TIJUCA FOREST – AN URBAN FOREST IN THE HEART OF RIO!
We all know that Rio is a wonderful city, because beyond a lot of beaches and history, the city also has a lot of nature. Tijuca forest is an example of this. One of the biggest urban forest in the world.
Find out a bit more about this amazing place in the middle of the city. In this post we’ll tell you more about the details, sectors that make up the forest and the main recreational and sporting activities that can be performed in the area.
WHERE IS TIJUCA FOREST?
Tijuca Forest is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro. The access is possible from North, South and West zone of the City. The forest is the biggest urban forest in the world, with an extension of almost 4.000 hectare of Atlantic Forest.
That’s why it is protected by Tijuca National Park. This park also receive more than 3 million visitors per year, including Brazilians and foreigners.
DIVISION OF THE FOREST IN SECTORS
The forest is divided into 3 sectors: Sector A – Tijuca Forest, Sector B – Serra da Carioca and Sector C – Pedra Bonita and Pedra da Gávea. There’s one more sector that is Pretos Forros/Covanca, but this one still doesn’t have structure for visitation.
TIP
One of the activities that can be done in the three sectors of the forest is hiking, being an international reference. Read a little about this option.
HIKING
Some travelers consider Tijuca Forest the best place in the world for hikings in an urban area. Amazing, right? It’s almost 200km of trails with different difficulties e for everybody, since the beginners until the professionals in hiking. Some trails can also be done by seniors and wheelchair users. 🙂
IMPORTANT
For this activity: It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes, a hat or cap, close shoes (with non-slip soles), you should apply repellents and sunscreens, light food and constant hydration (drink plenty of water).
RISKS
Hiking can offer a few risks. The main risks are: falling and animal bite. In addition, it’s recommended to do this activity with a guide. Follow the guide’s instructions and recommendations, stay close to your group and obey the signs to avoid getting lost in the nature.
For more information of the sector of the visitation of the Park just click here!
SEE MORE ABOUT EACH TIJUCA NATIONAL FOREST SECTOR
SECTOR A – TIJUCA FOREST
This sector is one of the most important conserved green areas in the city. This sector has a great choice of recreational activities such as hiking.
In this area there are some famous trails: the Pico da Tijuca Trail (one of the highest peaks in the city, with more than 1000 meters high and 360º view of the city) and the Tijuca Forest Historical Valley Circuit, as well as of the largest urban trail in Brazil, Transcarioca.
HINT
As a suggestion, we recommend that you set aside a special time to know this sector, as it is quite extensive. And to do the trails, try to do these activities on sunny days (on cloudy days, probably the peak will be overcast with fog) to ensure your ride.
FEW OTHERS ATTRACTIONS IN THIS SECTOR
Açude da Solidão (Dam)
Museu do Açude (Museum)
Cascata Gabriela (Waterfall)
Cachoeira das Almas (Waterfall)
Caminho das Grutas (Caves)
See more information here.
POSSIBLE ACTIVITY IN THIS SECTOR
RUN
The Forest Sector is really special because of the amazing views it offres to the visitors. If you would like to do some sporting activity here, running is an option. Running offers several health, body and mind benefits.
ATTENTION
It is noteworthy that running in the Tijuca Forest is not easy, it is necessary that you have a good fitness to perform this activity. If you do not feel safe to do it yourself, do not hesitate to seek advice from an experienced professional.
PLACES FOR RUNNING
Vista Chinesa – Chinese View
Paineiras Leisure Area
Paths marked within the forest
IMPORTANT
Use comfortable clothes and shoes for this activity. Wear sun protection such as hats or caps. Apply sunscreen and repellent. Eat light and drink plenty of water.
CLIMBING
Due to its natural attributes, Tijuca National Park offers some perfect places for climbing, with different levels of difficulty. One of the most famous and searched by climbers is Campo Escola 2000. This wall is also used for training in this activity.
