Gruta do Salitre

Useful Information

Location:	Extração, Diamantina - MG, 39100-000, Brazil. 6 km southeast of Diamantina, on the road to Extração. (-18.279477478293398, -43.53611580507744)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Instituto Biotrópicos, Praça Jk, 25 – Centro – Diamantina, Tel: +55-38-3531-2197, Tel: +55-38-9986-7140, Tel: +55-38-8815-2418. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Gruta do Salitre (Saltpeter Cave) is despite the name not a cave, it’s a narrow gorge with 80 m high vertical walls, which is about 140 m long. Namesake is a huge shelter at the end of the gorge, which is more or less an overhanging cliff face. After a narrow entrance part the gorge widens and forms an elliptical amphitheatre. The rock is quartzite. The name is a result of the fact that long ago intense mineral extraction of saltpeter for the production of gunpowder took place. The cave was used by bats and birds and the guano on the floor was full of saltpeter.

The hills are compsed of quartzite, which is sandstone with grains consisting of quartz which are glued to gether by quartz. And as this mineral is resistant against most acids, it is not easily weathered. The quartzite here has many cracks, where the rock was cracked by tectonic forces. As a result water can flow into the cracks and erode and widen the crack. Also, additional movement may open the crack by moving the two sides apart. If they are big enough they are called tectonic caves. The surface here looks like pinnacles, which is a sign for the high number of cracks in the rock.

The site is an archaeological site, and the fauna and flora are protected by the Serra do Espinhaço Biosphere Reserve. The site is also used for events, mainly musical ones, due to the acoustics provided by the place. It is used for filming documentaries, films and television miniseries. Sport activities like bouldering, climbing and abseiling take also place. If you plan such an activity please check for the necessary permits.

The site is developed with a trail and wooden railings and even some staircases, in stone and wood. There is no light, so it’s strongly recommended to visit during daylight hours. The short road to a sort of muddy car park is closed by a gate, but it is open for hikers. So you best park at the road and walk in, its only 100 m. Some sites on the web give regular open hours, others say it was necessary to make a reservation. Actually the reservation is only necessary if you want a guided tour. The site is freely accessible and the visit easy. Just respect the basic rules, no littering, no overnight stay, no fires, avoid rainy days, and do not leave the trails. The bad weather rule is obviously for two reasons: the dirt trails get slippery and dangerous, and there is an increased danger of falling rocks.