Cachoeira

Cachoeira do Cordovil

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An imposing 44 m drop at the Santuário Fazenda Volta da Serra, at km 72 of the GO-239, 9 km from São Jorge. The clear, greenish water forms a pool about 3 m deep with the rock bottom visible — good for swimming and for taking it in. The well-marked trail also passes the Poço das Esmeraldas, the Cachoeira do Encontro, and the Cachoeira do Rodeador. In May 2026 the sanctuary closed for nine days after a puma injured a child on the trail; it reopened on 23 May 2026 with reduced hours and camera monitoring — confirm the current rules before you go.

44 m

Drop

8 km

Trail (round trip)

Moderate

Difficulty

R$ 50

Entry

Before you go

Time on site limited to 540 min.
Since reopening (23 May 2026): entry 8:30am–1:30pm; leave the Cordovil by 3pm and the Poço das Esmeraldas by 3:30pm.
Good from October to July. Fullest in the rainy season (Dec–Mar); April–July balances volume and ease of access. At the end of the dry season (Jul–Sep) the volume drops a lot. The Cachoeira do Rodeador usually only has water in the rainy season.

How to get there

Dirt roadA regular car manages with care.

From Alto Paraíso34 km
From São Jorge9 km
From Colinas do Sul44 km

Paved on the GO-239 to the gate (km 72), then ~3 km of dirt road to the farmhouse (some sources say ~5 km).

Google Maps Waze

The trail

8 km

Distance

2 h

Time

Moderate

Level

A well-signposted trail from the farmhouse, fairly flat but sun-exposed (little shade). About 4.2 km to the Cordovil alone; the full loop, past the Poço das Esmeraldas, Encontro, and Rodeador, reaches ~8 km round trip. It can be done on foot or by bike (rental at the entrance), or shortened by driving ~1.2 km along the internal dirt road. The final stretch is rockier and steeper.

The water & the river

EmeraldClarity 5/5Medium flow

River: Córrego e Ribeirão Volta da Serra

Ratings

Beleza

Trilha

Lotação

Acesso

Scored 1 to 5. Beauty is subjective — so we split it into axes, letting you sort by what matters to you.

Planning your visit

Cachoeira do Cordovil is about 9 km by road from São Jorge; access is by a well-kept dirt road; the trail is 8 km round trip, moderate level, around 2 h.

Entry costs R$ 50 per person; visits are limited to 540 minutes.

Do I need a guide?: No — open access, no guide required.
How much is entry?: R$ 50 per person.
Can I go in a regular car?: Yes, with care — well-kept dirt road.
When to go?: Good from October to July. Fullest in the rainy season (Dec–Mar); April–July balances volume and ease of access. At the end of the dry season (Jul–Sep) the volume drops a lot. The Cachoeira do Rodeador usually only has water in the rainy season.
What are the hours?: Since reopening (23 May 2026): entry 8:30am–1:30pm; leave the Cordovil by 3pm and the Poço das Esmeraldas by 3:30pm.