Nascente Azul


Useful Information

Location: Bonito Bodoquena Highway Km 22.
(-20.894055, -56.530182)
Open: Low season: Wed-Mon 8-16.
High Season: daily 8-17.
[2020]
Fee: Adults BRL 192, Children free, Seniors BRL 163.
Lunch BRL 49, Camera BRL 90.
[2020]
Classification: KarstKarst Spring KarstTufa Deposits KarstSinter Terraces TopicBlue Spring
Light: n/a
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Nascente Azul, Rodovia, Bonito - MS 79290-000, Tel: +55-67-3255-2297, Whatsapp: +55-67-99209-1234. 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

2008 property purchased, start of restoring nature.
2012 opened to the public.

Description

Nascente Azul (Blue Spring) is an ecotourism complex with trails, diving, zip lines, playground, restaurant, and changing rooms. Not what we normally list on showcaves.com. But there is something special with this place. It is located at a karst spring with Cachoeira de tufas (rimstone pools). The water emerges a deep blue spring with many fish and plants, which is actually the entrance to an underwater cave system. From here it flows down the hillside depositing tufa, limestone which forms a staircase of rimstone pools. At the bottom lies the former farm which is nor a restaurant and huge artificial pools which are full of fish.

The site was a farm until 2008. The ponds were full of fish, the meadows full of cattle, but there was no vegetation except gras and mud and soil erosion. The spring was channelled into a cast iron tube, additional water was running downhill in an artificial channel and the rimstone pools were dry and dull. But the idea was to restore the original state, regrow the vegetation and stop erosion. The original micro hydroelectric power station which was constructed in the 1960s is in full operation. It is not only part of the farm's history, it also provides renewable and clean electricity for the site.

It took four years to regrow the plants, remove artificial installations, and finally reopen it as an ecological tourism or ecotourism site. Brazilians love water sports and so the economic side is offering water sports in a natural environment. There are four main attractions, Flotation, Balneário Nascente Azul, Nascente Azul Adventure and Scuba Diving in Lago da Capela.

Flutuação (Flotation) is snorkeling in the main spring, floating among the fish in crystal blue waters. It starts with a walk along the rimstone pools to the springs. The tour guide explains the rules of safety and accessibility, everyone is equipped with proper safety equipment, and then the participants float in the clear blue water. With neoprene suit, life jackets, masks, snorkels and shoes, equipment provided by Nascente Azul, this is quite safe and comfortable. The spring is 7 m deep, and it is possible to apnoe dive down to the ground, where the water rises through gravel. Any group is formed by a maximum of 10 people, which are permanently accompanied by the guide. This activity is actually wheelchair accessible, with access ramps and an amphibious chair. After the pond you can calmly float down the river for about 100 m. The same place, spring and river, is also offered for scuba diving.

The Balneário Nascente Azul is the former artificial fish pond. There are still lots of fish, but it is now equipped with a tower for climbing and zip line activities. However, from the geologic view its not interesting at all.