Epic Rides in Brazil
Amazon River
Because I toured this region during the rainy season, this trip had to be done via a boat. The boat ride starts with in Belem and slowly travels river via Santarem, Manaus and then down to Porto Velho towards the Peru Border.
Top Sites in Brazil
Chapada Diamantina National Park
The heart of Bahia is occupied by the huge Chapada Diamantina. Approximately 400 km from Salvador, the Chapada displays a scene of towering rock formations and vast plains covered with typical vegetation from the Cerrado biome. The region was once occupied by treasure hunters. Hence the name, in reference to the exploration of diamonds in the region.
In the Park, one of the main attractions is the Morro do Pai Inácio, with a panoramic view of the entire Chapada.
Lençóis is the prettiest of the old diamond-mining towns in the Chapada Diamantina, a mountainous wooded oasis in the dusty sertão (backlands of the Northeast). While the town itself has charming cobbled streets, brightly painted 19th-century buildings, and appealing outdoor cafes and restaurants, the surrounding areas are the real attractions. Caves, waterfalls, idyllic rivers and panoramic plateaus set the stage for some fantastic adventures. (link)
Poço Azul is a cavern where you can swim in the clearest water imaginable.
Top Sites in Brazil
Salvador
Salvador is the capital of Bahia State, a place well known for its natural beauties, for the kindness of its people and for the strong influence of the African culture.
The moves of capoeira – a martial art that looks like a dance – the smells and flavors of the delicacies, the religious mix and the cultural diversity are samples of the happiness of a people that knows, maybe for it is surrounded by natural beauties, the true meaning of life. The city is also the location of one of the country’s most vibrant and disputed carnival parties. (link)
Epic Rides in Brazil
A Ride through Minas Gerais
This Epic Ride starts with the Costa Verde (Green Coast) behind us as we venture into the mountains and mining towns of Minas Gerais.
This ride doesn’t have a planned route. Minas Gerais is scattered with many worthy natural sites and colonial towns. Some of the highlights are below.
Situated in Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgãos, these twin towns are a great base for exploring the park and dramatic mountains, including the iconic Dedo de Deus (God’s Finger) and Agulha do Diabo (Devil’s Needle).
Located at the foot of the Serra de São José, the city was just a mining camp in the early 18th century. In 1718, it became Vila São José, in honor of the then Portuguese Prince D. José I.
With the proclamation of the Republic, the city was renamed Tiradentes, name of the martyr of the Inconfidência Mineira (an attempt at emancipation from Minas Gerais in 1789), born nearby and who died fighting against the monarchy.
When gold became scarce in the region, the city was forgotten and fell into dispair, it was rediscovered in late 1970. Exceptionally preserved thanks to the decades of long isolation, the Baroque architectural ensemble of Tiradentes gathers jewels like the charming fountain of the São José Fountain, built in 1749 to supply the city with drinking water and which runs until today.
Also standing out in the city is the majestic Church of San Antonio, second in amount of gold in Brasil, with its front built by the artist Antonio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho, and an organ brought from Portugal, in 1788.
Largo das Forras, the central city square, houses the City Hall and numerous handicraft shops, restaurants and inns. It was here, in 1888, that slaves gathered to celebrate the end of slavery.
Located in a valley and framed by majestic mountains, Congonhas do Campo, 70 kilometers from Belo Horizonte, bewitches its visitors with the beauty of its rich Baroque heritage.
The earliest records of human occupation dating back to the late 17th century, when the entire region was in a fever of adventurers in search of gold. A large part of the flag of Bartolomeu Bueno populated Vila Real de Queluz (Conselheiro Lafaiete) in 1700, but other members of the expedition followed the trip further and founded other villages such as the Arraial de Congonhas on the banks of the Congonhas River.
The name of the village comes from the plant “congõi” that cover the region’s fields and in tupi means “what supports, what feeds”. It is said that there was much gold in Congonhas that the rocks were the size of potatoes.
