What is the itinerary of Rio de Janeiro Wilderness Trekking?

• Day 1: From the city to the wild

  • Hiking time: 5 to 7h
  • Meals included: Dinner
  • In this first day of our journey we’ll take the transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Petrópolis to start the Serra dos Órgãos Crossing. The objective is to reach the first summit known as Castelos do Açu, where the first mountain shelter is located. That’s the spot we will overnight. Pack light (ask for our advisory) for it’s a tough ascent of about 1200m altitude gain and rough terrain. The views are incredible, though. We aim to reach the summit before sunset, then take a deep breath for its cinematic experience!
  • Note: Since it’s a long and demanding hike, it’s not possible to have lunch, so by the evening we have a delicious meal suitable as lunch and dinner. It’s necessary to bring quick snacks with you to eat during the hike, we strongly recommend mixed nuts and cereals.
  • Note: The current overnight options are (depend on availability of the National Park) camping, bivaque (collective room without beds inside the mountain shelter), bunk bed (bed inside the mountain shelter). The vacancies are limited and reserved by order of advance payment. The best places (Bunk bed and Bivaque) will be reserved for participants who reserve their places in advance (they are limited and depend on the availability of the National Park).

• Day 2: The ridgeline crossing

  • Hiking time: 6 to 8h
  • Meals included: Dinner
  • Before starting our day two journey, our leaders will wake you up very early, so you won’t miss the sunrise show. This second day is definitely the most beautiful day of the crossing. With ups and downs, ridges and valleys, we’ll make our way, always above 2.000 m, to the highest summit in the Park, the Pedra do Sino, with its 2.275 m of altitude. However, a lot of obstacles and rough terrain should be expected before we reach the second mountain lodge named Abrigo 4 in Pedra do Sino summit.
  • Note: Since it’s a long and demanding hike, it’s not possible to have lunch, so by the evening we have a delicious meal suitable as lunch and dinner. It’s necessary to bring quick snacks with you to eat during the hike, we strongly recommend mixed nuts and cereals.
  • Note: The current overnight options are (depend on availability of the National Park) camping, bivaque (collective room without beds inside the mountain shelter), bunk bed (bed inside the mountain shelter). The vacancies are limited and reserved by order of advance payment. The best places (Bunk bed and Bivaque) will be reserved for participants who reserve their places in advance (they are limited and depend on the availability of the National Park).

• Day 3: Pedra do Sino summit

  • Hiking time: 4 to 6h
  • Meals included: Lunch
  • This is the last day, but before it even starts you’ll be waken up very early again, for this is the best sunrise ever! The sun comes up right behind our next destination: Três Picos (The Three Peaks). After the show, we start our descent, a long way but with less obstacles. Reaching the exit we’ll be in Teresópolis city, host for Brazil’s national football team. Because of that our transfer will take us for a visit in Granja Comary, the national team training center, before we can refill our energies in a local upscale barbecue. After lunch we head to our hotel to get a good rest before the next adventure.
  • Note: The time for local barbecue lunch is late, usually around 4pm. Lunch is in “eat as much as you can” system, so dinner is not included.

• Day 4: Três Picos State Park: The “Brazilian Yosemite”

  • Hiking time: 4 to 6h
  • Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • After hotel breakfast, hop in our transfer to go to the city of Nova Friburgo, in a valley known as Vale dos Frades, location of a big water bottling industry because of the clear and healthy local water fountains. That’s where we start our short hike to the camp site known as Vale dos Deuses (Valley of the Gods). The location was named after a local tale that says Gods battled for who could build the most beautiful mountain. Between huge walls of rock, we set camp and take a rest around the valley. There are several hiking options to the summits around, The Caixa de Fósforo (Matchbox), The Cabeça de Dragão (Dragon’s Head), The Pico Médio (Medium Peak) and so on… We’ll spend the next two days exploring these locations.
  • Note: Meals will be prepared by everybody using a roustic wood burning stove, but camping gas stoves will be available. Teamwork in food preparation!

• Day 5: From Peak to Peak

  • Hiking time: 4 to 6h
  • Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
  • This is the day we spend hiking around the area and visiting several attractions on Vale dos Deuses. At night there will be an outdoor celebration with a big firepit, foods and drinks!

• Day 6: Back from the wild

  • Hiking time: 4 to 6h
  • Meals included: Lunch
  • Before saying goodbye, we still have time for another quick hike for those who yet have energy. A meditation session or a hammock nap are options to those who decide to recover. After lunch let’s gear up to make our way to the cheese farm downwards (yes we can buy some local cheese!), where we’ll hop on the transfer to get back to Rio de Janeiro.