Paddling near Contagem, Minas Gerais

Contagem sits in the metropolitan core of Minas Gerais, directly adjacent to Belo Horizonte, and its most accessible flatwater paddling is the Represa de Várzea das Flores, a reservoir just a few kilometres from the city. The broader region opens up to rivers such as the Rio das Velhas and the Rio Cipó, which draw kayakers and canoeists looking for moving-water experiences in the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest transition zone.