Travessia Alto Palácio x Serra dos Alves

Route

The traverse starts in the Serra do Cipó on the first day (18 km), continuing to the Alto Palácio park entrance. The hike passes through the Vale do Travessão, a geographic formation of unique beauty and a watershed divide between the Rio São Francisco and Rio Doce basins within the boundaries of the Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó. The trail continues across the vast rolling plateaus, from where you can see the main summits of the region, such as Pico do Breu, Pico da Lapinha, Pedra do Elefante, and the Serra do Caraça. On this day, you also pass the Cachoeira Duas Quedas. The overnight stay on this first day is at the Casa de Tábuas, a simple shelter-type structure, the only place where camping is allowed. On the second day (13 km), the first section to our next base begins with a long climb to the highest point of the traverse, above 1,600 meters. The day is spent hiking up and down basically all day long. Along the way, you see giant canela-de-ema plants, cross patches of dense forest and, after skirting the park's highest point, follow trails across vast plateaus, always descending, to the Casa dos Currais, the second shelter, also simple, where camping is allowed. This shelter has a spout with drinking water, a dry toilet, a tin-can shower, and a wood-burning stove, as well as the river with a small swimming hole that runs very close to the house. On the last day (12 km), the trail continues across the high grasslands until it begins a long 6 km descent, passing the natural lookout of the Cânion Boca da Serra and the Cachoeira dos Cristais, crossing the Tanque River. The traverse ends in the small colonial village that grew up at the foot of the Serra dos Alves, on the western edge of the Espinhaço, home to a community rich in traditional customs and with a simple way of life. This spot is the meeting point for the pickup, which must be hired, to take you to the village of Serra dos Alves, which belongs to the municipality of Itabira.