Amazon Adventures

Brazil

Itatiaia Hiking

Itatiaia is home to the oldest national park in Brazil, Itatiaia National Park, established in 1937 and located on the border of the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Itatiaia is 174km (108mi.) from Rio de Janeiro City and the word Itatiaia means “many-pointed rocks” in Tupi language.

In the early 19th century, the park region was part of the route used to transport gold mined in neighboring state of Minas Gerais. Once these gold reserves were depleted, it started to attract the attention of adventures and nature lovers. Today it occupies an area of about 120 sq. km that stretches all the way to the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. It is located in a mountain range named Serra das Mantiqueiras.

The park is divided in two areas: high and low. About 35km (22mi.) far from the main entrance of the park gives access to the high area where Pico das Agulhas Negras and Prateleiras are found. Pico das Agulhas Negras is one of the highest peaks in Brazil, standing at 2,787m (9145ft) high. The landscape is alpine with low temperatures and occasional snowstorms on top of the mountains during the winter. The low area of the park is an important pocket of protected Atlantic Rainforest, which is the most endangered Brazilian forest with only 7% of the original forest still preserved. The undulated terrain favors the existence of several waterfalls like Poranga Waterfall, Itaporani Waterfall, Véu da Noiva Waterfall and many others. The most famous postcard in the park, Véu da Noiva Waterfall (Bride’s Veil), is reached after walking 450m (1475 ft) along a trail that borders the Maromba River. Véu da Noiva Waterfall is a crystal clear, 40m (131ft) waterfall.

The biodiversity in the park is amazing. The forest is distributed in several levels, topped by conifers and jequitibá trees that grow up to 30m high in search of light. Closer to the ground, giant pre-historical ferns, orchids and bromeliads can be found.

Birdwatchers will be relish to see dozens of hummingbirds, green-beaked toucans, owls, saíras, guachos, macucos, and even hawks that call the park home. Small mammals like the cute quatis, caxingueles, lazy sloths, and chubby antas (the largest rodent in Latin America) share the Mata Atlantica with the occasional wild cat, and possibly even the endangered maned wolf (Crysocyon brachyurus). Primates are represented by the muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides), the largest neotropical monkey, and the tiny marmoset. Snakes, assorted reptiles and water turtles are also part of the scene.

Nature lovers will be busy for days. There are several trails in the park. Maciço das Prateleiras is formed by huge blocks of rock and stands 2548m (8360 ft) high. After a 2-hour trail crossing high fields and climbing up rocky sections, one can appreciated the beautiful view of the Paraíba Valley.

Day 1 - Pick-up at 9:30am, 2h30min drive to Park. Visit the Flora and Fauna museum then Visit Véu de Noiva (Bride's Veil) and Poranga waterfalls . Swimming in the Lago Azul (Blue Lake) . After lunch, a 2-hour drive to the Park's upper section. Accommodation at the Pousada dos Lobos. Optional sauna and dinner.

Day 2 - Hiking for 6 hours roundtrip, to the famous Agulhas Negras (Black Needles) Peak at 2787m, the highest in the state.. Return to the pousada for dinner.

Day 3 - Hiking up for 4 hours roundtrip, up to Prateleiras (Shelves) Peak at 2450m. Stop at Penedo for a late lunch. Drive to Rio, arriving around 9pm

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2010 Price per person double or triple – US$626 with 2-3 people or US$565 with 4-6 people
Difficulty level: Hard
Minimum group size: 2 people
Included: 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and 2 dinners.
Not included: lunches and drinks.
Recommendations: Bring light daywear, warm evening wear, sunhat, sunscreen, hiking shoes, raincoat, swimming suit and snacks.