Brazil's best hikes cover everything from beaches to rainforest
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Loading... - joshua adam
- 04 Jan 2022
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Nearly a fifth of its vast landmass is protected by conservation areas, including 73 national parks and more than three times as many state parks, not to mention thousands of private nature reserves. Needless to say, this is epic hiking country.
Brazil's conservation areas cover a glorious patchwork of landscapes, crisscrossed by trails that explore mountains, forests, canyons, rivers, waterfalls, savanna and thousands of miles of fantastic beaches. Whatever you choose, the landscape will set the stage for some exhilarating outdoor adventures.
Here's our pick of Brazil's best hikes.
Vista Chinesa hike, Tijuca Forest
Best city hike
1.8 miles one way, 2 hours, moderate
Deep green swaths of woodland cling to the dramatic topography around Rio de Janeiro. Roam out from the Cidade Maravilhosa and you'll find tree-covered hills jutting skyward, including famous Corcovado, the rocky perch upon which the statue of Christ the Redeemer stands.
The surrounding Tijuca Forest has trails for all levels of fitness and courage, from scaling Corcovado and the nerve-wracking ascent of the outcrop known as Pedra da Gávea ("Rock of the Topsail") to the hike up 3320ft Pico da Tijuca, the highest point in the forest. An easier but equally rewarding ramble starts in the little-known Parque da Cidade in Gávea and winds its way through the forest, emerging at Vista Chinesa, a lovely lookout point with a panoramic sea view.
Gruta do Janelão trail, Parque Nacional Peruaçu
Best off-the-beaten-track hike
2.9 miles round trip, 5.5 hours, moderate
Virtually unknown except to the most intrepid of travelers, Parque Nacional Peruaçu only opened to visitors in 2014, 15 years after the park was established. The 216 sq mile reserve is brimming with natural and manmade wonders, and a staggering 140 caves and 80 archeological sites can be explored on the park’s seven trails. The Gruta do Janelão (“Big Window Cave”) trail is the most spectacular route, taking in 9000-year-old rock paintings, crossing the shallow Peruaçu river twice, and weaving in and out of dramatic caverns.
The largest cave soars to 328ft – higher than the Statue of Liberty – and the roof is hung with the biggest stalactite in the world, the 92ft Perna da Bailarina (“Ballerina’s Leg”). Shafts of natural light beam down, filling the cave’s interior with striking hues of blue and green, a far cry from the dark and dingy interior of most caves. Visitors can enter the park only with a local guide, who will arrange an online booking (make arrangements at least 3 days in advance).
Trilha do Boi, Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra
Best hike for the physical challenge
8.6 miles round trip, 7 hours, difficult
Straddling the border of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states in southern Brazil, the 39.5 sq mile Parque Nacional de Aparados da Serra is home to Brazil’s largest canyon, Itaimbezinho. Sheer escarpments flank the 19,028ft-long canyon, reaching 2362ft at their highest point, providing thrilling terrain for hikers.
Of the park’s three trails, the Trilha do Boi is the most challenging, following the river along the base of the canyon, clambering over boulders and crossing the river at regular intervals (be prepared to get wet and pack accordingly). The other trails are shorter and easier, following the top of the canyon with views of waterfalls tumbling down into the depths. One administrative consideration: walking the Trilha do Boi trail must be booked with a local guide or accredited agency.
Vale do Pati, Chapada Diamantina
Best hike for a digital detox
37.5 miles one way, 7 days, moderate
The Chapada Diamantina is one of Brazil’s three chapadas, high plateaus in the country’s interior. Spread across 587 sq miles of national park, the Chapada Diamantina is the sort of place that even local hikers never tire of, returning time and again to explore its different trails. The Vale do Pati region is especially beautiful, with deep valleys carved between flat-topped mountains.
Day hikes can be arranged to swim in waterfalls that thunder down nearly 1000ft, but to properly do the region justice, opt for a weeklong trek along river beds and through forests and fields of wildflowers. Be warned that there is no phone signal along the way, but this hike isn’t without creature comforts – around a dozen families live in Vale do Pati and host hikers for overnight stays and feasts of freshly grown food. Read More…
