• The Desengano State Park's peaks and the singletrack in its lush forest

• Santa Maria Madalena and other charming mountain towns

• Stunning bornhardts, as seen from the dirt road north of Trajano de Moraes, for example

• Arraial do Sana's waterfalls and the thrilling singletrack descent to get there

• Macaé de Cima's quaint charm, its river and its forest trails

• The Cascatinha - São Lourenço traverse, with the tall Pico da Caledônia above and picturesque farmlands below

• The Vale dos Deuses high-altitude campground in the Três Picos State Park

• The Vale dos Frades and its beautiful views of the Três Picos de Friburgo

• Teresópolis, with its viewpoints toward the Serra Órgãos National Park, including the towering granite mountain known as Dedo de Deus (God's Finger), and the city of Rio in the distance

• The Caminho do Ouro, a historic cobblestone path climbing to Petrópolis, the old imperial summer residence

• Cachoeiras, the numerous waterfalls that dot the route, often with natural pools to relax and cool off

• Tropical wildlife, such as multiple toucan and monkey species

WHEN TO GO

• May to September is the best time to go. This is the winter and dry season in the Southeast of Brazil, meaning mild temperatures and low precipitation. The weather is usually pleasant, but the lowlands can still be quite hot, and nighttime temperatures at high altitude can sometimes drop below 5 °C. The rest of the year, it can get uncomfortably hot, and heavy rain can make roads and trails muddy or even impassable. Considering that this segment is already challenging under perfect conditions, it is not recommended during the rainy season. 

LOGISTICS

• Traveling by bus with a bike in Brazil is often possible. Many companies will accept bikes, boxed or not, as long as there is room in the luggage compartment. Still, traveling with only one bike and having it in a box both increase your chances of it being accepted. Some companies charge a fee, while others do not. However, a few do not accept bikes, and it can be hard to find the information online, but this website has a partial list of bus companies and their bike policy. To get to a bus station in large cities like Rio and São Paulo, it is probably safer and simpler to organize private transport to the station via taxi, shuttle or ridesharing app. For example, Uber Bag cars will sometimes fit a boxed bike. Larger taxis are also often available at airports and big bus stations.

• The starting point, São Fidélis, is a town connected by bus with Rio and Campos dos Goytacazes.

• An alternative starting point is Campos dos Goytacazes, which is connected by bus with Rio and São Paulo. There are multiple departures daily. Campos is a midsize city on a main highway. From Campos, the route can be reached by cycling along the Paraíba do Sul River or by taking this scenic and adventurous path, which was part of the first version of the route and from which a few photos come. 

• An alternative ending point is Teresópolis, which shortens the route. It has bus connections with Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. It is a midsize city next to the beautiful Serra dos Órgãos.

• The last section between Teresópolis and Petrópolis is optional. It has some pavement and arduous steep forest singletrack with hike-a-bike. It was chosen to be an adventurous way to link S1 and S2, while staying close to nature. However, this section does skirt the northern edge of the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. The region appears almost rural, but some people might prefer to avoid it. For people only riding S1, it is possible to simply end in Teresópolis. For people also wishing to ride S2, one easy alternative is to follow rural roads north to bypass Teresópolis and then reach Petrópolis, or even bypass both cities. 

• The ending point, Petrópolis, also has bus connections with Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. It is a midsize city with a significant heritage from the imperial period. Única-Facil, the bus company with service between Rio and Petrópolis, does not accept bikes for now, even unboxed. The best way to go between the two cities with a bike is thus by organizing private transport. There is a commuter train with a station south of Petrópolis, but it only accepts bikes at night and on weekends and holidays. It is not recommended for solo bikepackers unfamiliar with the city. Biking through the Zona Norte between downtown Rio and the route is also not recommended. The urban sprawl is endless, the traffic is intense, the cycling infrastructure is poor, and it is potentially dangerous. 

• Other cities reachable by bus on or near the route are: Santa Maria Madalena, Trajano de Moraes, Casimiro de Abreu and Nova Friburgo.

