Flying, waterfalls and a hostel where you'll be understood: a guide to Botucatu, Brazil

Most people who come to Brazil never hear of Botucatu. It is not on the Rio and Iguaçu circuit, and no guidebook puts it on the map. But if you fly, or if you work with agriculture, veterinary medicine or biology, there is a good chance you will end up here.

Botucatu sits on top of the Cuesta, a long escarpment that cuts across inland São Paulo. That geography gives the city something unusual for this part of Brazil: altitude, cooler air, and a view that runs for tens of kilometres.

Why pilots come here

The Cuesta ramps made Botucatu the hang gliding and paragliding capital of Brazil. Pilots fly here all year round, and the launch sites regularly host visitors from abroad.

You do not need to fly to enjoy it. Plenty of people drive up to the ramp in the late afternoon just to watch the take-offs and the sunset over the plain below. If you only have one evening in Botucatu, this is what I would tell you to do.

The waterfall worth your morning

Cachoeira da Marta is the most structured waterfall in the area. The city built a wooden deck and a proper staircase, so there is no bushwhacking involved. But it is a long staircase, and the climb back up is real work. Well worth it, just not a good idea if you have trouble walking or if you are travelling with small children. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.

There are other waterfalls around, some on private land, but Marta is the one I recommend to visitors who are here for a short time.

Getting around

Uber and 99 both work in Botucatu, and there are taxis and private drivers as well. Within the city, that covers almost everything.

For the ramps and the waterfall, a rental car or a ride with someone else works better. App coverage gets thin outside town, and you may find yourself waiting a long time for a car back. If you have no transport, ask at reception. In a hostel there is usually someone heading the same way.

The part nobody warns you about

Botucatu is not an international tourist town. That is mostly good news: prices are fair, nothing is inflated for foreigners, and people treat visitors with genuine curiosity rather than the impatience you get in big cities.

The hard part is that almost nobody speaks English. Not at the pharmacy, not at the bus station, not at the restaurant. Ordering food becomes a game of pointing, and anything that involves a real conversation takes three times longer than it should.

That is where we come in. I speak Portuguese, English, French and Spanish, and I am the one at the desk.

It is not just for check-in. It is for explaining how to reach the ramp, calling a car for you, reading a prescription, finding a pharmacy open on Sunday, or simply talking at the end of the day about what you saw.

Where we are

Nostra Cuesta Hostel is on Rua Prudente de Morais, in Botucatu. We have a shared dorm, private rooms, and apartments with a private bathroom.

More importantly, there is someone at the desk who understands what you are saying.

Write to us before you arrive if you have questions. Any of the four languages works.