TO · Brazil
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Jalapão is the Brazilian desert no one expects to find: orange dunes in the middle of the cerrado (Brazilian savanna), rivers of crystal-clear water and springs where it is impossible to sink. Here you travel by 4x4, on sand roads, with starry nights and a waterfall swim at the end of every afternoon. It is the most sought-after adventure destination in Tocantins, and each day brings a landscape different from the one before.
This destination brings together 5 cities: Palmas, Mateiros, Ponte Alta do Tocantins, São Félix do Tocantins, Novo Acordo.
A look at the place
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
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One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Palmas combines a planned layout with squares, parks and freshwater beaches on the Tocantins lake. The Espaço Cultural José Gomes Sobrinho brings together a theater, a movie theater and other spaces dedicated to the arts.
Mateiros brings together dunes, veredas (palm-lined wetlands) and springs in the heart of Jalapão. The Serra do Espírito Santo and the golden grass crafts of the local communities reveal the town's natural and cultural diversity.
Ponte Alta do Tocantins is one of the gateways to Jalapão, among rivers and cerrado landscapes. The riverfront of the river that gives the town its name and the surrounding rock formations are part of its identity.
São Félix do Tocantins brings together rivers, freshwater beaches and fervedouros (spring pools where you float) in the Jalapão region. The banks of the Rio Sono and the local communities bring visitors close to the landscapes and culture of the cerrado.
Novo Acordo lies on the routes into Jalapão and has freshwater beaches along the Rio Sono. Praia do Borges and the rock formations surrounded by cerrado show the variety of the local landscapes.
The local experience
A spring of clear blue water where the pressure of the water rising from the bottom keeps swimmers from sinking, about 2 km from town. The pool is about 15 meters across, and an observation deck offers a 360-degree view.
Discover Fervedouro Bela Vista
A sandy spring with a jet of water so strong that it pushes your body up and keeps you from sinking. Surrounded by buriti palms, it is the most fun postcard spot in Jalapão.
Said to be the largest square in Latin America, it is home to the seats of the three branches of state government and monuments linked to the founding of the capital. Here you will find the Cruzeiro, which marks the cornerstone laid in 1989, and the bronze group Súplica dos Pioneiros.
A river beach set up by the town each summer season, during the dry period, with visitor facilities, concerts and sports competitions. The opening of the season usually draws large crowds of locals and visitors.
A low waterfall that empties into a natural pool of an almost unreal emerald green. It is one of the most popular attractions in Jalapão.
A freshwater beach on the lake formed by the Luiz Eduardo Magalhães hydroelectric dam on the Rio Tocantins, a few minutes from downtown. It has a stretch of sand about 520 meters long, a central obelisk and a view of the Fernando Henrique Cardoso bridge at sunset.
A sandstone formation about 180 meters tall, whose face looks like the front of a cathedral and can be seen from the TO-030 highway. The climb to the top, on a trail with stairs, is allowed only with a licensed guide.
It is the tallest waterfall in the district of Taquaruçu, with a drop of about 70 meters. At the bottom there is a shallow grotto and a natural swimming pool, and the rock face is also used for rappelling.
Discover Cachoeira da Roncadeira
A drop of about 5 meters where the stream splits before the edge and forms two cascades, about 22 km from town on the TO-030. The rock face is covered in ferns and moss, and the spot is also the end point for rafting on the Rio Sono.
Formed by the Rio Lajeado, it is about 36 km from town, in the area leading into Jalapão. The falls run down between rocks and form natural pools used for swimming, surrounded by cerrado vegetation.
A wind-formed mountain of orange sand up to 40 meters tall at the foot of the Serra do Espírito Santo. It is where everyone waits for the sunset in Jalapão.
The largest waterfall in the region, about 100 meters wide and horseshoe-shaped, on the Rio Novo. You can hear the roar of the falls well before you reach the viewpoint.
On the Rio Soninho, it has a powerful main fall, whose water disappears into cracks carved in the rock, and a smaller fall upriver. On the upper part there is a shallow rock slab and natural whirlpools for swimming, with car access almost to the riverbank.
Discover Cachoeira do Rio Soninho
It is about 2 km from town and has greenish water, with a size and buoyancy similar to Bela Vista. As at the other fervedouros in Jalapão, the water rising from the bottom holds your body up and keeps you from sinking.
Discover Fervedouro do Alecrim
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 2001, it honors the passage of the Coluna Prestes (Prestes Column) through what is now Tocantins in the 1920s. Reopened in 2026, it has photographs, documents and personal belongings, with sculptures by Maurício Bentes outside.
Discover Memorial Coluna Prestes
A narrow gap between sandstone walls where a trickle of water falls from above among ferns. The light coming through the opening creates a beam effect inside the rock corridor.
The seat of the state government, it opened in 1991 on the Praça dos Girassóis and is open to visitors. The facade has plaques recording the creation of Tocantins and the founding of the capital, and the interior holds murals with historical themes.
An urban park with a lake surrounded by a walking track and an ecological trail of about 2 km through cerrado woodland. Capybaras and monkeys roam freely, and the park is also home to agoutis, armadillos and many bird species.
A natural sandstone arch carved by wind and rain in the middle of open cerrado. A classic stop on the way to or from Mateiros.
Created in 2001, this protected area covers almost 10,000 hectares of cerrado, with its entrance about 18 km from downtown. Visits require advance notice and are accompanied by guides, on trails such as Cerradão and Integração.
