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Natividade, Rio da Conceição and Aurora do Tocantins · Brazil

Serras Gerais: crystal-clear rivers in Tocantins

May 2026 6 days 100 photos

  • Country 🇧🇷 Brazil
  • Language Portuguese
  • Currency Brazilian real (R$)
  • Weather Dry season: blue skies, hot days and mild nights
  • Duration 6 days
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Six days in southeastern Tocantins: historic Natividade, waterfalls, lagoons ringed by mountains and the crystal-green rivers of the Serras Gerais.

Day 1: Natividade, a waterfall and history

The trip started in Natividade, one of the oldest towns in Tocantins. Early in the morning: hat on and a trail through the cerrado.

Ready for the trail
Ready for the trail

The path ends at Xupé Waterfall: stepped falls and a pool of clear green water, perfect for a swim.

Xupé Waterfall
Xupé Waterfall

At lunch, a blue-and-yellow macaw came to keep us company.

The lunchtime macaw
The lunchtime macaw

In the afternoon, a walk around the historic center with its colorful colonial houses…

Colonial houses in Natividade
Colonial houses in Natividade

…the white main church…

The main church
The main church

…and the ruins of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People, 18th-century stone walls that never got their roof.

Inside the Rosary ruins
Inside the Rosary ruins

At night I went back to the ruins: lit up, they feel like another place. The day ended in a hammock under the stars.

The ruins lit up at night
The ruins lit up at night

Day 2: Rio da Conceição and the lagoon in the hills

A river morning in Rio da Conceição: a pale-sand beach and rapids that work like a natural jacuzzi.

Relaxing in the rapids
Relaxing in the rapids

Then a red dirt road, with tabletop mountains appearing on the horizon.

Dirt road to the mountains
Dirt road to the mountains

Along the way, giant buriti palms announcing water nearby.

Buriti palms against the blue sky
Buriti palms against the blue sky

And then the lagoon surrounded by mountains: waist-deep water and the whole landscape ahead: the most beautiful spot of the day.

The lagoon with the mountains behind
The lagoon with the mountains behind

The water was so clear we could see the shoals of little fish.

Little fish in the clear water
Little fish in the clear water

We stayed until late afternoon, watching the sun say goodbye behind the cerrado.

Sunset over the cerrado
Sunset over the cerrado

Day 3: Arriving in the Serras Gerais

Driving south to the Serras Gerais welcome sign.

Welcome to the Serras Gerais
Welcome to the Serras Gerais

Near Aurora do Tocantins, the first emerald-green river, clear as a swimming pool.

Emerald-green water
Emerald-green water

Someone had the great idea of hanging hammocks over the river. Impossible not to lie down.

A hammock over the river
A hammock over the river

In the afternoon, a waterfall over reddish rocks, including a swim right under the falls.

Under the waterfall
Under the waterfall

On the way back, the sunset painted the road.

Sunset on the road
Sunset on the road

Day 4: From sunrise to sunset

Getting up at 5:45 was worth it: the sun rose over the mountains.

Sunrise over the Serras Gerais
Sunrise over the Serras Gerais

The day was all about swimming in turquoise water…

A swim in the turquoise river
A swim in the turquoise river

…a little sandy beach all to ourselves…

A beach all to ourselves
A beach all to ourselves

…and a swing by the water, thinking about nothing.

The swing by the river
The swing by the river

Late in the afternoon we climbed to the Aurora do Tocantins lookout for the best sunset of the trip.

Sunset at the Aurora lookout
Sunset at the Aurora lookout

Day 5: Rio Azuis

The last outing: Rio Azuis, known as one of the shortest rivers in Brazil.

Arriving at Rio Azuis
Arriving at Rio Azuis

The color of the water is hard to believe, and the swim is even better.

A swim in Rio Azuis
A swim in Rio Azuis

Day 6: Heading home

Time to hit the road back to Palmas.

On the road
On the road

Along the way, a rock formation waved goodbye as the mountains faded behind us.

