BRAZIL BIKEPACKING GUIDE

Brazil has stunning landscapes and incredible biodiversity. The country also boasts a fascinating history and culture. Strangely, it is not a popular bike touring destination. Traveling by bike in Brazil surely has its challenges, but it is a highly rewarding adventure. I was driven to write this guide by the relative lack of information in English online regarding the subject.

Bikepacking is a trendy and controversial word. People argue about its definition. It has been widely used as a marketing tool to convince people to buy more stuff. However, I still think it has its use. I use it to describe a type of self-supported bike touring focused on nature, unpaved surfaces and camping.

A lot of the information here is redundant with the guides written for the Mata Atlântica Bike Route segments, which were meant to work as standalone guides. I wrote this general guide for people who are interested in the idea of biking in Brazil regardless of the route.

Brazil is a huge and highly diverse country. My bike experience there is limited to the South and Southeast regions, but I also traveled across the Northeast without a bike. Some of the tips here might not apply to every region, but most should be broadly applicable.

WHEN TO GO

SOUTHEAST (Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo)

May to August is the best time to go (April and September are less optimal but can also work). This is the winter and dry season, meaning mild temperatures and low precipitation. The rest of the year, it can get uncomfortably hot, and heavy rain can make dirt roads and trails muddy or even impassable. Touring is still possible, but likely more challenging, especially on remote roads and singletrack.

SOUTH (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina)

Any month can work. While winter is still the season with the least rain, precipitation is more equally spread throughout the year, and the difference with summer is smaller. Consecutive days of heavy rain or sun are possible at any time. Due to the region's latitude, winter temperatures at high altitude occasionally drop below freezing and, rarely, it can snow. If ready for possible cold weather, riding in the winter is possible, but some might prefer the warmer months

ELSEWHERE

Closer to the equator, there is less temperature variation between months. The dry season occurs a bit later in the year and is slightly hotter than the rainy season.

LOGISTICS

Buses between cities in Brazil are usually bike-friendly. Most companies will accept bikes, boxed or not, as long as there is room in the luggage compartment. Some charge a fee, while others do not.
Bus stations in large cities, like Rio and São Paulo, can be reached by private transport. Safety-wise, it is probably the best way, as their surroundings can be dodgy. Options include taxi, shuttle or ridesharing app. For example, UberXL cars will usually fit a boxed bike.
Entering large cities can be daunting. One way to avoid cycling through their car-centric sprawl is to take an intercity bus from a nearby smaller city, which lets you arrive close to downtown.
Car and boat rides can usually be easily arranged in an impromptu manner if needed.
Protected areas, such as national parks and state parks, can be confusing. Information about them can be hard to find, and there is usually none in English. They often do not have a visitor center. They have widely different regulations. Some are free to access, but sometimes require a reservation. For others, an entrance fee has to be paid, generally online. The administration of some parks has even been privatized. Occasionally, inside one park, different sectors will have very different rules.

MAPS

OpenStreetMap data is usually the most detailed and accurate. Most cycling GPS apps use it. It distinguishes unpaved roads from paved ones, which is extremely useful for route planning. But there are occasional mistakes (such as overgrown trails mislabeled as roads) and omissions (for example, private gated roads not labeled as such).
Google Maps is more detailed in a few regions. It is also useful to find campgrounds and other businesses.
Satellite maps can be useful, but make sure they are up-to-date. They can help identify collapsed bridges, which is not rare and might force a detour. They also help when cycling on beaches to locate sea inlets and the mouths of rivers.

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

Mosquitoes and ticks can transmit diseases. They tend to be small, so it is easy not to notice them even as they bite you. Bring a long-sleeve shirt and full pants. Bug pressure varies. It can be mild at high altitude or with dry weather, but intense in humid lowlands.
Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for most of the country. Tourists have died from the disease in the past.
Snakes can be easy to miss in overgrown trails. Be careful where you step. Some species are venomous. Know what to do in case of snake bite.
Free-ranging dogs are common in rural areas. They bark a lot and sometimes give chase when they see a cyclist. Do not try to outspeed them if it is risky. It is sometimes safer to dismount and put the bike between you and them. Be assertive and pretend to throw something at them, and they will usually let you go. Larger guard dogs are usually leashed or behind a fence.
Cattle can sometimes block the path. Give them space and do not startle them.
Livestock gates are common in some regions. Be careful when opening them as they are often secured with a loop of barbed wire. If found closed, make sure to close them back behind you. It is sometimes unclear whether the roads themselves are private. In doubt, ask around.
Car drivers often expect to see all kinds of things on rural roads (pedestrians, cyclists, horses, etc.), but as anywhere else, some are careless. Make sure to be visible and cautious. In densely populated regions such as the Southeast, it is worth taking the time to plan your itinerary carefully. The main roads out of cities and between them often have intense traffic. Identifying and prioritizing remote unpaved roads is a good way to minimize interactions with cars. The infrastructure in large cities is car-centric, and traffic can be dangerous for cyclists.
Crime is an issue in most large Brazilian cities, but rural areas are usually safer. The main risk for tourists in urban areas is theft and mugging. The best way to minimize the risk is to avoid cycling there. However, it is hard to completely avoid cities, especially when starting or ending a trip. One way to avoid biking through large cities is to take an intercity bus or private transport to get in and out. Midsized cities are more manageable by bike. Still, it is worth planning your route so it is direct and avoids risky neighborhoods. When in a city, keep an eye on your belongings and heed local advice.

