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Cavalcante

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Overview

Cavalcante is a town located in the northern state of Goiás, Brazil. It used to be a big gold producer during the colonial times, but today Cavalcante is more known by its natural beauties, rivers and waterfalls. It is home to a large number of quilombolas, communities of descendants of African-Brazilians who managed to escape from slavery.

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia675 words

WBP editorial3

Beyond the waterfalls: community immersion

While Cavalcante’s cascades dominate guidebooks, the town’s true pulse lies in its quilombola settlements. Visitors who spend a morning in the village of São Miguel do Iporá can hear stories of resistance passed down through song, and watch the communal preparation of feijoada using crops from family gardens. Participating in a traditional drumming circle offers a glimpse of a cultural rhythm that predates the city’s colonial gold rush. These exchanges, often arranged through local NGOs, allow travellers to support sustainable income streams while gaining a perspective that reshapes the typical nature‑tour narrative.

Seasonal timing for river trekking

Cavalcante’s rivers swell dramatically between December and March, turning gentle streams into vigorous corridors that require sturdy footwear and a measured pace. Early‑season trekkers (May‑July) find lower water levels, making access to hidden pools easier, though some falls may be reduced to trickles. Planning a visit in the shoulder months of August–October offers a balance: cooler temperatures, fewer tourists, and enough flow to experience the roar of the Cascata dos Saltos without the logistical challenges of high water. Always check local river gauges, as sudden rainstorms can raise levels swiftly.

More in cities0

Many travellers assume Cavalcante is merely an outpost to the famed Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. In practice, the municipality offers a more intimate version of the park’s sandstone plateaus, with fewer marked trails and a looser network of dirt roads that reveal seasonal wildflowers not listed in mainstream itineraries. By hiring a local driver familiar with farmer tracks, you can reach the pilgrimage‑like Rio Misterioso, a watercourse that mirrors the park’s iconic Rio do Capão but with a quieter, contemplative atmosphere. This comparative lens helps distinguish the quieter charm of Cavalcante from the park’s crowded highlights.

Introduction

For the name, see Cavalcante (name). Municipality in Central-West, BrazilCavalcanteMunicipalityCachoeira de Santa Bárbara FlagLocation in Goiás stateCavalcanteLocation in BrazilCoordinates: 13°47′40″S 47°27′20″W / 13.79444°S 47.45556°W / -13.79444; -47.45556CountryBrazilRegionCentral-WestStateGoiásMicroregionChapada dos VeadeirosArea • Total6,953.6 km2 (2,684.8 sq mi)Elevation823 m (2,700 ft)Population (2020 ) • Total9,725 • Density1.399/km2 (3.622/sq mi)Time zoneUTC−3 (BRT)Postal code73790-000 Cavalcante is a town located in the northern state of Goiás, Brazil. It used to be a big gold producer during the colonial times, but today Cavalcante is more known by its natural beauties, rivers and waterfalls. It is home to a large number of quilombolas, communities of descendants of African-Brazilians who managed to escape from slavery.

Geography

[edit] It is located just north of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park and is connected by tarmacked road with Teresina de Goiás. It is part of the Chapada dos Veadeiros micro-region. The distance to the state capital of Goiânia is 510 km and most residents have greater contact with Brasília than with the state capital. Neighboring municipalities and states are Tocantins to the north, Alto Paraíso de Goiás to the south, Colinas do Sul and Minaçu to the west, and Teresina de Goiás to the east.

History

[edit] The first settlers arrived in the region in 1736 looking for gold. Soon gold was discovered near the stream called Lava Pés and the village began to grow taking the name of Cavalcante, after Julião Cavalcante its founder. By 1806 the gold had run out and the population declined accordingly. In 1831 the town was elevated to the status of "vila". In 1953 it became a municipality. In 1957 the district of Colinas do Sul broke off to form its own municipality. Likewise, in 1988 the district of Teresina de Goiás separated from Cavalcante.

Economy

[edit] The economy is based on cattle raising (60,777 head in 2006) and agriculture. The main crops cultivated are rice and corn, although in modest production. The one bank in the area is the Banco do Brasil S.A. Agricultural data 2006 Farms: 1,228 Total area: 331,175 ha. Area of permanent crops: 10,681 ha. Area of perennial crops: 32,505 ha. Area of natural pasture: 186,001 ha. Area of woodland and forests: 72,521 ha. Persons dependent on farming: 4,000 Number of tractors: 703 Cattle herd: 60,777 Main crop: corn with 1,500 ha

Tourism

[edit] Founded in 1740 with the discovery of gold, Cavalcante still has traces of the colonial architecture of the gold period. Located 330 km. from Brasília it has waterfalls, streams and trails. Crossing the low mountains one can reach the springs of hot mineral water that gave the name to a now extinct mining town—Água Quente. Cavalcante was once considered in the golden age of mining to be a great producer of gold and other minerals. Now livestock raising is the strong point of the local economy. The town also gets some tourism, which enters the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, 100 km to the south. Many tourists come to visit the more than 150 cataloged waterfalls, most of which can only be visited on foot. On a dirt road that borders the national park there are connections with Colinas do Sul and the Serra da Mesa artificial lake.

Kalunga

[edit] Nearby there is a community, called the Kalunga, who are black descendants of the slaves who escaped into the interior to form communities called quilombos. These runaway slaves lived in isolation, building their own identity and their own culture, with African elements added to European elements, mainly the traditional Catholicism of the rural milieu, and intermingling with the indigenous population. Today the Kalunga (approximately 4,500 people) occupy a territory that takes in part of the municipalities of Cavalcante, Monte Alegre and Teresina de Goiás. In these territories there are four main population centers: the region of Contenda and Vão do Calunga, Vão de Almas, Vão do Moleque and the former Ribeirão dos Negros, later renamed Ribeirão dos Bois.

Cavalcante

Beyond the waterfalls: community immersion

Seasonal timing for river trekking

Comparative landscape: Cavalcante versus Chapada dos Veadeiros