• The Palmeiras-Guiné road, with great views of the mountains of the Chapada to the east, rising sharply from the the adjacent plain

• The Mirante do Pati, a spectacular viewpoint reached by singletrack on a remote high plateau

• The Vale do Capão, with rock walls on both sides, particularly impressive when seen coming from the Vale do Pati to the south

• The Capão-Lençóis singletrack offering stunning views of some of the Chapada's most famous landmarks

• Lençóis, a pretty and well-preserved historic town with colorful buildings and tile roofs

• The Lençóis-Andaraí doubletrack in the lush forest of the eastern flank of the Chapada, with a few scenic river crossings

• Igatu, a cute historic town with stone ruins, reached by a trail previously used by diamond miners

• Mucugê, a charming town, with nearby trails to learn about the local history and flora

• The Mucugê-Ibicoara road, with beautiful views of mountains flanked by coffee plantations

• The Vale da Raposa and its surroundings, with waterfalls and optional singletrack

• The Caatinga, a semi-arid biome with small thorny trees, leafless and strikingly desolate during the dry season

• Flowers, in all shapes and colors, including sempre-viva ("ever alive") species

WHEN TO GO

• May to September is the best time to go. This is the winter and dry season, meaning mild temperatures and less precipitation, but the waterfalls are less impressive. As the season advances in the Caatinga, the leaves of the trees fall, giving the landscapes a strikingly barren appearance. It is possible to ride outside of this window. The Caatinga will be greener, but expect high temperatures at low altitude and more rain, especially in the mountains.

LOGISTICS

• Traveling by bus with a bike in Brazil is often possible. Many companies will accept bikes, boxed or not, as long as there is room in the luggage compartment. Still, traveling with only one bike and having it in a box both increase your chances of it being accepted. Some companies charge a fee, while others do not. However, a few do not accept bikes, and it can be hard to find the information online, but this website has a partial list of bus companies and their bike policy. To get to a bus station in large cities like Rio and São Paulo, it is probably safer and simpler to organize private transport to the station via taxi, shuttle or ridesharing app. For example, Uber Bag cars will sometimes fit a boxed bike. Larger taxis are also often available at airports and big bus stations.

• The starting point, Seabra, is a town on an important highway across the state of Bahia. It is reachable by bus from Salvador and Brasília. The bus company Novo Horizonte accepts bikes for a somewhat high fee. The bus company Rápido Federal, which also serves Palmeiras and Lençóis, stopped accepting bikes recently. Lençóis has an airport with infrequent flights to Salvador. Cities further south along the route are often served by the buses of Cidade Sol, which accept bikes for a fee.

• The ending point, Manoel Vitorino, is a town on an important highway, with buses going to larger cities in both directions, such as Salvador and Vitória da Conquista.

• The route can be ridden in either direction. It was mapped from north to south because the adjacent segment is easier to ride this way.

• Protected areas crossed in this segment are free to transit through.

• Maps using OpenStreetMap data are generally the most detailed and accurate. But there are occasional mistakes (such as overgrown trails mislabeled as roads) and omissions (for example, private gated roads not labeled as such). In a few regions, Google Maps is more detailed.

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

• Mosquitoes and ticks can transmit diseases. In the dry season, bug pressure is mild, but it can be annoying during the rainy season. Biting insects tend to be small and it is easy not to notice them even as they bite you. Bring a long-sleeve shirt and full pants.

• Snakes can be easy to miss in overgrown trails. Be careful where you step. Some species are venomous. Know what to do in case of snake bite.

• Cattle can sometimes block the path. Give them space and do not startle them.

• Livestock gates are common. Be careful when opening them as they are often secured with a loop of barbed wire. If found closed, make sure to close them back behind you.

• Cars are rare on most of the route, but there is some unavoidable pavement, sometimes winding and without shoulder. Brazilian drivers often expect to see all kinds of things on rural roads (pedestrians, cyclists, horses, etc.), but as anywhere else, some are careless. Make sure to be visible and cautious.

• Crime is an issue in most large Brazilian cities, but rural areas are usually safer. This segment passes through quite a few small towns, which should be relatively safe. Note that the city of Jequié north of Manoel Vitorino (but not crossed by the route) is known for its high homicide rate.

