Cave entrance
Gruta do Mimoso
Lake dive (initial hall): operator zone [1] [2] (Open-water area of the initial hall with direct access to the surface; introductory dives for non-divers and dives for certified divers (the latter only when the water is at least 8 m deep).). Cavern discovery dive: operator zone [1] [2] (Near the daylight zone; Open Water plus 25 logged dives, or Advanced Open Water; seasonal.). Cavern dive: operator zone [1] (Cavern Diver or equivalent, age 18+, maximum 18 m.). Intro to cave dive: operator zone [1] (Intro to Cave or equivalent, over 18, maximum 30 m.). Cave dive: operator zone [1] [2] (Cave/Full Cave or equivalent, 18+, maximum 40 m, into the deeper parts of the cave.). These categories are the named scheme's own; they describe the training a site calls for.
A partly flooded cave on the Bonito to Bodoquena road with a published ladder of guided dives, from lake dives in the daylit entrance hall to cavern (18 m), intro-to-cave (30 m) and full-cave (40 m) dives for certified divers.
The entry point is the lake in the cave's initial hall, reached by about 78 steps. Snorkellers follow a lit circuit of the lake after training on a deck, and lake divers stay in the open-water part of the hall, where the surface is always directly overhead.
Trained divers can go further with an operator guide. The cavern discovery dive keeps near the daylight zone; cavern, intro-to-cave and cave dives continue along the main passage, which the operator describes as hung with stalactite curtains, towards a chamber it calls the Salão dos Cones and, for full-cave divers, into the deeper parts of the cave.
The guided cavern and cave products are half-day trips with two guided dives. Cylinders are included; other equipment can be rented by arrangement.
The environment
A clear lake in a partly flooded limestone cave, with a daylit entrance hall leading to a darker main passage and decorated chambers. The water level varies: some products run only when the lake is at least 8 m deep. Water temperature and visibility are not published.
Conditions
Lake level varies; certified lake dives and cavern discovery dives are offered only when the water is at least 8 m deep. No temperature or visibility figures are published.
Typical ranges from published sources, not current conditions.
Facilities
Trail and stairway of about 78 steps into the cave, a training deck for snorkellers, lighting along the snorkelling circuit, cylinders included in guided cave products and equipment rental on site by arrangement.
Every fact on this page, with its source (8)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The cave is about 29.5 km from Bonito, at km 28 of the Bonito to Bodoquena highway. | Verified | [3] [4] |
| The lake dive takes place in the open-water area of the initial hall with direct access to the surface; certified lake dives and the cavern discovery dive need the water to be at least 8 m deep. | Verified | [1] [2] |
| Cavern discovery dive: Open Water or similar plus at least 25 logged dives beyond training dives, or Advanced Open Water. | Verified | [1] [2] |
| Cavern dive: Cavern Diver or equivalent, 18+, maximum 18 m; intro-to-cave dive: Intro to Cave or equivalent, over 18, maximum 30 m; cave dive: Cave/Full Cave or equivalent, 18+, maximum 40 m.The Portuguese page (s2) describes a single cave product requiring Intro to Cave and Cave/Full Cave certification, with no depth figures. | Verified | [1] |
| The guided cavern and cave products are half-day trips including two guided dives and two cylinders; other equipment can be rented by arrangement. | Verified | [1] [2] |
| The main passage has stalactite curtains and leads to the Salão dos Cones, with formations up to about 10 m high.Operator description. | Reported | [2] |
| The stairway has about 78 steps depending on water level; snorkellers train on a deck after a walk of about 300 m and follow a partly lit circuit, spending about 45 minutes in the lake. | Verified | [1] [2] |
| The contact page lists WhatsApp and a contact form, and gives the address as Rodovia Bonito-Bodoquena km 28.The displayed phone number and the phone link on the page do not match. | Verified | [4] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction