Spanning 180 km between the states of Piauí and Ceará, the Caminhos da Ibiapaba Trail integrates conservation units, strengthens community-based tourism and boosts the local economy

Northeastern Brazil has just gained a new long-distance trail connecting two states, three biomes and three protected areas. Stretching 180 km across landscapes of the Caatinga, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, the Caminhos da Ibiapaba Trail crosses the border between Piauí and Ceará, linking Sete Cidades National Park (PI), Ubajara National Park (CE) and the Serra da Ibiapaba Environmental Protection Area (CE and PI).  Along the route, created with the GEF’s support, scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, archaeological sites and traditional communities offer visitors an immersive experience in the diversity of the sertão, while creating new income and employment opportunities for local residents through community-based environmental tourism.

Caminhos da Ibiapaba is one of 22 long-distance trails officially recognized by the National Network of Long-Distance Trails and Connectivity, a public policy initiative led by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism. The implementation project for the first long-distance trail to cross the Caatinga biome was developed by the Brazilian Institute of Municipal Administration (IBAM), in partnership with local governments and supported by the GEF Terrestrial Program—an initiative of the Ministry of the Environment funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with FUNBIO as the executing partner and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as the implementing agency.

The trail promotes landscape connectivity in priority areas for biodiversity conservation, while strengthening ecotourism and adventure tourism as drivers of regional development. According to Pedro da Cunha e Menezes, Director of Protected Areas at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), the trail—now 100% signposted—already stands out as a robust tourism product, with tour operators, trained local guides and an extensive accommodation network registered as partners. “It is a complete crossing, combining natural and cultural elements and diverse possibilities of use, reviving the culture of the tropeiros and traveling merchants who helped shape the history of Northeastern Brazil,” he said.

Built along a centuries-old route still used today by traders buying and selling goods in the sertão, Caminhos da Ibiapaba connects multiple ecosystems, landscapes and cultures, blending memory, conservation and development. “With this initiative, ICMBio advances its mission of conserving nature with people, offering visitors the opportunity to discover and fall in love with the landscapes, geological monuments, fauna and flora preserved in the Serra da Ibiapaba, as well as to experience the culture and hospitality of local communities, which provide various support points along the crossing,” said Carla Guaitanele, ICMBio’s General Coordinator for Public Use and Environmental Services.

The initiative represents a new itinerary opportunity for travel agencies and tour operators working with sustainable tourism in Brazil. “Long-distance trails like Caminhos da Ibiapaba strengthen local value chains, foster community-based tourism, enhance natural and cultural heritage, and increase the visibility of destinations aligned with best practices in conservation and sustainable territorial development through tourism,” said Fabiana Oliveira, General Coordinator for Tourism Products and Experiences at the Ministry of Tourism.

For FUNBIO, actions to promote long-distance trails strengthen and complement the work of consolidating protected areas as strategic spaces that bridge environmental and social agendas. “Caminhos da Ibiapaba is a bet on environmental conservation as a driver of an economy that includes local communities as protagonists of social transformation,” said Rodolfo Marçal, manager responsible for the GEF Terrestrial Program. “The proposal is for the program to support the implementation of other equally strategic routes in the program’s two other target biomes, the Pampa and the Pantanal,” he added.

Bringing Caminhos da Ibiapaba from concept to reality required engaging residents in building an itinerary that values sustainable regional development. “Beyond environmental importance, it is essential that initiatives like this also generate social and economic value for private landowners located along the route and for the communities encountered along the way,” explained Thiago Beraldo, technical coordinator of the trail’s implementation project. For this reason, various lodging and dining options in the region—from affordable to upscale—were mapped and invited to become trail partners, receiving an official plaque identifying their participation in the project.

Mrs. Teresinha grows coffee, oranges, and lemons on her family’s small property, located within the Serra da Ibiapaba Environmental Protection Area. The family, which already operated Hotel Fazenda Engenho Velho as a rural tourism inn, sees an opportunity to welcome more guests interested in discovering the region’s natural attractions and the stories of its people. “We grow more than food. Our responsibility is to value the work of men and women who dedicate themselves to farming and now also to rural tourism,” she says.

With the support and active participation of managers of the protected areas, preexisting routes were reviewed and adapted, making them more accessible, safer and more attractive to visitors. From standardized signage following the National Network of Trails guidelines to the redesign of sections to prioritize shaded areas and natural viewpoints, each stage was planned to enhance the visitor experience. Notably, nearly 40 kilometers of the route were reconfigured to pass through the interior of Ubajara National Park, replacing previous stretches that crossed roads and urbanized areas.

The Caminhos da Ibiapaba Trail can be explored on foot or by bicycle, partially or in full, individually, in groups or accompanied by trained local guides. Signage ensures safe navigation for those who prefer to travel independently, while local guides enrich the journey with knowledge about the territory. The many viewpoints along the route offer panoramic views of the Serra da Ibiapaba from Ubajara National Park in Ceará, as well as the impressive geological formations featuring rock paintings in Sete Cidades National Park in Piauí.

In total, the thirteen sections that make up the long-distance trail pass through municipalities such as Tianguá, Ubajara and Ibiapina in Ceará, and São João da Fronteira, Brasileira and Piracuruca in Piauí, crossing communities that preserve 17th-century houses, dams and reservoirs, further enriching the experience. In São João da Fronteira, local mobilization gave rise to a complementary route—the São João da Fronteira Trail—a short but unique path among carnaúba palms and rock paintings, expanding the project’s reach and consolidating its community legacy.

Information:
Caminhos da Ibiapaba Trail: https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/biodiversidade/unidade-de-conservacao/unidades-de-biomas/caatinga/lista-de-ucs/parna-de-ubajara/trilha-caminhos-da-ibiapaba

Ubajara National Park:
https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/biodiversidade/unidade-de-conservacao/unidades-de-biomas/caatinga/lista-de-ucs/parna-de-ubajara

Sete Cidades National Park:
https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/biodiversidade/unidade-de-conservacao/unidades-de-biomas/caatinga/lista-de-ucs/parna-de-sete-cidades/informacoes-sobre-visitacao-2013-parna-de-sete-cidades