Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
das Piranhas (Piranha's Hole)
in the state of Mato Grosso do
Sul. Another enjoyable road
experience is to cross Jalapão
State Park, a wonderful con-
trast of golden dunes and
gushing waterfalls.
Korubo
Expedições
offers week-long
packages leaving from
Palmas. The Northeast region's
off-road adventure
Rota das
Dunas
(Dunes Route) runs
from Fortaleza (Ceará) to São
Luís (Maranhão), passing
through Jericoacoara Beach
and Delta do Parnaíba (a
group of 80 islands) and
Parque Nacional dos Lençóis
Maranhenses
(see pp250-51)
.
For bookings contact
Dunnas
Expedições
and
Jeri Off-Road
.
Ecotourism by bicycle, Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses
and
Ecos da Serra
. Cycling
tours near the Parque
Nacional Aparados da
Serra covering the cities of
Gramado, Canela, and the
Vale dos Vinhedos
(see p355)
are organized by
Casa da
Montanha Adventures
.
Accommodation can be
found at the Parador Casa
da Montanha, a kind of
luxurious camping site.
Joaquinas and other beaches
in Florianópolis pose more
challenging water sports
options
(see pp346-7)
.
The country has many
scuba diving options.
PDIC
Brasil
(Professional Diving
Instructor's Corporation) is
a good place to contact. Rio
de Janeiro state, Cabo Frio,
Angra dos Reis, Paraty, and
Ilhabela in São Paulo are
outstanding places for diving
and exploring shipwrecks.
Beaches in the Northeast
are a snorkeler's paradise.
Among the sail sports,
kitesurf reigns in Ceará's
beaches and lakes near
Jericoacoara.
Kite Club Preá
provides facilities, tours, and
safaris for intermediate to
advanced kiters in Preá, a
small fishing village east
of Jericoacoara.
Rafting and canoeing
enthusiasts should head to
Brotas and Socorro, in São
Paulo; Três Rios, in Rio de
Janeiro; Domingos Martins,
in Espírito Santo; Jaguariaíva
and Tibagi, in Paraná; Apiúna,
in Santa Catarina; and Rio
Cristlino, in the Amazon rain-
forest of Mato Grosso.
Cascading and canyoning
can be challenging, but highly
enjoyable, in the waterfalls
of Chapada dos Veadeiros in
Goiás and Cipó mountains, in
Minas Gerais where visitors
can get in touch with
ABETA
(Brazilian Adventure Travel
Association)
.
For those who enjoy fishing,
Clube de Pesca Cananéia
helps organize expeditions.
This club can also make
arragements for the obligatory
fishing license.
CYCLING & BIKING
Cycling and mountain biking
have been attracting increas-
ing numbers of enthusiasts to
Brazil. Many tour operators
rent bikes, and provide neces-
sary equipment, food, and
accommodation. Trancoso
(Bahia) is the starting point
of the Discovery Route - a
crossing that passes through
wonderful beaches. Contact
Sampa
Bikers
and
Natural
Cicloturismo
for details.
Mountain biking is an
interesting way to discover
the attractions of Florianópolis
(Santa Catarina). There are
30 trails that traverse its 42
beaches, lakes, and stunning
landscape. These and other
options in the state can be
found at
Caminhos do Sertão
WATER SPORTS
Vast stretches of beach, and
an abundance of rivers, lakes,
and waterfalls make water
sports widely available and
accessible in Brazil. Fernando
de Noronha (Pernambuco)
and Itacaré (Bahia) are hot
destinations for water sports
such as snorkeling, surfing,
and wind surfing. Búzios and
Rio (Rio de Janeiro), and
Ubatuba and Guarujá (São
Paulo) are easier, while Praia
Canoeing on the Rio Cristalino near Cristalino Jungle Lodge
(see p319)
