Hikes that need a guide, a ticket or registration
Turning up at the gate without knowing means a wasted trip: tickets sold out, a guide you didn't hire, entry already closed. What each trail in our catalogue asks for before you set foot on it.
Guide mandatory
Cachoeira Santa Bárbara (Cavalcante, GO): only with an accredited Kalunga guide, in groups of up to 6, hired at the Engenho II visitor centre (R$ 200 for one attraction, R$ 250 for two, R$ 300 for three, cash or Pix), plus a ticket for the day bought online.
Dated tickets or daily caps
- Agulhas Negras: 80 people a day, ticket online. Climbing gear mandatory.
- Saltos do Rio Preto: an R$ 49 ticket valid only for the date bought.
- Pico do Itacolomi: ticket online or at the office, with photo ID; 1,000 visitors a day.
- Cachoeira do Tabuleiro: a daily visitor cap (200 in a 2025 report, 450 in a 2026 news item).
Bookings
- Pedra do Baú: climbing the Baú and Ana Chata needs a booking on the park's website first; Bauzinho and the viewpoints don't.
- Serra do Rola-Moça: guided trails, lookouts and springs by booking only; the Cerrado trail is open.
- Pedra do Sino: the day hike doesn't need one, camping at Abrigo 4 does.
- Bonete trail: one source says a free booking 24 h ahead; not confirmed.
Registration or a form on arrival
- Pico Paraná: in-person registration at the IAT base. Entering by another access is fined R$ 500 to R$ 10,000.
- Morro do Anhangava: register at the IAT base on arrival and sign out.
- Pico dos Marins: a logbook at the base, going up and coming back.
- Pedra da Gávea, Pedra Bonita and Pico da Tijuca: a short form with the group size and a phone number.
Guide recommended
Not mandatory, but the sources recommend one on Pedra da Gávea (for the Carrasqueira), Marins and Itaguaré (forks and fog), Pico Paraná, Pedra Grande in Atibaia (if nobody in the group is experienced) and Cachoeira da Farofa.
Example: Santa Bárbara hour by hour
| 07:00 | Engenho II visitor centre opens. Show your ticket and hire the guide. |
|---|---|
| ~11:00 | Leave with the guide: a pickup over the last 4 km. |
| ~11:30 | Santa Barbarinha, under 30 min on foot. |
| 12:00 | Santa Bárbara, with the midday sun on the blue water. About 1 h per group. |
| 15:00 | Last departure for the falls, if you arrive late. |
An example with the visitor centre's hours and the sources' tip about the light between 12:00 and 14:00. Book lunch for your return through the guide: options in Engenho II are few.
Sources: park and IAT websites, the Kalunga association and reports from 2023 to 2026. Rules change: check before you go.
The trails in this guide (pages in Portuguese): Cachoeira Santa Bárbara, Agulhas Negras, Saltos do Rio Preto, Pico do Itacolomi, Pedra do Baú, Pico Paraná, Morro do Anhangava.