Discover Parque Estadual do Lajeado
An uphill trail that ends at the top of the mountain, with an open view of the dunes and the cerrado all the way to the horizon. It is the best panoramic view in all of Jalapão.
Discover Serra do Espírito Santo
In the district of Taquaruçu, it is about 25 meters tall and has the largest volume of water in the area. The falls drop in front of a crescent-shaped rock wall covered in ferns and moss and form a wide pool that gradually gets deeper.
A stretch of white sand on the banks of the Rio Novo, with calm, shallow water perfect for swimming. It becomes a camping and resting spot between one attraction and the next.
Your base to explore
Where you stay is part of the trip. Choose the area that best fits your itinerary.
A budget chain hotel on Avenida JK, the main commercial street in downtown Palmas, a few minutes from the Praça dos Girassóis. It suits business travelers and anyone who wants to stay near the capital's shops.
A pousada by the TO-255, in Ponte Alta do Tocantins, in a natural area with natural pools and a restaurant serving regional dishes. It caters to families and groups starting their Jalapão itinerary in Ponte Alta.
A pousada in the countryside of São Félix do Tocantins, at Fazenda 3 Irmãos, with a pool, bar and restaurant. It suits travelers who want to stay near the fervedouros of the São Félix area.
A simple pousada at the entrance to the town of Mateiros, with a pool and within walking distance of bars and restaurants. It is a base for visiting the fervedouros and other Jalapão attractions.
A hotel on Avenida LO-03, in the Plano Diretor Sul, about five minutes from the Praça dos Girassóis, with a pool, gym and restaurant. It serves both business and leisure travelers.
A pousada with individual chalets about 3 km from the town of Mateiros, toward Ponte Alta, in the middle of the cerrado, with a bar and restaurant. It suits travelers who want peace and quiet as a base for Jalapão outings.
A pousada on Avenida Joana Medeiros, in downtown Ponte Alta do Tocantins, with a pool and breakfast. It is a good base if you are using the town as a gateway to Jalapão and want to stay near the shops.
A family-run pousada on Rua Julião Rodrigues, in downtown São Félix do Tocantins, with suites, a garden and breakfast with fruit and juices. It is a base for visiting the region's fervedouros and waterfalls.
A pousada on a farm in the countryside of São Félix do Tocantins, with a restaurant and its own fervedouro, free for guests. It suits travelers who want to sleep next to a fervedouro, outside the town center.
A pousada with bungalows in the district of Taquaruçu, in the hills of Palmas, surrounded by babassu palm forest and near waterfalls and trails, with a spa, pool and restaurant. It suits travelers looking for rest and nature close to the capital.
A pousada on Rua 8, in downtown Mateiros, that also runs ecotourism trips. It is a base for exploring the fervedouros, dunes and waterfalls of Jalapão from town.
A simple pousada on Avenida Doutor Alberni Ferraz de Machado, in Ponte Alta do Tocantins, with breakfast. It suits travelers spending the night in town before or after their Jalapão trip.
Flavors of the destination
A rustic restaurant in the countryside of Mateiros, at Fazenda Margens do Rio Novo, with a buffet of homemade regional food, dishes with pequi (a cerrado fruit) and ice cream made from cerrado fruits. It has hammocks for resting and is a lunch stop for people touring the Rio Novo area.
A lunch restaurant dedicated to the regional cooking of Tocantins, on Quadra 204 Sul. In 2026 it became the first in the state to win the national contest O Quilo é Nosso, with a dish of chambari (beef shank stew) with mocotó (cow's foot) and carne de sol farofa (toasted cassava flour with sun-dried beef).
A bar and restaurant serving Brazilian cuisine on Avenida Joana Medeiros, in Ponte Alta do Tocantins, with a set lunch and meat dishes. It is a common stop for people entering or leaving Jalapão through the town.
A burger joint on Rua Tocantins, in downtown São Félix do Tocantins, with burgers and craft beers. It is a place to eat in town if you are in Jalapão visiting the fervedouros.
A snack bar on Avenida Albeni Ferraz Machado, in Ponte Alta do Tocantins, with savory snacks, sweets, homemade cakes and pizzas. It is a simple stop for a bite at the gateway to Jalapão.
A restaurant with rustic architecture, decorated with local crafts, on Quadra 103 Sul, in downtown Palmas. It is a member of the Associação dos Restaurantes da Boa Lembrança and a traditional choice for lunch and dinner with family or a group.
A bar and restaurant by the TO-255, inside the Parque Estadual do Jalapão, about 800 meters from the entrance to the Dunes, in Mateiros. It is a stop for dune visitors, with Brazilian cuisine and a view of the Serra do Espírito Santo.
A restaurant on the Praia da Graciosa waterfront, on the shore of the Palmas lake, known for tucunaré (peacock bass) and other regional fish, with outdoor tables. It serves beachgoers and anyone who wants dinner on the waterfront.
A restaurant and bar on Avenida Maranhão, in Mateiros, serving Brazilian cuisine with vegan options and dishes made with Cerrado ingredients. It caters to people spending the night in town who want dinner after their Jalapão outings.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
Fly to Palmas Airport (PMW), then drive about 6 to 8 hours by 4x4 on the TO-030 and TO-255 to Mateiros.
From May to September, in the dry season, when the sand roads are passable and the river water is at its clearest.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
