Chapada Diamantina National Park, National park in Bahia, Brazil
Chapada Diamantina National Park covers 152,142 hectares across Palmeiras, Mucugê, Lençóis, Ibicoara and Andaraí in Bahia. Its Sincorá Range is a north-south belt of folded, eroded rock about 25 kilometres wide, with a steep escarpment of layered grey and tan stone and a flat, vegetated plateau top. Pico do Barbado reaches 2,036 metres, the highest point in the state.
Diamond discoveries in the 1800s drew thousands of miners who built settlements and carved trails through the mountains to move gemstones out of the region. After mining declined in the 1980s, the area was declared a protected reserve, converting the old miner paths into routes for walkers and safeguarding the forests and rivers.
The diamond rush of the 1800s left traces in the small towns around the park, where stone buildings from mining days still stand alongside workshops selling crafts made with local materials and sweets from regional fruits. Travelers often hear stories about miners who worked the hills and rivers, and the communities that grew around those camps now welcome walkers heading into the mountains.
Access points sit in five municipalities, with Lençóis being the best equipped for accommodations, restaurants, and agencies that arrange guides for multi-day treks. Many routes require good fitness because paths can be steep and rocky, and hiring a guide is recommended since signage is sparse.
Three different ecosystems meet here – Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Caatinga – so walkers move between humid woodland, open savanna, and dry scrubland within short distances. This mix shelters animals and plants normally found in separate regions of Brazil, including species that live nowhere else.
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