In the middle of Mato Grosso there’s a mountain range called the Serra do Roncador, shrouded in mystery.
In 1925, a British explorer by the name of Percy Fawcett went there on a spiritual journey in search of the lost city of Atlantis. He was never seen again (well, unless you count the fictionalized, reimagined version of Fawcett, better known as Indiana Jones).
Some believe he found what he searched for and was banned from returning to share the secrets he encountered there.
A local Amerindian tribe was contacted in the 1950s and was asked about Percy and the few men that accompanied him. They retold an unverifiable story of how the men were all killed for making contact with curious children from the tribe.
Many expeditions since Percy’s disappearance have failed to find any traces of the explorer and it’s said that over 100 people have died trying.
The area has attracted many spiritual types in search of the lost city and enlightenment, while others go for the so-called UFO sightings and the chance to see one themselves.
In 1995, the mayor of nearby Barra do Garças created a law to protect a section of the land near the mountain range for the creation of a “discoporto”, aka an alien airport, if you will. Called a lunatic by many, it turned out to be a smart move in that it has since brought extra tourism to the region (the city also has a Christ statue, hot springs, and other natural attractions).
Resources about Serra do Roncador and Percy Fawcett
If you are curious about Percy Fawcett at Serra do Roncador, check out the book The Lost City of Z.
Here is a short video in Brazilian Portuguese about Serra do Roncador:
Here is a short video in Brazilian Portuguese about Serra do Roncador:
Below is a Forbidden Treasure 2015 documentary about the original expedition:
If you search YouTube for Percy Fawcett Brazil, you will find other resources.
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Roy Kenny says
September 23, 2015 at 9:24 amI was interested in your blog since my wife and I spent 10 years in Brazil. I still keep up on the language through telephone and e-mail contacts and in trips taking work groups–they are a wonderful friendly people. So anything about Brazil interests me, even nuances of the language you present.
About as year ago I began a blog–Brazil Unravelled where I tell about the country, something of our family’s experiences and our work as Christian missionaries. rkennysite.wordpress.com
Thanks, Roy C. Kenny
Luciana Lage says
September 23, 2015 at 4:43 pmOi, Roy! Obrigada for following the blog and for sharing your own work with us. I have bookmarked it 🙂