Adventure & History
at Tijuca Forest

Waterfalls, caves, ruins and rainforest — all within the city limits of Rio de Janeiro. A small group of up to 6 people. This is Tijuca National Park the way most visitors never see it.

Total duration:

HALF-DAY / approx. 5 to 6h

Difficulty level:

MODERATE (requires
good fitness!)

Hike details:

6,2km (3.8mi) / approx. 2,5h elev. gain: 448m (1,469ft)

Prices:

from 345BRL/person

😍 for you

Highlights

Adventure & History
at Tijuca Forest

From 345BRL/person

PLEASE NOTE:   Small groups that regularly sells out. Book as soon as possible!

The Adventure & History at Tijuca is...

... a half-day hike through Tijuca National Park — one of the largest urban rainforests in the world — following a circuit that weaves together waterfalls, ancient caves, coffee farm ruins and dense tropical rainorest. A morning that covers more ground, literally and historically, than most people expect from a city like Rio.

A FOREST WITHIN THE CITY

Tijuca National Park sits in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro — 4,000 hectares of dense Atlantic Forest rising just 30 min. from the city's famous beaches. It is one of the largest urban tropical forests in the world, and most visitors pass through Rio without ever setting foot in it. The trails on this circuit run through parts of the park that even regular visitors rarely reach .The forest here is lush, layered and alive.

Group of hikers in a tour at Tijuca Forest

FALLS, A ROPE BRIDGE, A RUINS AND ITS HISTORY

The first stop is the Cascatinha Taunay — the largest waterfall in the Tijuca Forest National Park. After a short drive deeper into the forest, the hike begins: a climb through dense Atlantic vegetation, across the Cova da Onça suspension bridge, past the ruins of a 19th-century coffee farm — walls still standing, trees growing through them — and into the Eucalyptus Grove, planted over what was once a slave cemetery.

INTO THE BAT'S GROTTO

The highlight of the circuit for many is the the Bat's Grotto — the largest gneiss grotto in Brazil. Standing inside it, with rock walls rising over 20 meters above you, is one of those moments that's hard to describe and easy to remember. Our guide will explain how grottos are formed and what lives inside it. Toucans, monkeys, coatis and sloths are all part of this forest — with some luck we may spot them.

HIkers inside a cave at Tijuca Forest National Park

REFRESH!

After the ascent, the trail descends to the Baronesa Cascade — a waterfall where participants are welcome to cool off before the walk back. Pause, feel the cold water, and let the tropical rainforest mood get into you.

MORE THAN JUST A HIKE... LEARN AND BE AMAZED

Our experienced and passionate tour guides are ready to give you tons of information to enrich your experience and the whole trip. From geography and history to botany and beyond, open your mind and allow yourself to fall in love with the essence of Brazil and the natural wonders that surround you.

SMALL GROUPS, GREAT EXPERIENCES.

To ensure every participant receives our guides' full attention — and to maximize the chances of wildlife sightings — we keep our groups small, with a maximum of 6 people* on the regular daily tours. Our tours book up regularly, so we recommend reserving your spot in advance.

*Bigger groups

If you have a bigger group we can organize an exclusive tour separated from the regular daily activities. Please contact us by email [email protected].

(*the water flow on the falls varies according to intensity and recency of the rain)

💬 testimonials

What our guests are saying

"We had a lovely day in Tijuca forest hike in small group and we had a wonderful day with our guide! "

"The weather was cloudy on the day we walked, but we still loved the experience and everything we saw. Our guide was excellent, and told stories and answered all our questions throughout the day!"

Google Logo

reviews

100% 5★

GetYourGuide-logo

rating

4.9/5.0

TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice label

reviews

95% 5★ + 4% 4★

Yelp-Logo

reviews

100% 5★

Facebook Logo

reviews

100% 5★

✳️ Recommendations

A brand you can trust

Includes:

Tour guide (English/Portuguese) [Spanish under request by email]


Insurance
(no extra cost)

'Rainy day warranty' (cancel or reschedule free of charge)

Transport (designated hotels in the South Zone)

What to take and wear:

WATER (1,5 liters/person), FOOD (fruit, sandwich, cereal bar etc)

Sun lotion, insect repellent

Bathing suit, towel
(waterfall shower-optional)

Athletic clothes and shoes (no sandals!), hat

Athletic clothes and shoes (no sandals!), hat

Features:

Price/capacity:

Regular / collective tour (maximum 6 people)

