Serra da Bocaina National Park

Bocaina spans an unusual gradient for a Brazilian park: from about two thousand metres of high grassland and araucaria on the Sao Paulo side down through cloud forest and Atlantic forest to sea level near Paraty, so the vegetation and the birdlife change completely across it. Running through that gradient is the Trilha do Ouro, the surviving stretch of the colonial road built by enslaved labour to carry gold from Minas Gerais down to the port at Paraty for shipment to Portugal; sections of the stone paving are intact and the descent is walked over three days, ending at Mambucaba. The park is one of the components of the Paraty and Ilha Grande World Heritage site. Waterfalls on the descent include Santo Isidro and the Veu da Noiva.

What you actually see

• Two thousand metres of gradient - highland grassland down to sea-level forest.
• The Trilha do Ouro - surviving stone paving of the colonial gold road.
• Waterfalls on the descent - Santo Isidro and Veu da Noiva among them.
• Araucaria above, Atlantic forest below - two forests in one park.

When to go

April to September, the dry season. Three days for the full descent.

Honest expectations

The gold trail is walked one way and needs transport arranged at both ends, plus registration and usually a guide. It is a demanding three days with river crossings that become dangerous after rain. Highland nights are cold. The park has little infrastructure.

Nearby

Paraty is at the coastal end; Sao Jose do Barreiro is the highland base.