Serra do Cipo — Canion das Bandeirinhas
Belo Horizonte (95km) or Santana do Riacho
Quick Facts
Pitches
5
Approach
35 min hike from Parque Nacional entrance
Climb time
3-5 hours
Elevation gain
180m
Best season
April, May, June…
Total Day
full day
About This Route
Serra do Cipo is Minas Gerais's world-class climbing destination — a national park canyon with quartzite walls rising 300m from the valley floor, waterfalls audible from the belays, and bolted routes from 5.8 to 5.13+. The Bandeirinhas wall is the sport climber's main objective: 5 pitches from moderate to pumpy, with the 7a main line as the test piece. The rock is rough quartzite — it eats skin but rewards technique. No guide required here (unlike the trad Rio routes), but the park entrance hours (8AM-5PM) mean an early start is essential.
Crux
Pitch 4 — 12-meter roof sequence at 7a/5.11b, powerful pulls on horizontal jugs then a slap to a shallow sloper above the lip, strenuous if you pause
Before You Go
What to master at your local gym before attempting Serra do Cipo — Canion das Bandeirinhas
Lead Grade
Lead 5.11 sport at your gym, 5.10 outdoors clean on a bad day
Outdoor Days
8+ outdoor sport climbing days
Fitness Level
Advanced sport — the roof pitch is 12 meters of sustained pulling with no rest position
Skills to practice before the trip
- Sustained pump management — staying calm on the third bolt when forearms are full
- Reading sequences before leaving the ground and committing to the plan
- Efficient quickdraw clipping with one hand while matching on a sloper
- Recovering on rest holds during a long pitch rather than rushing
Train at your gym before you go
- Roof laps: spend entire sessions on your gym's cave or roof section — 12 meters of pulling with nowhere to rest is what Bandeirinhas feels like
- 4×4 campus: campus board 4 moves up, 4 moves down, 4 sets — builds the explosive lock-off strength the roof demands
- Deadhang sets: 3 sets of 7-second dead hangs on a 20mm edge at 75% bodyweight — build margin, not just ability to hang once
- Sequence memory: read a 5.11 route from the ground, commit to your plan, then climb it without stopping to think — roof climbing punishes hesitation
Warnings
- Park closes at 5PM — do not start pitch 3 after 2PM without headlamps
- Cerrado snakes are present — watch your hands in cracks
- Quartzite is aggressive — tape fingers on crack sections
Gear required
- 60m dry rope
- 16 quickdraws
- ATC
- helmet
- climbing shoes with sticky rubber — quartzite eats soft soles
- 2L water
Minimum gear
- rope
- harness
- helmet
- belay device
- 10 quickdraws
Photo Gallery
Guided Options
Guided
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Where to eat
- R$40-75
Pousada Sempre Viva
farm-to-table restaurant
- R$25-50
Trilha Bar in Santana do Riacho
climbing bar
Where to stay
- R$160-280/night
Pousada dos Sonhos
pousada
- R$35/person/night
Camping do Parque
camping
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What climbers say
“Sinos de Aldebaran is an incredible 45m climb with lots of styles mixed and distant protections — a great mind challenge and a remarkable experience. When it comes to sport climbing, Serra do Cipo is far better than the areas in Rio.”
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