Highlights
- Enjoy the hospitality of a local family homestay
- Try your hand at crafting a masterpiece during the clay and pottery workshops
- Participate in unique community-based tourism & support local projects
- Eat delicious Brazilian comfort food
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Campo Buriti Community | Turmalina |
| Day 2 | Collecting Clay in Campo Buriti | Turmalina |
| Day 3 | The Magic of Natural Pigments: Making Natural Paint at Campo Buriti | Turmalina |
| Day 4 | Cooking Classes with the Local Community | Turmalina |
| Day 5 | Depart Campo Buriti Community |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Campo Buriti Community
Welcome to the Jequitinhonha Valley, located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. If you're arriving by plane at the Montes Claros Airport, a tour representative will meet you, then transfer to the Campo Buriti community, a 4-hour trip.
You'll be welcomed by your hostesses into their homes, then enjoy an evening introductory session and dinner with the community.
Day 2: Collecting Clay in Campo Buriti
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
After a filling breakfast of traditional Minas food, set out on the local trail to the "Barreiro" where local artists harvest clay. As you walk along the way enjoy the views of the stunning Minas Gerais landscape, stopping at a scenic viewpoint for a moment of prose and poetry led by young community members.
After you reach the Barreiro the artisans will show you how to harvest the clay, then let you have a chance to try your hand. Once you've gathered enough for your projects return back to the community.
In the afternoon it's time to get creative—learn how to beat and sift the clay, then mix it with water to the right consistency. From here, let your imagination run wild! Spend the afternoon creating clay forms and figurines, then enjoy dinner with the community.
Day 3: The Magic of Natural Pigments: Making Natural Paint at Campo Buriti
After breakfast, attend a painting workshop with a local artist to learn about the use of natural pigments in their work. Break for a quick lunch, then continue to the community of Campo Alegre, home to more than 80 artists and clay masters. Visit the community museum and art exhibit and spend the afternoon learning about local art.
Return to Campo Buriti in the evening in time for a social hour with the community artists in the local bar, run by one of the trip hostesses, Terezinha.
Day 4: Cooking Classes With the Local Community
Start the morning with a delicious breakfast in the home of one of the region's most well-known ceramic masters, Zezinha. Chat with her about her work and visit the ceramic garden, which doubles as an open-air museum.
In the afternoon try your hand at a different kind of craft as you learn to make Dulce de Leche and Biscoito, both sweet afternoon treats. Afterward, pay a visit to the artisan community of Coqueiro Campo to learn about a different style of ceramics and art.
In the evening you'll take part in a final step in the clay process—the ceramics firing ceremony. Collect your created pieces, then fire them in the kiln and celebrate your work! The evening is a celebration, complete with local Moda de Viola music and an amazing dinner of Mineiro food.
Day 5: Depart Campo Buriti Community
Time to say goodbye to the amazing community you've spent the week with. Enjoy your final breakfast with your individual hostesses, then say goodbye and hit the road, bringing with you handcrafted clay souvenirs and new friends. Travel safe!
More Great 5-Day Brazil Itineraries
Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Brazil? Check out these other 5-day Brazil itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.
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