Expedition Leader / Country Guide + Translator

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 since arriving with a surfboard and $800 in 2002. He first found his way to the Espinhaço in 2018, and has spent the years since documenting its unforgettable characters and labyrinth of forgotten trails—becoming, by local accounts, one of the most well-versed foreigners in the range in over a century. The only thing he enjoys more than exploring this spectacular and little-known part of the world is bringing it to life for travelers who want to experience a place, not just pass through it.

Expedition Leader / Country Guide + Translator

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 in a gangly leaf-sprung 4x4 named “Gaucha”—usually with various drones, satellite devices, emergency contacts, and communications equipment in tow. Bringing itineraries of this scope to life in this part of the world requires determination, planning, communication, patience, and the kind of vision that sees adventure where others see obstacles. The rest of us just require Elisa.

Regional Guide + Naturalist

The difference between a good guide and a great one is calling. In Júlio’s case, there was never a question.

Deeply knowledgeable, energetic, and committed to the places he works in, he brings both his experience in the mountains and his degree in Geography to every journey.

When the brush is thick, snakes abound, the light is fading, and there are still kilometers ahead, there’s no one we’d rather have beside us.

Driver + Support Guide

The eldest son of Diamantina’s most celebrated 4x4 family, Xaxau carries himself with a quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what he’s doing. One of the region’s most seasoned mechanics and welders, he’s also an expert rider of horses, motorcycles, and—lucky for us—vintage 4x4s.

You’ll see Xaxau and “Gaúcha” during long overland crossings, but it’s the moments when you don’t see him, driving parallel to our route, that put us most at ease. In the unlikely event of an emergency, there’s no one we’d rather have nearby.

Support Driver

A soft-spoken motorcycle enthusiast from Diamantina’s most celebrated family of 4x4 mechanics, André combines small-town roots with a love for the wider world. He’s a devoted P.E. teacher in the region, but it’s his instinctive feel for vehicles and terrain—and his dirt bike skills—that brought him onto our crew.

As the motorcycle rescue driver, his presence runs quietly alongside the route. If you see him on the trail, don’t panic. You’re already being taken care of.

Support Driver

A year abroad in Australia showed Michel the power of travel, and convinced him that his hometown of Diamantina deserved to be rediscovered. Since then, he’s become one of the most renowned photographers in the Espinhaço, documenting the region’s people and everyday life.

On our crew, Michel brings that same perspective—along with his fluency in English, his love of cultura mineira, and a natural ability to connect people to the place around them. Whether behind the wheel or behind the lens, he helps the region reveal itself.

Support Driver

Perón drives just about anything that moves—jeeps, trucks, boats, motorcycles—and has spent decades fixing them all. His knowledge of the Cerrado and its inhabitants runs just as deep. He’s also an accomplished fisherman, and (as you might expect) a gifted storyteller.

When Michel first told us about his vivacious, history-loving uncle, we couldn’t wait to meet him. What we found was one of the kindest, most deeply respectful, and most reliable men in the range—and a perfect fit for this crew.

Overland Driver

When we meet at Tancredo Neves International Airport on Day 1, you’ll be forgiven for thinking we’ve brought along a personal security detail.

Towering, composed, and usually wearing aviators, Caio has the look of someone you’re glad to have on your side.

A former mixed martial artist, now running a taxi service and poultry farm outside Diamantina, he brings steadiness, precision, and punctuality to the start and end of every journey.

Local Guide + Mule Driver (Serra Circuit)

A local legend, Santo is synonymous with the crossing from Bica d’Água to Rio Preto State Park. Stoic and hardened, yet soft-spoken and graceful, his backcountry skills are unmatched—and his camp grub isn’t half bad either.

If your trip takes us to the Espinhaço’s highest peaks, you may spend an evening with Santo and his wife, Dona Maria, whose wood-fired stove is the stuff of regional lore.

Local Guide / Horsemen (Serra Circuit)

Gracious, thoughtful, and humble, with a quiet serenity that draws you in, Valdir is the kind of guide who saves his stories for those who seek them.

For over a decade, he’s tended the remote Fazenda Santa Cruz do Gavião alone. When we pass through, it’s often simply to enjoy his company.

If your journey ventures into the quieter corners of the Serra Circuit, a visit to Valdir is always a gift. There are few people we’d rather walk, ride, or sit beside a stove with.

