Cachoeira day tour: Sisterhood of Good Death & farmland

Spend a day learning the history the Sisterhood of Good Death has kept alive for over 250 years

A seven to eight hour day tour from the Cachoeira region that centers on the Sisterhood of the Boa Morte, an abolitionist society of women whose August festival and ceremony have run for over 250 years. You meet members of the organization, swim at a waterfall in Santo Amaro, eat lunch at a working farm or convent, and visit the Danemann Cultural Center to watch cigars being rolled by hand. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle and a guide who speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cachoeira and local culture

• Swim at Santo Amaro waterfall
• Have lunch at Santa Cruz Farm or Carmo Convent
• Visit Danemann Cultural Center and see cigar rolling
• Talk with Sisterhood of the Boa Morte member

The experience

Seven to eight hours takes you through the farmland and into the heart of Cachoeira's spiritual and cultural life. The Sisterhood of the Boa Morte (known in Portuguese as the Sisterhood of Good Death) is an abolitionist organization of women whose ceremony marks a passage from the material to the spiritual world. You'll sit down with members of the organization to hear their story directly, something few outsiders get to do. The Sisterhood draws hundreds of Afro-Americans to Bahia each August for a three-day festival, but the work and the history run year-round.

Before reaching the city itself, you stop to swim at a waterfall in Santo Amaro. After that, the tour moves to lunch at Santa Cruz, a working farm in the hills above the town. If the farm is closed, lunch shifts to the Carmo Convent instead. The meal is built into the day's timing. Once you've eaten, you cross the slow-moving river to the western bank and the Danemann Cultural Center, where you can watch cigars being rolled by hand: the kind of craft detail that makes a place stick in memory.

A live guide travels with you throughout, speaking English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and additional languages depending on the group. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the whole day (transport, lunch, and access to each stop) is included in the price.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for the full seven to eight hours.
• lunch at a working farm or convent.
• entry to the Danemann Cultural Center.
• time to swim at the waterfall in Santo Amaro.
• conversation with members of the Sisterhood of the Boa Morte.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and additional languages.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 8 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by OLAFEMI TOURS

Is this one for you?This tour is built around direct conversation with the Sisterhood of the Boa Morte, so it suits anyone drawn to the spiritual and cultural roots of Cachoeira rather than a surface-level sightseeing day. The seven to eight hour pace means you move through several stops without rushing, and the farmland setting and waterfall swim break up the time spent in the car.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Sisterhood of the Boa Morte, and why does it matter to Cachoeira?

The Sisterhood of the Boa Morte is an abolitionist society of women whose ceremony and festival have been conducted for over 250 years in Cachoeira. The ritual symbolizes a passage from the material to the spiritual world and remains central to the town's cultural and spiritual life. You meet members during the tour and hear the history directly from them.

Do I get to swim during this tour?

Yes. Before heading into Cachoeira itself, you stop at a waterfall in Santo Amaro where you can swim.

Where do we eat lunch, and is it included?

Lunch is served at Santa Cruz, a working farm in the hills above Cachoeira. If the farm is not open that day, lunch moves to the Carmo Convent instead. Either way, lunch is included in the tour price.

What is the Danemann Cultural Center, and what happens there?

The Danemann Cultural Center sits on the western bank of the river and is known for world-class cigars being expertly rolled by hand. You visit to watch the craft in action.