Breakfast then a sightseeing tour of the city. We can appreciate artisans and folklore of Teresina. Artisan’s characterise fibre and straw art, sculptures (ceramic), weaving (cotton), or lace work and embroideries. The folklore of Teresina reflects the cultural manifestations of its population, such as “bumba-meu-boi”, which reflects the era of the colonization and occupation of the northeast.
Day 2 (Mon) – Teresina
/ Floriano / Serra de Capivara
Departure for Floriano after breakfast, on the right bank of the mid Parnaíba River (253km). Here lived a free society, always in movement and energetic, dedicated to an uncomplicated pastoral life. Strong, daring men, the true pioneers of the Parnaíba Valley set out from this irradiating nucleus of expansion. This was the principal and most important geographical accident of the First Captaincy. Today, Floriano is the principal educational centre for the south of Piauí and Maranhão States, having influence over almost 30 municipalities. Lunch in Floriano, then on to our lodgings in Serra da Capivara.
Day 3. (Tues) – Serra
da Capivara
Archaeological sites show human occupation from 50,000 years ago, 30,000 years before man came from Siberia. Rupestrian paintings show how our ancestors lived: hunts, sexual orgies, unknown animals and whales show that not only our customs, but also the landscape have changed greatly. We will visit 129,140 hectares with the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in America woven into the vegetation of the scrub savannah. The main attractions of the park are 260 archaeological sites, with 30,000 rupestrian paintings catalogued and which are considered to be World Patrimony by UNESCO. The landscape is noted for its diversity of the scenery. Leaving the tableland we find enormous sharp declivities and typical rock formations. Morning visit to Baixão da Perna with 12 archaelogical sites and Toca de Cima do Pilão.
Day 4. (Weds) – Serra
da Capivara
Today’s visit is to the Desfiladeiro da Capivara (Capivara Gorge) with its magnificent archaeological sites, rich in rupestrian paintings. We follow a trail through dense vegetation (2km) to Boqueirão do Papagaio (literally “the big mouth of the parrot”) where we will find rocky shelters with unequalled prehistoric paintings. The sites on the “circuit of the small deer” are reached along a steep trail (2 hours), but we will be rewarded by blue paintings, which are unique in Latin America. Then, to finish in grand style, we will pass through Toca do Papagaio (The Parrot’s Lair), the first archaeological site found in the park.
Day 5. (Thurs) – Serra
da Capivara
In the morning we will visit Baixão da Pedra Furada (The Drop of the Perforated Stone), a 100-metre canyon, with various archaeological sites. In Boqueirão da Pedra Furada (The mouth of the Perforated Stone) we can see the oldest remains of occupation in the Americas. This is the principal attraction with handrails and nocturnal illumination. The visit to the heights of Pedra Furada is steep (1 hour), but we will be rewarded by the view. In the afternoon we will visit Baixão do Sítio do Meio, the second most important in the Park, with rupestrian figures more than 25,000 years old. Here a worked stone hatchet was found which is 9,200 years old. We will also pass through the Baixão das Mulheres, a 60-metre canyon with three archaeological sites, noting their rupestrian paintings (a 1 hour walk).
Day 6. (Fri) – Serra
da Capivara
After breakfast we take the trail to Calderão de Rodrigues and das Canoas (Rodrigues’ Cauldron and The Canoes) to appreciate the peaks and valleys of impressive ravines. The Caldeirão de Rodrigues is a reservoir with 2 archaeological sites with rupestrian paintings. In the afternoon we can see the ritual of the Andorinhas (Swallows) as they return to nest for the night, with their exquisite aerial acrobatics and characteristic calls. Return to the hotel for the night and to typical delicious Northeastern dinner: free-range chicken, roast goat and mutton or jerked beef stew.
Day
7. (Sat) – Serra da Capivara / Petrolina
Morning visit to the American Man Museum, which has the results of 30 years of investigation in the
archaeological and palaeontological fields, showing the evolution of man, the climate and the landscape in America. There are tools, ceramics, archaeological remains (such as human bones, funerary urns and mummies), and reproductions and moulds of rupestrian work. Then on to Petrolina.
Day
8. (Sun) – Petrolina
The legend says that, who drinks of the water of the San Francisco, never more leaves to come back to Petrolina. And the legend becomes a fact. With its limpid warm waters, the River San Francisco is one of the great attractions of Petrolina, the city that more grows in the northeast. A stroll of boat for the edges of the city and the islands, the poetry that the waters sing in set with the wind. Everything in Petrolina is to see, everything in Petrolina is to feel itself and to keep forever in the souvenir.
Av. Hélio
Falcão, 530 - Boa Viagem - Recife/PE - Brasil - 51021-070 | PABX: (55) 81-3328.6007 - rbm@rbmturismo.com.br
