Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
The Chapada dos Veadeiros is a plateau in the northeast of the Brazilian state of Goiás.
National park
The Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros was created on January 11, 1961 for the protection of sources of several river systems and the diverse flora and fauna in the cerrado. Its 655 (other sources 2365.7 ) km ² lie within the territory of the municipalities Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Cavalcante, São João d' Aliança, Teresina de Goiás and Nova Roma. It was originally founded as the Parque Nacional do Tocantins with a ten-fold larger area to protect the natural environment in the newly founded capital of Brasília. Twice the reserve was significantly reduced, enlarged again in September 2001 and in December 2001 it was together with the Emas National Park a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Many former inhabitants of the region lived on the exploitation of minerals and other natural resources, since 1990 they are retrained as tourist guides. Since the millennium, tourism is increasing significantly. In the north- east of the park, there are still conflicts over fire, hunting, minerals mining and logging.
The Chapada located in tropical, semi moist climate in the Cerrado at altitudes 600-1650 m. The average temperature is 22 ° C, annual rainfall 1500-1750 mm. On the driest September with frequent fires, the rainy season with heavy showers from November to February.
Attractions
The largest river is the Rio Preto, a tributary of the Rio Tocantins, with large waterfalls such as the 120 m and 80 m high Rio Preto Falls or the Cariocas in the 40 m deep canyons that attract visitors ( approx. 6 km hike ). Popular is the evening view from Mirante de São Jorge at the entrance of the national park in São Jorge ( Goiás).
Other attractions there are in the vicinity of places of Sao Jorge and Alto Paraíso de Goiás.
Fauna and Flora
In the Chapada there are not only typical of the Cerrado Buriti palm. Savannah -like and wooded areas alternate. There are besides many orchid species typical Brazilian species such as pau d' Arco Roxo, Copaiba, Brazilian pepper tree, Jerivá - palm, and palm babaçu.
The fauna is diverse. Some species are at significant risk of extinction as Pampas deer, swamp deer, jaguar, maned wolf and the Tauchentenart Pato Mergulhão. There are also rheas ( bras Emas ), Seriemas, Tapetis, armadillos, anteaters, capybaras, tapirs, toucans, macaws and King Vulture.
Access
The entrance of the National Park can be reached from Brasília until the BR- 020, then 220 km on the GO -118 north to Alto Paraíso de Goiás. From there it is about the dirt GO 239 still 28 kms to the town of São Jorge at the entrance of the park. From Brasília there are 260 kilometers from Goiânia 460 km.
The park has a visitor center and accommodation for researchers. Visitors can leader ( without must not in the park ), refer to the neighboring towns of Alto Paraíso and São Jorge, where there are also tourist infrastructure.