Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
“Yo Soy el Buen Pastor Ego Sum Pastor Bonus” by Bernardo Ramonfaur.
Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacro (Archdiocese Sacred Art Museum)
Burke Building.
Burke Building
‘La Grande Assiette Brisée’ (‘The Large Broken Plate’)
Ellijay Mushrooms Farm
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
View of the full general store from the second floor.
MoonPie General Store
A slice of cake is the perfect coda to a meal at Piatto Romano.
Piatto Romano
Crunchy and supremely satisfying, suppli might be the ultimate street food snack.
Supplizio
The pedigreed pistachios here are from Bronte.
Gelateria dei Gracchi
This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves one of the world’s most magnificent sandwiches.
Er Buchetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
about 19 hours ago
While initially unsanctioned, Toronto’s graffiti community converted this largely ignored alleyway into an epicenter of world-class street art.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
about 19 hours ago
Prehistoric creatures roam the grounds of the Dinosaur House.
Roadside Dinosaurs: An American Love Story
about 20 hours ago
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’
about 23 hours ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Brazil Santana do Riacho Cachoeira do Lajeado

Cachoeira do Lajeado

This unique 230-foot waterfall is a natural beauty hidden within the vast wild landscape.

Santana do Riacho, Brazil

Added By
LeoPat
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The 230-foot waterfall.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
The 230-foot waterfall.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
The natural beauty of Cachoeira do Lajeado.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
Ferrous water at the bottom of Cachoeira do Lajeado.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
The view when reaching Cachoeira do Lajeado.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
One of the seven gates on the way to the falls.   LeoPat / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Mostly unknown even among the locals living in the nearby urban areas, the Cachoeira do Lajeado (Lajeado Waterfall) is a 230-foot rock wall that, due to its natural characteristics, does not have a focused stream of water, but rather several mini-waterfalls spread all over the rock formation.

The natural pool formed at the base of the waterfall has a reddish tint to it, due to the highly ferrous water in that region of Minas Gerais. Visitors are informed by residents of the nearby Lapinha da Serra village that the pool is fine for swimming, but to rush back if rain starts. The rising water level will render one of the rivers on the way too deep to cross, which can leave visitors marooned until the levels drop again.

From the village, it's about a 4.35-mile hike to get to the waterfall, which can be covered in around 1.5 to 3 hours depending on your pace. The watery wonder used to be accessible by canoe, but a nearby dam made the water level on the main river too low to navigate by boat. Hiking is the way to reach the falls, but mountain biking could cut the traveling time shorter. 

Related Tags

Waterfalls Rock Formations Pools Nature Natural Wonders Water

Know Before You Go

You can get directions from the villagers in Lapinha da Serra, but the route is pretty straightforward. Once you get to the starting point in the village, you just need to follow the paths and trails most visible on the ground. You will have to cross through several private properties, which is fine. This is not trespassing (since these are private natural reserve patrimony), as long as you stay on the path. On the way you will find and cross unlocked gates. These are the limits on each of the properties. Count seven of these gates and keep going. Follow the path and the sound of water falling, and after a couple of hills, you will reach Cachoeira do Lajeado. Bring some food and lots of water.

Community Contributors

Added By

LeoPat

Published

January 14, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Cachoeira do Lajeado
Santana do Riacho
Brazil
-19.154417, -43.646722

Nearby Places

Lagoa Santa Man

Lapinha, Brazil

miles away

Rua do Amendoim (Peanut Street)

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

miles away

Maned Wolves of Santuário do Caraça

Catas Altas, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brazil

Brazil

South America

Places 143
Stories 43

Nearby Places

Lagoa Santa Man

Lapinha, Brazil

miles away

Rua do Amendoim (Peanut Street)

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

miles away

Maned Wolves of Santuário do Caraça

Catas Altas, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brazil

Brazil

South America

Places 143
Stories 43

Related Places

  • Sculptured rocks.

    Hebron, New Hampshire

    Sculptured Rocks

    This narrow canyon has been carved by the river over thousands of years into spectacular and curious forms.

  • A watery path

    Oman

    Snake Canyon

    Nature's water park in the Wadi Bani Awf valley is full of pools flanked with cliffs and natural water slides.

  • Cascade Falls.

    Duck Creek Village, Utah

    Cascade Falls

    An improbable waterfall springs from an orange-white cliff face, tumbling into the headwaters of the Virgin River above Zion National Park.

  • Valaste Waterfall

    Valaste, Estonia

    Valaste Waterfall

    This stunning limestone waterfall is the highest in Estonia.

  • Njupeskärs Vattenfall

    Älvdalen S, Sweden

    Njupeskärs Vattenfall

    Believed to be the country's tallest waterfall, the Njupeskär is actually much smaller.

  • The falls in the morning.

    Zambia

    Kalambo Falls

    This stunning waterfall is the backdrop to a site that has seen continuous human habitation for 250,000 years.

  • Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri

    Isola del Liri, Italy

    Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri

    Italy's only urban waterfall has enchanted artists and travelers for centuries.

  • Veliki Buk Waterfall

    Strmosten, Serbia

    Veliki Buk Waterfall

    A hidden stream deep in the mountains creates one of the largest tufa waterfalls in Serbia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.