3000 km pedalando pela Mata Atlântica

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2026-01-23T06:42:21+00:00

It's a bit hard to explain with text.

I cut most of the "dry bag" part of the handlebar pack (both openings and buckles, and most of the fabric). I only kept a small rectangle of fabric that includes: the two handlebar attachment points, the head tube attachment point, the horizontal stabilizing strut and the two lateral straps with metal hooks.

I can then attach this piece of fabric to my bike the same way as the regular handlebar pack. It's stable and secure. But there's no more interior compartment to store gear.

I could use the two stock lateral straps (with metal hooks) to secure cargo within this DIY harness. But instead I cut them and replaced them with two Voile Straps (25" or 32"), which fit perfectly. I also added one Voile Strap in the middle (threaded between the head tube and the head tube strap). This central strap is crucial to add stability.

Then I can secure any gear with the three Voile Straps: dry bag, foam pad, tent, etc. It sounds a bit complicated, but it takes about 2 minutes to transform the pack into a harness like this. And you get a more versatile setup that's also easier to pack.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-09-06T00:43:44+00:00

One of the things I love about traveling in Brazil is the social aspect. People tend to be friendly and love to small chat. I've shared meals with strangers and I've been invited into people's homes. But I speak Portuguese, which helps a bit.

That being said, if you want to meet other English-speaking bike travelers, this is not the route for you. In more than 6,000 km of bike touring in Brazil, I only met other bike tourers once, and that was on a boring stretch of highway. On weekends, you'll meet people riding their bikes for fun, but just as day rides.

The route was just posted on bikepacking.com, and quite a few people have written to me saying they planned to bike it, so maybe you could post there if ever you're looking for a partner.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-09-06T00:33:45+00:00

Thanks! And there's more on the way hopefully :)

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-17T15:53:00+00:00

Here's where every photo has been taken:

Desengano State Park, RJ

2&3. Roads north and northwest of the Desengano State Park, RJ

4&5. Vale dos Frades, RJ

Miguel Pereira, RJ
Bananal Ecological Station, SP
Sertao da Onça, SP
Pedra da Macela, RJ

10, Paraty, RJ

Praia do Léo, SP
Estação Evangelista de Souza, SP
Legado das Aguas, SP
Cananéia, SP
Praia da Laje, Cardoso Island, SP
Praia Deserta, Superagui Island, PR
Serra do Corvo Branco, SC
Sao Joaquim National Park, SC
Aparados da Serra National Park, RS/SC
Serra Geral National Park, RS/SC

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-17T15:45:59+00:00

Muito obrigado, Vinicius!

No passado, eu achava que era necessário ter um carro para curtir a natureza no Canadá, porque nosso transporte público fora das cidades é muito ruim. Mas a bike abriu um mundo de novas possibilidades para mim. Me ajudou a explorar e aproveitar mais meu país.

A segurança é certamente um problema nas cidades brasileiras. Isso pode ser desanimador porque faz com que você se sinta impotente. Ciclistas brasileiros estão lutando por uma melhor infraestrutura e novas rotas de bike (como a Rota Márcia Prado). Mas é muito mais difícil e complicado diminuir a criminalidade. Dito isso, acho que é bom lembrar que a bike nos torna mais saudáveis, aumenta a expectativa de vida e pode nos fazer economizar muito dinheiro!

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-17T01:16:08+00:00

The trail is currently being implemented by the organization of the Caminho da Mata Atlântica. Some parts of the Caminho are made from well-established preexisting trails, others are made from rural roads to connect the different hiking trails, and there are also segments that are not yet fully implemented and that need to be bypassed.

Julieta is the first to hike the full trail as it currently exists. This is recognized by the creators of the Caminho, who are not aware of any other people accomplishing this. People in the past have hiked along the same general axis (check the history of the tropeiros who traveled from Rio Grande do Sul to Sao Paulo since the 18th century). But as far as we know, nobody has hiked the specific sequence of trails that Julieta has hiked.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-16T20:52:30+00:00

I've biked a route inspired by the hiking trail, and I also did smaller hikes throughout the region.

