Brazil Tours

Rainforest Tours / Brazil - The Superagüi National Park is an integral protection conservation unit of the Atlantic Rainforest South-East Reserves World Heritage Site and Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve in the state of Paraná. It is part of the southern Lagamar Complex, with most tours starting from Guaraqueçaba (see map).

The park comprises the islands of Superagüi, das Peças, Pinheiro, Pinheirinho and a part of the continent called Vale do Rio dos Patos. Superagüi, which in tupi-guaraní means "Queen of fish", is covered by dense tropical rainforest and contains a lot of endemic species such as the red-tailed amazon and the black-faced lion tamarin.

There are also many prehistoric sambaquis, testimony of an early Brazilian civilization. From the second half of the last century on, particularly South Brazil was frequented by European immigrants. In 1852, the Suisse consul in Rio de Janeiro, Perret Gentil, established one of the first European colonies at the island of Superagüi, with initially 15 families. Among them was the Suisse professor and painter William Michaud who produced various paintings and aquarelles demonstrating a deep knowledge of the surrounding nature and its ecosystems. Due to difficult climatic conditions and its isolated position the colony stopped to grow end of the last century. Nowadays, some ruins in the middle of the rainforest such as the European names and faces of some inhabitants still remember of these times.

Superagui, in reality is an "artificial" island because it is separated from the continent by the so-called "Varadouro" channel. The construction of this channel was finished in 1959 connecting the Paranaguá bay in the south with the Trapandé bay in the north, close to Cananéia. Before the opening of the channel, there were many adventurers searching for gold in the area. In order to transport the gold (ouro) to Cananéia they had to push (varar) their canoes long distances over land. In memory of these difficult times, the channel was named "Varadouro".

There are still some Tupi - Guarani Indians living within the limits of the Superagüi National Park causing a constant dispute between the park authority IBAMA and the Indians Association FUNAI. There are two conflicting laws causing that dispute. One law generally forbids hunting in protected areas whereas the other law legalizes hunting to the Indians. Apparently, there have been cases where professional animal trafficants were misusing this right conceded to the Indians.

See also: São Paulo - Curitiba (Guided Tour or Maps) / Photos / Book