That the valleys in the region of Visconde de Mauá are a full plate for those who want to cycle in the midst of nature, anyone who follows our site already knows. What perhaps few know is that some of these valleys also serve as a path to equally incredible places. This is the case of Vale das Flores, which, in addition to being an attraction in itself, also serves as a path to the village of Mirantão (Bocaina de Minas), a charming place of great natural and cultural beauty. In this itinerary you will get to know all the details of this perfect pedal for those who want to disconnect from the world for a few hours. Check out!
To reach the beginning of Vale das Flores it is first necessary to go through the entire Vale do Alcantilado, a path full of attractions that we have already described in detail in another itinerary. So, here's a summary: leaving from the headquarters of the Pedra Selada State Park, in the center of the village of Visconde de Mauá, head towards Maringá on the asphalt for about 3.5 km until you see the sign that indicates the exit to the Valley of the Alcantilado on the right. Cross the bridge and turn right again, following the dirt road for another 3.5 km until the fork where the path on the left would take you to Sitio Cachoeiras do Alcantilado and on the right it leads to Vale das Flores.
Keeping to the right at this fork, shortly after you will pass a small bridge, from which you will be officially cycling through Vale das Flores. This valley is marked by beautiful landscapes, inns and restaurants, a view that makes up for the few steep climbs you will have to face.
It won't take long for you to start seeing signs indicating the distance and direction to the main attraction of this valley, the Cachoeira das Antas, whose access is at an exit on the left, just over 3km after the Alcantilado fork.
After following the signs and leaving the main road towards the waterfall, you will have to face a climb of 650 meters until you see the gate that gives access to the property where it is located. Pay attention to the instructions on one of the signs, which even indicate the opening hours.
After the gate, you will go down a small trail following the sound of the water until you see the beautiful waterfall. The cool thing about this place is that you can follow the riverbank passing by several points for bathing, a really beautiful scenery.
After making your way back to the main road and continuing along it for another 850 meters, passing through beautiful rural properties, you will arrive at the famous Leila Restaurant, a beautiful and cozy place, with great options on the menu and free wi-fi, a real must stop.
Continuing along the road, you will travel about 4.5 km until you reach the important interchange where on the right you would go back to Visconde de Mauá, passing the famous Ponte dos Cachorros, while on the left you will continue to your next destination, the center of the district. from Mirantão, whose territory you actually entered as soon as you left the asphalt at the beginning of the tour. It is at this cloverleaf that Vale das Flores ends, by the way.
In the next two kilometers you will have to make some steeper ascents until you see a fork where the path to the right would take you to the region of Rio Preto. Keep left at this point.
From this fork to the center of the village it is just another kilometer. Just keep to the right until you reach a square, from where you can see a very steep climb that leads to the iconic Bom Jesus dos Pobres Chapel, it is worth accepting the challenge of "zeroing" this climb!
At the end of the climb you will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the village, as well as the opportunity to see one of the oldest churches in the region up close. Take a break to recover your energies for the biggest challenge of the tour, which awaits you right after.
You can't talk about Mirantão without mentioning its main attraction, the Cachoeira da Prata complex. The beginning of the way there is a street to the right of the main square where you arrived, just look for the sign that encourages visitors to know the place, as shown below:
The next kilometers are the most difficult of the entire route, there will be approximately 3km of uninterrupted climb and quite steep on a dirt road, so prepare your psychological. The only consolation is the landscape, marked by the imposing presence of Pedra da Prata, which you will have to go around.
At the end of the climb you will be presented with a beautiful view of the valley before reaching the entrance of the property where AS Cachoeiras da Prata are located. That's right, there are more than one, four to be exact. A fee is charged to help preserve the place, which the last time we went was 15 reais.
The place has a restaurant, snack bar and restrooms available and access to the waterfalls is quite easy. You can leave the bikes parked before starting the trail, it's not worth trying to take it.
When going down the trail, you will pass right next to the first waterfall and you will be able to contemplate it in its entirety when you reach a bar facing waterfall number two, the best for those who want to take a dip.
Access to the other two waterfalls is on the left of those facing waterfall number two, descending steep steps, leaning on bamboo handrails. The third waterfall is the largest in the complex and the fourth is just below, it is really worth seeing up close!
On the way back, there is the possibility of going straight at the clover where you would go right through Vale das Flores, but know that it is a path with quite challenging climbs and without many tourist reasons to do so. If you choose this path, you will arrive back on the asphalt after passing through Ponte dos Cachorros, where you should turn right and continue to Visconde de Mauá, passing the dreaded Subida do Gragoatá. Therefore, our recommendation is that you return the same way you came.
Finally, we ask you to watch the video below, produced by the Bike & Places channel, which shows how our adventure was to explore this region and collect all this information for you!
Resume
From the headquarters of the Pedra Selada State Park, drive 3.5 km along the asphalt until you turn right and continue for 12 km, always keeping to the right until you reach the interchange where Vale das Flores ends. On this path you will also have passed through the entire Alcantilado Valley and the Antas Waterfall. At the intersection, turn left and then keep left at the next fork to reach the village of Mirantão. From which you can head to the Cachoeiras da Prata, 3.7 km away.
Final Considerations
This is a tour that, if done calmly, can take all day, so our recommendation is that you leave very early to be able to do everything calmly. Do not try to see the attractions of Vale do Alcantilado on the same day, as they are very time consuming.
What did you think of this option of itinerary through the region of Visconde de Mauá? Did you already know everything mentioned here? Do you know any other important details that we missed? Tell us in the comments!
Datasheet
Recommended bike type: MTB
Dirt road: 19,3km
Asphalt: 3,5km (one way)
Total mileage: 22,8km
Elevation gain: 552m
Sun Exposure: HIGH
Level: ADVANCED Attractions: Antas Waterfall; Senhor Bom Jesus dos Pobre Chapel; Silver Waterfalls
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