Serra do Gandarela National Park National Park

Website: https://www.icmbio.gov.br/parna-gandarela/

Serra do Gandarela National Park is a federal protected area in Minas Gerais, Brazil, established to conserve mountain ridges, quartzite outcrops, Atlantic Forest fragments and important headwaters. The park protects landscapes of rocky ridges, forest and freshwater springs that are ecologically significant for the region.

Visitors come for short hikes, waterfalls and to see rugged rocky scenery within reach of Minas Gerais’s historic towns. Trails and viewpoints lead to streams and cascades; the park is also important for safeguarding drinking-water sources that supply surrounding municipalities.

The national park was created to maintain biodiversity and protect the region’s water supplies and geological formations from mining and other development pressures. Its conservation value arises from both the ecological communities it contains and the hydrological services it provides.

Geographically it lies in the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas Gerais, east of Belo Horizonte and near historic towns such as Ouro Preto and Itabirito, within driving distance of the state capital.

• Water sources: The park protects Atlantic Forest remnants and numerous springs and streams that feed reservoirs and rivers supplying the greater Belo Horizonte region.
• Access: Access is commonly from nearby historic towns such as Ouro Preto and from the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, making day trips and short hikes feasible from the state capital region.

The park is reachable by road from Belo Horizonte (roughly 1-2 hours depending on the chosen access point); private car or organized tours are the common options. Public transport to remote trailheads is limited.

• If coming from Belo Horizonte, set aside a full day for travel to park access points; public transport is limited and the area is best reached by car.
• Combine trail walks with visits to the nearby historic mining towns to grasp the human side of the landscape - Gandarela's streams and caves carry stories of Minas Gerais mining culture.
• Respect protected zones: do not enter sinkholes or cave systems without an authorized guide to avoid damaging fragile karst features.