The sertão, the arid badlands of the northeast, is timeless and tough. Amongst the scraggy rocks, round boulders, thorny shrubs and giant cacti, you can find traces of Gondwana land, dinosaurs, megafauna and ancient peoples that vanished long ago. The fierce Cariri Indians once ruled here and, much later, the famous outlaw Lampião.

The haunting scenery of the sertão hosts a treasure trove of pre-historic sites. The Serra de Capivara is Brazil’s top archeological site, where you can marvel at rock paintings. Near Sousa lies Brazil’s Dinosaur Valley Natural Moment. Also deep in the sertão you find the Chapada de Araripe, which is studded with fossil sites. Closer to the coast you find the curious Lajedo de Soledade, the magnificent Stone of Ingá, the mystical hollow boulders at Lajedo Pai Mateus and the rich Vale de Catimbau.

The caatinga is very much alive and is transformed by rain. There are plenty of water holes, the diversity of plants is high and local people are well versed in their medicinal properties. The area is home to many reptiles and birds such as the critically endangered Lear’s Macaw. Through the thorny bushes ride rugged leather-clad cowboys who herd goats and cattle.

Old Chico, the mighty São Francisco River traverses part of the area. Pictoresque towns like Piranhas and Cabaceiras grace the sertão. Historic Canudos, the site of a tragic struggle in the 19th century, is unfortunately under water most of the time.

Caruaru and Campina Grande, famed for handicrafts and organic cotton, are the two main gateways to the sertão from the coast and organize fabulous June Parties. Juazeiro (a famous pilgrimage shrine) and Petrolina (a major fruit producing region) are the interior gateways to this fascinating region.