Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades in Brazil
Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades
Ins and outs
In the park is 26 km northeast of the little town of Piripiri on the BR-343. There are buses to Piripiri from Parnaíba and Teresina as well as Fortaleza, Ubajara and São Luís (though these buses have many stops). From Piripiri there is an Ibama bus direct to the park, from by the Telemar office in front of the Praça da Bandeira (it is ostensibly for employees, but usually possible to hitch a ride). The bus passes in front of the Hotel Fazenda Sete Cidades, reaching the park 10 minutes later. Moto-táxis in Piripiri go to the park, or you can get a standard taxi.
Some 190 km northeast of Teresina, this interesting 6221 ha park has strange eroded rock formations which, from the ground, look like a medley of weird monuments. They are grouped into
cidades
(cities), each of which holds a different view. The best is from Segunda Cidade, especially in the late afternoon when the golden light brings out the panoply of colours on the rocks and casts haunting shadows. Inscriptions on some of the rocks have never been deciphered and are thought to be from between 5000 and 10,000 years old. One theory suggests links with the Phoenicians, and the Argentine Professor Jacques de Mahieu considers them to be Nordic runes left by the Vikings.
With 22 springs, the park is an oasis in the dry surroundings and forms a transition zone between
caatinga
vegetation and
cerrado
. There is abundant wildlife including white- tailed deer, paca, various armadillos, tamandua anteaters and well over 100 bird species, some of them rare
sertão
endemics. Large iguanas descend from the trees in the afternoon.
The park spans 12 km and can be walked across in a long day, beginning at the Portaria Sul (south gate) and finishing at the Portaria Norte (north gate). Trails are well signposted, but beware of rattlesnakes when hiking.
Ins and outs
In the park is 26 km northeast of the little town of Piripiri on the BR-343. There are buses to Piripiri from Parnaíba and Teresina as well as Fortaleza, Ubajara and São Luís (though these buses have many stops). From Piripiri there is an Ibama bus direct to the park, from by the Telemar office in front of the Praça da Bandeira (it is ostensibly for employees, but usually possible to hitch a ride). The bus passes in front of the Hotel Fazenda Sete Cidades, reaching the park 10 minutes later. Moto-táxis in Piripiri go to the park, or you can get a standard taxi.
If coming from Parnaíba, Barreirinhas (in the Lençóis Maranhenses) or Jericoacoara, agencies such as
Eco Dunas
, offer trips often as part of an interstate transfer.
The park is open daily. There is accommodation in Piripiri and right next to
the park. Information and maps are available fro
m
Ibama
,www.ibama.com.br
. Another useful website is www2.uol.com.br/ mochilabrasil/setecidades.shtml.
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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