Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 363

ACCOMMODATION
Camping is prohibited in the park, so if you decide to visit
independently, you'll need accommodation - the most
convenient place is Cambará do Sul, aka the “capital of
honey” thanks to its numerous bee farms.
Pousada Pôr-do-Sol Rua Pe. João F. Ritter 1150 T 54
3251 1390, W pousadapordosol.tur.br. Solid option in the
centre of Cambará, with small but clean and cosy modern
double s with heating and TVs (has quadruples for R$180).
R$120

you need to take another bus 60km northeast to Cambará
do Sul (daily 9.15am & 5pm; R$13.15) and ask to be let off
at the entrance to the park (Citral has one daily bus to
Cambará from Porto Alegre at 6am that takes five hours;
R$32). From Cambará it's a further 15km to Itaimbézinho
(taxi: T 54 3251 1320). Buses occasionally run between
São Francisco or Cambará and Praia Grande (which has a
couple of basic hotels, one on the main square and the
other at the rodoviária ), on the Santa Catarina side of the
state line. These will drop you just 3km from Itaimbézinho
but you'll need to walk the difference - there is no bus
service to the canyon.
By car If you intend to make the trip in your own vehicle it
is imperative that you call T 54 3251 1230 for up-to-date
information on local road conditions.

ROTA MISSÕES MISSION ROUTE
Though less well known than those in
Argentina and Paraguay, Rio Grande
do Sul is home to no fewer than seven
Jesuit Missions , with four of the ruins in
an excellent state of preservation and
grouped together on what is called the
ROTA MISSÕES ( W rotamissoes.com.br).
The Jesuits arrived here in 1626
determined to convert the Guarani
Indians, with the missions founded
between 1682 and 1706 in nominal
Spanish territory. In fact the region was
virtually independent of both Spain and

3

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information There is a visitors' centre ( T 54
3251 1262, W guiaaparadosdaserra.com.br) and a snack
bar at the main entrance. Only 1000 visitors are permitted
to enter the park each day, so it's advisable to phone the
visitors' centre in advance to reserve a place.
Tour operators Trying to visit the park on your own is
di cult and barely cheaper than doing it with a tour. Try
ecotourism specialists Canyons do Sul ( W canyonsdosul
.com.br).

CROSSING THE BORDERS TO URUGUAY AND ARGENTINA
Most overland travellers cross the southern Brazilian borders via long-distance bus - in this
case formalities are fairly straightforward and you just need to know the entry requirements for
Uruguay (see p.831) and Argentina (see p.47). The borders here are generally open, meaning
anyone can just walk across - if you are a foreigner, however, you need to find the nearest
immigration post to have passports stamped.
TO URUGUAY
Chuí/Chuy (340km northeast of Montevideo). By far the most travelled route, 527km south of
Porto Alegre. Buses entering and leaving Brazil stop at an immigration o ce a short distance
north of the town itself (Chuí/Chuy is actually divided by the border) on BR-471. The Uruguayan
customs is 3km further south on Rte-9.
Santana do Livramento (497km west of Porto Alegre). There's no duty-free here or passport
controls - the town simply merges into the Uruguayan city of Rivera (500km north of
Montevideo). Before leaving Livramento you'll need a Brazilian exit (or entry) passport stamp
from the Polícia Federal, at Rua Uruguai 1177, near the central park, and a stamp from
Uruguay's Dirección Nacional de Inmigración, at Av Presidente Viera s/n. If you have any
problems, head for the Uruguayan consulate in Livramento at Av Tamandaré 2101, 4th floor
( T 55 3242 1416).
TO ARGENTINA
Most people heading to Argentina from Brazil cross the frontier at Foz do Iguaçu (see p.351), but
if you find yourself in the south of the country, Uruguaiana (694km west of Porto Alegre) is the
most convenient crossing - with Paso de los Libres on the other side (around 740km north of
Buenos Aires). Customs formalities take place at either end of the 1400m-long road bridge across
the Rio Uruguai. Accommodation and restaurant options are both better on the Argentine side
of the border. The Argentine consulate is at Rua 13 de Mayo 1674 ( T 55 3412 1925).