Local Guide (Serra Circuit)

On expeditions, you want resilient, kind-hearted people beside you—people who’ve done it themselves and want to see you succeed.

Genésio is one of them.

A Park Ranger from a family of Itambé guardians, he knows the mountain better than anyone. Should your journey take you near it, it will be an honor to walk in his company.

Local Guide (Garden Circuit)

Humble, self-educated, and full of stories, Barbosa grew up in a tiny quilombola settlement where money was once unheard of and diamonds flowed through the sand.

Together with his wife, Lúcia, he helped bring visibility to Inhaí—its history, its people, and its place within the region. Today, he carries that work forward, both at home and as a participant in the Park council.

If we find ourselves near the eastern borderlands of Sempre Vivas, you may hear his stories firsthand. His company is always a gift.

Local Guide + Boatman (Garden Circuit)

Gracious and soft-spoken, yet adventurous and lighthearted, Gomercindo knows the river like a second home.

A former miner turned farmer, he’s spent his life along the banks of the Inhacica Grande—a river as pristine as it is little known. If our journey carries us there, he’ll likely be beside us—part guide, part guardian.

Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)

Born and raised in Curimataí, Tau spent years navigating life in Belo Horizonte before returning to the Espinhaço to pursue something quieter.

Today, he and his wife Gilma run our favorite pousada west of Sempre Vivas—where we’re always happy to sleep, and especially to eat, when the route allows.

Equal parts outdoorsman, bon vivant, and natural host, Tau often guides those of us traveling the sunlit roads of the Sertão.

Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)

A stoic cowboy with the instincts of a guardian, Alvimar battles wildfires in the backcountry of Sempre Vivas in his spare time, and knows the Park’s western frontier as well as anyone.

These days, he lives a quieter life on his ranch north of Curimataí—but when the call comes, he still rides. We’re always grateful when he does.

Local Guide + Horseman (Sertão Circuit)

Cool, confident, and naturally charismatic, Pê has been guiding and hosting our crew in the high western campos since the very beginning.

Raised in the one-family outpost of Santa Rita, he served multiple tours as a park firefighter before returning to ranch life full-time. Today, he’s known across the region for his horsemanship.

Should your trip take us to Santa Rita, you’ll likely ride alongside him.

Local Guide (Garden Circuit)

The lone resident of a remote ranch deep in one of the wildest corners of the Cerrado, Levi is a living legend in the borderlands.

A full day’s walk from his nearest neighbor, he lives a life few can fathom—self-reliant, solitary, and deeply tied to the land.

Reaching him is a journey. Spending time with him is something you don’t forget.

Local Guide + Horseman (Berço Circuit)

One of the last remaining residents of Sempre Vivas, Dorico lives alone at the foot of Serra da Gambá, walking an hour each way to the village of Macacos.

Soft-spoken and gracious, with a lightness that belies his solitude, he carries the history of the highlands in the way he moves. We treasure every moment beside him—on the trail or by the fire.

Local Guide + Horseman (Berço Circuit)

Like many of his generation from São João da Chapada, João left home in search of opportunity. Unlike most, he returned.

Well-traveled and full of stories, he brings both experience and presence to the trail. If your journey leads us through São João or the Rio Pardo, you’ll understand why we value his company.

Local Guide (Berço Circuit)

Poliana is Quarteis’s connection to the outside world—a role she never sought, but carries with quiet strength.

Raised in the village, she spent years tending crops and raising her children before joining our crew. When repeated attempts to locate a lost trail failed, she slipped on her Havaianas and led the way herself.

Now, she’s the newest—and perhaps the most fearless—member of our crew.

First-Mate + Porter (Garden Circuit)

In a region long defined by beans and corn, Deraldo went a different direction: broccoli.

His harvests have reshaped regional school lunches—and local thinking. A lifelong resident of the Inhacicão, he knows the river intimately, and runs one of the few working outboards in the region.

If we travel by boat, chances are he’ll be at the helm.

Porter (Garden Circuit)

Despite growing up along the Inhacicão, Esdra had never hiked with a pack or seen the mountaintop fields where his father, Gomerindo, was raised.

That changed in 2024, when he joined us on an expedition as a last-minute porter. He carried more than expected—and came back for more.

Still just 21, he’s already proven himself a natural.