Brazilian Outback on Horseback

We will depart from the hotel right after breakfast, leave the coastal city of Maceió, and head to the region where our horseback riding tour will start. 

The road will take us from the Atlantic coast to the backcountry full of crazy stories and legends. Through the windows of the car, we will be able to witness the dramatic change in vegetation and topography. We will know we are on the right track as soon as we see the San Francisco River. 

Lunch will be at the place where we will meet the horses. 

We will start our journey under the afternoon sun, follow ancient tracks till reaching the Village of Entremontes and the bank of the San Francisco River, where we will be lodged in a cozy farmhouse. Breathtaking views await us.

The Sao Francisco river will greet us when we wake up for a new day of horseback riding. A hearty breakfast will precede our boat ride to Angicos, in the state of Sergipe, where Lampiao and part of his gang were ambushed, captured, and killed and beheaded in 1938. We will return to the farmhouse, go for a refreshing swim in the river and have lunch.

The ride to Piranhas will be full of magnificent views and charm. Tropeiros used to drive herds along this path, sell animals and food, and peddle other goods. The pearl of the Outback will come into view with its remarkably well-preserved old houses and historic government buildings.

Just like in the early days, we will tie up our horses in front of the old station, where today stands the Cangaсo Museum, and dive into the history of the place. After a drink, we will find our Pousada, where we will spend the night. 
Before going to bed, we should enjoy a bit of the lively night scene downtown.

Along the ride, we will learn about the history and development of Piranhas and the region. The railroad was part of that story, and we are constantly reminded of it by the well-preserved station building and remains of old rails that crossed the outback. We will ride follow the old railroad till reaching the river cliffs and see the huge dam of the Xingo hydroelectric power plant. We continue the ride following the canyons and slopes. We will be lodged in a farmhouse style hotel right by the dam. 

Today, we will leave our Green Oasis in the middle of the Caatinga towards Lamarão. We ride following old trails through properties in the middle of the caatinga, sometimes bordering the river and river cliffs until we reach our lunch spot near the village at the river shores. The lunch will be served by members of the community that are known for having a self-sustaining tourism project around rock archaeological sites.​ After lunch, we will attend to the traditional Pega de boi which is the origin of the Vaquejada*, practiced as a sport, but still widely used in daily dealing with the first cattle in the area. Finish the event; we return to sleep at Pousada Verde, our Oasis, in the outback. 

Our last morning of adventure! 

We start with a short riding going down the canyon to the platform where our chartered boat will be waiting for us. These will the time to say farewell to the horses. We will navigate through the canyons that were partly filled with water after the construction of the dam for the Xingo hydroelectric power plant. We will explore the canyons on the river. There will be enough time to go for a swim and take pictures of this unforgettable moment. The horses will be ready when we reach the shore again, and we will ride them to the spot where lunch will be served.

We will celebrate a memorable trip with the new friends made along the ride.  We will then head back to the coastal city of Maceió. End of the itinerary.