Brazil Tours

Adventure Tours / Brazil - The Tijuca National Park is an integral protection conservation unit of the Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Together with Serra da Cantareira in São Paulo it is considered the world's largest urban forest (see map).

Due to intensive deforestation, erosion and rainfall decrease, caused by the cultivation of sugar cane and coffee, from the 17th to the 19th century, Rio de Janeiro's water supply dried up to such extent, that King Don Pedro II, in 1861, decided to reforest Tijuca. Within 10 years, engineer M. G. Archer and 6 slaves replanted more than 40.000 native species.

The Tijuca National Park is today operating like a natural air condition for Rio de Janeiro reducing the city’s medium temperature by approximately 9 degrees. Tijuca's main ecotourism attractions comprise guided tours to the Corcovado / Christ statue, hiking trails to Pico da Tijcua, Pedra da Gávea and Pedra Bonita, more than 30 waterfalls and over 330 plant- and up to 100 animal species.

See also: Tour São Paulo - Rio de Janeiro / Visconde de Mauá - Ilha Grande / Photos