IMPORTANT
To perform this activity it is necessary to use the appropriate safety equipment. Wear shoes and comfortable clothing for sports. Light food and constant hydration. Repellent application and sun protection required. Be aware of weather conditions.
TIP
Try to do this activity with an experienced guide if you are a beginner. Look for accredited guides in the activity.
SECTOR B – SERRA DA CARIOCA
It’s in the sector that one of the seven wonders of the modern world is located … Christ the Redeemer! It’s located at the top of Corcovado Hill.
In addition to this attraction much searched by all tourists, some other places are very interesting to visit such as Vista Chinesa, Mirante Dona Marta, Parque Lage and Mesa do Imperador that provide wonderful views of the city.
SOME OTHERS ATTRACTIONS IN THE SECTOR
Trilha Transcarioca (Trail)
Cachoeira dos Primatas (Waterfall)
Cachoeiras da Gruta (Waterfall)
Cachoeira do Horto (Waterfall)
Mirante do Horto (Viewpoint)
Mirante da Lagoa (Viewpoint)
Paineiras
For more information click here
ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED IN THIS SECTOR
KNOW THE WATERFALLS
For carioca summer, besides the beach, which option of activity would be interesting and very refreshing? Tijuca National Park offers good options of waterfalls, perfect for the 40 degrees Celsius in Rio de Janeiro.
BASIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMFORT AND SAFETY
Visit the waterfalls at times of little movement (between 8am and 11am) and on weekdays (if possible).
Avoid using toiletries. The chemicals used in these products pollute water sources, damage the Atlantic Forest and harm animals that depend on them.
Avoid drinking alcohol before visiting these spaces.
SKATEBOARD AND CYCLING IN THE PARK
In addition to a sport, skateboarding is considered a lifestyle by many people, especially here in the city of Rio de Janeiro. For the practitioners of this activity, in the park are offered three options of tracks with asphalt suitable for the practice of the sport.
CYCLING
Cycling is one of the activities that can be done in the park. One of the most searched itineraries is the Venice Road. If you are interested in this activity, seek information on the days and times allowed for the road access. For safety reasons in some cases the times may change, as in the case of rain, for example.
IMPORTANT
For both activities it is necessary to use the appropriate safety equipment such as helmet, glove, knee and elbow pads.
Observe and obey the signs and demarcation of trails and roads. Respecting the signs is fundamental because the way is shared with pedestrians and vehicles.
SETOR C – PEDRA BONITA AND PEDRA DA GÁVEA
This sector is located between the neighborhood of São Conrado, Barra da Tijuca and Alto da Boa Vista. In this sector there are a lot of options for extreme sports for the adventurous and some of the most beautiful views in the whole city.
CLIMBING
There are climbing options with different degrees of difficulty, trails and even gliding (hang gliding and paragliding) as this area has one of the most famous and busiest ramps in the world, Pedra Bonita! Have you ever wondered the beauty?
It’s good to remember that for activities in this region is recommended the company of a guide, as the respondents and sports have an intermediate level of difficulty.
ATTRACTIONS IN THIS SECTOR
Pedra da Gávea
Pedra Bonita
Agulhinha da Gávea
For more information click here!
SEE ACTIVITIES FOR THIS SECTOR
GLIDING
Who has never seen a picture of someone performing hang gliding or paragliding in Rio de Janeiro? We all have a friend who did it! And put those wonderful photos with such a stunning view that we even put the fear aside and want to do too!
Well, these activities are done in Pedra Bonita, which is the point most searched by Free Flight practitioners. The hang gliding ramp has a wood and metal structure. For paragliding the ramp is natural. Both with 517 meters of height.
IMPORTANT
To do these activities, the monitoring of an experienced instructor is necessary. It is recommended to seek instructors accredited by the Associação Brasileira de Voo Livre (ABVL).
RAPPELING
One of the most interesting activities to do in Tijuca National Park is Rappelling. In addition to sports you will enjoy the natural beauty of the Atlantic Forest and the landscapes from different angles.