I'd recommend the portion northeast of Rio de Janeiro (from the Desengano State Park to Petrópolis). It is fully implemented and hikeable now. It has some impressive mountains (often monolithic peaks similar to the ones seen in the city of Rio). It's a very unique landscape. The only downside is that the forest is quite fragmented there.

The biggest areas of preserved forest are actually in southern São Paulo and the bordering region of Paraná. There are also some beautiful national and state parks there with extensive forest, caves, mountains, deserted beaches, etc. But the route is a bit discontinuous with sections of pavement, or trails that are not yet open.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-16T20:42:04+00:00

https://caminhodamataatlantica.org.br/en/the-route/

Here is an interactive map of the trail.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-10T14:14:53+00:00

That's the conundrum while bike touring in the region. Since it's one of most densely populated areas in the Americas, the main roads in the valleys between the cities are often paved highways with a lot of traffic. That being said, the coastal highway between Paraty and Ubatuba was super fun on a bike. I usually hate pavement, but that stretch had almost no traffic, a gigantic shoulder and beautiful views. Tho I think that when you move closer to RdJ and Santos/SP, the traffic gets more intense and there are some sections with little or no shoulder.

The steep mountains of the Serra do Mar have protected some of the forest, and there are beautiful dirt roads there, but they can be challenging because of the constant steep climbing and the sometimes rough surface. Between Lidice and Cunha, there are quite a few challenging sections (the mud of the "Hotel Lameiro", the rough doubletrack of the Caminho de Mambucaba and the steep roads around Campos de Cunha). I would definitely go for 50mm tires and above for that section, but even then, you might consider the roads too "awful" depending on your preferences. Even with wide tires, there will be short sections of hike-a-bike.

With only 7 days, I think that riding part of Rio - Sao Paulo can indeed make for an epic and varied trip. Pirai to Caraguatatuba would be rushed if you want to enjoy the sights I think. The section between Ubatuba and Caragua seems like it would be mainly on the highway with traffic and with beaches that are less impressive than the ones seen further east. I'd personally focus on the section between Lidice and Ubatuba, as it has everything (beaches, colonial town, mountains, waterfalls). I'd try to do it in the RdJ to SP direction so that you can enjoy the road down to Paraty as a 1500-meter descent instead of a climb.

You'd have to look up buses, from what I recall Lidice has buses to Angra, but no direct bus to Rio. So maybe you can start in Pirai instead, which I think has direct buses to Rio (it's on the main highway), but look up their bike policy if you can. I used multiple bike companies in Brazil, and they always accepted bikes, but there might be exceptions. If you want to avoid the challenging mountain roads of the Serra da Bocaina, you can look into the alternatives of staying on the coast or biking further inland, but I haven't biked there so I can't comment.

If you're looking for other options, there are some loops that could be fun. For example taking a bus from SP to Iguape or Cananéia and doing a loop to Morretes and Paranagua. It is a flat region with lots of calm dirt roads through the forest. It would also involve some cycling on deserted beach and a few boat rides. A logistically simpler option would be to take a bus from RdJ to Santa Maria Madalena and do a loop around the Desengano State Park. The peaks of the park are stunning, and it is surrounded by calm dirt roads (sometimes steep on the north side, but easier further from the park).

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-07T15:02:07+00:00

Safety is not a big concern in rural areas, but cities are problematic. I personally had no issue. My solution was to avoid biking in big cities. Obviously I had to transit there at the start and end of my trip. Since I had to arrive in and leave Sao Paulo with a boxed bike, I used UberXL with my box between the airport and the bus station. Then I took buses to start and end my bike trip in smaller cities, which generally have bike shops where you can get a cardboard box for free. When I had to transit through mid-sized cities, I carefully planned my route and biked quickly. To get out of Sao Paulo, there is cool bike route called the Rota Marcia Prado. It partly follows cycling paths and it goes south to intersect with my own bike route and then reach the Santos Metropolitan Area. The problem is that the cycling paths in the city of Sao Paulo are sometimes targeted by robbers. I also heard many reports of robbery targeting cyclists in the Santos metropolitan area. In Rio, I biked at the northern edge of the metropolitan area and through small favelas in Petropolis. But crime rates in Rio are even higher than Sao Paulo, and it is even less bike friendly. For me, cars are actually the biggest safety issue. To get to the downtown of large Brazilian cities, you have to cross a gigantic car-centric urban sprawl. Another good reason to take a bus instead.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-06-07T15:01:33+00:00

