Tangará da Serra is one of Brazil's potential tourist locations and a good base to organise outdoor activities in the area. The state of Mato Grosso is perfect for an adventure holiday with swimming in numerous waterfalls, adventure tours like hiking, scuba diving and mountain biking, visiting an Indian tribe or relaxing at a unique resort.
Waterfalls and Adventurous Sports Around Tangará da Serra
Waterfalls are plentiful in this western part of Mato Grosso. While the 240 kilometres long highway from Cuiabá to Tangará da Serra mainly cuts through endless fields of soya and sugarcane, Tangará da Serra still has areas of untouched nature suitable for an active vacation.
The most famous waterfall of Tangará da Serra is Waterfall Salto das Nuvens, which has been open to visitors for at least ten years. Others, such as the Queimapé Waterfall, the Paraíso Waterfall and the Coquieral Waterfall are less known and a visit requires some preparation. For more information, check with the town's Secretaria de Turismo.
Adventure tours are plentiful in a region with so much water and nature. "Coliseum Aventura", an adventure tour agency run by José Ricardo Tognon downtown, provides adventure holidays that include rafting, rappelling, scuba diving, mountain biking and hiking.
Visit an Indigenous Tribe Near Tangará da Serra
Mato Grosso has Brazil's largest number of indigenous tribes. "Cachoeira e Aldeia do Formoso" offers the combination of a visit to a cave, a waterfall as well as an indigenous village. Permission to visit an indigenous area has to be obtained at FUNAI [National Indian Foundation], the Brazilians organisation concerned with all issues regarding indigenous people. It is possible to contact FUNAI directly via their website or ask if the staff at the Secretaria de Turismo in Tangará da Serra can be of assistance. At the time of writing the indigenous areas were sealed off due to the swine flue.
Resorts Around Tangará da Serra
- Pesqueiro e Pousada Piracema is a resort especially suiable for fishing. It is located along MT 358, at 9 kilometres from Tangará da Serra.
- Estância Amazonas and Estância Modela are both resorts for day-trippers who like to enjoy a Sunday on the beach, to go fishing or to enjoy a good lunch. Entrance fee is 5 reais and both resorts are located near Tangará da Serra [Rodovia MT 480, km 11 and Linha 11 Gleba Bandeirantes at 24,3 kilometres from the city].
- At Novo Limpio [25 kilometres east of Tangará da Serra] lies Estancia Primavera. This hotel has swimming pools and in weekends offers a lunch buffet for 20 reais per person. There is accommodation in different price categories. Estancia Primavera is beautifully located at the foot of vertical cliffs and suited for adventure sports like canyoning and rappelling.
- Mirante Camping e Lazer is suitable for day trips [entrance fee 6 reais] but also has camping facilities [25 reais per person] and a hotel with two types of rooms [35-45 reais per person]. The friendly owners Milton and Eliane have a high environmental awareness and go out of their way to take good care of their guests.
- Beautifully set along the Sepatuba River, Hotel Salto das Nuvens not only has a waterfall but is also a splendid holiday resort. The hotel has three rustic accommodations that are equipped for a stay with families and groups alike.
An Adventure Holiday in West Brazil
Tangará da Serra has a lot to offer for an active vacation in Brazil and is not overrun by tourists yet. This region of Mato Grosso is a challenge for any traveller who loves adventure tours that include mountain biking, hiking, scuba diving or snorkelling, or who wants to visit an Indian tribe.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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