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 2026–27.
From a pair of long-form treks and a multi-modal high-savannah crossing to a month-long capstone traverse, these trips are a chance to move through a range that still feels largely untouched by tourism, guided by a crew that’s spent years walking its ridgelines, keeping its histories, and calling it home.
All accommodations, meals, 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).
For most travelers who feel called to the Espinhaço, these expeditions are the clearest way in: motion-filled, story-led, and grounded in the people, land, and time of the range.
All of our routes are original and depart once each year. We may return to similar crossings in the years to come, but we’ll never have the same trip twice.
— Eddie
The Expeditions
*2027 pricing and dates subject to slight adjustment.
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The Serra Circuit
May 19 – May 30 (2027) | 12 days | $11,995 per traveler*
Our warmest introduction to the Espinhaço: a 12-day trekking loop through the peaks, valleys, waterfalls, and highland villages of the eastern portion of the range, connected by historic trails and little-traveled dirt roads. Long, steep days on the trail are balanced by lighter packs, cold rivers, welcoming communities, and a full crew. For travelers who want motion, beauty, and life in the range.
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An Exploration of the Highlands of Brazil
April 12 - April 25 (2027) | 14 days | $21,995 per traveler*
Take 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 value the fellowship of a tight trail crew as much as the views.
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A Diamantine Tale
June 7 – June 28 (2026) | 22 days | $21,995 per traveler
June 6 – June 27 (20227) | 22 days | $24,995 per traveler*Our ode to the lost trails and backcountry communities of the Espinhaço: a layered, 368-km trek through the lesser-seen corners of the range, into the living story of Brazil. Working landscapes, living villages, stretches of undisturbed Cerrado, and little-walked historic paths make it feel at times as though you’ve stepped off the map. For seasoned walkers who value continuity over highlights, and want time, distance, and room for the story to sink in.
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Diamonds / Wild Tales + Lost Trails
August 31 - September 27 (2026) | 28 days | $33,995 per traveler
August 16 - September 12 (2027) | 28 days | $39,995 per traveler*A full crossing of the story of Brazil, told through the Espinhaço. High campos and river valleys, quiet flower-picker villages and weathered mining districts, and a labyrinth of forgotten trails form the backdrop, but it’s the wood-fired meals, dinner-table conversations, and trail-forged camaraderie that stay with you. A 28-day capstone traverse for travelers who have the time to go deeper.
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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Nearly everything.
Accommodations, meals, crew, ground and river transport within the range, permits, and group trail gear are all included, along with pre-expedition preparation and a detailed trip dossier.
Flights, insurance, personal gear, alcohol, and discretionary spending are not included.
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Bespoke expeditions allow us to build a crossing around your group, your dates, and the way you want to move through the range.
If you’re traveling solo and drawn to the idea of letting the route take shape naturally in the field, Journeys may be the better place to start.
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Our 2026–27 Expeditions vary widely in character and difficulty, from 400+ km treks to shorter multi-modal crossings. You can learn more about each Expedition on its page.
That said, these trips 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.
Not sure which Expedition is right for you?
Let’s figure it out together.