Into the Story We Go
Four original treks and traverses across the Espinhaço
We’ll be leading four Expeditions in Brazil’s Serra do Espinhaço in 2027.
From a pair of long-form treks and an ambitious multi-modal crossing to a 28-day capstone exploration, these trips are a chance to move through a range that still feels largely untouched by tourism, along original routes shaped by years of fieldwork and relationships.
Elisa and I design and personally lead each Expedition alongside crews composed of men and women whose lives are deeply tied to the land. Group sizes are kept small (capped at just 4, 6, or 8 travelers, depending on the route) to help us stay agile on the trail and keep a human scale when we roll into town. The routes themselves connect far more than landscapes and villages—they bring the history, geography, and everyday life of the Espinhaço into a fuller picture as we move.
Days can be long and demanding. Evenings, meanwhile, are celebratory and restful: dinner around the kitchen table, cold beers at a village buteco, cachaça and laughter beside the campfire.
Accommodations, meals, group equipment, and ground and river transportation are included. All we ask is an open mind, a solid baseline of fitness, and a good pair of boots (or two).
Each Expedition is scheduled to depart just once in 2027. We may return to similar crossings in years to come, but we'll never have the same trip twice.
— Eddie
The Expeditions
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The Serra Circuit
May 26–June 06 (2027) | 12 days
US$9,995 per traveler | 4–8 travelersOur warmest introduction to the Espinhaço: an original 200-km hut-to-hut trek through the flower-strewn peaks, quilombola valleys, and colonial-era villages of the range’s eastern highlands. Long, steep days along little-walked historic trails and quiet dirt roads are balanced by lighter packs, cold waterfalls, welcoming homestays, and a full crew. For travelers who want the challenge and big views of a classic highland trek, in a range that still feels largely untouched by tourism.
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An Exploration of the Highlands of Brazil
April 26–May 09 (2027) | 14 days
US$16,995 per traveler | Maximum 6 travelersTake it from Sir Richard Francis Burton: crossing the Espinhaço has always been a journey worth celebrating. Horses, pack mules, canoes, and Toyota Bandeirantes carry us across the range to high savannah campsites and shared tables in out-of-the-way places, with hot springs and river crossings in between. A traverse for travelers who like a bit of bushwhacking with their cachaça, and who value the fellowship of a tight trail crew as much as the views.
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A Diamantine Tale
June 13 – July 04 (2027) | 22 days
US$21,995 per traveler | Maximum 4 travelersA layered trek through the Espinhaço's intimate human geography: little-walked historic paths weave through working landscapes, quiet villages, and vast stretches of Cerrado, with homestays, remote homesteads, and cave shelters along the way. The landscapes are often breathtaking, but we built this route for understanding and meaning, not just miles. The people we meet and stories we learn in one place help us contextualize the next. For seasoned walkers who value cultural depth as much as distance, and who want the time and space to let the story unfold.
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Diamonds / Wild Tales + Lost Trails
August 9 – September 5 (2027) | 28 days
US$33,995 per traveler | Maximum 4 travelersOur capstone expedition into the Story of Brazil. Four weeks across diamond country, river systems, flowery high campos, and dusty agrarian lowlands on foot, horseback, by 4×4, and by river. Demanding days on the trail and occasional wilderness stretches give way to overland interludes, waterfalls, shared meals in lively towns, and moments of genuine comfort. This is our most expansive telling of the Espinhaço: a journey through its changing landscapes, intertwined histories, and ways of life, with all the remarkable contrasts between them.
FAQs
For questions about a specific Expedition, see the FAQ section at the bottom of its page. For everything else, explore our main FAQ page or reach out directly.
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Yes, depending on the route and availability.
If one of our Expeditions appeals to you but you’d prefer to travel privately, we’d be happy to talk through what might be possible.
We also develop Bespoke trips for solo travelers, couples, families, and small groups, with different durations, dates, and ways of moving through the range.
[Explore Bespoke →]
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Our 2027 Expeditions vary widely in character and difficulty, from long-form treks of roughly 200–400 km on foot to 400+ km multi-modal crossings that combine walking with horseback riding, overlanding, and river travel. You can learn more about each Expedition on its page.
That said, these are long-form expeditions, often involving successive days on foot with meaningful elevation gain and loss over varied mountain terrain, and many of the communities we pass through offer little in the way of tourism infrastructure.
You don’t need to be an elite athlete, but you should be comfortable being active for long stretches of the day and recovering well enough to do it again the next morning.
If you’re unsure whether a particular Expedition is the right fit, we’re always happy to talk it through.
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Our Expeditions are designed to be as all-inclusive as possible.
Elisa and I, our expedition crew, accommodations, meals, ground and river transportation, permits and entrance fees, and all necessary group equipment are included. We also take care of airport transfers at the start and end of the Expedition, pre-trip preparation, and a detailed trip dossier.
International and domestic flights, visas, required personal travel insurance, personal gear, alcohol, optional activities, gratuities, and personal expenses are not included.
Not sure which Expedition is right for you?
Let’s figure it out together.