So much wealth attracted to the city the great Antonio Francisco Lisboa, Aleijadinho, one of the main artists of Brasil. The passing of Aleijadinho through Congonhas gave Minas Gerais and Brasil one of the most spectacular Baroque treasures: the Basílica Santuário do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos.
The architectural and artistic set of the Basilica is simply breathtaking. This masterpiece of Aleijadinho stands out by its rich carvings and indoor decoration, of 12 large soap stone statues of the Prophets and the six Capelas dos Passos distributed on a hill outside of the temple.
In the chapels, that recreate in a theatrical and educational way the passion of Christ, there are 66 realistic statues carved in cedar and colored masterfully by Mestre Ataíde, a great Brazilian painter and decorator of sacred art.
The sanctuary was declared a world heritage site by Unesco in 1985 and made Congonhas known today as “City of Prophets”.
The city of Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais, is well known for its colonial architecture. It was the first Brazilian city to be considered a world heritage site by Unesco in 1980, and is home to a magnificent Baroque architectural ensemble, one of the best preserved in the world.
The history of the city begins at the end of the 17th century, when an anonymous adventurer encountered curious dark stones (dark gold with a layer of palladium) and initiated one of the biggest gold races of humanity.
The territory that today make up Minas Gerais began to be occupied quickly and various camps sprang up. In 1652, they were grouped under the name of Vila Rica – today, Ouro Preto.
Tons of gold were sent to Portugal in the 18th century, and what remained in the region produced Baroque wonders that enchant those who visit the city.
In the historic centre, alleys and streets you will find rich fountains, townhouses, chapels and churches of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The name of the Caraça (big face) mountains and nature reserve derives from the colonisers’ perception that the range’s profile resembled a human face. A chapel was built here around 1774, dedicated to Our Lady the Mother of Men, as well as a house to shelter missionaries, on the initiative of a certain Brother Lourenço from the Lamego bishopric. Some historians hold that he was really José Policarpo de Azevedo, one of the figures involved in the attempt to assassinate King José I (1768), who had taken refuge in Brazil to escape capital punishment. The original features of the house and chapel are known from an old drawing apparently used as a model for the Seminary of Mariana. When he died in 1819, the founder left all his property to the prince regent, requesting that a teaching institution be established at the site. The resulting college was founded in 1820 by two Lazarist priests designated by King João VI. In 1883, a building in the neo-Gothic style replaced the original chapel; elements from the latter are nevertheless still identifiable, such as the floor flagstones and some religious images, as well as the altars painted and gilded by master Ataíde, who also painted the canvases embellishing the church, among them the famous depiction of the Last Supper. One of the college’s wings was destroyed by a fire in 1968, which also affected the library. In the 1980s, the complex was subject to a thorough and ambitious restoration. (link)
One of the highlights of this place happens under the night sky on the steps of the neo-Gothic monastery. If you’re lucky, you may witness the beauty of the maned wolf up close and personal. These are rare creatures to see in the wild, making for a surreal and unforgettable experience.
The unique relationship between the residents of the Santuário do Caraça monastery and the area’s native maned wolves began in the early 1980s. Monks started to notice that an apparently large and strong animal was habitually raiding the church’s trashcans by tipping them over and dragging out the contents for clandestine midnight feasts. (link)
While not located in Minas Gerais, instead located in Espírito Santo state. The ‘Blue Rock’ is a granite rock formation reaching a height of 1,822 metres (5,978 ft). Temperatures range from about 7.3 to 27.8 °C (45.1 to 82.0 °F). It is rated the 3rd best climate in the world (from the UN). Altitude ranges from 1,250 metres (4,100 ft) at the visitor center to 1,909 metres (6,263 ft) at the peak of Pedra das Flores, the highest point. The park covers parts of the municipalities of Domingos Martins and Vargem Alta. These towns are built by Pomeranian immigrants, who came from a region that is now part of Germany and Poland. This population often finds itself in difficult-to-access areas, and many still speak East Pomeranian, though today it is thought to be extinct in their homeland. Domingos Martins still has many characteristically Germanic architecture and cuisine.
