Trails I've been to

• Tijuca Forest

  This is probably the largest forest of Rio de Janeiro. Maybe a valid analisys would be to say that the city grew around the forest and its cliffs. It's full of trails, most going to the top of each mountain. I've been to only one there, although I added a picture of another trail to this group - Chinese View - because I believe that it's also within the Tijuca Forest, although I may be wrong. This forest was completely restored in the 19th century after being a coffee farm for many years. In case you can't get a picture of how a coffee farm differs from a forest, let's say that first all the native plants are slashed off then the coffee takes over.

• Pedra da Gávea (Gavea Rock)

  This is one of the highest spots of Rio de Janeiro. A couple of trails allow people to get to the top, but most of them get together before the best part of the path. A climb called Carrasqueira. I've been more than once there by the same trail, one that I particularly think of as a very exhausting path and maybe not worthing the effort. Me and my friends have been pondering about trying other trails, but I think I'm just tired of the place. Anyway, I think it has the best view so far.

• Pedra do Sino (Bell Rock)

  Pedra do Sino is a high spot outside Rio de Janeiro city, but still in the state. The trail is incredibly long, which makes it hard to complete (get to the top and come back) in the same day. I've been there twice. First I did all the 22 Kms plus the long walk to the parking lot on the same day and I'm not willing to do that again. The second time we camped near the top so it was much more pleasant. We saw the sun set and rise. Anyway, the place has an astonishing view at any weather as the clouds are always far below it when you get to the top.

• Costão do Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Climb)

  Sugarloaf is one of Rio de Janeiro's most remarkable landmarks. Usually people go to the top using the cable car (bondinho)... but that's for wimps heheh. There are mainly two ways to go to the top besides that one. The first is a really vertical climb that needs equipment. The other is a much easier climb (45 degrees, mainly, 80 degrees sometimes). I take the second one : )

• Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (Ibitipoca State Park)

  Ibitipoca is a very amusing park in the state of Minas Gerais, near the frontier of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. There's plenty wildlife including the lobo guará and the brazilian parrot. It's also full of caves, and the water has a very peculiar color. They say it's yellow, but I go for red : )

• Santuário do Caraça (Caraça Sanctuary)

  This wonderful particular reserve is full of trails, waterfalls and grottos. They have some caves too, but they aren't marked on the map and I didn't have the chance to check them out yet. The water is like in Ibitipoca: yellowish red, and so is the wildlife. Here the wolves come every night to eat a dish of raw meat among the visitors. The place is located in the middle of Minas Gerais and it is more than two hundred years old. It was a school until early 1930's when the leading priest decided to close it as a school and leave it only as a seminary, which in my opinion was a wise decision as it was absurdly strict on its rules. In 1968, someone forgot to turn the book binding machines off and in the middle of the night a good deal of the complex burst into flames. Luckily nobody got hurt, but the place had to close as a seminary as well. I'm not sure how or when it became an Inn, but that's what it is now: an Inn for those who search for some peaceful moments and nice wild landscapes.

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