The Cautário River rises in the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indigenous Territory.

[1] The river runs in a southwest direction, forming the boundary between the Rio Cautário Federal Extractive Reserve and the Rio Cautário State Extractive Reserve.

These include Bom Destino, Desengano, Esperança and Cujubim.

It is navigable, even in the middle section around Bom Destino, but only in the rainy season.

During the dry season the river bed has extensive sandbanks.