Discover Brazil and Explore its Geodiversity, Fossils and Dinosaurs
- Wayne Munday
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
When imagining Brazil, you often think of samba rhythms, golden beaches, or the vast Amazon rainforest. Yet hidden across this diverse country lies another treasure its UNESCO Global Geoparks, landscapes where geodiversity, fossils dinosaurs and tell stories spanning billions of years. These destinations offer the chance to walk through prehistoric worlds, discover rare fossils, and explore ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth. From the Land of Brazilian Dinosaurs in Uberaba to the towering basalt canyons of Southern Canyons Pathways, each geopark reveals a unique chapter of Earth’s history. In Seridó, billion-year-old rocks glisten with rare gemstones, while in Quarta Colônia, fossil beds preserve some of the earliest dinosaurs and mammal ancestors. The newly designated Caçapava Geopark invites visitors to trace half a billion years of tectonic activity and the first emergence of animal life, while the Araripe Geopark showcases world-famous fossils of winged lizards are preserved crests and wings. Beyond the geology, these geoparks are living landscapes where waterfalls, caves and trails weave through biomes supporting many endangered species. Indigenous rock art, Italian-Brazilian heritage, and historic mining towns add rich layers of human culture. For the adventurous traveller, Brazil’s geoparks are more than destinations. They are immersive journeys in deep time and an unforgettable way to explore the natural world of South America.
Uberaba UNESCO Global Geopark: Land of Brazilian Dinosaurs
In the heart of Brazil’s Cerrado biome visitors will find the newly designated Uberaba UNESCO Global Geopark celebrated as the "Land of Brazilian Dinosaurs". This vast tropical savanna, second only to the Amazon in size, preserves a fossil record that stretches back over 130 million years. More than 10,000 fossils have been unearthed here, including the colossal Uberabatitan ribeiroi a titanosaur estimated at 27 meters long and 10 meters tall, the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Brazil.
The geopark’s landscapes are as spectacular as its fossils. The Serra da Galga and Serra Geral formations showcase basalt flows born from massive volcanic eruptions that predated the breakup of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic. Beneath them lies the Botucatu Formation and Guarani Aquifer one of the world’s largest freshwater reserves. The very name Uberaba is derived from the Tupi “Y-berab,” meaning “clear water”.
Since the 1940s, palaeontologists led by pioneering scientist Llewellyn Ivor Price have uncovered dinosaurs, crocodyliforms, turtles, amphibians and even nesting sites with preserved titanosaur eggs. At Peirópolis, just outside Uberaba, visitors can explore fossil-rich sites, interpretive trails and visit the Llewellyn Ivor Price Paleontological Research Centre and Dinosaur Museum home to thousands of specimens.
Southern Canyons Pathways UNESCO Global Geopark: Brazil’s Canyon Country
Straddling the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, the Southern Canyons Pathways UNESCO Global Geopark (Caminhos dos Cânions do Sul) is one of Brazil’s most spectacular landscapes. Anchored by the Serra Geral Mountain Range, the geopark is defined by towering basalt cliffs, labyrinthine valleys, and cascading waterfalls shaped by colossal volcanic eruptions more than 130 million years ago during the breakup of Gondwana.
Here, nature and prehistory intertwine. Rivers carved through ancient volcanic rock to create breathtaking landmarks like Itaimbezinho Canyon in Aparados da Serra National Park and the vast Fortaleza Canyon in Serra Geral National Park. Hidden gorges such as Malacara and Churriado invite adventurous hikers, while waterfalls like Cascata dos Venâncios tumble gracefully into forested pools. Beneath these dramatic cliffs lie the sandstones of the Botucatu Formation, a once fossil desert that preserves trace fossils of extinct megafauna burrows known as paleotocas. These tunnels, some stretching over 100 meters, were excavated 8,000–10,000 years ago by Giant Ground Sloths (Mylodon) and Armadillos (Propraopus).
Today, more than 24 paleotocas are known and can be seen at Xocleng Paleotoca, the largest interconnected network of tunnels, and Toca do Tatu, an “armadillo lair” later reused by Indigenous peoples who left rock art on its walls.
The geopark is also a biodiversity hotspot, home to Atlantic Forest, rare orchids, and the endangered Vinaceous-Breasted Amazon Parrot.
Seridó UNESCO Global Geopark: Gems, Geology and Heritage in Northeastern Brazil
In the rolling landscapes of southern Rio Grande do Norte, the Seridó UNESCO Global Geopark invites eco-tourists to explore one of South America’s oldest geological foundations. Covering six municipalities and designated in 2022, this geopark is built upon the Paleoproterozoic Caicó Complex, where gneisses, amphibolites, and migmatites were formed nearly two billion years ago. Later reshaped during the Brasiliano–Pan-African mountain building event these ancient rocks have became part of the Borborema Province a key fragment in the assembly of the western part of the supercontinent of Gondwana.