BIKE

• A rigid mountain bike or hardtail with 2.2 to 2.6" tires is the best bike to ride this segment because of all the singletrack and rough doubletrack. Even if you skip all the singletrack, the wide tires will be appreciated when the roads get rough or sandy.

TRAVEL BASICS

• See this link.

• Campgrounds are common around the Chapada Diamantina National Park, but absent further south in the Caatinga. They usually have all the services you could want (water, bathrooms with hot showers, electricity, wifi, and often cooking areas). Some of them expect advanced reservation through WhatsApp, which can be difficult to organize with the lack of cell phone signal and the unpredictability of bike travel. They usually cost around R$50 per night per person.

• Wild camping is not uncommon in the Chapada Diamantina. It seems to be prohibited within the national park, but it is not enforced, and people can be seen wild camping there. Further south in the Caatinga, private land is often clearly delineated by fences, and stealth camping might be challenging. If looking for a place to sleep, you can ask around for recommendations. Owners of small rural businesses (such as bars and restaurants) are often resourceful and used to dealing with strangers. They might let you camp on their land or sleep in a room, for free or for a fee. Otherwise, they might direct you to a good spot. Camping next to rural churches might be an option too, but it is polite to ask locals for permission if possible. 

• Pousadas are small lodging establishments, generally family-run. They are present in almost every town, most importantly in the last section through the Caatinga, where camping options are limited. Room prices vary between R$50 and 200 per night, with some in the lower range found in most towns. They usually let you bring your bike into your room. They often include all-you-can-eat breakfast. With some planning, it would be possible to do the whole segment without camping.

• Water sources are common but will need to be treated. There is a lot of grazing, so the water is not always the most appealing.

• Bottled water can be bought from stores daily.

• 2.5 L of carrying capacity  is recommended as a minimum, especially in the semi-arid Caatinga.

• Supermarkets are found in every town. It is never needed to carry more than a day of food.

• Restaurants are common in towns but also near some tourist attractions. Pratos feitos (set meals) are good value. Along some dirt roads, there are rural bars, often serving snacks.

• Bakeries are lively places offering traditional fare and opening early, which is convenient when sleeping in town.

• Good snacks for people with a sweet tooth include fresh fruits and cold açaí na tigela. More packable options include bananada and paçoca (candies made from banana and peanut respectively).

• Meat is important in Brazilian cuisine, which might be challenging for vegetarians. However, rice and beans is the mainstay of the diet. It tends to be more flavorful than elsewhere in Latin America, but it is sometimes cooked with meat. It tastes even better when sprinkled with farofa, a toasted cassava flour, which unfortunately also often contains meat.

• Typical food of the interior of Northeast Brazil includes: carne de sol (partially dried beef), cuzcuz (cornmeal) and tapioca or beiju (a manioc crepe with different fillings). The Chapada Diamantina has a few specific dishes, such as godó de banana, a stew made from banana and meat. The cuisine of the region is also notable for its use of jaca (jackfruit). In the Caatinga, palma cactus is produced mostly for livestock feed, but also human consumption. Some delicious fruits originate from the region, such as umbu and mangaba. Other fruits are produced in large quantities for export, such as mango, papaya and passionfruit (including a local variety known as maracujá da Caatinga).

This is a proposed 9-day itinerary, with shorter days of riding in the Chapada to enjoy its attractions (and singletrack) and longer days in the Caatinga, where there are fewer attractions.

Seabra - Guiné

Day 1 (60.7 km +1,067m)

The route follows doubletrack east of Seabra, which can be a bit challenging because of rocks, ruts and sand. It gets better after 10 km or so. A dirt road leads to Palmeiras, where there are a few lodging options. Then the route goes south, offering great views of the mountains of the Chapada to the east. The road can be a bit rough, sandy and steep. The route reaches the town of Guiné, which has lodging and a campground. To avoid the upcoming singletrack, it is possible to take the main paved road from Seabra directly to Lençóis instead.