• The route should be ridden as shown, from east (São Fidélis) to west (Petrópolis). It was mapped and scouted this way because ending near the Serra dos Órgãos seemed more climactic, but it does involve more total climbing. Later, a private property on the route stopped allowing cyclists to pass through if heading east from the Vale dos Frades to the Vale dos Deuses. So if riding the route backward, it might be necessary to bypass this section, which is one of the most fun and scenic. It might be possible to obtain a special permission from the Três Picos State Park (inea.petp@gmail.com) so that the landowners, Água Teresópolis, let you in, but it is not guaranteed. If riding as intended from east to west, cyclists can still pass through without issue and don’t need special permission. Policy might change in the future. 

• Protected areas crossed in this segment are free to transit through.

• Maps using OpenStreetMap data are generally the most detailed and accurate. But there are occasional mistakes (such as overgrown trails mislabeled as roads) and omissions (for example, private gated roads not labeled as such). In a few regions, Google Maps is more detailed.

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

• The physical demand of this segment is high. Riders should hydrate well and know their limits.

• Erosion can narrow the singletrack on the flank of mountains and present a risk of fall in a few spots. Keep an eye on the trail and proceed with care.

• Mosquitoes and ticks can transmit diseases. In the dry season, bug pressure is mild. Biting insects tend to be small and it is easy not to notice them even as they bite you. Bring a long-sleeve shirt and full pants. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended as 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.

• Cattle can sometimes block the path. Give them space and do not startle them.

• Livestock gates are common, especially on the northern side of the Desengano State Park. 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.

• Cars are rare on most of the route, but there is some unavoidable pavement, sometimes winding and without shoulder. Brazilian 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.

• 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 route mostly avoids cities, except for a few exceptions. It is quick and easy to get out of Campos dos Goytacazes at the start. The route passes south of Nova Friburgo, but only through the upscale suburb of Cascatinha. If finishing in Teresópolis, it is easy to bike downhill straight to its center coming from the east. However, if heading the opposite way, it might be intimidating for some to have to bike uphill in a Brazilian city they do not know. Teresópolis and Petrópolis are safer than Rio, but the route between the two does skirt the northern edge of the Rio metropolitan area and passes through a tiny favela south of Petrópolis. This section can be omitted or bypassed. If you decide to ride it, stay on the route and make sure to give yourself ample time to finish before night.

BIKE

• A rigid mountain bike or hardtail with 2.2 to 2.6" tires is the best bike to ride this segment because of all the singletrack and rough doubletrack. Very low gearing (18 gear inches or less) is recommended to minimize hike-a-bike on the steepest climbs. While touring bikes and gravel bikes with narrower tires might work for other segments, they are not appropriate for this one.

• A lightweight setup is needed because of all the climbing and hike-a-bike. 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.

TRAVEL BASICS

• See this link.

• Campgrounds are abundant in the second half of the route, between Arraial do Sana and Petrópolis. They usually 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. A more remote and rustic campground that is recommended is the free one high up in the Vale dos Deuses of the Três Picos State Park. It should be reserved online one week in advance. Some campgrounds indicated on the map have a discount for people hiking or cycling the Caminho da Mata Atlântica. 

• Wild camping is not common. It is usually forbidden in protected areas. Private land is often clearly delineated by fences. Stealth camping might be challenging, but it is possible for imaginative people, mainly further away from built-up areas. If looking for a place to sleep, you can ask around for recommendations. 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. Camping next to rural churches might be an option too, but it is polite to ask locals for permission if possible. 

• Pousadas are small lodging establishments, generally family-run. They are present in almost every town, including crucially four in the first half of this segment, where camping options are rarer: São Fidélis, Santa Maria Madalena, Trajano de Moraes and Maria Mendonça. Room prices vary between R$40 and 200 per night, with some in the lower range found in most towns. They usually let you bring your bike into your room. They often include all-you-can-eat breakfast. There are some lodging options in rural areas completely outside of towns, but they often cater to longer stays of groups with advanced reservation. This makes them more expensive and less convenient, especially for solo cyclists. Some pousadas indicated on the map have a discount for people hiking or cycling the Caminho da Mata Atlântica. With some planning, it would be possible to do the whole segment without camping.

