Getting to know the Canyon Itaimbezinho along the Rio do Boi Trail (Boi River Trail) was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had.
I took the long Rio do Boi Trail, which is a walk near this river to a central point of the wonderful Itaimbezinho Canyon, the most vertical in Brazil, which is on the border of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. This publication it’s all about adventure.
>> Leia em Português
>> Cascata do Caracol in Canela, Rio Grande do Sul
Continuing the motorcycle trip through America
I continued my trip after a week in Praia do Rosa – riding 200 and a few kilometers on a motorcycle along a very beautiful stretch of the BR 110 until arriving at Praia Grande de Santa Catarina.
Stay in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina
I found Ecohostel dos Canyons on the internet and went straight to the door. After waiting for a while and no one answered, I was already thought that the hostel was no longer working and then I was greeted by Osmar, a guest who was returning from the market.
Then Artur, volunteering at Worldpackers came to welcome me.
The hostel is very simple, I stayed in a room with two bunk beds. I was bitten by mosquitoes at night. Besides being close to rivers, according to Alex, owner and tour guide, they had cut the grass in days, which made the mosquitoes situation a little worse.
>> Value of the stay: R$ 40.00
I was welcomed with a vegan dinner
While deciding the stay and the next day trip with Alex over the phone, the couple Osmar and Claudia finished making a vegan soup and invited me to dinner with them.
It was very tasty. They explained a little about them, they are Adventists and participated in a month-long immersion in a farm to learn more about religion, food and lifestyle, after they stopped eating meat.
The tour of the Canyon Itaimbezinho along the Rio do Boi trail
I was very lucky that this couple was also a motorcyclist and they had already booked the tour of the Canyon Itaimbezinho on the boi river trail for the following day, so I took advantage and went with them.
>> The value of the tour with the guide Alex was R$ 80.00 for me.
How was the Rio do Boi trail
We woke up early the next day and ate the hostel’s simple breakfast. Alex let me make some snacks to take with the rest of the breakfast because the day would be long.
We got into his car and headed to the beginning of the trail in the National Park Aparados da Serra National Park.
the-guide-and-the-couple-who-received-me
The tour along the Rio do Boi is 14 km in total.
The first 3.5 km are on a dirt track going up and down some hills. Along the way, the guide explains about some plants and tells stories like the one about the man who lives alone in the woods and doesn’t like to see people.
After this stretch we start the 3.5 km walk along the rocks on the riverbank.
On this route we crossed the Rio do Boi (free traduction – ox river) a few times.
The river has this name because before becoming an environmental protection area, there were some farms on the top and some oxen fell from the top of the mountain into the river. They die instantly, because Cânion Itaimbezinho is very high.
To cross the river, we held hands with each other. Most of the stretches were calm, but there was a stretch or another where the water reached the waist and you could feel more the river current.
Between one crossing and another, we passed by some gigantic waterfalls, I think the biggest ones I’ve ever seen, the water ran from the top of the canyon that reached 700 meters.
Arriving at the Itaimbezinho Canyon by the Rio do Boi trail
We arrived at the main point at exactly 12:00 a.m. It must have been the best time to arrive because the sun was right in the middle of the mountains and it lit up the two walls that are divided by the river.
According to Alex, the Canyons are formed by the block’s displacement and not by the rivers as I imagined before – obviously I no longer remembered the geography classes that explained this to me at some point in my life.
The place is beautiful. The walls are huge with a river of crystal clear water looking tiny in the middle.
We stopped for a while there, had a snack and went back along the same trail, now stopping at different waterfalls.
The tour of the Itaimbezinho Canyon along the Rio do Boi trail lasted about 7 hours.
Aparados da Serra National Park at the top of the Canyon Itaimbezinho
The next day I got on the motorbike and went on the trip again, this time going up the mountain towards Cambará do Sul.
On the way there is access to the Aparados da Serra National Park, from where it is possible to see the Itaimbezinho Canyon from above.
>> Find out WHAT TO EAT AT POMERODE
In this park there are two options of trails, one of 1km and the other of 3km. Due to the tiredness from the day before, from the sun and how much I was going to ride on a motorcycle, I decided to take the shorter trail.
From there I saw some waterfalls and the top of the canyon, but I liked better the experience below better.
The only house remaining
At the top I had a very good surprise. There is a farmhouse from the 1940s that resisted the government’s takeover of land and was transformed into a national park.
The house is open to the public as a coffeehouse so I went to see Café do Vô Marçal (free traduction – Grandpa Marçal’s coffeehouse) and Artesanatos da Vó Maria (free traduction – Grandma Maria’s crafts).
There is no energy because environmental protection doesn’t allow it, I ate a pastel (a fried pastry) that was delicious and ended up getting a free coffee after counting the coins and not having enough.
The entire tour of the Canyon Itaimbezinho along the Rio do Boi trail was incredible, one of the most beautiful natures I’ve ever seen. But I think it is not really explored as a natural beauty by tourism in Brazil.
Fun Fact: as Petar, proportionally there were more people from outside Brazil than Brazilians on the tour.
Who am I?
Before I continue, let me introduce myself.
I’m Rodrigo Schmiegelow, an advertiser specializing in Digital Marketing, today I live as a Digital Nomad, in other words, that I have geographic freedom and can work from anywhere in the world.
I started a trip around the world to get to know places, cultures and regional cuisines and I will bring great surprises from these experiences.
Follow the Project O Mundo em Lanches (The world in sandwiches) blog on Instagram, follow all the news and this new journey with the rescue of the motorcycle.
