Ubajara National Park Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Ubajara National Park (Parque Nacional de Ubajara in Portuguese) is the smallest of all the Brazilian national parks but it's big in natural scenery with mountain streams, waterfalls, cloud forests, and a large natural grotto behind a waterfall that is accessed by cable car. The park is in the state of Ceará in northeastern Brazil.

This is the smallest national park in Brazil, but the park is still fairly large (bigger than the "big" parks in some countries). It covers an area of 6,200 hectares and is bordered by other protected natural areas.

The park and its surrounding area were originally the homelands of the indigenous Tabajaras people, some of whom still inhabit the mountainous jungles nearby. The park was created as part of the Brazilian national parks system in 1959. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (CMBio).

The park's most prominent geographic feature is an 820-meter high escarpment with limestone cliffs. There are rolling mountains with jungles and areas of more arid landscape. The park is noted for having a variety of rivers, streams, waterfalls, and caves.

Vegetation in much of the park looks like it does in the Amazon basin, with areas of lush green jungle, while other parts of the park are drier with trees like jatobá, angico, and quince.

There's an interesting range of animals in the park with colonies of bats living the grottos and monkeys swinging through the cloud forest. Several kinds of rodents, from small mice to large species like tapirs and capybara roam the woods, along with anteaters, rabbits, and deer. Jungle cats prowl for prey but are rarely seen because they shy away from humans. Big cats like the puma live here, but the most numerous is a small species of wildcat called the oncilla that looks like a small underfed leopard, with spotted fur. The oncilla is regarded as a vulnerable threatened species. It is common through much of northeastern Brazil.

Reptiles include a number of both venomous and non-venomous snakes and you'll almost certainly spot quite a few iguana, which seem to be everywhere.

The park covers different ecosystems including moist cloud forest and dry forest and many of the birds found in the park are typical of northeastern Brazil and could also be found in adjacent protected natural areas. Birdwatchers will likely spot the Hooded gnat-eater, the threatened Buff-breasted tody-tyrant and the Xenus. The Broad-tipped hermit is common in this area, it is a type of hummingbird.

Weather conditions are unlikely to interfere with travel plans to Ubajara because the area is warm most of the year with average temperatures ranging from a low of 19°C to a high of 28°C. The area is not subject to major storms, lying too far south for hurricanes.

The nearest airport with scheduled commercial service is in Fortaleza (FOR ^IATA). The airport is about 7 hours by car or bus from São Benedito, the closest town with regular bus service. São Benedito is 20 km from the town of Ubajara, where lodging, restaurants, and other services can be found.

From Fortaleza, Viajes Princesa operates several daily buses to São Benedito. Buses depart approximately every 30 minutes. The trip takes 6 hours and 45 minutes. The buses are clean, modern and have air conditioning and on-board rest rooms. Tickets cost about R30 (US$15).

• Cable cars: Ten-person cable cars take you from the valley to the top of the escarpment providing stunning views of the jungle in clear weather and spooky trips through swirling clouds when its not so clear. The cable car takes 3 minutes each way.

• Visitor Center: a large exhibition area provides background information on the park and its myriad attractions, including a 3D model of the Grotto. A highlight is the Urso Fossil, which is the fossil of a pre-historic giant bear. The Mirante do Pendurado is a scenic overlook with panoramic view of the surrounding jungle.
• Grotto: the most popular natural feature of the park is it grotto, a hidden cave behind a waterfall. The cave is actually a series of nine chambers formed by water flow over a period of millions of years. The cave extends 500 meters into the mountain. As the cave formed, stagmites, stalactites and a variety of unusual rock formations were formed. Chambers include Pedra do Sino, which often reverberates with the sound of water impacts from outside, Gruta de Rosa (Rose cave), Gruta do Cavalo (Horse cave), and Dos Retratos (Portrait Gallery) each showcase different geologic artistry. The route through the cave is smooth and lit by electric lights.
• Waterfalls: The park has numerous waterfalls including three over 70 meters in height.
  • Cafundó Waterfall: Hike the Samambaia trail (3 km each way), which leads to the waterfalls, which drop 90 meters. Cool off in the natural pool.
  • Gaviao waterfall: Drops almost 100 meters.
  • Murimbeca waterfall: Drops over 70 meters.

• Hike:
  • Ubajara Araticum: Instead of using the cable cars, its possible to hike to the top of the escarpment via the 7-km Ubajara Araticum trail. The hike takes about 3 hours and is difficult with a number of steep areas. Hikers must be accompanied by a park guide and guides depart from the park entrance at 8, 9, and 10am.
  • Samambaia: This trail can take you to the Cafundo Waterfall and the Gameleira Viewpoint which provides great views of the waterfalls and panoramas of the cloud forest. The trail also goes to the Fern Garden.
• Natural pools: Several of the waterfalls and streams in the park feed into the Ubajara River which has a number of natural pools that beckon visitors to cool off in its refreshing waters

There are no stores, snack bars, or restaurants in the park. The nearest town offering things for sale is Ubajara.

Lodging is available in the nearby town of Ubajara.

• Tianguá
• Sobral
• Camocim