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In February 2026, the renowned Brazilian travel magazine Viagem e Turismo released a comprehensive guide featuring 15 premier ecotourism destinations across the country. Based on data from the PlanetaExo platform, the survey highlights municipalities that successfully integrate travel with environmental conservation projects. The curated itinerary covers federal and state protected areas across Brazil’s most iconic biomes: the Amazon, Cerrado, Caatinga, and the Atlantic Forest.
In the Northeast region, Bahia’s Chapada Diamantina National Park protects a staggering 38,000 square kilometers of natural landscapes. This breathtaking reserve is home to massive waterfalls, including the iconic Cachoeira da Fumaça (Smoke Waterfall), which plunges from a height of 400 meters. Visitors typically access the park through the charming towns of Lençóis and Vale do Capão, located about a six-hour drive from the vibrant coastal city of Salvador.
The guide also shines a spotlight on archaeological tourism hubs, such as the Serra da Capivara National Park in Piauí, which spans 130,000 hectares. This incredible conservation area safeguards an open-air museum featuring approximately 30,000 prehistoric rock art paintings. Meanwhile, in the state of Pernambuco, the Vale do Catimbau National Park boasts another 6,000 historical rock art records and offers specialized nighttime tours for unforgettable stargazing experiences.
Moving to the Central-West region, the Vila Bom Jardim district draws nature lovers visiting Nobres, Mato Grosso, keeping its eco-friendly operations beautifully preserved 65 kilometers away from the urban center. The state also earns a spot on the list with the Serra Azul State Park in Barra do Garças, as well as its world-class jaguar-spotting expeditions in the Pantanal wetlands. In neighboring Goiás, the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park offers spectacular hiking trails leading to the Cachoeira dos Saltos, featuring majestic 120-meter waterfalls.
Local hospitality inside and around the parks is increasingly focused on sustainability, with accommodations reporting structural adaptations to minimize the human footprint on the environment. A prime example is Pousada Trijunção, an eco-lodge situated on the border of Goiás, Minas Gerais, and Bahia, which operates using advanced solar power systems and rainwater harvesting to maintain its facilities.
Top Destinations Highlighted by the Survey
- Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão) and the Amazon (Amazonas/Pará)
- Barra do Garças (Mato Grosso) and the Pantanal Wetlands (Mato Grosso/Mato Grosso do Sul)
- Chapada Diamantina (Bahia) and Abrolhos Archipelago (Bahia)
- Cambará do Sul (Rio Grande do Sul) and Jalapão (Tocantins)
- Chapada dos Veadeiros (Goiás) and Nobres (Mato Grosso)
- Serra da Capivara (Piauí) and Vale do Catimbau (Pernambuco)
- Ibitipoca (Minas Gerais) and the Cerrado-Trijunção Region (Goiás/Minas Gerais/Bahia)
- Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)