RB Global Trek Challenge: Days Two & Three

65 RB employees from 33 countries are taking part in the company’s Global Challenge in Brazil this month.

Expected to net an amazing £300,000 for a range of Save the Children projects, this fantastic fundraising event has two separate challenges.

Last week saw the  renovation of two creches. Now 34 RB employees are embarked on trek through the stunning Chapada Diamantina region:

‘We left the rain behind us as we set off on our 7 hour bus journey from Salvador city to Lencois.

Within a few hours the landscape had changed dramatically to forest, palm trees, cacti, grass plains and river valleys.

Slowed down by an unusually long vehicle transporting part of a wind turbine we had a short pit stop at itaberaba to grab a cold drink and a pao de queijo (essential cheese bread).

Lencois, a picturesque town with cobbled streets, was covered in flags ready for the festival on 19 June. 

After lunch we headed over to walk up Father Ignacio’s hill – a 200 metre climb with stunning 360 degree views of Chapada Diamantina national park. Our first group photo at the top and certainly won’t be the last!

Energy levels were high, everyone seemed relaxed, and it was great to stretch our legs. As we walked down the hill the sun began to set casting a crimson shadow on the flat top mountains.

This place is magical and we haven’t started the proper trekking yet!

I  asked Michael Kaschke to share his thoughts on day 3:

‘We had a great day crossing the Capao valley between Lencois and Capao village.

After a short bus drive which ended close to the Pao Ignacio (which we climbed yesterday) we started our 7 hour tour in perfect whether conditions – sun, blue sky with some clouds and a pleasant wind.

The Pao Ignacio to our back, the “Three Sisters” to our left, we crossed the savanna of the Capao valley.

Our path went through grass, bushes and the vegetation was getting richer remebling more a tropical forest, the closer we came to the small rivers which cross the valley.

We had lunch break next to one of those rivers and about half of us jumped from a cliff into it and swam in the water. The red colour is due to the water extracting red colorants from the vegetation while it flows down from the mountains.

One of the highlights of the second part of the tour was that we saw a red insect eating plant which they call “drosera”. ‘