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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Ubajara
One full day: morning cable car or hike into the national park caves, afternoon at the waterfall. Not a base for the region.
Ubajara is a small town in Ceará best known for the nearby Ubajara National Park, with limestone caves, a cable car and a waterfall. Most travellers visit as a day trip from Tianguá or Fortaleza. The park is the only reason to stop.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (dry season)
- Avoid
- Feb–May (rainy season, trails slippery)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$ 80–150 excl. bed · Mid R$ 150–300 excl. bed · High R$ 300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Park entry (Mirante Gameleira) | R$ 35 |
| Park entry (Cafundó waterfall) | R$ 60 |
| Cable car round trip | R$ 8 |
| Simple lunch in town | R$ 15–25 |
| Bus Tianguá → Ubajara | R$ 5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FOR · Fortaleza Airport
- About 3.5 h by car; buses via Tianguá
Typical fares
- Fortaleza → Ubajara by bus
- about R$ 60–80, 3.5 h (check)
- Tianguá → Ubajara by bus
- R$ 5–10, 20 min (check)
- Park entry (both sights)
- R$ 95 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The park is 3 km (1.9 mi) from town; walk, taxi or hitch. No public transport inside the park.The park is 1.9 mi (3 km) from town; walk, taxi or hitch. No public transport inside the park.
See and do
Known for
- Ubajara National Park
- Cable car to the caves
- Cafundó waterfall
- Mirante Gameleira viewpoint
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tianguá | Bus or taxi, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Fortaleza | Bus via Tianguá, about 3.5 h | 4 h |
Sleep
- Inside the national park
- Neblina Park Hotel is the only accommodation inside the park; double from R$ 130 (check).
- Tianguá
- 20 min away, more options and bus connections.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Oláoh-LAH |
| Thank you | Obrigadooh-bree-GAH-doo |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-toh KOOS-tah |
| Where is the park? | Onde fica o parque?ON-dee FEE-kah oo PAR-kee |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?POH-soo pah-GAR kom kar-TOWN |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- Cable car hours: Tu–Su 09:00–14:30, R$ 8 round trip (check current status; it was under maintenance in 2017–2018).
- If the cable car is closed, the walk to the caves takes 3–4 h; start before 10:00 to return by cable car.
- Park entry fees: R$ 35 to Mirante Gameleira, R$ 60 to Cafundó waterfall (check).
- No ATMs inside the park; bring cash.
Ubajara is safe for tourists; the main risks are slippery trails in the park and the cable car being out of service. Keep cash for entry fees.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ubajara yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ubajara National Park
- Cable car to the caves
- Cafundó waterfall
- Mirante Gameleira viewpoint
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Ubajara, revision 4608296 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4608296
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ubajara). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.