Gruta dos Palhares

Useful Information

Location:	Rod. Antenor Duarte - Zona Rural, Sacramento - MG, 38190-000. South of Sacramento. (-19.93175745348328, -47.46665920593547)
Open:	All year Wed-Fri 8-17, Sat, Sun 8-18. [2025]
Fee:	Adults BRR 5, Children BRR 2,50, Children (0-8) free, Students BRR 2,50, Seniors BRR 2,50. [2025]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Gruta dos Palhares, Rod. Antenor Duarte - Sacramento, MG, 38190-000, Tel: +55-34-3351-2242.
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

Description

Gruta dos Palhares is the Parque Municipal da Gruta dos Palhares, which is actually a sort of park with artificial lakes and a restaurant. So this site is primarily a restaurant and a communal swimming pool with the possibility to see a small cave. The cave is a shallow shelter, with a rather wide and high portal. One small side branch on the right side is used as a chapel dedicated to Virgin Mary, in the main shelter on the left is an altar for services. A waterfall falling down in front of the cave right in the middle seems to be the origin of the cave. However, the low amount of water was definitely not able to create such a huch cavern, we guess there was once much more water, probably at the end of the ast ice age. Or probably the river changed its course.

Many people visit the site for the huge shelter, the waterfall, and the park. There is a real cave behind the entrance, which is much smaller. It is developed as a show cave with trails and electric light. This cave is gated, but it seems the gate is open when the park is open.