Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
Chapada dos Veadeiros is a national park in Brazil and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an ancient plateau, which is 1.8 billion years old.
Geographically, Chapada dos Veadeiros Park is located in the state of Goias and covers 655 km2. It was founded on January 11, 1961. The height of the plateau on which the park is located varies from 600 to 1,650 m above sea level. It is the highest plain in Central Brazil. The dominant mountain peak is Serra da Santana (1,691 m). The mountains are composed of quartz, and in some places there are outcrops of crystals. There are a large number of waterfalls, the largest of which is Rio Preto Falls, 120 m high.
Moon Valley is popular among tourists. The area makes an impression: It is an incredibly bizarrely shaped mountain maze. It was formed naturally. The San Miguel River has eroded the quartz rocks and as a result they now overhang its banks. Rounded holes filled with water have formed in the rocks — this detail gives the Lunar Valley a resemblance to the Moon: they look very much like lunar craters. In general, the shape of the rocks here gives rise to fantasy. Many of them look like figures of animals and birds. Turtle Rock is especially popular with tourists. Here you can find fossils of ancient plants and animals. Many attribute miraculous properties to the rocks and come to the Moon Valley to recharge their batteries.
The flora of Chapada dos Veadeiros Park is represented by numerous inhabitants of wooded savannas, which is the Chapada dos Veadeiros mountain system. Among the local plants, special attention is paid to orchids, of which about 25 species have been found in the park. Palm trees and pepper trees are also widespread. The wildlife of the Chapada dos Veadeyrus region is bright and colorful. There are large numbers of warlike jaguars, marsh deer, tapirs, and armadillos. Among the birds in the park, the vast majority are toucans and vultures.