Seridó’s dynamic geological history left behind extraordinary mineral wealth. During the Ediacaran – Cambrian periods, granite intrusions and hydrothermal activity produced mineralised pegmatites rich in Tungsten, Molybdenum, Lithium, Niobium, and rare gemstones like Aquamarine, Beryl and the much sort after turquoise-blue Paraíba Tourmaline. Later tectonic events added sandstones, mafic dykes and basalt plugs, further enriching the region’s mineral diversity.
For visitors, the geopark offers not only geological wonders but also cultural and industrial heritage. The Mina Brejuí Geosite, once Brazil’s largest Tungsten mine, is now an open-air museum where abandoned galleries, machinery, and a workers’ village reveal the story of mining life. In contrast, the Açude Boqueirão Geosite in Parelhas dazzles with gem-bearing pegmatites,where aquamarine and Paraíba Tourmaline sparkles beneath the surface.
Quarta Colônia UNESCO Global Geopark: Where Dinosaurs Live |
In the heart of Rio Grande do Sul, the Quarta Colônia UNESCO Global Geopark offers visitors an extraordinary journey through deep time. Set within the vast Paraná Basin, one of the world’s largest sedimentary and volcanic basins, this geopark preserves rock layers that span from the Early Triassic to the Early Cretaceous and tells a story of life’s recovery after the “Great Dying,” the rise of the first dinosaurs, and the colossal volcanic eruptions that reshaped Gondwana.
Here, fossil-rich formations such as the Santa Maria, Sanga do Cabral, and Caturrita beds reveal some of the earliest dinosaurs and mammal ancestors. Visitors can encounter stories of apex predators like Prestosuchus chiniquensis, swift sauropod ancestors such as Buriolestes schultzi, and tiny cynodonts (Brasilodon, Brasilitherium) that trace the origins of mammals. Later, shifting deserts left behind the Botucatu Sandstone, while massive lava flows of the Serra Geral Formation formed towering cliffs that help recharge the mighty Guarani Aquifer, one of Earth’s largest freshwater reserves.
The landscapes of Quarta Colônia are as dramatic as its fossils. Basalt-capped hills, deep valleys and waterfalls shaped over millions of years.
Caçapava UNESCO Global Geopark: Tracing Earth’s Earliest Stories in Southern Brazil
In the rolling landscapes of Rio Grande do Sul, the newly designated Caçapava UNESCO Global Geopark (2023) offers visitors a journey through more than half a billion years of Earth’s history. At its heart lies the Camaquã Basin, a remarkable volcano-sedimentary sequence formed between the Ediacaran and Cambrian periods (600–500 million years ago). These rocks record the dramatic tectonic events that united ancient cratons, built mountain belts, and helped shape West Gondwana one of Earth’s great supercontinents.
The stratigraphy of the basin reveals shifting environments, from fiery volcanic eruptions to tranquil deltas, lagoons and deep seas. Within these layers are some of Earth’s earliest traces of life. Microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) and delicate burrows such as Treptichnus capture the first movements of early animals and the ecological innovations that set the stage for the Cambrian Explosion when complex life diversified across the oceans.
Visitors can explore internationally significant geosites. At Guaritas, sandstone cliffs rise like natural fortresses, while Serra do Segredo showcases dramatic mountain scenery and intricate honeycomb weathering. The historic Minas do Camaquã reveals the region’s mining heritage once a hub for copper extraction.
Beyond geology, Caçapava is alive with biodiversity, from orchids and cacti to White-Collared Kites and elusive Ocelots. Indigenous petroglyphs and local traditions further enrich this landscape, blending natural and cultural heritage..
Araripe UNESCO Global Geopark: Fossils, Forests, and Flying Reptiles
In the heart of north-eastern Brazil, the Araripe UNESCO Global Geopark invites visitors to step back 120 million years into one of the world’s richest fossil landscapes. Spanning southern Ceará, north-western Pernambuco, and eastern Piauí, this geopark is dominated by the dramatic Araripe Plateau, a towering formation born during the breakup of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic. Its layers of limestone, sandstone, claystone, and gypsum preserve a vivid record of shifting ancient environments, from braided rivers and lagoons to shallow seas.
The Crato and Romualdo Formations safeguard some of the most extraordinary fossils on Earth. Here, delicate plant impressions, insects, spiders, fish, turtles, crocodiles, and even dinosaurs are preserved with some soft tissues intact. But the region is world-famous for its pterosaur fossils, where wing membranes and colorful cranial crests remain visible, offering rare insights into these prehistoric fliers.
Beyond its paleontological treasures, Araripe is an ecological crossroads. Nestled between Brazil’s semi-arid Caatinga and lush gallery forests, the plateau nurtures endemic species such as the endangered Araripe manakin (Chiroxiphia bokermanni). Trails lead visitors through waterfalls, caves, and fossil-rich outcrops, blending natural beauty with scientific wonder.
With nine official geosites to explore, from fossil parks to ecological sanctuaries, the Araripe Geopark is a rare chance to walk through deep time.
