• The Caminho do Imperador, a road through the Atlantic Forest above Petrópolis, with views of Rio in the distance

• Dirt roads through pastures and bits of forest singletrack between Miguel Pereira and Lídice

• The Estação Ecológica Bananal, with its cachoeiras, lush vegetation and mossy trails

• The Caminho de Mambucaba, also known as Trilha do Ouro, a rough doubletrack path surrounded by forest and impressive waterfalls

• The Serra da Bocaina's high-altitude grasslands with 360° views going as far north as the Serra da Mantiqueira

• The Pedra da Macela's campground to catch the sunrise over the bay of Paraty

• A thrilling 1500-meter descent to the sea through the Serra da Bocaina National Park

• Paraty's historic center, with its picturesque cobblestone streets and well-preserved architecture

• The Costa Verde's beaches and their campgrounds, with the green mountains of the Serra do Mar as a backdrop

• The Serra do Mar's logging roads and protected areas east of São Paulo

• Paranapiacaba, a historic company town of the British São Paulo Railway, nested incongruously in the forest southeast of the city

• Wildlife that can be spotted in birdwatching lodges or on the road itself, where you can race against capybaras and, if lucky, spot a tapir

WHEN TO GO

• 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 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. Ubatuba, on the coast of São Paulo, is nicknamed Ubachuva for its abundant rainfall (chuva meaning rain). Touring in the rainy season is still possible, but it might be wiser to avoid the remote tracks of the Serra da Bocaina.

LOGISTICS

• Traveling by bus with a bike in Brazil is generally easy. 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. 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, UberXL cars will usually fit a boxed bike.

• The starting point, Petrópolis, is connected by bus to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and other cities. It is quite simple to bike out of town, but it is uphill.

• The ending point near São Paulo is the Sítio Curucutu private reserve (+55 11 99971-3644). It was chosen as a nice place to spend the night in the forest between Segments 2 and 3. For people wishing to enter the city, the Márcia Prado bike route passes nearby and goes to the Zona Oeste via the Rio Pinheiros bike path. Another option to enter the city is to take the commuter train from Rio Grande da Serra near Paranapiacaba. It accepts bikes outside of rush hour. Mogi das Cruzes further east has a commuter train station too, but it also has intercity buses to Rio and São Paulo. To avoid cycling through São Paulo's gigantic car-centric sprawl, it might be wiser to organize private transport instead. Bike do Polo (+55 11 99812-0497) is a bike tour operator offering this service. But if doing so, there is not much point in ending at the Sítio Curucutu. To avoid the urban cycling in Riacho Grande, it might be better instead to end the route in Paranapiacaba or the Caminhos do Mar park.

• Other cities reachable by bus on or near the route are: Miguel Pereira, Piraí, Lídice, Bananal, Cunha, Paraty and Ubatuba.

• The route can be ridden in either direction. It was mapped and scouted from Rio to São Paulo for two reasons. Visiting the beaches after the challenging Serra da Bocaina felt like a nice reward, and the massive 1500-meter elevation difference between the Serra and Paraty seemed more fun as a descent than as a climb.

• Protected areas crossed in this segment are free to transit through. But to spend the night legally at one of the two pousadas within the Serra da Bocaina National Park's borders, it is necessary to send an email to the park three days in advance.

• 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. This is the case for the dirt roads around Campos de Cunha.

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

• 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 west of Rio and in the Serra da Bocaina. 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. To avoid traffic on the paved roads along the touristy coast, it might be good to time your riding to occur on weekday mornings outside of holidays.

• 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. Petrópolis is safer than Rio. Biking out of the city is straightforward but uphill. There is a small favela along the Fazenda Inglesa Road. It can be avoided by riding along the highway instead. Paraty is very touristy, but there have been crimes, including violent ones, against tourists there. Stay aware of your surroundings while enjoying the town. Ubatuba is supposedly safer, and it is bike-friendly, but still be on your guard. Biking into the city of São Paulo is not recommended except with a group.

BIKE

• A rigid mountain bike or all-terrain bike with 2.2 to 2.6" tires is the best bike to ride this segment. Low gearing and wide tires are needed because of the steep and sometimes rough surfaces. Suspension is generally not needed, but a hardtail with fast-rolling tires could also work. Touring bikes and gravel bikes with narrower tires could work for a large percentage of the route, especially near São Paulo and on the coast, but would feel insufficient in the Serra da Bocaina between Lídice and Campos de Cunha. 