Goodbye to the mountains
Goodbye to the mountains

The album

Photos from the trip

100 photos · tap to enlarge

Straw hat on and a trail ahead: day one, heading to Xupé Waterfall
Straw hat on and a trail ahead: day one, heading to Xupé Waterfall
A sign on the rock face points the way to Xupé Waterfall
A sign on the rock face points the way to Xupé Waterfall
The cerrado seen from the top of the trail, near Natividade
The cerrado seen from the top of the trail, near Natividade
A green pool hidden among the rocks
A green pool hidden among the rocks
The water is so clear you can see every stone on the bottom
The water is so clear you can see every stone on the bottom
Xupé Waterfall
Xupé Waterfall
The falls step down into the pool
The falls step down into the pool
The obligatory waterfall selfie
The obligatory waterfall selfie
Golden reflections in the pool
Golden reflections in the pool
A curious blue-and-yellow macaw at lunch
A curious blue-and-yellow macaw at lunch
The macaw posed as if it owned the place
The macaw posed as if it owned the place
A corner of antiques: scales, machines and keepsakes
A corner of antiques: scales, machines and keepsakes
Natividade, one of the oldest towns in Tocantins
Natividade, one of the oldest towns in Tocantins
Walking around historic Natividade
Walking around historic Natividade
Colorful colonial houses in the historic center
Colorful colonial houses in the historic center
Inside the ruins of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People
Inside the ruins of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People
The 18th-century stone walls stand without a roof
The 18th-century stone walls stand without a roof
The ruins, Natividade’s postcard view
The ruins, Natividade’s postcard view
The white main church under the cerrado sky
The white main church under the cerrado sky
At night the ruins are lit up and feel completely different
At night the ruins are lit up and feel completely different
End of day one: a hammock and a starry sky
End of day one: a hammock and a starry sky
Day two: a river beach with rapids in Rio da Conceição
Day two: a river beach with rapids in Rio da Conceição
Pale sand, warm water and rapids in the background
Pale sand, warm water and rapids in the background
The current makes a natural jacuzzi
The current makes a natural jacuzzi
Lying in the water and letting the river flow by
Lying in the water and letting the river flow by
Playing in the current
Playing in the current
The river runs wide through the cerrado trees
The river runs wide through the cerrado trees
Sun, river and a hat: the perfect combo
Sun, river and a hat: the perfect combo
Another rapid hidden in the woods
Another rapid hidden in the woods
Red dirt road toward the mountains
Red dirt road toward the mountains
Tabletop mountains appear on the horizon
Tabletop mountains appear on the horizon
Typical Tocantins cerrado landscape
Typical Tocantins cerrado landscape
Huge buriti palms against the blue sky
Huge buriti palms against the blue sky
The lagoon with the mountains behind: the most beautiful spot of the day
The lagoon with the mountains behind: the most beautiful spot of the day
Waist-deep water and the whole range ahead
Waist-deep water and the whole range ahead
That “I can’t believe I’m here” moment
That “I can’t believe I’m here” moment
The mesas reflected in the still water
The mesas reflected in the still water
Resting on the lagoon’s edge
Resting on the lagoon’s edge
Buriti palms standing in the water, a classic vereda scene
Buriti palms standing in the water, a classic vereda scene
The lagoon’s buriti palms
The lagoon’s buriti palms
Shoals of little fish in the clear water
Shoals of little fish in the clear water
Late afternoon starts to change the colors
Late afternoon starts to change the colors
Selfie in the lagoon
Selfie in the lagoon
The sun saying goodbye behind the cerrado
The sun saying goodbye behind the cerrado
Dusk over the fields on the way to the inn
Dusk over the fields on the way to the inn
Day three: driving south to the Serras Gerais
Day three: driving south to the Serras Gerais
The mountains cutting across the horizon
The mountains cutting across the horizon
A quick roadside stop
A quick roadside stop
Welcome to the Serras Gerais!
