Brazil's Wildest Feast: Hunting Mushrooms at Parador Cambará do Sul

Think you know Brazil? Think again. Forget the humidity. Forget the caipirinhas on the beach. I’m sending you south. To the highlands.

Welcome to Campos de Cima da Serra. The air bites here. The landscape is dramatic. And for a few weeks in autumn, the ground comes alive. They call it "The Awakening of Wild Mushrooms." It’s not a nature walk. It’s a hunt. And you need to be there.

Don't Miss

The sunrise soak in your private deck jacuzzi. Grilling fresh Porcini sausages inside the pine forest. The heated infinity pool when the air hits 10°C. The hike to the ancient Centennial Cambará tree.

Not Your Average Camping Trip

Let’s be clear. This isn't camping. You aren't sleeping on the ground. You're at Parador Cambará do Sul. We booked the Itaimbezinho Suite.

From the outside? A canvas tent. Inside? Pure, unadulterated luxury. But the real showstopper is the deck. A private whirlpool bath. You sit there. Bubbles roaring. Looking out over the vast, empty fields. It’s chic. It’s cozy. It’s exactly where you need to be before the real work starts.

The Hunt Is On

This is why we came. The mushroom hunt. We laced up our boots and headed into the pine forests. The mission: find the giants.

It’s addictive. You scan the pine needles. You look for that tell-tale bump. We found monsters. Huge Porcinis hiding in plain sight. But this isn't just grabbing free food. It’s a biology lesson. Fungi are the forest's engine.

We used woven baskets. Why? To let the spores fall back into the soil as we walked. You take the fruit. You ensure the future. Sustainable foraging at its finest.

Feast on What You Find

There is nothing like eating food you just pulled from the dirt. Chef Rodrigo Bellora and Altemir Pessali don't mess around.

We hunted. We gathered. Then we ate. Right there in the woods. Fresh mushroom sausages sizzling on an open grill. The flavor is intense. Earthy. Real.

Back at the Alma restaurant, the show continued. French toast with orange ice cream. Dishes that scream local terroir. This is Rio Grande do Sul on a plate.

Recovery Mode

Your legs will burn. That's a promise. The terrain here isn't flat. Parador knows this. They just opened a new spa area.

Two treatment rooms to smash the knots out of your back. But the MVP is the water. A heated infinity pool. The air is crisp, bordering on freezing. The water is steaming. You float. You stare at the horizon. It makes every uphill step worth it.

Into the Wild

Don't just eat. Walk. You have to hike the Fazenda Camarinhas trail. It’s the same land, but a totally different energy.

Deep in the paddock, we found it. The Centennial Cambará tree. The giant that gave this town its name. It’s ancient. Massive. Standing on the viewing deck next to it, you feel small. In the best way possible.

This isn't just a hotel. It's an immersion. Parador Cambará do Sul runs this mushroom experience seasonally. Book it. Get muddy. Eat like a king.