Caparaó (Alto Caparaó)

Caparaó is the mountain range that rises on the border between Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, in the eastern part of Minas’s Zona da Mata, and it is also the name of the national park that protects it. At its summit sits Pico da Bandeira, at 2,892 meters, the third highest point in Brazil, and several other peaks above 2,000 meters, such as Cristal. The range is granite, covered by Atlantic Forest on the slopes and by high-altitude fields on the top, where cold can cause frost on winter nights.

Parque Nacional do Caparaó was created in 1961 and covers about 31,800 hectares, most of it on the Espírito Santo side. On the Minas side, the entrance is at Alto Caparaó, a small town at the foot of the range where the park headquarters and visitor center are located. From there, an internal road climbs to the Tronqueira, at about 1,970 meters, where the trail to Pico da Bandeira starts, with an optional overnight at the Terreirão campsite.

Besides the peak, the Minas side of the park offers short walks for those who won’t climb: Vale Verde, with clear-water pools near the gate, Cachoeira Bonita and Vale Encantado, next to the Tronqueira. The surrounding region has coffee farms, and the range produces specialty coffees.

The nighttime ascent to watch sunrise from the summit is an old tradition, and the park controls access, with reservations for campsites and rules for those who climb in the early hours.

This destination brings together 1 city: Alto Caparaó.