It is certainly a unique experience. It is recommended to do this activity with an experienced guide if you are a beginner. Look for accredited guides in the activity.
IMPORTANT
Use all appropriate safety equipment to perform this activity. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Apply repellent and sun protection. Eat light things and remember to drink plenty of water. Be aware of weather conditions.
WHO TAKES CARE OF TIJUCA FOREST?
The Tijuca Forest is an area of great importance for the city and of environmental grandeur, it is a Conservation Unit! We can already imagine that it is not very easy to take care of a forest.
ACTIVITIES ALLOWED IN THE FOREST
Within the forest environment many activities can be performed. They are: sports activities, religious activities, recreation, culture, commerce, environmental education, environmental supervision, environmental preservation (with monitoring and fire fighting), research and projects.
SHARED MANAGEMENT
Due to the many uses of the area, forest management is shared with some government departments at the municipal, state and federal levels. The main management body of the Tijuca Forest is the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
The institute is an autarchy of the Ministry of Environment that offers the guidelines to be followed by the secretariats in order to reconcile the activities carried out in the Tijuca Forest within the parameters allowed for the use of a conservation unit.
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES OFFERED
Have you ever wondered that some environmental services are possible thanks to this green area in the middle of the city? It’s hard to think about, isn’t it? Let’s give you some examples here.
The services that are extremely important to the city are: the maintenance of water sources; erosion control and flood mitigation.
IMAGINE THAT
Some environmental services can be perceived by us more easily. Examples are: reducing noise pollution and maintaining the natural landscape (because it’s beautiful to see the city and nature, right?).
One of the most important services is undoubtedly total climate regulation. Can you imagine Rio de Janeiro in the summer with over 40 degrees? Nature is very important!
SOME GUIDELINES FOR VISITORS
The Conservation Unit needs some rules to be followed by its visitors, as this is a very important area and many ecosystems are present there.
BASIC CARE
– Put your trash in an appropriate place or take it back home.
– Fire can cause destruction and offers danger.
BE AWARE
– Domestic animals do not belong to wildlife and must remain outside the Park boundaries.
– Feeding the fauna is detrimental to the preservation of the species.
– Religious offerings if left in the Park, pollute the rivers, dirty the woods and affect the animals.
ACCESS
– Trucks, large buses and school cars should use another route.
ACTIVITIES AND RECREATION
– Waterfall baths are allowed in the Horto waterfalls (Quebra, Chuveiro, Primatas), the Almas waterfall (in the Forest sector) and Paineiras showers.
– Use official trails, shortcuts cause erosion.
– Bicycle use is only allowed on paved roads or mountain bike trails.
NEED AUTHORIZATION
– The overnight stay is only allowed, in special cases, by authorization.
– To make commercial, journalistic filming, as well as events and productions of any other nature, authorization from the Park administration is required.
– The use of sound equipment and instruments affects the ecosystem and is permitted only with permission.
– To sell products in the park is required authorization from the administration.
RESEARCH AND PROJECTS IN TIJUCA FOREST
As we know the Tijuca Forest is a nature conservation area and has a high scientific, cultural and historical value. Scientific studies, research activities and some academic projects are done here.
STUDY TOPICS
The themes studied cover the forest environment (botany, ecology, environmental chemistry, environmental science, pharmacology) and its ecosystems (zoology, parasitology, genetics), as well as all that makes up its surroundings (hydrology, geology, geography, geosciences, archeology).
These projects and studies are very important for the management of activities in the forest area and the minimization of the effects of anthropic action in this nature conservation unit. Environmental education projects are extremely important to develop in man the idea of the need for nature conservation.
STRUCTURAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PROJECTS
A framework is provided for researchers and students who develop their activities and projects in the area as a special accommodation for them, called the Researcher’s House.
The access roads are well signposted and conserved. In addition to structure, financial support is provided through partnerships and agreements between educational and research institutions, entities and companies.
Tijuca National Forest is extremely important and its conservation is a real necessity! Know all the nature present in the heart of Rio de Janeiro. 🙂
