The national park "Chapada dos Guimaraes" is considered a mystical region, once believed to be a meeting point for flying saucers. The landscape consists of an extensive plateau with huge waterfalls cutting through it and walls of stone sculpted by wind and rain. The rocky plateau forms a natural barrier between the swamps of the Pantanal to the south and the Amazon Bassin to the north, acting as the dividing line between the Paraguay and Amazon river basins. Millons of years ago the plateau was the bottom of a sea and it is still possible to find marine fossil on top of some rocks. It is a region of rare beauty, covered by small forests, clear fields and open pasture with stunted vegetation. Walking through its landscape is an indescribable experience and all those who have been there state that Chapada dos Guimarães is a compulsory experience for all .

Some of its highlights are the Morro do Jeronimo, being the highest point of the Park, offering fabulous views of the canyon below, covered with dense vegetation and other amazing rock formations; the Mirante, where the geographical center of South America is located (the Chapada dos Guimaraes is considered as the geodesic centre of South America) and the Viu de Noiva, a spectacular waterfall that drops over 198 feet down a sheer rock face.

Situated at 800 metres (2,400 feet) above sea level the Chapada possesses a pleasant climate and can reach surpringsingly low temperatures in winter (July and August).

The Chapada dos Guimarães National Park lies only 65 kilometres from the city of Cuiabá and due to its rather cool climate, is a very popular destination among habitants of Cuiabá, escaping the intense heat during summer.
The Chapada dos Guimarães is easily reached from Cuiabá and can be visited as a daytrip. To appreciate its full beauty, however, we advise to spend at least one night in one of the comfortable pousadas at village with the same name as the national park. The history of the little pleasant and friendly town of Chapada dos Guimarães began already in 1751, when the jesuits buit a chapel. The town is located a the edge of the plateau, with spectacular views over the lowlands.