Bodoquena, MS: Tours, Distances and When It's Worth Going Beyond Bonito

Bodoquena is the municipality just north of Bonito, Brazil, and it gives its name to the limestone range that explains the region’s crystal-clear rivers. For visitors, it is home to the tallest waterfalls and the most physical tours: Boca da Onça, the Serra da Bodoquena Waterfalls and the Salobra Canyons. As with Jardim to the south, these attractions are sold by Bonito agencies through the same voucher system (every tour is booked through a licensed agency at a fixed price), and many people only realize they have changed municipality when they read the address.

Where it is

Bodoquena lies north of Bonito. Boca da Onça, for example, is reached via the MS-178 highway towards Bodoquena. The distances below are from downtown Bonito:

The final stretches are on dirt roads. The Salobra Canyons, for instance, are in the countryside about 38 km from the town of Bodoquena. The Bonito map shows where each attraction sits by direction.

Bodoquena’s tours

Boca da Onça

The most complete waterfall tour in the region: a trail of about 4 km through the Salobra River canyon, with several waterfalls and swimming holes, leading to a 156-meter drop, the tallest in Mato Grosso do Sul. The way back is a long staircase, and that is what makes the day tough. The 2026 adult voucher for the trail is R$ 555 to R$ 665, with breakfast and lunch included; children aged 7 to 11 pay 50%. The optional 90-meter rappel costs R$ 800 to R$ 905.

Serra da Bodoquena Waterfalls

A trail of about 2.5 km with eight swimming stops, a raft ride on the Betione River, use of the river beach area and lunch. There are fewer groups at once than at the waterfalls closer to Bonito. The 2026 adult voucher is R$ 340 to R$ 440; children R$ 298 to R$ 360.

Salobra Canyons

A hike inside the Salobra River, between rock walls, in 3 km (about 3 hours) or 6 km (about 5 hours) versions, plus an inflatable kayak descent. Includes guide, life jacket, 4x4 transport to the trail and lunch. The agency we consulted gives a minimum age of 7. We did not find a confirmed 2026 price: ask when booking.

Serra da Bodoquena National Park

The national park was created in 2000, covers about 76,000 hectares split into two blocks and is managed by ICMBio, Brazil’s federal conservation agency. It protects the limestone plateau, the springs and the remaining forest and cerrado (Brazilian savanna) of the range, which spans Bonito, Bodoquena, Jardim and Porto Murtinho.

The practical point: the tours sold in Bonito are not inside the park. They are on private farms in the same range and river basins. Public visits to the park are restricted and require authorization. The geology and its link to the rivers are explained in Serra da Bodoquena.

Planning a day in the north

Each Bodoquena tour takes the full day. The rule is one per day, leaving Bonito early.

If you have half a day left after Boca da Onça, Nascente Azul is on the way back. Don’t add a southern tour on the same day: Rio da Prata in the morning and Boca da Onça in the afternoon add up to more than 200 km of driving.

Where to stay

For almost every itinerary, Bonito is the right base. The town has the guesthouses, restaurants and agencies, and the cave area (west) and Jardim (south) are closer to it. See the options in where to stay in Bonito.

Staying near Bodoquena only makes sense if you are doing two or more northern tours on consecutive days, for example Boca da Onça one day and the Salobra Canyons the next. In that case, ask your agency about lodging close to the attractions and check road access, since some roads are unpaved.

When it’s worth it

• Worth it if you have five days or more, have done the classics (Rio da Prata, the Blue Lake Cave, a snorkeling tour near town) and enjoy hiking. In the 7-day itinerary, Boca da Onça fits naturally.
• Not worth it on three- or four-day trips. The drive weighs on the day, and closer waterfalls such as Estância Mimosa and Parque das Cachoeiras offer similar swimming and trails with half the travel.
• Not for people with reduced mobility, knee problems or small children who need to be carried: Boca da Onça and Salobra are the most demanding tours in the region.

Best time to go

Waterfalls gain volume in the rainy season, December to March, and stay strong into the start of the dry season. From May to September, the pools are clearer and the dirt roads are in better shape. Heavy rain the day before can cloud the water, make the ground slippery and lead to cancellations of tours with stairs or river sections, such as Boca da Onça and Salobra. Leave a spare day in the itinerary. Compare months in best time to visit Bonito.

Practical tips

• Car or transfer? With a shared transfer, expect pickup around 7 a.m. and return in the late afternoon. For three or four people, a rental car is usually cheaper. See Bonito by car.
• Shoes that can get wet are mandatory at Boca da Onça and the Salobra Canyons.
• Sunscreen only after the last swim. Before that, it contaminates the pools.
• Conservation fee. Bonito’s TCA is paid per day with a tour sold by the town’s agencies. Ask your agency whether any additional municipal fee applies at the Bodoquena attractions.