Courting the Light

MATA ATLÂNTICA BIKE ROUTE

The Mata Atlântica Bike Route stretches nearly 5,000 kilometers from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, tracing mostly unpaved roads and paths through eight Brazilian states. It follows the Chapada Diamantina, the coast of Bahia, the interior of Espírito Santo and the Serra do Mar mountains. In doing so, it connects protected remnants of the Atlantic Forest—one of the world’s most biodiverse regions—while passing through landscapes of tropical forests, canyons, plateaus, and beaches. Along the way, riders encounter traditional communities, historic towns, and a mosaic of cultures, with opportunities to spot iconic wildlife and experience the region’s incredible natural beauty.

DISTANCE

4,941 km

DAYS

% UNPAVED

84%

% SINGLETRACK

DIFFICULTY (1-10)

5 to 9 (depending on the segment)

% RIDEABLE (TIME)

97%

TOTAL ASCENT

81,532 m

HIGH POINT

1,739 m

SEGMENTS

The Mata Atlântica Bike Route contains seven segments, each with a unique character. They can be ridden sequentially or independently. For convenience, they start and end near large cities or in towns accessible by bike-friendly public transport. Inside the segments, there are multiple points reachable by bus, which makes it possible to subdivide the route further. .

N1 CHAPADA

This segment traverses the rugged landscape of Brazil’s Chapada Diamantina National Park, home to flat-topped mountains and historic mining towns, and then turns toward the coast through the Caatinga, a unique semi-arid biome that is rich in biodiversity despite its sometimes strikingly desolate appearance. This offers two riding experiences: adventurous trails in the first part, and off-the-beaten-path dirt roads in the second.

N2 COSTA

This segment follows the southern coast of Bahia through idyllic beaches, seaside cliffs, lush national parks, mangrove and a few sandy trails in the restinga forest. There are opportunities to see how people have adapted to this environment: in Indigenous territories, in charming coastal towns, and among cacao plantations. The resulting experience is truly unique, yet remains accessible, thanks to the relatively flat terrain and well-developed touristic infrastructure along the coast.

N3 CAPIXABA

This segment traverses the interior of Espírito Santo, home to Brazil's third-highest peak and a multitude of spectacular rock formations. Seemingly endless coffee plantations cover much of the land, but there are also protected forests where one can stop to appreciate the local biodiversity. This is a classic dirt-touring experience through the rural areas of a state still little known to outsiders.

S1 RIO

Traversing the northeast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, this segment is notable for its impressive monolithic mountains and abundance of small waterfalls with swimming holes. It is the shortest and by far the most physically and technically difficult. This results in a tough but rewarding adventure that includes a fair percentage of singletrack in the Atlantic Forest.

S2 BOCAINA

Connecting the metropolises of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, this segment traverses the remote mountains of the Serra da Bocaina and the wonderful beaches of the Costa Verde, as well as the historic town of Paraty. It is the most diverse in terms of riding surfaces and landscapes. This makes it a quintessential Brazilian experience, linking the country's two biggest cities.

S3 LAGAMAR

Connecting São Paulo and the southern state of Santa Catarina, this segment traverses large areas of protected forest, a few historic port cities and one of the most well-preserved stretches of coastline in the region. Being the flattest and easiest segment, it is a more mellow adventure, which includes beach riding and boat crossings.

S4 SUL

Traversing the highlands of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, this segment crosses farmlands and forested mountains in the north, and canyons and grasslands with Araucaria groves in the south. The weather is notably different, being colder and having a distinct precipitation pattern. This is an opportunity to discover a unique side of Brazil, possibly outside of the winter season recommended for the other segments.

FAQ

What is the Mata Atlântica Bike Route?

It takes inspiration from the Caminho da Mata Atlântica (CMA) long-distance trail. While the CMA was imagined mainly as a hiking trail, it follows long sections of bikeable dirt roads and trails that serve as the backbone of the four southern segments of the bike route. The three northern segments extend beyond the CMA, but they were inspired by the same spirit.

The bike route and the CMA share the same priority: connecting areas of great natural beauty and preserved wilderness. There are many legal campsites and affordable lodging along the way. Resupply is possible in multiple towns, which are often charming and historically significant. The riding is physically challenging but always rewarding.

However, the southern segments differ from the CMA for three reasons. To avoid pavement as much as possible, they bypass some of the roads and urban areas of the CMA. To be accessible for people with limited time, they are straighter and thus shorter than the corresponding sections of CMA, which meanders quite a bit. Finally, parts of the CMA inaccessible for cyclists had to be replaced by fun alternatives, sometimes following preexisting touring routes.

See this link for a short history of the route.

What types of roads and trails are on the Mata Atlântica Bike Route?

The route contains a wide variety of surfaces, the most common being unpaved rural roads, which range from smooth and fast to rough and challenging. Some can be muddy even in the dry season. Elevation gain, outside of N2 and S3, is high, so the roads are often steep. There is only a small amount of singletrack, except for N1 and S1, which are more singletrack-heavy and technical than the rest. N2 is unique, as it contains a lot of beach riding, which can be bypassed if desired. Pavement is kept to a minimum, but some is unavoidable. The end of S1, linking Teresópolis with the start of S2, contains quite a bit of pavement. It can be skipped entirely if riding only individual segments. The coastal portion of S2 follows some incredibly scenic stretches of pavement, which could be replaced by an inland unpaved alternative if desired.

How long does it take to complete?

The time to complete such a long route will vary depending on multiple factors, but the most important is personal preferences. The route was designed to be fun as a cycling experience by itself, but also to connect attractions that are interesting off the bike, including among others: beaches, waterfalls, swimming holes, hiking trails, historic towns and wildlife watching spots. To complete the full route with time to enjoy some of these and an occasional day off, 90 days is recommended. Someone focused on speed might complete it considerably faster. Conversely, one could take longer and not get bored. If traveling slower than expected, there is almost always a nearby town with bus service to end the trip or jump ahead.

What is the optimal bike?

Because the roads are sometimes steep and rough, the best bike for the full route is a rigid mountain bike or all-terrain bike with 2.2 to 2.6″ tires, low gearing and a lightweight setup. Suspension is not needed, but a lot of Brazilians use hardtail mountain bikes for touring. N3, S2, S3 and S4 mainly follow unpaved roads and can in large part be done on touring and gravel bikes. With such bikes, it is still recommended to have low gearing and fit the widest tires possible. These segments have a few slightly technical sections, but they are generally short, outside of the Serra da Bocaina region of S2, which contains longer bouts of steep, rough, muddy and sandy roads, more appropriate for mountain bikes. N2 has a lot of beach riding and sandy roads, where wide tires are appreciated. N1 and S1 are much more singletrack-heavy than the others, and thus not recommended for touring and gravel bikes.

What is the best time to go?

For N1, N3, S1, S2 and S3, the best time to go is from May to September. 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 roads and trails muddy. For N2 on the coast of Bahia, precipitation varies little during the year, but May to September still offers more comfortable temperatures. S4 can be done at any time because the weather in the highlands of the far south is quite different. 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 during any month. Due to the region’s latitude, winter temperatures at high altitude occasionally drop below freezing, and it can even snow. Conversely, low-lying valleys can get very hot and humid in the summer.