Top Sites Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
…and the rumours are true, the powers of Rio will seduce even the most cynical of travelers with its charms. For starters, Mother Nature halts the march of the city at every turn, from the rainforest that creeps up its rolling hills to the huge lagoa (lagoon) surrounded by the continent’s most expensive real estate and, of course, the most beguiling stretches of urban beach on the planet – Ipanema, Copacabana, Arpoador and Leblon.
Whether it is the statue of Christ perched atop Corcovado mountain or the Sugarloaf cable car, the hoards kite-surfing off Barra beach or dancing to samba on the smooth slopes of Pedra do Sal rock, this is a city and landscape turned playground, where life isn’t taken too seriously and the twists and turns of the daily political and economic soap opera has ingrained a rueful cheeriness and creativity in its people.
Epic Rides in Brazil
BR101
Santos to Rio de Janeiro
This Epic Ride snakes along the jagged coast south of Rio de Janeiro. The road goes through the most pristine stretch of Atlantic Forest of Brazil.
The road starts just outside the main town, Santos. Once you head towards Rio, you’ll be on BR-101.
KMZ File Download of Route | Epic Rides in Brazil – BR101
As of 2017, mostly glorious windy asphalt.
Anytime. It’s sunny Brazil 🙂
The BR-101 runs along the jagged coast line of Brazil. This area is called Brazil’s Costa Verde. Characterized by the Serra do Mar escarpment reaching Atlantic Ocean. This creates a mountainous landscape very near the coast. It is considered the greatest extension of Atlantic Forest biome reaching the ocean anywhere in the world
Paraty is a charming little town that was once a thriving gold port. With its Portuguese colonial architecture, Paraty is known for the cobblestone-paved streets. No cars or trucks are allowed in this part of town, only foot traffic or bicycles.
Paraty has been able to maintain many of its historic buildings. Much of the architecture of the city has not changed for 250 years or more.
The Estrada Real winds from the coast town of Paraty to the breathtaking sceneries of mountainous regions around Cunha. You still can see parts of the old mule pathways used to transport Gold and other heavy loads in caravans down to the harbour city.
Pedra da Macela (1840m) is one of the highest peaks on Serra da Bocaina. This mountain is localized near of the border of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States and can be reached by a 2km steep walk.
It is a bit of a ride off the main road (BR-101), but it worth it for the stunning views.
Where this ride ends….. and the rumours are true, the powers of Rio will seduce even the most cynical of travelers with its charms. For starters, Mother Nature halts the march of the city at every turn, from the rainforest that creeps up its rolling hills to the huge lagoa (lagoon) surrounded by the continent’s most expensive real estate and, of course, the most beguiling stretches of urban beach on the planet – Ipanema, Copacabana, Arpoador and Leblon.
Whether it is the statue of Christ perched atop Corcovado mountain or the Sugarloaf cable car, the hoards kite-surfing off Barra beach or dancing to samba on the smooth slopes of Pedra do Sal rock, this is a city and landscape turned playground, where life isn’t taken too seriously and the twists and turns of the daily political and economic soap opera has ingrained a rueful cheeriness and creativity in its people.
Top Sites Brazil
Devils Cave
(Caverna do Diabo)
Caverna do Diabo (Devil’s Cave) is a cave located within the Jacupiranga State Park, in the municipality of Eldorado Paulista, Iporanga, 280 km from São Paulo, Brazil. It is the second longest cave in the state of São Paulo.
Of the 6.237 meters of the cave whose entrance measures approximately 40 meters high, 3.200 meters have already been surveyed, of which only 700 meters are free for tourists. It measures 152 deep from one side of the cave to the other. All this area has a sound system and lighting, walkways, stairs and handrails for safety measures.
Once discovered the cave was then named Caverna da Tapagem, meaning “mysterious place”. Some legends were responsible for the appearance of the most popular pseudonym Devil’s Cave around 1964, for the Indians who inhabited the vicinity of the cave believed that if they were hit by drops of water from the ceiling, they would be then transformed into stone. To them, the strange geological formations which called their attention were in fact people and other animals that had been petrified by the constant dripping in the cave. Those who later inhabited the site, also believed that the noises heard at the entrance of the cave were groans of lost souls who had been punished by the devil.
