The crystal waters of Nobres, Brazil

Crystal-clear jungle rivers filled with numerous fish, curious monkeys hanging overhead in the tree canopies, and the occasional splash of vibrant colours from flying toucans and macaws – all this and more awaits you when exploring the natural beauty of often-overlooked Nobres in Brazil. When visiting, the landscape feels like a large aquarium where you can snorkel in rivers and lagoons surrounded by thousands of fishes. These rivers have names such as “The Enchanted Aquarium” (Aquario Encantado) and this alone is tells you that these places should not be missed during your travels. 

For those wanting to see even more waterfalls than Nobres has to offer, head to the nearby Chapada dos Guimarães National Park which offers numerous hiking options through its towering rock formations. However, for one-of-a-kind wildlife safari head to the Brazilian Pantanal – the best place in the world to spot wild jaguars.

Crystal river snorkeling

The highlight of Nobres is its clear water. The numerous rivers and small lagoons dotted throughout the landscape offer a refreshing break from the heat and tend to be extremely popular with Brazilian families, especially in the weekends, who are trying to escape the heat of the Brazilian cerrado (tropical savannah). In the middle of the week, however, the balnearies and lagoons are almost deserted so it will be just you and the fishes. Some of the prettiest and clearest water bodies are the Natural Aquarium Lagoon, Salobra River and Estivado Balneary. Snorkeling in one of these will be unlike anything you have ever experienced, introducing you to a whole new underwater world. As you walk through the lush forests before reaching these water bodies keep an eye out for monkeys who will not hesitate to steal your bags in search of delicious goodies.

Waterfalls

Beyond its snorkel-perfect waters, Nobres is also blessed with scenic waterfalls. Perhaps the best known is Serra Azul, a waterfall of 45 meters in height that is reached after a 45-minute hike through the jungle. With luck you may encounter hawks, owls, and rheas on the way here – however, the waterfall itself is well worth the uphill walk. Just make sure you visit the waterfall in the morning to avoid the heat. Other impressive waterfalls in the area include Tombador waterfall, which is reached by using old trails used to transport cattle to the Amazon and Bolivia, and Bananal waterfall, which is reached after driving through 6 km of dirt roads.

Macaw Lagoon

Visitors to Nobres will undoubtedly pay a visit to the Macaw Lagoon (Lagoa das Araras). During the day, this marshy landscape with palm trees is picture-worthy on its own, but at sunset the spectacle of hundreds of blue macaws and green parakeets paint the lagoon with their bright colours making for a really special color show.

Photography tip: You’ll need a really long lens and ideally a crop-sensor camera to catch the birds in their splendor.

• 

• 

Night safari

Nobres is also a home to numerous animals that show themselves only at night, such as iconic giant anteater. This offers visitors the possibility to go on a night safari to look for wildlife (though better viewing opportunities are found further south in the Pantanal). Looking for some of the charismatic mammals of the region is a fun experience that becomes even more special if you get a chance to see the shy giant anteaters (we only managed to see their fluffy tails while running away from us in the dark!).