Welcome to the Serras Gerais!
First river of the day: a hammock in the shade
First river of the day: a hammock in the shade
Emerald-green water near Aurora do Tocantins
Emerald-green water near Aurora do Tocantins
So clear it looks like a swimming pool
So clear it looks like a swimming pool
A hammock over the river: the best place to read (or nap)
A hammock over the river: the best place to read (or nap)
The river runs shallow over white sand
The river runs shallow over white sand
A dip in the crystal-clear water
A dip in the crystal-clear water
Floating in turquoise
Floating in turquoise
The wide, calm river surrounded by forest
The wide, calm river surrounded by forest
Sitting on the rocks with my feet in the water
Sitting on the rocks with my feet in the water
Walking into the sun along the riverbed
Walking into the sun along the riverbed
Rapids among the palm trees
Rapids among the palm trees
The water rushes down, foaming between the rocks
The water rushes down, foaming between the rocks
A waterfall over reddish rocks
A waterfall over reddish rocks
The white veil of the falls
The white veil of the falls
Under the waterfall
Under the waterfall
Selfie with the waterfall behind
Selfie with the waterfall behind
The force of water on stone
The force of water on stone
The same old hat, now at the waterfall
The same old hat, now at the waterfall
Walking back along the stream
Walking back along the stream
Sunset on the road to Aurora do Tocantins
Sunset on the road to Aurora do Tocantins
Day four: up at 5:45 to watch the sky brighten
Day four: up at 5:45 to watch the sky brighten
An orange horizon before sunrise
An orange horizon before sunrise
And the sun rises over the Serras Gerais
And the sun rises over the Serras Gerais
Back to the crystal-green water
Back to the crystal-green water
Water so clear it almost disappears in the photo
Water so clear it almost disappears in the photo
Small cascades feed the river
Small cascades feed the river
A little sandy beach all to ourselves
A little sandy beach all to ourselves
Rapids in the riverside forest
Rapids in the riverside forest
A swim in the turquoise river
A swim in the turquoise river
Swimming in the natural pool
Swimming in the natural pool
The sandy bottom seen through the water
The sandy bottom seen through the water
A swing on the sand by the river
A swing on the sand by the river
Time to swing and think about nothing
Time to swing and think about nothing
Open cerrado as far as the eye can see
Open cerrado as far as the eye can see
Rapids over flat slabs of rock
Rapids over flat slabs of rock
From the lookout, Aurora do Tocantins below
From the lookout, Aurora do Tocantins below
Waiting for sunset at the lookout
Waiting for sunset at the lookout
The valley turning golden
The valley turning golden
The sun setting behind the mountains
The sun setting behind the mountains
Last sunset in the Serras Gerais
Last sunset in the Serras Gerais
Day five: red flowers along the way
Day five: red flowers along the way
Colorful signs point to Rio Azuis, Taguatinga and Aurora
Colorful signs point to Rio Azuis, Taguatinga and Aurora
Arriving at Rio Azuis
Arriving at Rio Azuis
Rio Azuis, known as one of the shortest rivers in Brazil
Rio Azuis, known as one of the shortest rivers in Brazil
A swim in Rio Azuis’ impossible blue
A swim in Rio Azuis’ impossible blue
Crystal-clear water under the trees
Crystal-clear water under the trees
Day six: time to hit the road home
Day six: time to hit the road home
Behind the wheel, heading to Palmas
Behind the wheel, heading to Palmas
Clouds painted across the sky
Clouds painted across the sky
The mountains fading behind us
The mountains fading behind us
A rock formation waving goodbye on the way
A rock formation waving goodbye on the way

Where each photo was taken

Photo map

99 geotagged photos · tap a thumbnail to enlarge

If you're going

Tips from someone who's been

  • Go by car: the attractions are spread out and many roads are unpaved.
  • May to September is the dry season, when the rivers are clearest.
  • Bring cash: not every place takes cards and phone signal is weak.
  • Sunscreen, a hat, insect repellent and sandals you can get wet.
  • Many rivers and waterfalls are on private land and charge a small entrance fee.