Brazil Eco Adventure Tours
Rainforest - Hiking & Trekking - Wildlife

Protected Areas
Serra da Bocaina National Park

Serra da Bocaina   Serra da Bocaina   Serra da Bocaina 
The Serra da Bocaina National Park is an Integral Protection Conservation Unit of the Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (see map).

In the Tupi-Guarani language, Bocaina means "paths to the heights". In the past, difficult access to the region created an ideal haven for many fugitive slaves. There are still some decendents of those cultures (colonos) living in the park. While the lower part is covered with dense Atlantic Rainforest / (Mata Atlântica), the upper part contains mixed forests with Paraná pine trees (Araucaria) and above 1.800 m occur altitude fields.
 
Serra da Bocaina is characterized by large variations of altitude rising from sealevel to 2.200m (Pico do Tira Chapéu). The park can be explored in a 3 - 4 days hiking tour along the historic gold trail (trilha do ouro) which runs parallel to the Mambucaba river. The trail was built by slaves in the early 18th century to transport gold and diamonds from the mining fields in Minas Gerais down to the coast.
 
Legislation: Decree 70.694/72
                                    68.172/71
 
 
Area: 98.115 ha
 
Altitude: 0 - 2.200 m
 
Climate: Cfa
 
Address: R. Estadual da Bocaina (SP-221),
                São José do Barreiro - SP
                CEP:12.830-000
                Tel: (12) 3117-1225
 
Websites: www.unep-wcmc.org
                  Plano de Manejo
                  www.braziltourism.org
 
Biome:  Atlantic Rainforest
 
Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest / Altitude Fields
 
Altitudinal Zones:  Alluvial / Lowland / Submontane /
                                Montane / High Montane
 
Flora:  Atlantic Rainforest, araucárias, wild pine-trees
             Altitude Fields with plateau grassland.
 
Fauna:  mammals: jaguar, otter, tapir,
             howler- and capuchin monkey,
             buffy-tufted-ear marmoset, capybara.
             Birds: harpy eagle, black hawk-eagle,
             black-fronted piping guan, red-capped parrot.
 
Peaks: Tira-Chapéu (2.200 m)
 
Trails: Trilha do Ouro
 

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