etc.), or at the end of the trip (by specifying to the Expedition Leaders the individual whom you’d like to tip and the amount that you’d like to contribute).

  • Booking for all our trips, including Journeys, is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Given the limited number of travelers we guide each year, we recommend that you book as early on in the process as you feel comfortable.