5-day Vale do Pati Trek in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil
PlanetaEXO
TripsBrazilChapada Diamantina

5-day Vale do Pati Trek in Chapada Diamantina, Brazil

Brazil
4 Nights·5 Days
Chapada Diamantina ToursHiking & TrekkingCommunity-Based Travel

Overview

Looking for the complete crossing of one of Brazil’s most talked-about trekking experiences? The Vale do Pati 5-day trek is the full point-to-point route through Vale do Pati, the protected valley inside Chapada Diamantina National Park in Bahia. Walk 59 km past imposing mountains, sandstone canyons, caves, rivers, and waterfalls, considered by many the best hike in Brazil.

This Vale do Pati hike is about more than scenery. You cross the valley on foot and sleep in the homes of local families each night, with simple, cozy rooms and home-cooked regional food. Along the way you climb Morro do Castelo, take in the panorama from Mirante do Pati, and cool off at Cachoeirão, Poço da Árvore, and Cachoeira dos Funis.

  • Full itinerary: the complete Guiné-to-Andaraí crossing, with Morro do Castelo’s cave, the Mirante do Pati and Cachoeirão lookouts, and swims at Cachoeira dos Funis and Poço da Árvore.
  • 59 km point-to-point over 5 days, with 459 m to 642 m of climbing each day.
  • A route that reveals the biodiversity and geology of Chapada Diamantina National Park, from canyons and caves to more than 20 waterfalls after rain.
  • Four nights in family homestays inside the valley, with home-cooked regional meals. Some hosts, like Mr. Wilson, have welcomed trekkers since 1997.
  • Activities guided by experienced local guides who speak Portuguese, English and French.
  • All-inclusive experience: round-trip transfer (Lençóis to Guiné and Andaraí to Lençóis), homestays, meals, local guides and travel insurance.

  • Please note: this is a sample itinerary. Your guide adapts distances, activities, and timing to your group's fitness, the weather, and trail conditions.

Itinerary

Day 1

Vale do Pati Lookout / Cachoeirão

  • Duration8 h
  • Distance18 km
  • Elevation gain642 m
  • Transfer Lençóis → Guiné105 km · ~2 h · depart 6:30 AM

Your Chapada Diamantina trek begins with a 6:30 AM transfer to the village of Guiné (the trailhead) for a quick briefing and gear check. After roughly a 3-hour uphill hike at Aleixo through plains and streams, you reach the famous Vale do Pati lookout and its postcard views.

Next is Cachoeirão, with vistas from almost 260 m up (after rain, over 20 waterfalls appear). Spend the night at a local family’s home in Igrejinha, complete with a home-cooked, wood-fired dinner.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

Open grassy plateau of the Chapada Diamantina trek with scattered rocks in the foreground and towering sandstone cliffs rising under a clear blue sky
Two hikers walking a rocky trail through open savanna grassland on the Chapada Diamantina trek, with a flat-topped sandstone mesa rising dramatically against a blue sky in the background
A guide in a teal shirt and a hiker study a trail map together on a rocky outcrop during a Chapada Diamantina trek, with dramatic sandstone mesas and green valleys stretching behind them under a cloudy sky.
Two hikers sitting on a rock at a high viewpoint on a Chapada Diamantina trek, one pointing across a wide green valley flanked by towering sandstone mesas under a blue sky
Two trekkers lying flat on a sandstone cliff edge on the Chapada Diamantina trek, peering straight down a sheer rock face streaked with waterfalls into a green canyon far below
Two hikers sitting on an exposed rock ledge on a Chapada Diamantina trek, looking out over deep sandstone canyon walls and a forested valley stretching to the horizon under a partly cloudy sky
A hiker with a backpack walks a rocky trail on the Chapada Diamantina trek, with a wide green valley flanked by sandstone escarpments stretching into the distance under a blue sky
The whitewashed chapel of Igreja Senhor do Bonfim lit up at night on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with a wooden cross on the roofline and a dense starfield filling the deep blue sky above

Day 2

Morro do Castelo Cave / Cachoeira dos Funis

  • Duration8 h
  • Distance8 km
  • Elevation gain618 m

After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, set off on the steep 2-hour climb to Morro do Castelo through lush forest and into a large cave you cross by flashlight before reaching a viewpoint with panoramic views over the entire valley.

