History and location

The PETAR, Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira (High Ribeira River Turistic State Park),was created in 1958 and is situated in São Paulo State, Brazil, near the border with Paraná State in the cities of Iporanga and Apiaí. Click on the map to enlarge it. The park has one of the largest cave concentrations of Brazil with more than 180 recorded caves in its perimeter. The water action in the lime stones in a thousand years period allowed the formation of caves with floor, walls and ceilings decorated with many speleotems (stalactites, stalagmites, columns, curtains, etc.). Such caves are subdivided in grutas (horizontal) and abyss (vertical) of different dimensions.