BIKE

A rigid mountain bike or all-terrain bike is the best bike for Brazil in my opinion. This is a matter of personal preference, but I think this type of bike encourages exploration closer to nature.
A steel or aluminum frame is recommended, something sturdy and affordable you don't mind throwing in a boat or the back of a pickup truck.
Wide tires between 2.2 and 2.6" are recommended for dirt road riding with the occasional singletrack. Smaller tires can work if you avoid the more challenging mountain roads.
Suspension is generally not needed, but a lot of Brazilians tour on hardtail mountains bikes.
Low gearing, think lower than 19 gear inches, is recommended for mountain roads and trails.
Bike components should be chosen for their durability and ease of repair.
Bike shops are present even in some small cities, but their inventory might be limited. Shops in big cities sell modern components, but prices can be high. Shimano is much more common than SRAM.
A lightweight setup is recommended. This does not require a particularly light bike but rather a minimalist packing list. There is no reason to carry much, the weather is usually benign and resupply options are plentiful (outside of some remote regions).

TRAVEL BASICS

LANGUAGE

Portuguese, in its Brazilian variety (and multiple accents), is almost the only language you will encounter. Learning the basics will prove very useful.
For Spanish speakers, it is quite easy to learn a lot of Portuguese quickly, considering the similarities. The same goes for other Romance language speakers to a lesser extent. Be careful about trying to speak Spanish to Brazilians. While they can often understand some simple spoken Spanish, it can be laborious and inefficient. There are a few common words that are radically different, and there are some key pronunciation differences. Putting in the work to learn them is highly valuable.
English speakers are virtually nonexistent except in tourist hubs and large cities.

MONEY

The Brazilian real (plural reais, sign $R, code BRL) is the official currency.
ATMs to withdraw money are found in cities, but they often charge exorbitant fees.
Credit cards are very commonly accepted by businesses, including some small rural ones. It is a convenient way to pay for things without carrying large amounts of cash.
Pix, an instant payment platform, was created by the Central Bank of Brazil a few years ago. It became extremely popular, and now a few businesses refuse credit cards (and their high fees). Seamlessly using Pix requires a Brazilian bank account, but workarounds might be possible with apps.
Money transfer apps can be used for payments that can wait, for example lodging. Owners will often accept to give you the necessary banking information for the transfer. One such app used by some businesses is Wise, but the apps usually work even if the receiver is not registered.

CELL PHONE

Mobile phone service is dominated by three providers (Claro, Vivo and Tim).
Network coverage varies according to the region. Most towns are now covered, but the signal generally disappears almost as soon as you exit them.
SIM cards (physical and digital) from one of the three providers can usually only be obtained by people with a CPF, which is a taxpayer identifying number.
A CPF can be obtained by foreigners through Brazilian embassies and consulates or once in Brazil. This might be worth it for people planning to spend extensive time there.
International eSIM apps are the simplest but more expensive way to get network access.
WhatsApp text messaging is usually the way to reach small businesses.
Instagram is sometimes the only place to find important information about businesses such as campgrounds, as they often lack websites.

CAMPING & LODGING

Campgrounds are common near touristy nature destinations, such as mountains and beaches. Most have all the services you could want (water, bathrooms with hot showers, electricity, wifi, and often cooking areas). Some of them expect advanced reservation through WhatsApp, which can be difficult to organize with the lack of cell phone signal and the unpredictability of bike travel. They usually cost around R$40 per night per person, with some variation based on amenities. Public protected areas often lack formal campgrounds, but nearby private options are sometimes available. Rural pousadas and other businesses sometimes have an adjacent camping area.
A map of campgrounds throughout the country is available on the MaCamp website and app. Using Google Maps and searching for "camping" or "campground" can also work, but it misses some camping spots, especially the ones that that are smaller or less formal. On Google Maps, many sítios are incorrectly represented by the camping icon, but they are actually rural properties for rent.
Wild camping is not common. It is usually forbidden in protected areas. Private land is often clearly delineated by fences. In densely populated regions, stealth camping might be challenging, but it is possible for imaginative people, mainly further away from built-up areas. High pastures and logging areas are possible options.
Asking around for recommendations for a place to sleep can work. Owners of small rural businesses (such as bars and restaurants) are often resourceful and used to dealing with strangers. They might let you camp on their land or sleep in a room, for free or for a fee. Otherwise, they might direct you to a good spot.
Pousadas are small lodging establishments, generally family-run. They are present in almost every town. Room prices vary between R$40 and 200 per night. They usually let you bring your bike into your room. They often include all-you-can-eat breakfast.
Rural lodging completely outside of towns is sometimes available, but it often caters to longer stays of groups with advanced reservation. This makes it more expensive and less convenient, especially for solo cyclists.
Avoiding camping and instead sleeping only indoor is possible on a lot of routes, but it requires more planning and rigidity.

WATER

Water sources are common in the mountains of the South and Southeast.
Water treatment will be required for natural sources. There is a lot of grazing, so the water is not always the most appealing.
Bottled water can easily be bought even in rural areas. There are rural store and bars even along some remote dirt roads.

FOOD

Supermarkets are found in most towns.
Restaurants are common in towns but also near some tourist attractions. Along some dirt roads, there are rural bars, often serving snacks.
Bakeries are lively places offering traditional fare. Their early opening hours are convenient. Typical food includes pão de queijo (cassava flour cheese bread) and brigadeiros (balls of condensed milk, butter and chocolate).
All-you-can-eat and pay-by-weight restaurants are common in cities. They are good for hungry cyclists and give the opportunity to try all kinds of new food.
Fresh fruits and cold açaí na tigela are satisfying snacks for people with a sweet tooth.
Meat is important in Brazilian cuisine, famous for its churrasco. This might be challenging for vegetarians. However, rice and beans is the mainstay of the diet. It tends to be more flavorful than elsewhere in Latin America, but it is sometimes cooked with meat. It tastes even better when sprinkled with farofa, a toasted cassava flour, which unfortunately also often contains meat.