• Water sources are common but will need to be treated. There is a lot of grazing, so the water is not always the most appealing.

• Bottled water can be bought from stores daily.

• 2.5 L of carrying capacity  is recommended as a minimum. There are plenty of places to replenish, and you can often get away with carrying less. But it is easy to get dehydrated on the steepest most challenging sections, especially midday with the sun, heat and humidity.

• Supermarkets are found in every town. It is rarely needed to carry more than a day of food.

• Restaurants are common in towns but also near some tourist attractions. Pratos feitos (set meals) are good value. Along some dirt roads, there are rural bars, often serving snacks.

• Bakeries, such as the Casa do Pão in Santa Maria Madalena, are lively places offering traditional fare, such as pão de queijo (cassava flour cheese bread) or a simple pão na chapa (toasted bread with butter). Their early opening hours are convenient when staying in town. They also often serve sandwiches and other types of lunch. Desserts such as brigadeiros (balls of condensed milk, butter and chocolate) will satisfy sugar cravings.

• 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. One such place for breakfast is the affordable Café Colonial Donna Leda in Arraial do Sana. An option for lunch is the popular Cantinho da Tia Lene on the road to Teresópolis.

• Fancier food options include a trout meal from on-site pisciculture at Arco Iris Trutas west of Nova Friburgo.

• Good snacks for people with a sweet tooth include fresh fruits and cold açaí na tigela. More packable options include bananada and paçoca (candies made from banana and peanut respectively).

• Meat is important in Brazilian cuisine, which 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.

The time to complete the segment will depend on many factors. Ten days is recommended to enjoy both the riding and the attractions along the way, while sleeping in legal campsites and formal lodging. Someone focused on speed might complete it significantly faster. Note that the alternatives proposed here were considered during planning, but they have not all been tested. 

This segment contains a good amount of singletrack as it is the only way to spend much time in the Atlantic Forest in this region. It would be possible to avoid singletrack entirely, making the segment less steep, less technical and less difficult. However, it would end up skipping all the forest areas except the ones near the Macaé River.

São Fidélis – Desengano State Park 

Day 1 (34.6 km +1,348m)

The route starts in São Fidélis next to the Paraíba do Sul River. It goes to the Colégio River and then goes up toward the Desengano State Park. The north side of the park is beautiful, but the roads can be rough and steep. The park offers no formal camping option. However, Rony Nunes, who lives at one of the park entrances, works with tourists and can let you sleep or camp on his property if contacted in advance (+55 22 99933-3904). It is a detour uphill to get there, but it is worth it for the scenic surroundings, below a monolithic mountain and among fruit trees. Lodging might be available at the Estalagem Morumbeca a bit further past some singletrack, but it needs to be reserved in advance and is not cheap. Camping is not allowed there for now, but there are plans for it in the future. 

If starting in Campos dos Goytacazes, the route can be reached by cycling along the Paraíba do Sul River or by taking this scenic and adventurous path, which was part of the first version of the route and from which a few photos come.

A crossing of the shallow Colégio River and some rough and steep doubletrack can be skipped by taking the more direct dirt road southwest of São Fidélis.

The singletrack can be avoided and the climbing decreased by following the Colégio River west and then taking the RJ-146 south to rejoin the route past the Cachoeira do Escorrega.

Desengano State Park - Santa Maria Madalena

Day 2 (35.7 km +1,269m)

The route then penetrates the lush forest, with some singletrack near the Estalagem Morumbeca. There are nice viewpoints and a few cachoeiras before descending to the charming mountain town of Santa Maria Madalena, with multiple lodging options.

