Tour 4: Living with the Indians8 days/7 nights from/to Cuiabá - 2 person minimum, available from May through November
Come with us on an adventure of another kind: become part of an unknown culture and meet some of the few remaining Indian clans of Brazil in the village of Aldeia Etenhiritipa in the province of Mato Grosso. Visit the Xavantes Indians, who, under the protection of the FUNAI authorities (National foundation of Indians), have the sole rights to the use of their land and whose territory is only open to those who have been explicitly invited. As a participant on this tour, you are of course invited and have the exclusive opportunity, during your visit, to closely experience the lives of the natives of Brazil. A large portion of the tour costs go to the Indian community for the maintenance and enabling of this project in terms of gentle tourism and is paid directly to the clan chief.
This tour is a visitors program of the Xavante Indians, an indigenous clan which, only just a few decades ago, cautiously reinstated contact to the so-called civilized world. In cooperation with SENAC (Institute for Tourism) they have begun searching for a way to maintain their way of thinking and living and to make it known to and respected by society. The visitors program is the result of a long process of exchange, reflection and cautious planning. Last but not least, it also takes into account the reservations, which, for historical reasons, exist towards the Warazu (the foreigners).
Day 1: Arrival in Cuiabá – Transfer to the Hotel OdaraAfter arriving at the airport in Cuiabá you will be greeted by our travel guide and driven to the Hotel Odara. Here you can check into your room and rest. Relax at the small swimming pool and mentally prepare yourself for the forthcoming tour at the bar. Directly next to the hotel is the best Churrascaria from Cuiabá, the Churrascaria Gauchó. Here you can feast while enjoying the typical Rodizio, Matogrosser style (closed Mondays). If your arrival time at the airport allows and it is your wish, our travel guide can give you a driving tour of the small city Cuiabá (price included). The rest of the afternoon and evening is for your personal enjoyment. Dinner is not included.
Day 2: Cuiabá - Barra do Garças - Araguaia Park-Hotel (1 night)After breakfast at 7:00 a.m. you drive from Cuiabá to Barra do Garças (approx. 450 km), on the Rio Araguaia. During the trip there will be the opportunity to eat lunch or take a break in a local restaurant. Approximately 53,500 inhabitants live in Barra do Garças. Here you will reside in the Araguaia Park Hotel, directly on the Rio Araguaia. Due to the poor road conditions, with many potholes and heavy traffic, there may be some time delays, which could result in an exhausting trip. Depending on the arrival time, there may be a possibility for asmall tour of the city Barra do Garças. Dinner is included in a small restaurant in Barra do Garças. Accommodation is in Araguaia Park Hotel. Day 3: Barra do Garças - Canarana - Hotel Raios de Sol (1 night)The next morning, after breakfast, we will drive to a small city with approximately 18,000 inhabitants, which will be the starting point for our visit to the indigenous people, the Xavantes Indians. Canarana has a tropical climate and was founded on 01. May 1975, in order to cultivate the local land and to settle farmers from the south east of Brazil. The city is near the Xingu National Park in the south east. Thirty years ago this area was completely covered by Amazon rainforest. It has since been completely deforested and soya is now being cultivated here. Lunch will be on the way to Canarana in a local restaurant. Dinner is in Canarana (included) and accommodation in the Hotel Raios de Sol.
Days 4-7 (3 nights): Canarana - Aldeia Etenhiritipa (Indian Village)After breakfast in the Hotel Raios de Sol we will drive you to Matinha (50 km). Matinha is on the boarder of the indigenous territory. A dirt road leads from here to the village of the Xavante Indians. According to the agreement with the Xavante Indians, you will not be accommodated directly in the village, but in a nearby area where a house has been built in traditional style for the visitors. It has been modified for touristic use and has a bath and kitchen. The quarters in the Oca, the traditional house, are with hammocks and rather simple. A cook prepares all meals for you using Brazilian recipes. Besides rice and beans, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables are also on the menu. You will also have the opportunity to participate in a community meal of indigenous tradition with the Xavante. The first evening you will be greeted by the village eldest and invited to your first visit of the village. Dinner will be in the camp.During your stay in the Indian village, you will learn about the rich culture of the Xavante Indians. A part of their culture is the interpretation of dreams as a determining factor of their daily lives. That means that their daily engagements are determined in the early morning dependent on their dreams from the previous night. Hikes through the surroundings and in the village on these days will enable you to gather an intimate view of this completely different lifestyle, which is closely connected to nature. You will experience the savannah landscape and hike up onto the Serra do Roncador, participate in village feasts, go fishing, and learn about traditional farming, always accompanied by an indigenous escort and your travel guide.
Day 7: Return journey to Caiabá with a break in the Barra do GarçasAfter breakfast, at approximately 7:00 a.m., you will drive back to Barra do Garças, where you will eat lunch in a local restaurant. Afterwards you leave for Cuiabá. In the late afternoon or early evening you will arrive in Cuiabá, where you will spend one night in the Hotel Odara (dinner not included). If wished, you can plan a subsequent tour into the Pantanal or to the gorgeous table mountains of Chapada dos Guimarães. In this case you will drive to Chapada dos Guimarães and stay overnight there.
Day 8: Cuiabá - AirportDepending on departure time you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport. By booked tours to the Pantanal or the Chapada the program will be accordingly adjusted.Map Note:Please follow the directions of your tour guide and the local tour guides. Never go anywhere alone. The consumption and transport of alcoholic drinks on Indian territory is strictly forbidden!
What you should bring:Hiking boots, Flashlight (please dispose of the empty batteries at home), Light clothing. Warm clothing for the cooler evenings (evenings and nights are substantially cooler). Sleeping bag or hammock. Sheets, Towel, Soap and personal toiletries etc. A yellow fever immunization is compulsory. By arrival you should be healthy and free of infectious diseases.The Indians, especially the children, are happy to receive small gifts. In the Indian culture, the act of presenting a gift for the host plays a very important role (for instance: good used clothing, candy, chocolate, small toys, flashlights, hats, sunglasses, crayons, paper for colouring, pens, pencils etc.). Prices per person:
The following services are included in the price:Transfer Airport Cuiabá – Hotel Odara - Airport Cuiabá (depending on arrival time a subsequent city tour).Two nights accommodation in the Hotel Odara in Cuiabá including breakfast. One night accommodation in Araguaia Park Hotel in Barra do Garças including breakfast. One night accommodation in the Hotel Raios de Sol in Canarana including breakfast. Three nights accommodation in the Indian village Aldeia Etenhiritipa (simple meals and lodging). Lunch and dinner in local restaurants during all journeys, as described above. All transfers and described tours are with an English speaking tour guide (Pedro Paulo) as well as a local travel guide in the Indian village, available for 24 hour assistance. Not included in the price are:Drinks, tips and individual spending.Etenhiritipa Village
The village with its 300 inhabitants has only had contact to the outside world for 60 years. It is located on indigenous land in the district of Canarana in the province of Mato Grosso. The language is Xavante. Araguaia Park-Hotel in Barra do Garças
Fotos vom Hotel Raios de Sol in Canarana
The photos on this page are on copyright protected: © by Günter Stysch |
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