Baixo Guandu – Monjolo (ES)

Baixo Guandu sits on the Espírito Santo/Minas Gerais border in Brazil, launching from 848 m into a wide, thermic bowl that local pilots fly essentially year-round. The takeoff ramp is a generous 200 m across, room enough for several wings to launch in sequence, and has had real investment from the local club — shade, restrooms, a webcam and a freshly extended ramp among the upgrades. Getting there means leaving the BR259/ES446 junction and following a well-signed dirt road south toward the town of Baixo Guandu for about 13 km; that last stretch can turn rough after rain, so a 4x4 helps. In the air, the site rewards respecting wind direction: northerly wind makes the left side of the bowl, as seen from takeoff, noticeably turbulent, and flying low directly over the spine-shaped ridge tends to be rough as well as strong. The official landing sits close to a power line running alongside the access road — a hazard worth clocking before your final approach, especially flying cross-country.

Launch & conditions

The ramp is about 200 m wide, giving room for several pilots to launch in sequence, and has been upgraded with shade, restrooms and a rebuilt, extended ramp.

Getting there & local rules

From the BR259/ES446 junction, follow the well-signed dirt road south for about 13 km toward Baixo Guandu; the surface can get rough after rain, so a 4x4 is preferable.

Local rules & hazards

In northerly wind, the left side of the bowl (as seen from takeoff) tends to get turbulent, and flying low directly over the spine-shaped ridge can be both strong and rough — give it more clearance than you would a smoother slope.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Baixo Guandu – Monjolo (ES), read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Baixo Guandu – Monjolo (ES) with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.