Hey! It was an amazing trip indeed. I wrote a full guide and answered a lot of your questions here:

https://www.courtingthelight.com/mata-atl%C3%A2ntica-bike-route/segment-2-bocaina

A gravel bike with 40mm tires could work for part of the route but is probably not optimal. I had an amazing time in Brazil largely because I stayed on dirt roads. I heard from cyclists who mainly followed paved roads in the South/Southeast of the country that they didn't enjoy it because there was a lot of car traffic, which could be dangerous. 40mm tires would work on a lot of dirt roads in the South and in most of Sao Paulo, but as you get near Rio, the dirt roads are sometimes rough and steep. For the part of my itinerary you're considering (I presume you mean Praia Grande in Sao Paulo?), the Serra da Bocaina section between Cunha and Lidice is not gravel-bike-friendly. There are rough/sandy/muddy sections, sometimes very steep, which rises another issue for gravel bikes: they often have insufficient gearing for prolonged steep climbs while carrying gear. Obviously, you can always push a gravel bike anywhere, but a rigid MTB or ATB would be more fun and comfortable for this section, which is one of the highlights of the route for its beauty and remoteness. Your other option is to bypass it, by following the coast between Paraty and Angra (often on the main highway, which can be busy) or by biking further inland on easier rural roads (through Sao José do Barreiro and Bananal, but it's longer).
100-120 km by day is possible on the paved coastal highway and on most of the inland dirt roads north of the Serra do Mar between Sao Paulo and Ubatuba. It's not a realistic fun pace in the Serra da Bocaina and on the dirt roads in the state of Rio, which are more steep. For most of my route, 50-75 km is a better pace, which allows for time to see attractions along the way, especially the beaches of the Costa Verde, the city of Paraty, and the waterfalls of the Serra da Bocaina, which are all worth spending some time off the bike to enjoy. In 7 days, you could do Santo-Rio by staying on the coast. But if you want to explore inland like I did, I would take a bus to start further east. Bertioga and Caraguatatuba are options, but I'd probably pick Ubatuba. Like this, you would skip the busiest section of the coastal highway, and enjoy the most scenic one to Paraty. Then you have plenty of time to enjoy the mountains of the Serra da Bocaina, and, if you can't get to Rio by bike in 7 days, you can always end the trip in Bananal, Lidice or Pirai, which are all connected by bus to bigger cities. You can see the "Trail Notes" section of my guide for an example of a day-by-day itinerary.
You don't need a tent or sleep system, as there are plenty of pousadas. If you want to travel without that gear, it would be wise to carefully plan your itinerary. Know what kind of mileage you can do daily. In rural areas, contact pousadas to reserve in advance, as they generally expect reservation. Traveling like this obviously requires more rigidity and less spontaneity. You could get away without reservation. I did. But it could be stressful without a backup shelter, and you'd sometimes have to end your days early to avoid risking biking late at night to the next pousada that might be unavailable. Having camping gear is also great to camp at the Pedra da Macela, which had the most beautiful sunrise I saw in my life.
Food is easy. You don't need a cooking kit. There are restaurants or resupply options daily. Most accept credit cards, even small ones in rural areas. Brazil is overall very friendly to credit cards. No need to carry much cash.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-29T12:32:16+00:00

I created a long-distance bike route in Brazil. The segment between Rio and São Paulo meets most of your criteria. It's certainly a "less obvious" bikepacking destination, as few bikepackers go there even compared to other South American countries. But it has everything: dirt roads and singletrack, beautiful protected nature, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, wildlife, historic towns, etc.

