The 100 WondersProjectSearch
The landscape of Serra da Capivara National Park

491 · The Wider World

Serra da Capivara

Rock shelters and painted surfaces bring ancient human presence into focus within a dramatic dry landscape.

PhotographDiego Rego Monteiro · CC BY-SA 3.0

Summary

Serra da Capivara is a protected landscape in northeastern Brazil, with rock shelters and extensive prehistoric paintings. Cliffs and dry country provide a setting for evidence of long human occupation.

The painted surfaces give the landscape a direct human voice. Individual images and shelter spaces reveal ways of living and representing the world within terrain that is already visually dramatic.

401–500 · The Wider World

The essentials

Explore the full photo gallery →

Allow time

3 days as an initial allowance, excluding approach travel

Choose a base

São Raimundo Nonato

Getting there

Use São Raimundo Nonato as the park base and arrange road transport to the rock-art circuits you select.

Plan ahead

Arrange an accredited local guide and the park circuit before arrival. Include museum opening days in the plan and allow several days for different sectors.

Practical notes updated 30 September 2026. Visitor information and sources

Brazil · History
Country guidesBrazil
Open my 100Record a visit

The essential experience.

A detail that changes the visit

Use authorised guiding and distinguish securely supported interpretation from contested claims about early settlement.

Serra da Capivara National Park
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Ministério da Cultura · CC BY 2.0

For the curious reader

History, landscape and context.

Serra da Capivara National Park is a national park in the Northeastern region of Brazil. The area has many prehistoric paintings.

Abridged background from Serra da Capivara National Park, by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and shortened; this adapted background remains under the same licence. Retrieved 23 September 2026. Source revision.

Serra da Capivara National Park
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Thiagomarcelcampi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Serra da Capivara National Park
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR · CC BY 2.0

From inspiration to a practical plan

Plan your visit.

Physical demands
Exposed rocky paths and steps vary by circuit; heat and distance make a carefully chosen route important.
The consequential detail
Use authorised guiding and distinguish securely supported interpretation from contested claims about early settlement.
Add to my travel workbenchResearch access requirements

Through the seasons

A place in the world.

Brazil.

A place in the world
Serra da Capivara location mapSerra da Capivara location map

Select the pin to open a detailed map. Use Closer look to see the surrounding region. Drag to move a zoomed map.

Map: Natural Earth
Explore the interactive atlas

In pictures.

Serra da Capivara’s rock paintings mark ancient human presence within the dry landscape.

The landscape of Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Diego Rego Monteiro, CC BY-SA 3.0
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Thiagomarcelcampi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Ministério da Cultura, CC BY 2.0
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR, CC BY 2.0
Photo of the painting of a Crab at the Serra da Capivara National Park. Note that today this region is thousands of kilometres away from the seaPhoto: Vitor 1234, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rock art depicting figures beside a tree at Serra da CapivaraPhoto: Vitor 1234, CC BY-SA 3.0
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Ministério da Cultura, CC BY 2.0
Serra da Capivara National ParkPhoto: Ministério da Cultura, CC BY 2.0
Open the complete galleryDiscover the world in photographs

Follow the connection

Keep exploring.

Explore more places in the same country.

The Convent of São Francisco in Olinda

497 · Brazil

Olinda

A historic hill town combines churches, colourful streets and a continuing cultural life above the Atlantic coast.

An aerial view of Salvador’s Barra lighthouse

417 · Brazil

Salvador

A dramatic upper and lower city combines historic architecture with powerful Afro-Brazilian cultural traditions.

Useful links and further reading.

Choose a source for the job: official visitor information for access, the UNESCO record for the named property’s designation, and background or library resources for deeper reading.

Understand · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

UNESCO World Heritage property record

Read the named property’s significance, maps, components and conservation documents. The World Heritage boundary may cover only part of this guide’s wider destination.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Read · Wikipedia

Serra da Capivara: background reading

Encyclopaedic context and its bibliography. Follow the cited research for a deeper examination of particular claims.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Visit · Wikivoyage

Find travel information for Serra da Capivara

A clearly labelled search of the community travel guide; check the page’s coverage and the age of practical details.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Books · WorldCat

Find books about Serra da Capivara

Search library holdings and editions, useful for finding specialist histories, field guides and works beyond a general travel guide.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Photography · Wikimedia Commons

Find photographs of Serra da Capivara

Explore further photographs and their individual credits.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.

Maps · OpenStreetMap

Explore the local map

Inspect the surrounding area.

External resource. Check the provider for access and current arrangements.
Visitor information behind these practical notes