Aparados da Serra & Garganta de Itaimbezinho

186 km from Porto Alegre and close to the border with the state of Santa Catarina, in the mountainous region known as Campos de Cima da Serra, is Cambará do Sul, a municipality that includes the Itaimbezinho gorge in the Aparados da Serra National Park.
In this extravagance of nature, the mountains are separated from each other by almost 250 km of vertical walls 720m high and ranging in width from 100m to 2,000m. Looking out from the Itaimbezinho canyon on a sunny day, you can see the Torres Sea and the beach to the north of the state where the steep cliffs, caves and gigantic boulders make this one of the most attractive landscapes in the southern region.
Imagine the Grand Canyon covered in lush vegetation, waterfalls and thriving biodiversity. Tucked away along the Atlantic coasts to the south of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, between Brazil’s most expansive gorges – five, to be exact – lies the National Park and conservation area, covering an area of almost 70,000 acres.
In fact, the area is made up of two parks: Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral. Its highlights are the Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza Gorges, which rise to 659m and 824m respectively. In the late afternoon, the wind brings a mysterious mist, making everything within an inch of your face invisible. Hikers, campers, horse riders and abseilers unite in front of this glorious display of nature’s contrasts!
The area is one of the main centers of ecological tourism in southern Brazil and has attracted both the hardy adventurer looking for a challenge and the nature lover looking for a quiet place and beautiful landscapes. We suggest a 5-day excursion to enjoy this region.

Porto Alegre