Santa Maria Madalena - Maria Mendonça

Day 3 (50.1 km +1,325m) 

The dirt road leaving Santa Maria Madalena is quite scenic with views of mountains and bornhardts. As the route approaches Trajano, it transforms into rough doubletrack and then overgrown forest singletrack. There are lodging options in Trajano. From there, the route passes through agricultural lands. It is straightforward and follows non-technical dirt roads. The Cachoeira de Sodrelândia makes for a possible short side trip. The route arrives in Maria Mendonça, an agricultural town with the affordable Pousada Knupp.

The singletrack north of Trajano can be avoided by taking the road through Doutor Loréti instead.

Maria Mendonça - Arraial do Sana

Day 4 (25.2 km +450m)

The route follows a dirt road from Maria Mendonça to Tirol. It climbs to reach the RPPN Shangri-lá, a private nature reserve in a nice setting where it is possible to spend the night. Afterward, there is a thrilling doubletrack and singletrack descent through the forest to Arraial do Sana. There are a few streams to cross on the way. Arraial do Sana is a low-key touristy town with access to many waterfalls and campgrounds. This is a short day, but the singletrack can be slow going, and it is nice to have some time off the bike to check the nearby waterfalls.

To avoid the singletrack near Sana, it is possible to skip the town completely and instead take the road from Tirol to Lumiar and then rejoin the route in Galdinópolis.

Arraial do Sana - Galdinópolis

Day 5 (38.7 km, +1,618m)

There is then a series of steep but non-technical dirt roads, and some unavoidable pavement. The Macaé River is crossed by bridge multiple times, including where it meets with the Bonito River. There are two campgrounds right before the rural area of Galdinópolis. 

Galdinópolis - Cascatinha (Nova Friburgo)

Day 6 (45.9 km, +1,451m)

The region west of Galdinópolis around the Macaé River is one of the few in this segment where roads themselves go inside the forest (and not just the singletrack). The route veers south toward the quaint region of Macaé de Cima, with a few lodging options and river access with lush vegetation. Rough doubletrack then leads up a mountain, followed by an overgrown forest singletrack descent to Theodoro de Oliveira. Nearby Debossan, which has a campground, is the start of a 2-kilometer forest trail to the upscale suburb of Cascatinha. But despite being short, this singletrack is possibly the most grueling of the route. It is steep with narrow and deep ruts that make even pushing a bike very difficult, especially alone. The top is overgrown and requires some bushwhacking. Cascatinha has lodging options and two nearby campgrounds. The Camping Pico da Caledônia is known for its sunrise and as a base camp to hike up its eponymous mountain.

It is possible to skip all the singletrack by not veering south to Macaé de Cima (and Thedoro), and instead staying on the road west straight toward Debossan. One can then take the road north to the center of Nova Friburgo, before coming back south to Cascatinha. The detour in the city adds distance and pavement, but might end up being faster than the tough singletrack.

Cascatinha - Vale dos Deuses (Três Picos State Park)

Day 7 (33.7 km +1408m)

From Cascatinha, a trail descends west to São Lourenço. It used to be narrow and muddy, with a dangerously eroded edge at one spot. It has been considerably widened in 2024 and is much easier now. Breaks in vegetation give viewpoints of the picturesque farmlands below. Traversing the farmlands is fast as they are one of the few rare flat sections. This leads to the foot of the impressive Três Picos de Friburgo mountains, where there are numerous refuges, often offering food and camping. The route enters the Três Picos State Park via doubletrack to reach its highest altitude, more than 1,700 m. There is a campground here in the idyllic and aptly named Vale dos Deuses (Valley of the Gods), nested between the Três Picos and other photogenic mountains. There are also hiking trails and viewpoints nearby. The campground is free, but it should be reserved online one week in advance.

Vale dos Deuses - Teresópolis

Day 8 (47.7km +763m)

The route descends via a grassy path that blurs the line between doubletrack and singletrack. It eventually morphs into a dirt road, which offers beautiful views looking back at the Três Picos it comes from. The mountains, almost in every direction, appear like walls. The route follows the Rio dos Frades to the Cachoeira dos Frades and its picturesque surroundings. There is a campground nearby. The route then takes a bit of pavement and some easy singletrack in Jacarandá. There are some nice views of the Serra dos Órgãos. A highway with a wide shoulder goes around Teresópolis to the Mirante do Soberbo. The lookout offers great views of the Dedo de Deus (God’s Finger), a towering granite mountain. Teresópolis has lodging and a campground. 

