Day 96 - Lencois, Brazil

Another absolutely fantastic day today, the first of our two tours into Chapada Diamantina national park. One of the main reasons people come here is to see the amazing land formations, caves, waterfalls and swim in natural water holes and today we are doing them all. 

We meet our great Brazilian guide Thiago, who very usefully speaks fantastic English due to his year living in Swindon of all places! Not sure why he left the beautiful Lencois for Swindon! 

As it is pouring it down with rain we change our itinerary around about a little to head to the Lapa Doce cave first. This is a whopping great cave that used to be an underground river and stretches for over 16km under ground and at the smallest part is over 8 metres tall. Luckily we don't do the full 16km as you need to have all the proper gear but just the first km going in one end and then making our way out 1 km in. 

Once we get past the mountains the weather improves so much it looks almost desert like as the mountains block all the weather. We arrive at the cave which is strange as it looks pretty flat all around us. 

One of the most amazing trees I have ever seen. 

Our guide picks us some very tasty and succulent umbu fruits.  

Ominous warnings in the park. I could have really done with one too - what else does one do in a cave?

Making our way down. This was literally an under ground river that collapsed so it is flat all around apart from this huge hole in the ground which is where we enter. 

The entrance, you can really see where the river used to flow. 

The last we see of natural light for an hour or so. 

When staglamites meet staglatites. 

The cave is full of the most amazing rock formations. 

About half way through we turn off the torches and get thrust into complete darkness. It is probably the darkest place I have ever been in. Not a single spec of light for our eyes to focus on and adjust which is really strange. It is also deadly quiet apart from the off drop off water forming the staglamites and staglatites. 

Coming out the other end. 

The climb out. 

We then drive to the next place - Pratinha natural pools for a spot of swimming in one of the clearest pools we have ever seen. Visibility in this water is a massive 60 metres and it is a lovely 24 degrees. 

We are also greeted by a big zip line across the pool. Definitely going on this later. 

Snorkelling in caves. There are so many fish in this pool but not much diversity - they all look the same. 

Now to get into the water we can either walk all the way around or zip wire it across. No contest really. You really have to launch yourself off the cliff though effectively just jumping until the wire catches you. Absolutely great fun. 

As you can see from the size of the splash I hit the water quite hard as I was going backwards waving to the camera at the time. School boy error. 

Next up is Nat 

Just after her first dunk.

Then the second. Worth a zoom in on this picture to see her position.  

Im

We then spend an hour paddling and swimming in this amazing pool. 

It's starting to get really hot now too which is great. 

The thousands of little fish in the pool made it look like one of those fish tanks that people put their feet in to get rid of the dead skin from their feet. Bit weird to feel them have a little nibble every now and then. 

We then go for a spot of lunch a surprisingly great self serve buffet. We even get to taste cactus (obviously without spikes) which is a local delicacy here. Pretty nice. 

Just around the corner from here we go to see another cave called Gruta Azul which literally means Blue cave and we can soon see why when we get there. 

It's one of the most amazing sights we have seen - the water is so clear still and blue it looks like it isn't there. 

This looks like a reflection in the water but it is just the cave continuing under water. Amazing. 

We are not quite here at the right time of the year for the sun to really hit this but it is supposed to be even more spectacular when it does. 

Making our way back up. 

Next stop is another swimming pool cled the Devils Pool. We see various other pools on the way down. Most people don't get past this one as there is a great little bar here. 

We follow the river down stream. 

And finally arrive at the pool. This pool is so dark due to the different types of minerals in it. The water is still crystal clear though. It looks like the shadow of the mountain in this picture but it's the actually pool. 

Time for a quick change into my swimmers. Last time I leave Mrs B with the camera. 

There is also another even bigger and longer zip wire here too. Rude not to!

Still haven't perfected my landing making another massive splash. 

Lovely fruits on the trees. 

Fantastic swimming spot. 

I swim out to the waterfall with our guide to sit underneath it. It is ridiculously hard swimming up to a waterfall as the strength of the water pushes you away. 

After an hour or so exploring the little rock pools and swimming we head back up to finish the day climbing the tallest mountain in the park to get a 360 degree view of the park and sunset. 

The mountain on the right is where we are going and is called the Baiinacio mountain. 

Luckily we can drive half way up from the back and then have to walk/climb the rest of the way. 

Fantastic views from the top. Really reminds me of monument valley but greener. 

Superman. 

How romantic. 

Bit of a dodgy moment when I trip on a rock and fall off the edge. Luckily I managed to grab onto the rock before I fall to my death and climb back up ;-)

Our guide did this amazing thing when he was telling us a story about how one of the old criminals who hid here whilst on the run tried to esacape by jumping off the side. Just as he tells us he says just like this and runs and jumps off. It looks like he has just jumped off the side of the mountain and then when we look over we can't find him as he hides under a ridge on the ledge the other side. It was really funny. 

Soaking up the views. 

Amazing panoramic view. 

The top of the mountain is really flat, a bit like Table Mountain in Cape Town and it is full of little pools in the rock. 

The view from the bottom. 

We get back at about 6:30pm pretty tired after a jam packed and fantastic day. 

After a quick shower we head back into town for a bite to eat. 

We eat at el Jamiro restaurant and have a  lovely Paella. 

And then the rain came back again. The typical heavy downpour. 

We get back to the hotel very wet but very content after a great day. Looking forward to our big trek to the largest waterfall in Brazil tomorrow.