Brazil Eco Adventure Tours
Rainforest - Hiking & Biking - Wildlife

Long time before gold was found in this part of Minas Gerais todays São Joao del Rey which is located at the foot of “Serra do Lenheiro” was an important base and royal pay station on one of the main trading routes between the interior of the country and the coast.

In it’s neighbourhood one of the decisive battles of the Emboaba war (1708 – 1709) between gold diggers coming from the State of São Paulo (paulistanos) and abroad (forasteiros) took place. The number of casualties in this battle was so high that the river between São Joao del Rey and Tirandentes was renamed to “Rio de los mortos” (River of the dead).

See also: Paraty - Ouro Preto