By Ariane Janer, co-founder, EcoBrasil

There is plenty of adventure in the great outdoors of Brazil. The adventure tourism industry has grown a lot and, since 2005, Brazil is investing heavily in improving the quality and safety of its adventure tourism product. Here are some ideas of what you can do and where you can do it in Brazil.

Climbing: For those who like their shot of adrenaline in wild and beautiful natural areas, Brazil offers many interesting technical climbs. Just in the city of Rio de Janeiro there are many possibilities, including the famous Sugar Loaf. Within two hours from Rio, the Serra dos Orgãos National Park offers many impressive walls. The Serra de Cipó in Minas Gerais is a technically challenging place for limestone rock climbing. In São Paulo the hot spot for granite walls is called Pedra de Baú (Campos de Jordão).

Hang and para gliding: Hanggliding was introduced by a French pilot in Brazil in 1974. In the same year, the first ramp was built on Pedra Bonita in the Tijuca National Park, in Rio de Janeiro. The sport quickly became popular and today, both hang and para gliding can be practiced in many places of Brazil. The thermals over the highland plains of the “cerrado” are especially good for long flights.

Hiking and Trekking: Popular all over Brazil and there are endless possibilities. National Parks like Tijuca, Itatiaia, Serra dos Orgaõs (all in Rio State), Sete Cidades (Piaui), Chapada Diamantina (Bahia), Chapada dos Veadeiros (Goiás), Foz de Iguaçu (Paraná), Aparados da Serra (Rio Grande do Sul) all have good hiking trails. You can also hike parts of the Estrada Real (old Gold Route from interior of Minas to lovely Parati). On islands like Ilha Grande (Rio State) and Ilha Bela (São Paulo State) you can combine hiking with visits to beautiful and often deserted beaches. Hiking is also special in the dunescapes of Jericoacoara (Ceará) and the Lençois Maranhenses (Maranhão).

Mountain Biking / Bicycle Touring: Biking tours or bike day trips are offered in many destinations around Brazil and often in small villages, rural and natural areas, where you can get a feel for local culture and experience the blessings of nature. Some good destinations are: Parati (Rio de Janeiro), Campos do Jordão (Saõ Paulo), Estrada Real (old gold route from Minas to Rio), and Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul).

Mountaineering: Brazil has 29 peaks over 2,300 meters, and many of them are located in National Parks. The highest mountain of Brazil is the Pico de Neblina (“Fog Peak”) in the Serra de Imeri (RO), which at 3,014 meters overlooks the Amazon rainforest. There are other high mountains in the same range and in the Serra de Pacairama (Monte Roraima). Other important mountain ranges are the Serra de Caparao in Minas Gerais state (Pico de Bandeira, 2,890 m), Serra de Mantiqueira (Pico das Agulhas Negras, 2,787 m) and Serra dos Órgãos in Rio de Janeiro state

Overland Expeditions: A great way to know wild and pristine parts of Brazil: overland expeditions allow you to venture off the beaten paths on often quite exclusive itineraries. Some examples are Jalapão (Tocantins), Ceará and Maranhão Coast , Estrada Real (old gold route) between Ouro Preto and Diamantina ( MG), Transpantaneira (Pantanal – Mato Grosso) and the National Parks of Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas (Goiás), and Grande Sertão Veredas (Minas Gerais)

Rafting and Canoeing: Rafting is becoming increasingly popular in Brazil. Maximum rapids category is IV+ (Itajaí-Açu) in Santa Catarina. One very special destination is the Jalapão region. Canoeing and sea-kayaking is possible in many areas.

Surf and Wakeboard: Surfing is big in Brazil and there are many waves to choose from. You can even surf the “pororoca” at the mouth of the Amazon. Florianopolis (Santa Catarina), which some consider the best place for surfing in Brazil, is a stop on the World Championship Tour.

Diving: With a long coastline, lots of reefs and shipwrecks, many caves and rivers, there are lots of places to dive and snorkel in Brazil. Even diving in the Amazon is starting to become popular! Fernando de Noronha is generally considered to be Brazil’s best diving destination.

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