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Mountains of Ceará

Ceará’s mountain ranges offer excellent tourist attractions and are home to humid slopes such as the Chapadas da Ibiapaba and Araripe, where the Ubajara National Park and the Araripe National Forest are located.

Mountains of Ceará

1. Aratanha Mountains

Serra da Aratanha, also known as Serra de Pacatuba is a mountain range located in the north of Ceará, in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza in the municipalities of Maracanaú, Maranguape, Guaiúba and Pacatuba, 30 km from Fortaleza.

The mountain range is one of the residual massifs scattered in the Ceará hinterland depressions.

Together with the Maranguape mountain range, the Aratanha mountain range is practically an extension of the Baturité Massif.

2. Baturité Mountains

The Serra de Baturité, also known as Maciço de Baturité or Serra de Guaramiranga, is located in the centre-north of Ceará.

It is distributed over the territory of twelve municipalities, some below the high reliefs as Canindé, Palmácia, Itapiúna, Capistrano, Caridade and Redenção.

The cities of Aratuba, Mulungu, Guaramiranga, Pacoti, Baturité and Acarape are in the mountainous regions.

The region is home to the first and largest environmental protection area in the state, covering an area of 32,690 hectares.

3. Ibiapaba Mountains

The Serra da Ibiapaba, also known as Serra Grande, Chapada da Ibiabapa and Cuesta da Ibiapaba, is a mountainous region located in the northwest of the state of Ceará.

The oldest city in the mountain range is Viçosa do Ceará, which was colonised by the Jesuits of the Society of Jesus from the 16th century, has architecture listed by IPHAN.

4. Meruoca Mountains

Serra da Meruoca is located in the municipality of Sobral, 200 km from Fortaleza. Its estimated population in 2015 is 14,674 inhabitants.

From its lands flow crystalline waters that sometimes flow through the relief in splendid waterfalls and “enchanting” waterfalls and that, on others, pass through rubbing between patient and sliding granites, sculpting them.

Tourism in the mountain towns of Ceará

To get to know all the mountain ranges of Ceará, draw up a calendar for a few months of the year.

1. Guaramiranga Mountains

During Carnival, take the opportunity to escape the revelry by going to Serra de Guaramiranga where the Jazz and Blues Festival takes place.

2. Ibiapaba Mountains

During the last week of July, the Ibiapaba Music Festival takes place in the city of Viçosa do Ceará with some extensions in other cities of Serra da Ibiapaba.

3. Meruoca and Ibiapaba Mountains

The city of Sobral has a strategic position for leisure tourism, with excellent access to the Serra da Meruoca, Serra da Ibiapaba and beaches such as Jericoacoara and Camocim.

Occupying an area of 2,129 kilometres, Sobral is at an altitude of 70 metres above sea level.

The climate is hot and dry, with an average temperature of 30°C.

Ubajara, 212 kilometres from Fortaleza, is an unmissable place for ecotourism.

The 563-hectare Ubajara National Park, 3 km from the city centre, is home to caves, trails, waterfalls and the famous cable car that transports visitors to underground beauties.

Eleven caves are catalogued.

The Ubajara Cave is the only one open to the public and reveals galleries and rooms with stalactite and stalagmite formations, such as Pedra do Sino, Sala das Rosas and Sala das Sete Maravilhas.

Ceará Tourism and Travel Guide