Guiné - Vale do Capão

Day 2 (31 km +671m)

From Guiné, the route climbs up the mountains to the east. It turns into a trail, which is very difficult. It is a steep climb that requires you to lift your bike over rocks. The reward is to reach a high plateau with nice views of the surrounding mountains. The trail on the plateau is considerably easier. It leads to the Mirante do Pati, which also offers great views. It would be possible to go down into the Vale do Pati to reach camping and lodging options, but this would add quite a bit of singletrack to an already difficult section. The route turns north and eventually descends from the plateau, which is once again difficult because of the rocks and steepness of the trail. The trail offers stunning views of the Vale do Capão before reaching it. There are campgrounds, hostels and pousadas there.

Vale do Capão - Lençóis

Day 3 (32.5 km +474m)

North of the Vale do Capão, the route uses singletrack again. The first stretch is quite easy, and it offers great views of some of the most famous landmarks of the Chapada. There are a few easy crossings of small rivers. To the north, the route gets close to the Pai Inácio. A detour there is possible to enjoy the most well-known viewpoint of the Chapada. There is also lodging and a campground nearby. Then the route turns southeast, and the trail gets more difficult, because of its steepness and rocky surface. It eventually reaches the well-preserved historic town of Lençóis, which has numerous campgrounds, hostels and pousadas.

Lençóis - Igatu

Day 4 (42.7 km +808m)

South of Lençóis, the route uses doubletrack, which can be rough or muddy at times. It passes through lush forest. It also includes a few river crossings, which are generally shallow. There are waterfalls and options for swimming. The route reaches Andaraí, where there are campgrounds, hostels and pousadas. It then takes a trail up to the cute historic town of Igatu, where there are campgrounds, hostels and pousadas. The trail can be quite steep in places. It is sometimes made of stone that can be slippery. For an easier alternative, take the cobblestone road to the east. 

Igatu - Mucugê

Day 5 (18 km +543m)

This is a short day to enjoy some attractions along the way. Near Igatu, there are ruins, an open air-museum, a manmade cave and a viewpoint. The route then uses a trail going up to the south. It can once again be quite steep. For an easier alternative, take the dirt road southeast of Igatu. The route then takes the paved BA-142/BA-245 for a few kilometers. It passes next to the Projeto Sempre-Viva, which has a museum, trails and cachoeiras. It then takes a trail to the Museu Vivo do Garimpo, a museum about the mining history of the region. The singletrack here is a good way to appreciate the local flora. Finally, the route reaches Mucugê, another historic town, with a "Byzantine" cemetery and a nearby viewpoint.

Mucugê - Ibicoara

Day 6 (67.7 km +947m)

West of Mucugê, the route uses some easy singletrack. It then turns south to take dirt roads that offer great views of the mountains to the east. It enters a coffee-growing region and reaches the town of Ibicoara, which has campgrounds, hostels and pousadas.

Ibicoara - Contendas do Sincorá

Day 7 (74.5 km +847m)

The route goes east to traverse the southern section of the Chapada Diamantina. A few waterfalls can be visited. There is lodging and campgrounds nearby. The Vale da Raposa offers some nice views. It also has a bikepacker-owned lodge, which offers lodging and bike tours. There are multiple options for singletrack alternatives or side trips here. The route keeps going south to leave the Chapada and enter the Caatinga. It passes through Triunfo do Sincorá, where there is one lodging option. Then there is a crossing of the Sincorá River, which is generally shallow. Finally, the route reaches Contendas do Sincorá, where there are a few lodging options.

Contendas do Sincorá - Catingal

Day 8 (98.9 km +1,182m)

This is the longest day, but it can be divided by sleeping in Areião, which has one pousada. The riding is almost exclusively on dirt roads, through slightly hilly landscapes. The roads can get a bit sandy in some sections. In Catingal, there is also one pousada to spend the night.

Catingal - Manoel Vitorino

Day 9 (47.2km +656m)

East of Catingal, the route goes up a bit and then down to Manoel Vitorino, where there are pousadas. If you are also riding N2 afterward, it is recommended to keep biking to Boa Nova, which is a more pleasant place to spend the night.

• The Chapada National Park website has information for visitors.

• Wikivoyage has a partial list of bus companies and their bike policy.