Vale do Capão

Vale do Capão is a broad valley on the western side of the Chapada plateau, accessible from Lençóis by a rough road over the Serra do Sincorá or by a spectacular two-day trek through the park. The valley has a small village (Caeté-Açu, known as Capão) with pousadas and restaurants, and serves as an alternative base for exploring the western side of the park.

The trails from Capão include the approach to Cachoeira da Fumaça from below and several longer routes into the park's interior. The valley itself is lush and fertile by Chapada standards, with a year-round stream and good conditions for growing fruit and vegetables that supply the village restaurants. The community here has a more alternative, laid-back character than Lençóis, and some travellers prefer it as a base for exactly that reason.

things to do neighbourhood
A story
Vale do Capão became one of Brazil's original counterculture destinations in the 1970s, when it was settled by hippies, mystics, and people fleeing the military dictatorship. The colony grew into a small permanent community with a culture distinctly different from the rest of Bahia, and the valley retains something of that alternative spirit today — yoga studios, vegetarian restaurants, and organic farms coexist with the more conventional ecotourism infrastructure.