The Serra da Capivara National Park is a protected area in the Northeast region of Brazil. It is a World Heritage site and contains the oldest prehistoric rock paintings in the Americas.

Understand

Pierced Rock, in Serra da Capivara National Park

The park is in the southeast of the Piauí State. Its name means Capybara Hills in Portuguese.

History

It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991

Flora and fauna

Capivara is the only national park where the scrub vegetation known as Caatinga flourishes.

Climate

Hot and dry.

Fees and permits

Entrance to the park costs R$12.50 for Brazilians and R$25.00 for foreigners.

You are also required to be accompanied by an accredited Serra da Capivara tour guide. You can find guides through hotels in São Raimundo Nonato or at the Museum of Man in the Americas. Prices for hiring a tour guide run between R$100 and R$120. You should not pay any more than that for the whole day. If you only need their services for an hour or two, some guides will offer discounts going down to R$80.

Some guides will try to get more money out of you if you are white or a foreigner. Few of them can speak any language but Portuguese.

See

This cave painting of two animals is considered to be the symbol of the park,

• 1 Pierced Rock (Pedra Furada).  
• Rock Formations. 
• Canyon of Hope. 
• The Museum of the American Man. 
• Archaeological sites.