• A lightweight setup is recommended because of all the climbing. This does not require a particularly light bike, but instead packing a minimal amount of gear. There is no reason to carry much, the weather is rather benign and resupply options are plentiful.

TRAVEL BASICS

• See this link.

• Campgrounds are abundant in the Serra da Bocaina, on the coast and near São Paulo. 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. Some rural pousadas have camping areas, especially in the Serra da Bocaina. One recommended campground is at the Pedra da Macela. It is free, requires no reservations, and is a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise over the bay of Paraty. Spending a night camping one one of the beaches is also recommended.

• 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. Between Ubatuba and Salesópolis, formal camping and lodging options are a bit limited. However, there is a lot of logging and it is not too hard to find a spot for stealth camping along a side path.

• Pousadas are small lodging establishments, generally family-run. They are present in almost every town, including many from Miguel Pereira to Lídice, where camping options are rarer. 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. 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 almost daily.

• 2.5 L of carrying capacity is recommended. Even if there are plenty of places to replenish, it is easy to get dehydrated in the steepest most challenging sections, especially with the sun, heat and humidity.

• Supermarkets are found in every town. It is rarely needed to carry more than a day of food. The longest stretch without supermarket is the 140 km between Lídice and Campos de Cunha, but there are rural pousadas and restaurants where buying food might be possible.

• Restaurants are common in towns but also near some tourist attractions. Along some dirt roads, there are rural bars, often serving snacks. Rural pousadas can often serve traditional food of the roça (countryside), sometimes obtained from their own farm.

• Bakeries are lively places offering traditional fare and opening early, which is convenient when sleeping in town.

• 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, 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.

This is a proposed 15-day itinerary, which allows for time off the bike to enjoy Paraty, the Costa Verde's beaches and other attractions along the way. Note that the alternatives proposed here were considered during planning, but they have not all been tested.

Day 1: Petrópolis - Sacra Família do Tinguá

The route climbs out of Petrópolis via the Fazenda Inglesa Road and then takes the Caminho do Imperador dirt road west through the Atlantic Forest. Between the trees, the city of Rio and its famous landmarks can be seen in the distance. South of Miguel Pereira, the route follows an abandoned train track that transforms into easy singletrack, with nice views of the surrounding mountains. It then takes the paved RJ-121 for a few kilometers. There are pousadas in Miguel Pereira, Morro Azul and Sacra Família. There are two campgrounds past Sacra Família.

To decrease the pavement by 4 km, it is possible to do a detour south via Arcádia, which adds some climbing. Do not be tempted by the singletrack along the Santana River going to Arcádia, it is very overgrown.

Day 2: Sacra Família do Tinguá - Piraí

The route follows dirt roads and easy singletrack west to join the paved RJ-127. There is a trail in the Curió Municipal Park to bypass that road, but it was closed as of 2024. In Paracambi, it is possible to check out the large brick building of the IFRJ in front of the park's forest. Going further west, dirt roads lead to another section of singletrack, mostly easy. It transits through a private property that lets cyclists through. Past the singletrack, the route joins the paved RJ-145 for a few kilometers toward Piraí, where there is lodging.

If access to the singletrack near Paracambi is restricted in the future, it might be possible to do a detour south through Cacaria, which would require some cycling along the highway.

Near Piraí, there is a collapsed bridge to the north of the route and a submerged land bridge to the south that, if repaired, could provide alternatives to mostly avoid the RJ-145. 

Day 3: Piraí - Lídice

The route passes through pastures to reach Passa Três, on the old Rio - São Paulo road. It then passes next to the São João Marcos Archeological and Environmental Park, which contains the ruins of a town destroyed for the construction of a dam. The views of the nearby reservoir and surrounding mountains are great. Afterward, the route veers west to arrive in Lídice, where lodging is available.

Day 4: Lídice - Estação Ecológica Bananal

From Lídice starts the most technically and physically challenging portion of this segment. It is also the most remote, with the next supermarket being 140 km away in Campos de Cunha, but some pousadas along the way can sell food. The route ascends toward the Serra da Bocaina. It enters the state of São Paulo over the Rio do Braço. The road transforms into rough doubletrack that turns very muddy for 6 km, a place nicknamed "Hotel Lameiro". Hike-a-bike will be necessary to avoid the deepest mud. The route crosses a large secluded clearing where wild camping might be possible. It then enters the lush forest of the Estação Ecológica Bananal. The mossy trail to the Cachoeira Sete Quedas is recommended. It is possible to spend the night at the nearby Refúgio da Onça. One can also continue west, where a paved climb leads to a few pousadas and two campgrounds near the Bracuí River.

