Boca da Onça Waterfalls and Canyon Trail

Boca da Onça is the most complete waterfall tour in the Bonito region and the only one that involves a real canyon. It is in Bodoquena, 60 km from the center of Bonito, and the trail follows the riverside forest of the Salobra River past eight waterfalls, among them the 156-meter drop that gives the place its name and is the tallest in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. It is a full day, with lunch included and a level of physical effort that the other waterfall tours do not come close to.

What the tour is like

Reception is at the farm headquarters, with changing rooms, a pool and a restaurant. Groups of up to seven people per guide set off on foot along the Adventure trail, which runs about 4 km and descends gradually to the bed of the Salobra. Along the way are the smaller waterfalls with pools for swimming: Cachoeira do Fantasma, Cachoeira da Anta, Poço da Lontra and others. The guide decides the stops and how long you spend at each.

The high point is reaching the Boca da Onça rock wall, seen from below, with the 156-meter drop spraying water into the canyon. You swim in the pool in front of it, not under the fall. From there the trail continues to the river and then comes the part everyone talks about: the staircase that climbs the canyon back to the headquarters. It is hundreds of steps, some steep, and it is the stretch that decides whether the tour felt “easy” or “tough” for each person.

After the climb, a shower and the buffet lunch, included. Many people stay by the pool at the headquarters until mid-afternoon before heading back to Bonito.

There is a longer version, the Discovery trail, with more waterfalls and more walking time, and an optional 90-meter rappel from a platform at the top of the canyon, which replaces the staircase on the way down for those who book it.

How hard is it

No sugar-coating: it is the most tiring waterfall tour in the region. The distance is moderate, but the final climb requires reasonable fitness and sound knees. It is not recommended for people with reduced mobility, pregnant women or anyone with heart or respiratory conditions. Children used to walking do fine; small children who need to be carried make for a hard day for their parents. If you want waterfalls without that effort, there is Estância Mimosa, which is flat and closer to town.

Best season and time of day

The waterfalls carry more water at the end of the rainy season and in the first months of the dry season, between March and June. In the height of the dry season (August and September) the flow drops, but the pools are still good for swimming and the trail is firmer underfoot. Heavy rain can cancel the tour because of the risk on the staircase and murky water. Departures are in the morning only; there is no afternoon trail.

Price

The reference price, in Brazilian reais (BRL), is in the info box on this page with the date it was checked, and corresponds to the Adventure trail with lunch included. Discovery costs about a hundred reais more, and the rappel is quoted separately. So is transport. Tickets are bought through a licensed agency at the same price everywhere, under Bonito’s single-voucher system.

Is it worth it?

Yes, if you have at least four days and enjoy hiking. It is the tour that most resembles a “trail” in the classic sense, and there is nothing like the 156-meter waterfall anywhere in Bonito. It is not worth it if you only have two or three days: the distance and the full day weigh heavily, and the money goes further on a river snorkel and a waterfall closer to town.

If you are driving to Bodoquena anyway, make the road count: Nascente Azul is on the way and fills a spare half day. See the other options in our hub on waterfalls in Bonito and how it fits into the 4-day itinerary.