Have a picnic on the summit, then descend rocky terrain and quiet forest paths to Cachoeira dos Funis, a 30 m waterfall with a natural pool, for a swim. Rest at Mr. Wilson’s house, a cornerstone of the experience that has hosted travelers since 1997.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A hiker in an orange jacket sits on a granite boulder on a Chapada Diamantina trek, looking out over the vast green forested canyon of Vale do Pati with sandstone cliffs rising on either side under a partly cloudy sky
Two hikers descend a narrow red-dirt trail on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with lush ferns and shrubs lining the path and cloud-wrapped tabletop mountains rising across a broad green valley below
Two trekkers striking yoga poses as silhouettes at the mouth of a large sandstone cave on the Chapada Diamantina trek, blue sky and green treetops visible through the rocky arch above
A hiker lies flat on a rock ledge on the Chapada Diamantina trek, peering over the edge at a vast green canyon with table-top mountains and a distant waterfall below
Two hikers standing on a moss-edged sandstone pinnacle during a Chapada Diamantina trek, with deep forested canyons and layered tabletop mountains stretching to the horizon under a partly cloudy sky
Two swimmers wading in a clear natural pool at the base of a wide multi-tiered waterfall cascading over sandstone ledges, surrounded by green cerrado trees on a Chapada Diamantina trek
Aerial view of a tall waterfall cascading down a layered rock face into a dark pool, surrounded by dense forest with purple-flowering trees on a Chapada Diamantina trek
A narrow dirt trail winds through a moss-covered forest on the Chapada Diamantina trek, with bright green moss blanketing rocks and roots on either side and dappled light filtering through the tree canopy above
Aerial view of layered sandstone cliffs and green vegetation in the Chapada Diamantina trek, with two tiny hikers visible on an exposed rock outcrop above a deep canyon

Day 3

Pati River / Poço da Árvore

  • Duration8 h
  • Distance12 km
  • Elevation gain459 m

A balanced day of walking and downtime along the Pati River, framed by magnificent mountains. Head to Poço da Árvore for a picnic beside a natural pool and waterfall—a great place for a refreshing swim and to unwind.

The day ends at Casa de Seu Eduardo, run by his grandchildren Vitor, Domingo, and Virlene, with a warm welcome and some of the best home cooking in Vale do Pati.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Aerial view of a cascading waterfall dropping into a dark tannin-stained natural pool tucked inside dense green forest on the Chapada Diamantina trek
Two hikers with trekking poles stepping across rocks in a clear river on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with towering sandstone escarpments rising above the surrounding cerrado vegetation
A hiker walks a dirt trail past an overgrown abandoned stone house on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with sandstone cliffs and pink-flowering trees visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.
Clear water rushing over rust-tinted sandstone ledges in a tiered cascade on the Chapada Diamantina trek, with dense rainforest and jagged rock formations rising in the background
Clear shallow stream lined with rounded boulders on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with dense green forest and towering sandstone cliffs rising under a blue sky with white clouds

Day 4

Pati Canyons / Cachoeirão Base

  • Duration7 h
  • Distance11 km
  • Elevation gain482 m

Starting at 8 AM, the trail follows the Pati River through canyons to the foot of Cachoeirão, the waterfall you glimpsed on day one, now up close, with a tranquil pool for a dip and a picnic. If the weather cooperates, the afternoon brings golden canyon views at sunset.

Spend your last night at the home of Seu Joia and Dona Leu, with dinner under a star-filled sky.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A narrow canyon on the Chapada Diamantina trek with towering sandstone walls flanking a still rock pool that mirrors the blue sky above, surrounded by dark boulders and opening to distant green mountains
Upward view from the base of Cachoeirão waterfall on a Chapada Diamantina trek, with multiple streams of water trailing down a towering layered sandstone cliff face framed by green vegetation and a partly cloudy sky

Day 5

Ladeira do Império / Andaraí

  • Duration6 h
  • Distance10 km
  • Elevation gain541 m

After an early breakfast and farewells, the final hike climbs Ladeira do Império for a last view over the valley, then eases across flat plateaus, with a picnic along the way.

Reach Andaraí by around 2 PM, closing this 5-day Vale do Pati trek before the included transfer back toward Lençóis.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch

Two hikers with backpacks and trekking poles pause at a rocky ledge on a Chapada Diamantina trek, one pointing toward the sweeping canyon valley and flat-topped sandstone mesas stretching under a partly cloudy sky

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Lençóis to Guiné, and Andaraí to Lençóis)
  • 4-night stay in family homestays inside Vale do Pati
  • Meals (full board on the trail): breakfast, trail-picnic lunch and dinner
  • Access to Chapada Diamantina National Park (entry is free, the park charges no entrance fee)
  • Travel insurance
  • Guided tours (the full Guiné-to-Andaraí crossing: Morro do Castelo cave, Mirante do Pati, Cachoeirão lookouts, and swims at Cachoeira dos Funis and Poço da Árvore)
  • Local guides (Portuguese, English and French speaking; subject to availability)

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Hotels in Lençóis before or after the hike
  • First-day breakfast and last-day dinner
  • Drinks other than juice, coffee and tea at meals (paid directly to the host families)
  • Optional mule or porter to carry luggage (extra cost, on request)
  • Personal expenses, gratuities and anything bought during the activity
  • Any services not previously mentioned

FAQ

Reviews

“We did the 5 day trek through Vale do Pati and had such an amazing experience! We enjoyed 5 days of incredible views, swimming in waterfalls, starry skies, and enjoying being in nature. The pousadas we stayed at were lovely. Our guide Neto was wonderful, he was so knowledgable about Vale do Pati and was such a great guide. The whole experience with Planeta Exo was great— fantastic communication from reservation up until booking. Highly highly recommend!”