In the rainy season, it might be wiser to avoid the remote and sometimes technical roads of the Serra da Bocaina. One alternative would be to follow the coastal highway between Angra dos Reis and Paraty. Another would be to take the main roads to the north passing through Bananal and São José do Barreiro.

Day 5: Estação Ecológica Bananal - Serra da Bocaina National Park

A hiking side trip can be done to the Cachoeira do Bracuí, a series of waterfalls with a view of the ocean. The route goes west through the pastures of the Sertão da Onça to reach the Serra da Bocaina National Park. There are pousadas and camping options both outside and within the park.

Day 6: Serra da Bocaina National Park - Campos de Cunha

The route follows the Caminho de Mambucaba. The doubletrack can be rough and steep, but the views of the forest and the surrounding mountains make it worth it. There are multiple waterfalls along the way that can be visited, including the Cachoeira das Posses, where wild camping is tolerated for now. A detour south to visit the impressive Cachoeira dos Veados is also possible. The route exits the park through its northern gate. There are two nearby campgrounds/pousadas. To the west, there are unfenced grasslands where wild camping might be possible. They offer  360° views of the surrounding mountains, going as far north as the Serra da Mantiqueira, especially beautiful at sunset. If it is still early, it is possible to continue to Campos de Cunha through steep and sometimes sandy dirt roads. The town has no formal lodging option, but there is a boteco run by Ivone, which sells pastéis until late at night and where it might be possible to rent an affordable room.

Day 7: Campos de Cunha - Pedra da Macela

Rural roads, sometimes very steep, traverses the pastures south of Campos de Cunha. The Cachoeira do Pimenta is a possible spot for a break. Camping at the Pedra da Macela is recommended for a great view of the sunrise over the bay of Paraty. The campground is free and requires no reservation. During the week, it is possible to sleep at the base of the mountains and do a short hike to the summit at dawn. People are allowed to sleep on the summit itself on Friday and Saturday nights. 

To shorten the route and avoid the pavement of the coast, one alternative is to stay inland, bike to Cunha, then Catuçaba, and finally rejoin the road north of Ubatuba.

Day 8: Pedra da Macela - Paraty

Near the Pedra da Macela, the route crosses back into the state of Rio de Janeiro to begin its 1500-meter descent to the sea. The road on the way down is mostly paved with setts. Most of the descent is through protected forest within the Serra da Bocaina National Park. There are a few viewpoints along the way. Traffic is usually mild, but it is a touristy place, so it might be better to ride on a weekday outside of holidays. Toward the end, one can stop for a slide at the Cachoeira do Tobogã. It is worth spending some time exploring Paraty's cobblestone streets and its architecture. There are campgrounds and multiple lodging options. The beach north of the center is a nice spot for sunrise.

Day 9: Paraty - Praia da Fazenda

The route out of Paraty alternates between the main paved coastal road (with a good shoulder) and adjacent dirt roads. It passes close to the Guarani Parati-Mirim Indigenous Land and then through the Quilombo do Campinho, a community founded by freed slaves. Both offer community-based tourism. A detour to Trinidade, a famous beach with large boulders, can be done. The route then reenters the state of São Paulo. The laid-back beach of Camburi can be visited. It has restaurants and campgrounds. The route then passes on the Fazenda Beach, a long protected stretch of sand within the Serra do Mar State Park. At the end, there is a campground, the Camping Caracol. A bit after, there is a beautiful viewpoint for sunset at the Mirante da Chica restaurant. The next beach, Ubatumirim, also has a few campgrounds.

Day 10: Praia da Fazenda - Ubatuba

Past Ubatumirim the route passes through two beaches, with optional detours to others. The views of the green Serra do Mar in the background are beautiful. After a short inland segment, the touristy city of Ubatuba is reached. It has campgrounds and multiple lodging options. There are many bike paths on its flat streets and cyclists are common.

Day 11: Ubatuba - Vargem Grande

The Oswaldo Cruz paved road climbs the Serra do Mar above Ubatuba. It is an 800-meter climb with many hairpin turns. It is within the territory of the state park, so it is surrounded by greenery. Traffic is sometimes mild, but it can increase with tourist influx. Weekday mornings outside of holidays are probably the best time for cycling the road. At the top, a dirt road exits the park after passing one of its lodges. The nearby Pousada Oikos is popular for birdwatching. The route then heads west to cross the Paraibuna River and reach Vargem Grande, a small town with lodging and camping.