Adults (age 13+):
from 345BRL/person

Child (8 to 12): 235BRL/person
(not recommended for under 8 y.o)

Private group (TOTAL price BRL) - exclusive car and tour guide

3

4

5

6

+ 6

1,150 BRL

1,488 BRL

1,720 BRL

1,960 BRL

2,172 BRL

🎁Bonus

3 Gifts for you!

+100BRL discount
booking our combo:


Book the tour above + a second tour with us and get a total 100 BRL discount

Extra 300BRL discount to do other tours in Rio

Big Dude Tour (Christ Statue, Selarón Steps, Santa Teresa...), Football Experience, Favela with a Local, and more

A guidebook for restaurants and bars in Rio:

✔ Higlights with the best restaurants in Rio
✔ List with 100 options organized by area and classified by price, ambiance etc

🍃 FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does the 300BRL bonus work?

Booking any of our tours (even just one) you 300BRL discount to do acitivites with other tour companies in Rio that we partner with:

+ 40BRL Big Dude Tour (Christ, Selarón Steps, Santa Teresa +...)
+ 60BRL Football Experience at Maracanã Stadium
+ 30BRL Bike Tour
+ 20BRL Favela Walking Tour (with a local)
+ 40BRL Bossa Nova Walking Tour
+ 80BRL Cooking Class of Brazilian Typical Food
+ 40BRL Gávea or Sugar Loaf Rock climbing

→ TOTAL 300BRL/person OFF (around 60USD)
average 15 to 20% off on each tour

This tour is possible with some rain, but in case of very strong rain it's possible to reschedule or cancel free of charge. So you can change the date (no extra cost and according to availability) or just cancel and get a full refund.

It requires good fitness to hike up and downhill for approx. 2,5h. Recommended for active and fit people with good cardio. The trail is uphill, flat, and downhill. Extension of 6.2km (3.8mi) and an elevation gain of 448m (1,469ft). You don't need to have previous experience in hiking, but you need to be fit.

Yes, it's possible.There are monkeys, coatis, squirrels, marmosets, sloths, toucans, snakes, spiders, among other animals, insects, and wildlife. Seeing them is POSSIBLE but not guaranteed.

Hiking shoes or boots are good but NOT necessary. This hike can be done with any athletic shoes that have a good grip.

Yes. Our groups are quite small (maximum 6 participants), and availability can change really quickly. Our system allows booking until the night before the tour 20:00pm, but it depends on having availability.

Above 8 years old. But FITNESS is required, and a good cardio endurance is necessary regardless of age.

► 24h before the start of the tour (collective) / 48h (private tours) – refund of ALL the amount paid.

► Less than 24h (collective)/48h (private) before the tour or NO SHOW – the TOTAL cost will be charged.

Toilets are available before and after the hike. During the hike there are no toilets but it's possible to go in the woods, if necessary.

It's not mandatory, but our service includes a personal accident insurance (with NO EXTRA cost) and these data are required by the insurance company if you choose to have it. You don't have to bring your passport either.

No. Vaccines are not required.

Meeting point (up to 6pm on the day before the tour).

Cancellations and rescheduling according to the cancellation policy:

► 24h before the start of the tour (collective) / 48h (private tours) – refund of ALL the amount paid.

► Less than 24h (collective)/48h (private) before the tour or NO SHOW – the TOTAL cost will be charged.

No. None of our tours include technical climbing. But being active, fit and having a good cardio is MANDATORY. You must be fit to perform the activity (please read the detailed description and consider the difficulty level, extension, elevation gain and duration of the hike and also the heat/temperature according to the season).

Hiking is considered a very safe activity, especially when all the guidelines and best practices are followed. Regardless of guidelines, best practices, security measures, and risk management, the tour is an active hike in the outdoors with physical activity that also involves the risk of falling, slipping, stumbling, loss or breakage of personal belongings, physical exhaustion, falling trees, falling rocks and cliffs, insect bites, poisonous animals, contact with stinging plants, contact with thorns, caterpillars, and venomous insects, and severe weather, among other risks inherent to an outdoor activity, and also that such risks may cause damage or loss, small or severe.

🌴BOOK HERE

Choose collective or private and then the date


from 345BRL/person


from 575 to 362BRL/person

[when booking you agree with our terms of service]
COLLECTIVE

from 345BRL/person

PRIVATE

from 575 to 362BRL/person

[when booking you agree with our terms of service]

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