Country
Fossil hunting in Brazil
Brazil's Cretaceous Araripe Basin in the northeast is one of the world's three or four most important fossil Lagerstätten — Crato and Romualdo formations preserve more pterosaurs than any other locality on Earth, along with exceptional fish, insects, and the earliest flowering plants.
Brazilian heritage law (Decree-Law 4.146/1942) makes all fossils federal property; any collection or export by visitors is illegal. The model is in-situ visiting at the UNESCO Araripe Global Geopark's 11 designated geosites, complemented by collections held in regional museums and universities.
The Araripe region is best reached via Juazeiro do Norte airport (regular flights from Fortaleza, Brasília, São Paulo, Recife). Hire a Geopark-accredited local guide to navigate the geosite circuit.
Top picks: Araripe UNESCO Global Geopark, Ceará (Cretaceous Lagerstätte, viewing only across 11 geosites).
3 fossil sites
Updated 4 June 2026
Araripe Geopark Fossil Guide
Ceará, Brazil
Pterosaurs, Fish, Insects, Early flowering plants
Paleorrota Geopark Fossil Hunting Guide
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Staurikosaurus pricei (early dinosaur), Hyperodapedon (rhynchosaur), Dinodontosaurus (dicynodont), Exaeretodon (cynodont)
Vale dos Dinossauros (Sousa Basin) Fossil Hunting Guide
Paraíba, Brazil
Sauropod trackways, Theropod footprints, Iguanodontian footprints, Stegosaurid prints