Epic Rides in Brazil
Estrada da Graciosa
(PR-410)
This Epic Ride is in the Brazilian state of Paraná. The road was an old tropeiros (Drovers) route towards the state coast to the cities further inland. The road goes through the most pristine stretch of Atlantic Forest of Brazil , marked by the tropical forest and the beautiful streams that are born in the Serra do Mar . It was declared by UNESCO as an Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve in 1993.
The road starts just outside the main town, Curitiba. Once you turn off the main road, you’ll see the Portal de Estrada da Graciosa (Graciosa Road Portal). The road name is PR-410
KMZ File Download of Route | Epic Rides in Brazil – Estrada da Graciosa (GPX/KML)
As of 2017, mostly asphalt. Some sections are old cobble-brick.
Anytime. It’s sunny Brazil 🙂
If you avoid the weekends, you’ll mostly have the road to yourself. The road isn’t very long but there are alot of little restaurants and viewpoints to easily take up half a day.
With mountains and forests this dense there are a lot of waterfalls to explore. All the waterfalls around here were amazingly peaceful. You’ll have the place to yourself.
Maybe not an ‘Epic’ ride, but its a quick ride of the main road, it has alot of history, great views and isn’t very busy traffic wise.
Top Sites Argentina | Brazil
Iguazú Falls
Iguazú Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Together, they make up the largest waterfall system in the world……. and they are truly breathtaking. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River rises near the city of Curitiba and even though most of its course flows through Brazil, most of the falls are on the Argentine side.
The falls form the boundary / border area between Argentina and Brazil. Access to the falls is possible from both countries and it is definitely worth visiting from both sides as the prospective from each country is totally different and unique. Also the border crossing located near the falls between these two countries is less restrictive becuase of the sheer number of tourists visiting both sides of this amazing place.
The Argentinean side boasts more structured walkways than the Brazil side. You walk along the top of the falls instead of having a front view of the water ‘wall’. The changes through when you get to Devils throat, the prime attraction on the Argentinian side. Here you will see a panoramic view of section further up the river than the Brazilian side. This view point is Mirador Garganta del Diablo.
This side is much easier to access, is better organised and has better landscape views of the ginormous falls.
Top Sites Brazil
Itaimbezinho Canyon
(Between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states)
The Itaimbezinho is a canyon between state of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, Brazil, about 170 km from Porto Alegre. It is part of the Aparados da Serra National Park.
With stunning, breathtaking scenery the area is full of complex canyons, valleys and forests. 800m high vertical walls are surrounded by lush green tropical & subtropical forests. The park is well signed with heaps of trekking routes and viewpoints.
Epic Rides in Brazil Florianópolis
Santa Catarina
This Epic Ride takes place on the island of Santa Catarina in the Brazilian state with the same name. The island is about 54km long and is connected to the mainland via a few massive bridges.
Florianópolis city sits on the mainland side of the island which makes for a great mix of island and city life.
Santa Catarina island is located in the South of Brazil.
As of 2017, mostly asphalt. Some sand roads along the beach. Traffic congestion is heavy in the summer months.
Anytime. It’s sunny Brazil 🙂
Logoinha do leste beach is located in the south area of Florianopolis Island.
You can’t ride to the beach as it can only be reached by a hiking trail that starts here or a boat from Pântano do Sul beach.
Because of the remoteness of the beach, it is super chilled. Make sure you bring a tent and enough food as you’ll want to stay for a while.
You won’t be far from some amazing beaches. With a moto you can ride on the beach in the north of the island here.
Maybe not an ‘Epic’ ride, but the island is super chilled and is a relief from riding on the hot mainland.
Top Sites Brazil
Bonito
Portuguese for “beautiful”, bonito is a gem hidden far from any major city and in Amazon basin. This place boasts some of the world ‘best’ eco-tourism in South America. When entering this small and relaxed town, it is not exactly clear what amazing natural sites exist all around this unassuming area.
