The forest of Presidente Figueiredo hides a world beneath your feet: sandstone caves carved by rivers over millions of years, where the water still runs and forms underground waterfalls. Exploring them is one of the most unusual experiences the Amazon offers the ecotourist.
Caverna do Maroaga
The star of the local underground is the Caverna do Maroaga, a tunnel around 700 meters long through which a cold-water igarapé runs. At the entrance, a wall covered in vegetation frames the mouth of the cave — and inside, on the guided route, flashlights reveal rock formations and the final surprise: a 30-meter waterfall dropping into the forest alongside. The name honors a legendary Waimiri-Atroari chief, the original owner of these lands.
Gruta da Judéia
Smaller and less visited, the Gruta da Judéia holds a fissure down which the water falls to form a natural bathing pool — the kind of setting that looks invented. Access combines a stretch by car and a walk in the forest, always with a local guide.
How to visit safely
- A local guide is compulsory in the caves — hire one at the Tourist Information Center or through agencies (around R$ 100 for a group of up to 5 people).
- Wear closed shoes with good grip: the floor is wet rock and sand.
- Take your own flashlight (or ask the agency) and a light backpack.
- Never touch the formations or leave litter — the cave ecosystem is extremely sensitive.
- On days of heavy rain, visits are suspended because of the risk of a flash flood: respect the cancellation.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: moderate — access trails with uneven stretches and walking through water inside the cave. Children: from the age of 8, used to walking, always hand in hand with an adult on the dark stretches. Older travelers and reduced mobility: not recommended — slippery floor, little light and natural obstacles; for that audience, the easy-access waterfalls such as Santuário and Iracema are the better choice in the region.
Is it worth it?
Very much so. In a single day you can combine a cave, a grotto and two waterfalls — an itinerary that shows the Amazon from angles few people know. Finish with sunset at the bathing spot on the Urubuí rapids, right by the town center… and go back to Manaus with stories to spare.