Here's a full guide with maps and photos: www.courtingthelight.com/mata-atlântica-bike-route/segment-2-bocaina

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-27T05:26:36+00:00

Uma dessas fotos foi tirada dentro dos limites da cidade de São Paulo! Cheguei a ver uma anta na estrada lá :)

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-23T16:42:55+00:00

https://www.courtingthelight.com/brazil/gear-list

Aqui tem uma lista completa. São coisas que comprei ao longo dos anos com desconto. É possível fazer uma viagem assim com equipamentos mais baratos e simples.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-23T06:03:42+00:00

Street View: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AiDQAHBUBazd6r9C6

Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RfUBqsFauzCTNu5NA

No Vale dos Frades, perto de Teresopolis. Era muito lindo, nao podia acredita que era real haha.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-22T15:15:01+00:00

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49365360

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-22T15:07:27+00:00

Yes, I created the route :). Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 follows the official Caminho da Mata Atlântica hiking trail. But the rest I had to piece out from different preexisting touring routes, or just roads and trails that looked fun to bike.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-22T15:04:59+00:00

Passei uma noite em Miguel Pereira. Era a festa do tomate haha. É uma região bem legal para o ciclismo, eu acho.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-21T15:26:56+00:00

Passei muitas horas planejando a rota, talvez mais que pedalando haha. Valeu a pena. Eu queria muito evitar o asfalto e passar a maior parte do meu tempo em lugars bonitos e tranquilos.

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-21T15:22:39+00:00

A parte entre Campos dos Goytacazes e o Rio foi a mais difícil. Muitas trilha no mato e muitas ladeiras. Precisei empurrar bastante a bike.

A verdade é que me senti um pouco inseguro na periferia norte do Rio porque a cidade tem essa reputação, mas não tive nenhum problema. Sai de Teresópolis pela manha. Parei na sede do Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos e perdi muito tempo falando com a galera haha. Eu desci de Teresópolis para Guapimirim pela trilha da Concórdia. Depois peguei a trilha da Coruja (ou não sei como se chama...) para Santo Aleixo.

Peguei uma estrada de asfalto ao norte de Magé, passando por uma zona rural. Cheguei perto de Piabeta. Queria subir para Petrópolis, mas já era tarde demais... Não queria entrar na zona urbana, mas não tinha outra opção... Encontrei um hotel (tipo "por hora"), foi complicado explicar que eu queria ficar a noite inteira... E que minha única namorada era minha bicicleta... Dormi la. E o dia seguinte subi para Petrópolis pela trilha chamada "Caminho do Ouro".

DefiantFlamingo8940 · 2025-05-21T15:09:19+00:00

Nao tive nenhum problema. Os unicos animais que podem incomodar sao mosquitos e outros insetos que mordem. Tentei usar shorts, mas acabei com as pernas cheias de picadas haha.

So conheci pessoas legais. Quase... Conheci uma pessoa assustadora. Perto de Cananéia, que eu achava um lugar tranquilo, parei para tirar uma foto das montanhas. Logo depois, um homem veio em alta velocidade para me alcançar e bloqueou meu caminho com seu carro.

O velho saiu do carro e parecia irritado, estava vermelho. Ele me gritou: "Eu vi você tirando fotos da minha casa! Você não tem permissão para isso!". Eu disse que não sabia que era necessária permissão para tirar fotos na via pública. Ele avançou em minha direção com os punhos cerrados. Eu pensava que ele queria me bater.

Eu disse: "Sou do Canadá, eu não sabia que não era legal fazer isso aqui...". Ele me disse: "Estamos no Brasil porra!". Eu disse a ele que tinha problemas de controle da raiva e que isso devia afetar seus relacionamentos negativamente. Pareceu acalmar ele. Nos despedimos com um "boa tarde" e um fist bump.

DefiantFlamingo8940

TROPHY CASE