Between the months of September and February the waters of Gruta do Lago Azul take on an intense blue color. The site is protected and only open to scientists. Fossil bones have been found of large mammals that inhabited the region for more than 12,000 years. Including giant sloths, armadillos and sabre-toothed tigers.
Snorkeling in crystal clear waters! The tour down Rio da Prata follows strict sustainability guidelines, meaning the tour groups are small. Gently float down the river whilst enjoying the many fish below and the colorful birds and monkeys in the tree above.
Lagoa Misteriosa, which translates as “Mysterious Lagoon”, is a lake at the bottom of a sinkhole, a type of geological formation common in limestone regions. This lake of transparent waters impresses visitors for its incredible depth. It is considered one of the deepest submerged caves in Brazil, with more than 220 meters of water column (maximum depth reached by professional cave diver Gilberto Menezes de Oliveira, in 1998), which explains why is called mysterious. Lagoa Misteriosa is a phreatic cave, that is, was formed by the flow of underground water that dissolved the limestone in its passage. These types of caves usually are flooded and do not have fragile mineral deposits, such as speleothems. The first dive at Lagoa Misteriosa was done in September 1992 by Augusto Auler, member of a French-Brazilian Expedition that came to Bonito on the same year. In 2008, a team of specialized divers mapped the cave until the depth of 70 meters. The Mysterious Lagoon was the first cave in Brazil to have a “Speleology Management Plan”, a document that comprehends the environmental diagnosis of the area and the guidelines for its conservation, approved by CECAV – the National Center for Research and Conservation of Caves in 2010.
Dive Sites in Brazil
Mysterious Lake (Lagoa Misteriosa)
Lagoa Misteriosa, which translates as “Mysterious Lagoon”, is a lake at the bottom of a sinkhole, a type of geological formation common in limestone regions. This lake of transparent waters impresses visitors for its incredible depth. It is considered one of the deepest submerged caves in Brazil, with more than 220 meters of water column (maximum depth reached by professional cave diver Gilberto Menezes de Oliveira, in 1998), which explains why is called mysterious. Lagoa Misteriosa is a phreatic cave, that is, was formed by the flow of underground water that dissolved the limestone in its passage. These types of caves usually are flooded and do not have fragile mineral deposits, such as speleothems. The first dive at Lagoa Misteriosa was done in September 1992 by Augusto Auler, member of a French-Brazilian Expedition that came to Bonito on the same year. In 2008, a team of specialized divers mapped the cave until the depth of 70 meters. The Mysterious Lagoon was the first cave in Brazil to have a “Speleology Management Plan”, a document that comprehends the environmental diagnosis of the area and the guidelines for its conservation, approved by CECAV – the National Center for Research and Conservation of Caves in 2010.
Lagoa Misteriosa is located near the tourist town of Bonito.
It’s deep!. You can easily dive your certified limits here.
Check out the official site for more details
Epic Rides in Brazil
Transpantaneira
This Epic Ride is all dirt road and goes nowhere… well not exactly, the road is a link between the city of Poconé and the place of Porto Jofre. It’s 147 km long and crosses no less than 122 wooden bridges.
It was suppose to cut through the pantanal, but it was stopped half way because of either constant flooding or environmental reasons.
KMZ File Download of Route | Epic Rides in Brazil – Transpantaneira
As of 2017, loose hard packed dirt.
Anytime outside the Wet season
While it looks like the beginning of the Transpantaeria, this gate is actually a few kms into the 147km long dusty road. Most likely this is gate is used to close the road when it floods.
The Entrance gate is a great place to stop, get a photo and recharge before the long challenge ahead.
Whilst travelling along the transpantaneira, look over one of the many bridges your sure to find a number of caimans kicking back in the sun.
These guys are now protected and there are apparently over 10 million in the pantanal. crazy.
The transpantaneira boosts a lot of records. It has the most bridges for its length in the world. It is a dead end, so it has limited traffic. It goes through the biggest wetlands in the world.
It’s not prefect though, you will only be able to ride it in outside of the wet season… and in summer is it crazy hot.