After the creation of the route, a private property stopped allowing cyclists to pass through if riding the route backward, heading east from the Vale dos Frades to the Vale dos Deuses. There is a gate with an employee who does not let people pass in this direction, so it might be necessary to bypass this section, which is one of the most fun and scenic. It might be possible to obtain a special permission from the Três PIcos State Park (inea.petp@gmail.com) so that the landowners of the Fazenda Itatyba, Água Teresópolis, let you in, but it is not guaranteed. If riding as intended from east to west, it is still possible to cycle the route without issue, as the employee will open the gate and let cyclists through. There are ongoing discussions to make it easier for hikers and cyclists coming from the west to transit though the property, so policy might change in the future.

Teresópolis - Cachoeira Grande

Day 9 (34.9 km +520m)

This last segment is optional and only for adventurous riders. This day is somewhat short to leave time to do a quick hiking trail in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park in the morning. The route uses forest singletrack to go down to the Cachoeira da Concórdia and then Guapimirim, where there are campgrounds and lodging. There is then a challenging singletrack section with narrow and deep ruts to Santo Aleixo, where camping is also available. It will require significant hike-a-bike. Afterward, the route takes flat roads at the northern edge of the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, which appears almost rural. A detour to the Cachoeira Grande waterfall is possible. There are multiple campgrounds nearby. Try to contact one in advance to guarantee a spot, as there is no good lodging alternative in the urban area nearby. The route is now in the outer periphery of Rio, so avoid riding after dark. If you are unsure about making to Cachoeira Grande in time or finding a spot to sleep there, consider stopping earlier in Santo Aleixo or Guapimirim, which have pousadas. 

One alternative to get to Petrópolis while avoiding the Rio metropolitan area is to take rural roads west of the Vale dos Frades that bypass Teresópolis and then go to Itaipava.

To get to S2 while avoiding urban areas completely, it is possible to bypass both Teresópolis and Petrópolis by staying north of them and then veering south to rejoin the route near the Vale das Videiras.

Cachoeira Grande - Petrópolis

Day 10 (19 km +910m)

Finally, an 800-meter climb on a historic cobblestone path, the Caminho do Ouro, leads to Petrópolis, the old imperial summer residence. This will also require hike-a-bike. This is a short day to finish this segment, which leaves you some time to explore the city, including the old Imperial Palace, now turned into a museum.

Loops

For people wishing to ride a short loop based on part of this segment, there are multiple options. A loop of the scenic dirt roads around the Desengano State Park would be a fun off-the-beaten-path adventure. Another option would be the Rota Serra Verde loop between Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo to take in some of this segment's most impressive sights.

• The Caminho da Mata Atlântica's official website and map can be useful, especially for this segment, which follows the Caminho closely. Reach out to them if you plan to hike or bike part of the route.

• Julieta Santamaria, from Argentina, is the first and only person to complete a thru-hike of the Caminho (2024-2025). She has documented her journey on Instagram and has shared maps of her hike on Wikiloc, which sometimes differed from the official map.

• The Rota Serra Verde is a bike touring loop between Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo (with a connector to Petrópolis), which coincides with part of S1. Their website has maps, and their Instagram provides updates on trail conditions.

• The Camping Vale dos Deuses in the Três Picos State Park is beautiful and free, but it requires reserving online one week in advance.

• The Serra dos Órgãos National Park has multiple campgrounds, including near Teresópolis and Guapimirim. Its website has information and a form to reserve a camp spot.

• The Estrada Real is a multimodal tourist route composed of different historic roads, linking the coast with Minas Gerais and its mineral riches. Part of its Caminho Novo coincides with Segment 1 in Petrópolis.

• Wikivoyage has a partial list of bus companies and their bike policy.