Brazil
Capitólio
Canyon walls dropping into an emerald lake where waterfalls pour from the cliff rim above.
The boat slips between canyon walls that rise vertically from the emerald lake, waterfalls spilling from the rim above in white threads that the wind scatters before they reach the surface. The water below is warm and impossibly green. The rock is ancient, layered, and close enough to touch from the gunwale.
Capitólio is a small town in western Minas Gerais perched on the edge of the Cânions de Furnas — a series of sandstone gorges carved by the Rio Grande and now partially flooded by the Furnas hydroelectric reservoir. The canyon walls reach heights of over twenty metres, and seasonal waterfalls cascade from the plateau above into the lake. Boat tours navigate the narrow gorges, passing through corridors barely wider than the vessel. Beyond the canyons, the surrounding Serra da Canastra foothills produce Queijo Canastra, one of Brazil's most prized artisanal cheeses. Capitólio's rise as a domestic tourism destination has been rapid — a decade ago it was virtually unknown outside Minas Gerais.
Couple
The canyon boat tours are visually dramatic, and the surrounding pousadas offer hillside views over the lake. Evenings at canyon-rim restaurants with Canastra cheese and local wine make for unhurried nights.
Family
The boat tours are suitable for all ages, and the lake offers calm-water swimming at several access points. Children are captivated by the scale of the canyons and the waterfalls pouring from above.
Friends
Capitólio stacks well for groups: boat tours in the morning, cliff jumping or jet-ski hire in the afternoon, and peixe na telha dinners with cold beer at sunset. The energy is youthful and social.
- Boat tours pass through a narrow channel where the sandstone canyon walls close to ten metres apart — the guide kills the engine so the water echoes.
- The Cânions de Furnas is a network of eleven separate canyon inlets — each tour covers a different selection depending on water level.
- Cliff-edge pousadas have cantilevered pools directly above the emerald lake — canyon walls visible from the breakfast table.
- Kayaking into the narrowest channels is possible in the early morning before the tour boats arrive.
Peixe na telha — freshwater fish baked on roof tiles with cheese — at canyon-rim restaurants.
Queijo Canastra artesanal bought from ageing caves in the surrounding Serra da Canastra foothills.
Comida mineira self-serve (por quilo) lunches overlooking the Furnas Lake after a morning boat tour.
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