Campos do Jordão, SP: the complete destination guide
Campos do Jordão is the highest town in the country, mountain weather three hours from São Paulo. This guide gathers what the town holds, how the year divides there, how you get in, where it is worth staying and how many days the place asks for.
What Campos do Jordão is
Campos do Jordão sits in São Paulo, in the south-east of Brazil, and it is the highest town in the country, mountain weather three hours from São Paulo. That sentence settles more than it seems: it says what the town has of its own and, by consequence, what there is no point looking for there.
What brings most visitors is concentrated in Capivari, Horto Florestal and Pedra do Baú. They are different things from one another, and that is why the town holds more than a day without repeating itself.
What the town holds
| Sight | What it is |
|---|---|
| Capivari | The central quarter, compact and walkable |
| Horto Florestal | The state reserve of araucaria, with trails and a waterfall |
| Pedra do Baú | The granite block at São Bento do Sapucaí, with a via ferrata and climbing |
| Morro do Elefante | The lookout reached by cable car or by road |
| Palácio Boa Vista | The state government winter residence, open to visitors |
When to go
The year splits in two. From June to August, dry cold and the winter festival; high season, and the town fills. From March to May, mild weather, green forest and an empty town; the best time for walking.
There is no bad season in Campos do Jordão in any absolute sense: there is the season that matches what you want to do there. Whoever comes for Capivari and accepts crowds picks one half of the year; whoever comes for quiet picks the other.
Getting there
By air, the airports in São Paulo, about three hours away. By road, access is along the the Floriano Rodrigues Pinheiro road, up the range. The climb is short but often closed by fog.
Where to stay
| Base | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Capivari | Anyone who wants to walk out at night |
| Vila Inglesa e Alto da Boa Vista | Anyone with a car who wants quiet |
| São Bento do Sapucaí | Anyone here for the mountain rather than for the town |
How many days
3 days is the number that covers Campos do Jordão without rushing, counting the arrival day as half a day. With less than that something on the list above falls away — and it is worth choosing what to cut before travelling, not once you are there.
What it combines with
- São Bento do Sapucaí — the climbing and paragliding base of the same range
- Aparecida — on the way back through the Paraíba valley
Common questions
Is Campos do Jordão worth the trip?
It is worth it for whoever wants what the town has: the highest town in the country, mountain weather three hours from São Paulo. Whoever expects something else usually leaves disappointed, and that is not the destination’s fault.
Can it be done in two days?
It can, by cutting. Two days fit Capivari and Horto Florestal. The rest waits for another time.