Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The spectacular Ubajara Cave in Parque Nacional de Ubajara
Surrounded by dunes and
lagoons, Jeri (as locals call it)
is a place for those who like
water, waves, and wind. From
June to January, the winds
pick up and kite-surfers,
windsurfers, and sailors from
around the world flock to Jeri.
Dune buggies are used
to explore the surrounding
beaches and dunes and visit
the various lagoons. The most
beautiful are
Lagoa Azul
and
Lagoa Paraíso
, located
about 12 miles (20 km) east
of the village. Jeri's postcard
view is that of
Pedra Furada
, a
basalt outcrop, on the edge of
the sea with a 13-ft (4-m) hole
in the middle. It sits on the
beach at Praia Malhada, about
2 miles (3 km) east, a 15-
minute walk from the village.
The red rock glows in the late
afternoon light and from June
to September, the aperture
lines up perfectly with the
tropical setting sun. Another
beautiful spot is
Pôr do Sol
(Sunset Dune).
Located close to the small
town of Ubajara, the park
features the
Ubajara Cave
.
The entrance to the cave can
be reached either by cable car
or via a steep, marked trail
through the forest. The 3,937-
ft (1,200-m) long cave is filled
with stalactites and stalag-
mites, the work of several
patient centuries of erosion
and calcium deposition.
Fifteen chambers totaling
3,674 ft (1,120 m) have been
mapped, of which 1,182 ft
(360 m) are open to visitors.
Eight galleries are lit up to
display some of the amazing
formations that have taken
shape inside the cave. The
main formations seen inside
are Pedra do Sino (Bell
Stone), Salas da Rosa (Rose
Rooms), Sala do Cavalo
(Horse Room), and Sala dos
Retratos (Portrait Room).
The cave is also home to
14 different types of bat.
The elevation gain is just
over 1,640 ft (500 m), and
the trail leading up to the
cave, though rather strenuous,
offers some spectacular views
of the Serra da Ipiapaba and
several waterfalls and beau-
tiful natural pools. The hike
takes about two hours, one
way. There are also many
local guides available here
to show visitors around
the park's eco trails, caves,
and waterfalls.
BUGGIES
Dune buggies are found everywhere on Brazil's northeastern
coast. Essentially a Volkswagen Beetle chassis with a fiber-
glass body and soft, fat tires, the Brazilian dune buggy
is the perfect vehicle for exploring the endless beaches
and towering sand dunes that characterize Northeast Brazil.
Popular places to buggy here are Genipabu
(see p238)
,
just north of Natal, and Cumbuco and Canoa Quebrada,
respectively north and south of Fortaleza. They all feature
towering mountains of sand, and dune buggy drivers are
trained to make the most of them.
High speed runs up, down, and
along the sheer, steep face of
sand dunes are among the
most hair-raising maneuvers
one can expect from
such a tour.
Multiday buggy
expeditions include
tours from Natal to
Fortaleza, nearly 311
miles (500 km) of
untouched sand.
Parque Nacional de
Ubajara
r
Ceará
.
@
from Fortaleza.
n
Secretaría de Turismo, (088) 3634
2288; Park Headquarters, (088) 3634
1388.
#
9am-2:30pm Tue-Sun.
&
8
Located almost exactly halfway
between Fortaleza and
Teresina, the Parque Nacional
de Ubajara is the smallest
national park in Brazil.
Dune buggy in Canoa Quebrada