— Michelle

“We were two people doing the 5-day hike in chapada. Initially we decided to go with another company, but they adviced us that they could not provide an English speaking guide for our dates. Thus we reached out to other companies kinda last-minute (about a week before our flight to Lençóis). PlanetaExo was one of these companies and the whole booking experience was extremely easy and professional: they provided us with a detailed, customized itinerary based on our experience and expectations. The payment was straight forward (compared to some other companies that for example only accept pix or charge a credit card fee). Unfortunately both my friend and I got food poisoning from the dinner (from a restaurant in the town) the night before we were to start our hike. Not the best start to a multi-day hike. However, of course we would not let that stop us from doing the hike. So we got picked up from our driver and picked up our guide Neto before reaching the trailhead. It was just the two of us, meaning that we could also really personalize the trail/ activities/ speed while we were doing it. Due to our physical conditions this was especially helpful and we did it in a slower pace and actually skipped some of the more difficult hikes to rest and try to recover. Neto our guide was extremely charismatic and knowledgeable, we felt safe the whole time, although we encountered snakes, stood at towering cliffs, swimming in rivers and waterfalls and overall during his whole navigation. You could really tell that he loves the nature and visited the chapada since being a small kid. He takes his job seriously and gives his best to provide an amazing experience for his customers. And, like mentioned earlier, he adapted quick to our situation and requests to alter the plan to our liking. The accommodations that were chosen for us were amazing as well, especially the ones on the later days, since they are a bit more remote and less crowded, which we like. The hosts were friendly in all of them and they had amazing, home cooked food. Lastly, the place itself. Well the thing I have to say is that the pictures, like many amazing nature places, don’t do it justice. I don’t think you can capture beauty like this with fotos. You have to go there, emerge yourself in this remote paradise and just experience for yourself. The hiking, although we did less than we hoped, was amazing. Since we both work office jobs staring at a computers the whole day, we really liked being completely disconnected without internet and technology. It is a place that both of us would return immediately. Hopefully, next time fully healthy. But regardless, we would definitely go again with PlanetaExo and our guide Neto. Thanks again! See you next time! :)”

— Tom George

“Amazing 5 day hiking trip with Vinicio as the best tour guide ever. He knew all the good spots and was super friendly and funny!”

— Max Scot

“PlanetaEXO Pati Valley with Daniel PlanetaEXO has been a great platform and experience partner. Very professional with good communication and safe payment. The experience schedule and very specifically our guide Daniel, who has been contracted by Planeta EXO has been outstanding. Great vibes, caring and always trying to customize the experience to our skill, liking and the weather. Like an architect he designed a tour solution that was just incredible. The food Daniel shopped and prepared for lunch was awesome and he took us to amazing picnic spots of the beaten track. The homestays have been lovely albeit very simple (as you would expect). All of them had great food (some even incredible food) and all were clean. All in all an absolute highlight of our trip to Brazil and after spending a lot of time on tours all over the world I can say that our Pati Valley experience was second to none. Thank you!!”

— Benjamin Rippitsch

“5 day hike in Vale do Pati We hiked 5 days in Vale do Pati with an amazing guide. The accommodations and catering was, given the remote location, excellent and the vale itself is stunningly beautiful.”

— Lukas M

“Beautiful hiketour Pativalley Fantastic guide Daniel who also made very tastful lunches Basic lodges, good food, basic beds, basic showers, in the last lodge had a matras with a lot of mold.”

— Gijs Kouwenhoven

“Incredible Experience One of the best and most meaningful experiences I've ever had in my life. The Pati journey was a five-day immersion in nature alongside company that was truly a meeting of destiny! I have no words to describe the breathtaking landscapes and the amazing curiosities that our guide Daniel showed us! Dani, you are the best, without a doubt! I have known Chapada for years, but I realize that I know nothing... Greatness is the right word to describe this place! I highly recommend Planet EXO, especially for solo travelers, as was my situation. I received all the necessary support and care. Once again, I highly recommend the guide Daniel. He knows how to do his job like no one else, in addition to being incomparable company. Pati, wait for my return. I already miss you...”

— Mariana Sampaio

“Very efficient agency, smooth and responsive communication via WhatsApp. We did 2 treks and everything went perfectly. We were very well looked after. Competent guides.”

— Juliette Félix

“What a magical moment we had in Chapada… What a magical moment we had in Chapada Diamantina ! Actually, it wouldn't have been the same without the passion, the professionalism, and above all, the Daniel's charming wit (our polyglotte guide, aka Boca seca) ! We loved everything : the pristine.and gorgious landscapes, the people of the Vale do Pati who were perfect hosts, kind and joyful, and their amazing food ! To put it simply, during our 5-day trip, all the organization was top-notch !”

— Erwan Le Merrer

“If you get the chance, do it! We had a great time in the Vale. We could really feel our guide Daniel's passion and enthusiasm for nature. The hikes were varied, sometimes long, sometimes steep, sometimes laid-back, but always dreamlike and never "too much". PlanetEXO arranged the most wonderful accommodations. We very often had the feeling of simply being alone in this beautiful surrounding. And the food was so incredibly delicious! We had the best time. Thanks for everything.”

— Piet Evert Zeller

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