PONTA DA JOATINGA ET SACO DO MAMANGUA
Joatinga and Mamangua ecological reserves, offering superb hiking trails through the Atlantic forest
The pleasures of Paraty are not limited to discovering the colonial city, however pleasant and steeped in history it may be. Nature is another of its assets. The area around Paraty and the ecological reserves of Joatinga and Mamangua offer superb hiking trails through the cool, dense Atlantic forest (Mata Atlântica), with frequent passes along deserted beaches or over open plateaus at an altitude of almost 1,000 m (where the view over the bay is fantastic). We spend the night in a fishing village, in a hammock or with a local. Elevation changes can reach 800 m for 5 to 6 hours of effective walking per day. This trek can be completed in 3 to 7 days from Paraty, depending on the itinerary and level. It's up to the traveller to decide whether to stay longer.
The route starts from Laranjeiras, east of Trindade (reachable by bus from Paraty, departures every hour). It then passes through Praia do Sono (the most beautiful in the region) and the village of Ponta Negra, where you can sleep in a nice cottage (Vila Teteco). We continue through the Mata Atlântica (guide required, as the path is not easily identifiable), towards Martins de Sa, then Pouso de Cajaiba. The brave and experienced will then pass through the Saco do Mamangua, Brazil's only tropical fjord. You can return to Paraty by boat.
By bus to Paraty-mirim from the bus station, then by fishing boat (350 R$).
