Brazil Eco Adventure Tours
Rainforest - Hiking & Biking - Wildlife

Protected Areas
Serra dos Órgãos National Park

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Serra dos Órgãos National Park is an Integral Protection Conservation Unit of the Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is located 90 km north of the capital and can be accessed from the historic cities of Petrópolis or Teresópolis (see map).

Serra dos Órgãos is the local name given to the section of the Serra do Mar mountain chain which in this region is heading inland, due to the presence of the Guanabara - Graben. The granitic southwestern rockface of Pedra do Sino, with 2.263 m the highest elevation of the national park is considered one of the most difficult climbing routes in Brazil.
 
The spectacular rock formations in the eastern part of Serra dos Órgãos which from the distance look like huge organ pipes of a church, represent the visible granite - gneiss outcrops which are underlain by an enormous (100 km) intrusive body (batholith) that have resisted the erosional forces. Radiometric dating indicates that this pluton must have been created by the slow subterranean solidification (crystallization) of magma melts about 570 million years ago during the consolidation of the Atlantic Shield in the course of the Neoproterozoic Brasiliano - event.

Serra dos Órgãos National Park and surrounding areas provide excellent hiking & trekking opportunities on mostly unmarked rainforest trails. Of particular ecological interest are the so - called campos de altitude a montane grassland ecosystems that occurs above 1.800 m and contains many endemic species (see tours).
 
Legislation: Decrees 1.822/39
                                   90.023/84
 
 
Area: 11.800 ha
 
Altitude: 400 - 2.263 m
 
Climate:  Cwb
 
Websites:  www.unep-wcmc.org
                   www.ibama.gov.br
                   www2.ibama.gov.br
                   www.trilharte.com.br
 
Biome:  Atlantic Rainforest
 
Ecosystems:  Altitude Fields,  Tropical Rainforest
 
Altitudinal Zones:  Submontane / Montane /
                                High Montane
 
Flora:  palmito, pindobinha, samambaiaçu, murici,
            jacatirão, faveira, embaúba
            baguaçu, jequitibá, canela, canela - santa,
            cravina-do-campo.
 
Fauna: mammals: puma, ocelot, howler monkey,
            maned sloth, coatis, otter.
            birds: red-chested parrot, ornate- and
            black hawk eagles.
 
Peaks: Pedra do Sino (2.263 m)
             Dedo de Deus (1.692 m)
             Pedra do Açu (2.216 m)
 
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