An alternative to climb the serra would be to do it from Caraguatatuba further west along the coast, where there is a dirt road through the Serra do Mar State Park called the Estrada Rio Pardo Limeira (or Petrobrás). Access is restricted and it needs to be reserved online. It is usually cycled in the opposite direction, downhill from west to east. Unfortunately, only groups of three or more are allowed. It would also add quite a bit of pavement to get there.

Day 12: Vargem Grande - Rodovia dos Tamoios

Dirt roads lead to the town of Bairro Alto. There is a campground on the other side of the Paraibuna reservoir accessible by ferry. Further west, the route reaches the Tamoios Highway. Right before, there is a state park lodge and a pousada. After 7km of riding on the highway's wide shoulder, the route takes dirt roads through logging areas. Stealth camping might be possible there.

Day 13: Rodovia dos Tamoios - Salesópolis

The route takes some rough doubletrack north of the Núcleo Padre Dória in the Serra do Mar State Park. It then takes smooth dirt roads toward the small mountain city of Salesópolis. The nearby Macuquinho Lodge is popular for birdwatching. It is possible to do a detour to sleep in the city or to camp along the Ponta Nova Reservoir of the Tietê River.

Day 14: Salesópolis - Quatinga

The route follows 500 meters of overgrown singletrack south of Salesópolis. Logging areas and farmlands are traversed to reach the town of Quatinga. There is a campground in the nearby Parque das Neblinas. There are a few other ones southwest toward Paranapiacaba.

The singletrack can be avoided by doing a detour along the reservoir, which is convenient for people sleeping there or in Salesópolis.

Day 15: Quatinga - São Paulo

The route then traverses forested areas that still feel wild despite their proximity to São Paulo. It enters Paranapiacaba, a historic company town of the British São Paulo Railway, with well-preserved buildings. Then it reaches the large Billings Reservoir. It is possible to do a detour south to the Caminhos do Mar, a privately administered sector of the Serra do Mar State Park, with a campground and natural and historical attractions. After some urban cycling in Riacho Grande and a ferry ride, the segment ends at the RPPN Sítio Curucutu (+55 11 99971-3644), a private nature reserve with a lodge, within the municipal boundaries of São Paulo. The owners are partners of the Caminho da Mata Atlântica and can connect you with locals working in tourism.

Loops

For people wishing to ride a loop based on part of this segment, it is possible to combine the section between Lídice and the Serra da Bocaina National Park with rural roads further north passing through Bananal and São José do Barreiro. Another option is to combine the coastal section between Paraty and Ubatuba with inland unpaved roads, and even possibly with the Serra da Bocaina loop described above.

• The Caminho da Mata Atlântica's official website and map can be useful, even if this segment only follows the Caminho partly. Reach out to them if you plan to hike or bike part of the route. They might be able to provide some support. For any corrections or suggestions to their map, contact Felipe Timmermann Gonçalves (use Online Map in the subject).

• 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 Estação Ecológica Bananal requires online registration to do any of its trails. It is free and can likely be done in person once there. 

• The Serra da Bocaina National Park website has some information about the park and the Caminho de Mambucaba. To sleep legally at one of the two pousadas within the park's borders, email the park three days in advance.

• 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 Velho coincides with Segment 2 between Cunha and Paraty.

• The Serra do Mar State Park has two lodging options next to the route, the Hospedaria Santa Virgínia and Base Graví. They need to be reserved online in advance.

• The Parque das Neblinas is a private reserve that offers camping near the route. It needs to be reserved by email.

• The Caminho do Sal is a bike touring route that coincides with part of Segment 2 between Quatinga and the Billings Reservoir. The official guidebook has information about attractions along the way.

• The Caminhos do Mar is a privately administered sector of the Serra do Mar State Park that offers camping near the route. It needs to be reserved online.

• The Rota Márcia Prado is a bike touring route connecting the Zona Oeste of São Paulo with Santos on the coast. It intersects Segment 2 near its end. The website of Bike Zona Sul has a description of the route.

• The RPPN Sítio Curucutu is a private reserve in the southern outskirts of São Paulo where this segment ends. It offers lodging, which should be reserved in advance (+55 11 99971-3644).

• Bike do Polo (+55 11 99812-0497) is a bike tour operator based in the southern outskirts of São Paulo. They can organize transport for you and your bike between the end of this segment and the city. They also offer bike rentals and tours.