Pterosaurs
The world's largest trove.
Sam Heads — CC BY 3.0 · AUGUSTO PESSOA — CC BY-SA 3.0 · MacioFeitosa — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Araripe Geopark is the first geopark in Brazil, and in the Americas, recognised by UNESCO, having joined the Global Geoparks Network in September 2006. It covers 3,796 square kilometres across six municipalities of the Cariri region in southern Ceará: Barbalha, Crato, Juazeiro do Norte, Missão Velha, Nova Olinda and Santana do Cariri. In the middle of the semi-arid Northeast, the area is famous for its Cretaceous fossil treasures: the world's largest known concentration of pterosaur remains, fossil insects from more than twenty orders about 110 million years old, and fossils of some of the earliest flowering plants, all of which help scientists understand the history of life on Earth. The geopark has around ten geosites open to visitors spread across the six municipalities, among them the Missão Velha waterfall, a petrified forest and fossil sites. The best place to start is the visitor centre in Crato, where you can plan the routes before driving between them.
The world's largest trove.
Around ten to visit.
Among the oldest fossils.
Visitor centre in Crato, Cariri region of southern Ceará
One day covers the highlights; two are better with the fossil museum.