São Bento do Sapucaí Is the Ideal Spot to Start Climbing

11/03/2014 - 09h24

Eliseu Frechou, a professional climber and founder of one of the first schools in the country dedicated to rock climbing, gives the hint: are you a beginner? Go to São Bento do Sapucaí. Are you a skilled climber? Serra do Cipó is the best for you.

BEGINNER

São Bento do Sapucaí (Sao Paulo)

The small town offers more than 350 climbing routes - Pedra do Baú and Divisa are popular ones - the rocks are firm and there are many good quality routes.

They can usually be reached after an easy hike and most start at the base of the rocks - most are suitable for beginners and rock climbing classes.

BEST TIME winter (dry season)

FROM US$ 199 to US$ 249 (two day course)

WHO TAKES YOU Montanhismus: (+55 12) 3971-1470; Rotas & Rochas: (+55 12) 99652-1217

PACKAGE two nights at Quilombo Resort with breakfast and lunch included for US$ 440. Reservations: (+55 12) 3971-2686; pousadadoquilombo.com.br

ADVANCED

Serra do Cipó (Minas Gerais)

The National Park surroundings (such as Morro da Pedreira) have a good number of trails and climbing routes.

It offers more challenging paths and a different type of rock. Here, the limestone walls are uneven - a positive thing for sport climbing- with short routes and greater technical difficulty (in São Bento do Sapucaí you will find granite)

BEST TIME between April and October, throughout the dry season. During summer the routes may be shut down; in October, part of the park was closed due to fires

WHO TAKES YOU self-guided trips are the most common in Serra do Cipó; for more details contact the National Park Visitor Center: (+55 31) 3718-7151 Reservations: (+55 31) 3718-7011; fazendamonjolos.com.br

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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