Serra do Catimbau National Park
Serra do Catimbau National Park is a scenic Brazilian reserve created to protect the semi-arid Caatinga savanna ecosystem and rock art prehistoric monuments. The picturesque Catimbau Valley is the country’s second most important archaeological site after the Serra da Capivara National Park. Several research institutes and universities in Brazil are studying the archaeological artifacts found here.
Video: Serra do Catimbau National Park
Highlights
The national park was created in 2003 and has an area of 623 km². Serra do Catimbau is not much explored by travelers and is the least visited Brazilian reserve. However, the reserve is not lacking in natural attractions. Visitors who come here enjoy picturesque landscapes, deep canyons, steep weathered cliffs, marshy plains, sandstone caverns and caves.
In terms of climate, the protected area is similar to the African savannahs. The average annual temperature in the savannah is +23 °C. The dry season lasts 9 months a year, and the rainy season lasts 3 months, with only 300-500 mm of precipitation per year. To maintain a normal water balance, scientists and the Brazilian government have created a system of artificial irrigation in the reserve.
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The best-preserved areas of the Caatinga savanna are in the north of Serra do Catimbau, where visitor access is restricted. Caatinga, which means “white forest”, is covered with stunted shrubs and trees that do not exceed 10 meters in height. There are also dry grasses, cacti and agaves. The reserve is home to 150 species of birds.
.An attraction of the national park are the barrel-like bottle trees. They are able to store moisture in their wide trunks and, thanks to this, can easily survive a long drought. In the hot season, bottle trees shed all their leaves to avoid losing precious water.
.The Serra do Catimbau Reserve can be visited for free. Most of the hiking trails are along its eastern part. The west of the reserve is home to a small number of Indian communities and farms.
Archaeological Sites
There are more than 2,000 caves and 28 sites with preserved rock paintings within the Serra do Catimbau National Park. Specialists believe that the images at the Pedra da Conca site were made more than 6,000 years ago. Differences in subjects and techniques have allowed scientists to conclude that the drawings on the sandstone cliffs were made by different ethnic groups.
.How to get there
Serra do Catimbau National Park is located in the state of Pernambuco, 300 kilometers west of the coastal city of Recife. The BR-110 highway runs from the reserve to the north and the Capinava Indian Territory is to the south.
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Getting here can be done by cab, rental car, or tour bus. The main entry point to the park is the small town of Buiki and the village of Katimbau. The cities of Recife and Buiki are connected by regular bus services.
