Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra 
Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra
The Serra da Canastra National Park (area 71,525 hectares/176,650 acres), south of Araxá near the border between Minas Gerais and São Paulo states, was established in 1972 and is served by a 75km/47mi long motor road. Visitors to this nature reserve can see a wide variety of animals - anteaters, pampas deer, giant armadillos, rheas, maned wolves, ocelots, various species of monkey, black and gray jaguars, etc.
The Serra da Canastra National Park (area 71,525 hectares/176,650 acres), south of Araxá near the border between Minas Gerais and São Paulo states, was established in 1972 and is served by a 75km/47mi long motor road. Visitors to this nature reserve can see a wide variety of animals - anteaters, pampas deer, giant armadillos, rheas, maned wolves, ocelots, various species of monkey, black and gray jaguars, etc.
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The vegetation, which becomes denser in the vicinity of rivers, is typical of the Brazilian bush steppe. The National Park is enclosed on the south and north by chains of hills (rising to 1300-1400m/4265-4595ft) and plateau. To the north are the Zagaia plateau and the Serra da Canastra, with the Rio Aguari flowing through it, to the south the Serra do Cemitério, the Serra da Guarita and the Babilìnia plateau, which is bounded by the valley of the Rio Grande. Dams on the Rio Grande have formed the artificial lake of Peixoto, near the National Park, and the large lake of Furnas, farther away to the south-east.
Access
From Araxá take MG 428, which runs south-west to the boundary with São Paulo state, and from there continue on the Ritaina-São Roque de Minas-Piunhi road, which runs through the northern part of the park. Alternatively, take the road which runs east from Araxá to Campos Altos and, half way there, take a road running south to São João Batista, at the northern entrance to the park. There are three other entrances - on the west side Desemboque, on the east Vargem Bonita and São Roque de Minas. Coming from São Paulo, take the Anhanguera-Porto Ferreira road (SP 330), then from Porto Ferreira SP 350 to São Sebastião do Paraíso (MG) and finally MG 50 to Vargem Bonita; or alternatively BR 330 to Ribeirão Preto, then SP334 to Ritaina and finally Ritaina-São Roque de Minas-Piunhi.
River sources
The Rio Santo Antìnio, Rio Aguari and Rio São Francisco rise in the Serra da Canastra, within the National Park. The Velho Chico ("Old Fellow"), as the Rio São Francisco is familiarly known, has its source in the north-eastern part of the park, some 30km/20mi from São Roque de Minas. In the first 8km/5mi it goes over three considerable waterfalls, the third of which, the beautiful Casca d'Anta, has a drop of 200m/650ft. A popular tourist route is from the Vargem Bonita entrance past the Casca d'Anta, through the whole of the Serra da Canastra and over the Zagaia plateau.
Access
From Araxá take MG 428, which runs south-west to the boundary with São Paulo state, and from there continue on the Ritaina-São Roque de Minas-Piunhi road, which runs through the northern part of the park. Alternatively, take the road which runs east from Araxá to Campos Altos and, half way there, take a road running south to São João Batista, at the northern entrance to the park. There are three other entrances - on the west side Desemboque, on the east Vargem Bonita and São Roque de Minas. Coming from São Paulo, take the Anhanguera-Porto Ferreira road (SP 330), then from Porto Ferreira SP 350 to São Sebastião do Paraíso (MG) and finally MG 50 to Vargem Bonita; or alternatively BR 330 to Ribeirão Preto, then SP334 to Ritaina and finally Ritaina-São Roque de Minas-Piunhi.
River sources
The Rio Santo Antìnio, Rio Aguari and Rio São Francisco rise in the Serra da Canastra, within the National Park. The Velho Chico ("Old Fellow"), as the Rio São Francisco is familiarly known, has its source in the north-eastern part of the park, some 30km/20mi from São Roque de Minas. In the first 8km/5mi it goes over three considerable waterfalls, the third of which, the beautiful Casca d'Anta, has a drop of 200m/650ft. A popular tourist route is from the Vargem Bonita entrance past the Casca d'Anta, through the whole of the Serra da Canastra and over the Zagaia plateau.
