Bonito, MS travel guide
Bonito, in Mato Grosso do Sul, is the one destination in Brazil where you cannot improvise. Every attraction runs on a booking system with a daily cap, and the
Cabanas, Bonito MS: a canopy course, ziplines and river tubing
Cabanas is the adventure park of Bonito: a high ropes course through the canopy, ziplines over the forest and tubing on the Formoso rapids. All on the same property, so you can build a day by level of adrenaline.
What Cabanas is
Cabanas is a property in the Bonito region dedicated to adventure activities. The centre of the park is the high ropes course — a sequence of platforms, bridges and obstacles installed in the treetops, crossed in a harness on a continuous safety line. Around it there are ziplines and, on the river, tubing.
It is the counterweight to the contemplative itinerary the town is known for. Anyone who has already done a float and a cave and wants a day of effort and height finds the most direct programme here.
How a high ropes course works
You wear a harness with two carabiners on a system that prevents both being released at once — the continuous safety line. From the first platform onwards you are always attached to a cable, whatever you do.
The course is a sequence of obstacles between trees: rope bridges, suspended logs, nets and crossings. Each asks for balance and a little arm strength. Between them, platforms let you stop, breathe and let others pass.
Fear of heights: what to weigh up first
The hardest part is usually the first platform, not the course. Plenty of people who freeze there finish the circuit without trouble after two obstacles. But the opposite is worth saying too: once you are in the middle, turning back means undoing the route, which is harder than going on.
Anyone who knows they freeze at height should tell the team before climbing, not halfway. There are lower courses, and there is always the option of sticking to the tubing, which is a water activity rather than a height one.
What to wear
- Closed shoes, firmly attached to the foot, without exception.
- Trousers or sturdy shorts: the harness marks bare skin.
- Hair tied back and nothing hanging round your neck.
- Gloves, if the operator offers them — steel cable is rough on hands.
- Swimwear underneath if you are doing the tubing the same day.
When to go
The ropes course runs all year, but rain on the day suspends it for safety — wet cable and slippery platforms do not go with height. Tubing depends on the river volume: too strong when it is full, too weak in an extreme dry spell. Dry days in the shoulder seasons are usually best for doing both.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need previous experience?
No. There is a briefing and the team stays with you. What is required is physical willingness and tolerance for height.
What if it rains?
The ropes course is usually suspended. It is worth having a cave as a plan B for the same day.
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