Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara

The National Park

Background

The city of Coronel José Dias is your gateway to the Serra da Capivara National Park: the two main entrances to the national park and the Nature Science Museum (Museu da Natureza) are within in minutes of driving distance. The National Park features the largest and the oldest concentration of prehistoric sites in the Americas - that is over 1000 archaeological sites with rock paintings of different styles that are up to 12,000 years old. They depict a huge range of flora and fauna and man’s sociocultural interactions.

The park spans a vast 129,140 hectares area accessible via an extensive network of 450 kilometres of well maintained roads and paths. Many sites are reachable by private car, but there are also numerous beautiful hiking paths suitable for every skill level. Some sites are accessible by wheelchair. The park is managed jointly by the FUMDHAM organisation and the Federal Agency for Protected Areas - ICMBio .

Admission is free but it is mandatory to hire a guide to help protect this unique UNESCO world heritage site. Guides have in depth knowledge of the archaeological and geological features. They speak Portuguese, Spanish and English and can also take care of driving in the park.

This site is dedicated to showcasing the touristic highlights in and around the national park in Coronel José Dias.