Brazil Tours and Travel

Active South Brazil Tour

Day 1: arrival at Florianopolis airport or bus station. Transfer to the accommodation. Rest of the day free.

The Island of Santa Catarina, part of the city of Florianopolis, has 45% of its area covered in Atlantic Rainforest, making it an ideal place for outdoor activities. Coastal paths with dramatic scenery lead to deserted beaches. Inland, some trails opened by the original Azorean settlers still are the only link to isolated communities. Others cross nature reserves with lagoons and waterfalls, allowing for wildlife spotting specially bird life. Additionally, the nearby Serra do Tabuleiro State Park offers great opportunities for rafting.

Day 2: trekking on the island escorted by an English-speaking guide. Choose from:

Unspoiled beaches:
Lagoinha do Leste- possibly the most beautiful beach in Florianopolis, only accessible by trail (about 1 ½ hours of steep walk each away) or boat. Great views on the way.

Naufragados- another beach only accessible by foot or boat. Easy walk of around 4km each way through a nature reserve. Visit to a lighthouse and beautiful views of the south coast at the end.

Lagoons:
Costa da Lagoa- an isolated fishing community accessible by trail or boat. The trail is 7 km long and the return can be done by boat. Quaint and very affordable seafood restaurants at the end to try the local food.

Lagoa do Peri & Sertão do Peri – a longer coast-to-coast walk (3 to 4 hours) passing through a lagoon, small rivers and waterfalls and remains of sugar cane mills. Panoramic views of the Serra do Tabuleiro and East Coast of the Island at the beginning and end.Duration: 5 - 7 hours, depending on the trek
Level of Difficulty: Beginners to Intermediate, depending on the trek

.Day 3: rafting in Santo Amaro da Imperatriz.Santo Amaro, only 40 km away from the island, is the closest rafting base to Florianópolis. Rafting in the River Cubatão, with rapids class II-III, is ideal for beginners. Intermediates wanting more adrenaline can also have fun: the “Duck”(inflatable kayaks) expedition is run further upstream in the “Alto Cubatão”, with rapids of level III-IV (optional trip). The scenery along the river is beautiful: the right margin borders the Serra do Tabuleiro National Park, the biggest Atlantic Rainforest reserve in the vicinity of Florianopolis. These mountains, which are visible from everywhere in the city, have peaks over 5,000 feet, creating steep, narrow canyons rich in Mata Atlântica. Near the end of the run, close to the town of Caldas da Imperatriz, the scenery is more rural but still attractive.
Duration: 2 hours on the river, plus an hour each way for transfers.
Level of Difficulty: Beginners (class II-III)

Day 4: tour of the South of the Island by bike, escorted by an a English-speaking guide. The south of the Santa Catarina Island in Florianopolis has nature reserves, waterfalls, beautiful lagoons and unspoiled beaches. We will cycle along the most famous southern beaches – Campeche, Morro das Pedras, Armação and Pantano do Sul, taking in also the Lagoa do Peri, a beautiful fresh-water lagoon surrounded by lush Atlantic Rainforest.
Duration: 6-7 hours
Level of Difficulty: Beginners

Day 5: Transfer from Florianópolis ( 4 to 5 hours) to Refúgio Pedra Afiada. Rest of the day free. Dinner at the lodge. Enjoy an active 4 days tour of the "Grand Canyons" of Brazil, trekking through the canyons and highlands of Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks. Here you will find green, lush canyons, some up to 7km long and 800m high. They have a unique biodiversity: Atlantic rainforest at the bottom, cloud forest in the steep escarpments and Araucaria Forest on the tablelands known as Campos de Cima da Serra. The canyons are within the Aparados da Serra and the Serra Geral National Parks and from our base in the coastal plains we will explore the Itaimbezinho, the Malacara and Índios Coroados canyons.

Day 6: Optional trek or day trip of your choice.

Day 7: Optional trek or day trip of your choice.

Day 8: After breakfast transfer back to Florianópolis or Porto Alegre.

Some optional trips and treks:

Malacara Canyon viewpoint
After breakfast we drive up the “Serra do Faxinal “ to reach the tablelands of the Campos de Cima da Serra. After an hour´s drive, we will start a 8 miles trek through a typical catlle ranch that will take us to the border of the Malacara canyon, the lushest of the canyons in the National Park. The scenery up here is of immense fields cut by small rivers, waterfalls and pockets of Araucaria forest. When we reach the viewpoint we will have, in a clear day, views all the way to the coast. After a snack lunch, we make our way back to the car. In sunny or warm days we can enjoy bathing in one of the pristine rivers near the canyon.
Return to the lodge mid-afternoon.

Itaimbezinho and Índios Coroados Canyons
We drive up the Serra to visit the most famous of the Brazilian canyons, the Itaimbezinho, inside the Aparados da Serra National Park. Here we will do some light walking to the best viewpoints of the canyon. As Itaimbezinho was the first canyon to be under protection of the National Park, there is more abundance of Araucaria woods here. On the way back, a light walk will take us to the viewpoint of the Índio Coroado canyon, with its 70m waterfall. Return to the lodge mid afternoon.

Rio do Boi trail
You will enter the Itaimbezinho Canyon through the river that cuts through the canyon, the Rio do Boi. At the start of the trail the river runs through a valley forming small waterfalls and natural pools. At the end of the trail we will be inside the canyon, underneath its magnificent 800 m-high basalt escarpments. Snack lunch on the trail.

Please note: this trail can be demanding as you need to cross the river many times and most of the walk is done on its rocky bed.

Pedra Branca summit.
Today, you will trek inside the Atlantic Rainforest climbing 500m to the top of the Pedra Branca rock, an excellent viewpoint to the whole Mampituba River Valley. Here you can best understand the different geological formations of this area. At the top, you will have a snack lunch and hopefully clear views to the coast. Return to the lodge in the afternoon. Dinner.

Price per person in US$: (till June 2009) $1498 per person double occupancy. $1089 per person triple occupancy

Phone: 800-232-5658 or 1-512-443-5393 email

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Brazil Tours and Travel

Active South Brazil Tour

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Phone: 800-232-5658 or
1-512-443-5393
email