Brasil: Parque Nacional da Tijuca
29 Dec, 2012
Surround by mountains, ocean and lots of green, Rio de Janeiro has some of the largest urban forests on the planet – many of them containing the Atlantic Forest biome as well as rare and endangered species. As such, it is impossible to travel to the city without visiting these areas, which unveil the monumental natural beauty of the city and help recount its history.
Parque Nacional da Tijuca
Estrada da Cascatinha – 850 – Alta do Boa Vista
0055 21 2492 2252
Open every day from 8am to 5pm
*only entrance to Corcovado is paid
Located in the heart of the city, it is considered one of largest urban parks on Earth. Also known as Parna-Tijuca, it was created in the 1960 and fragment of the Atlantic Forest biome. With an area of almost four thousand hectares, equivalent to 3,5 % of municipal Rio de Janeiro, it’s divided into four sectors:
– Tijuca Forest, which contains the Cachoeira das Almas waterfall and whose entrance is at Praça Afonso Vizeu in Alto da Boa Vista, and from there, heading toward Barra da Tijuca, or just plain Tijuca, on Estrada das Furnas;
– Serra da Carioca, which is home to the Cristo Redentor statue, the Corcovado overlook, the Vista Chinesa and Mesa do Imperador and with a route through the neighborhoods of Cosme Velho and Alto da Boa Vista;
– The combination Pedra Bonita/ Pedra da Gávea, which can be accessed via Barra da Tijuca and São Conrado and is a can’t miss for those interested in hang gliding and mountain climbing and seeing the Caminho da Pedra Bonita, which leads to Pedra Bonita and Pico da Agulhinha;
– Serra dos Pretos Forros and Covanca, which is under renovation and, as such, doesn’t yet have the infrastructure to receive visitors.
What they have in common is that they are all home to diverse species of flora and fauna, many of which are rare and endangered they help to regulate the city’s climate, prevent the hillsides from eroding and conserve the quality of the soil.
Take a look on the website: www.parquedatijuca.com.br
Lonely Planet Magazine
