Darwin s Trail
 
In 1832 the Atlantic Rainforest overwhelmed Charles Darwin with its spectacular beauty and biological diversity. On this trail you ride through these exuberant forests of ancient trees and see a little of what enchanted the young Darwin.

Rio de Janeiro State has some of the best-preserved parts of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil thanks, in part, to the inaccessibility of some of the mountainous areas. Birdwatchers will discover an enormous variety of birds; the Atlantic Rainforest is also rich in reptiles, amphibians and butterflies. The vegetation is thick and lush and fantastic. Many trees are absolutely dripping with epiphytes and there are an enormous variety of orchids and bromeliads.

During the week you ride on narrow tracks through the rain forest, over pastures, crossing rivers and following winding mountain trails. The dramatic mountains of this area can be seen all the way from the city of Rio de Janeiro.

You ride during the week on one of the well trained Mangalarga Marchador horses of the Desempenho Riding Centre. The horses are calm and comfortable, most of them offering the marcha gait, so much easier than trotting.

Accommodation varies from comfortable chalets at the riding centre, to simple guesthouses to the beautiful lodge at Guapi Assu Lodge.

PHOTOS - Click here

Itinerary
1st day - Arrival at Rio de Janeiro Airport and transfer to Desempenho Horse Center. The first day will be dedicated to know the horse that you’ll ride and to get a general view of the landscape. After dinner (typical Brazilian cuisine) a documentary on the main points of ‘Darwin’s Brazil’ will be presented followed by a briefing on the Atlantic Rainforest – what you should look for on the ground, in the undergrowth and in the tree-tops. If you keep your eyes peeled you can see what Darwin saw.

2nd day – After breakfast, the expedition depart to the mountains with our guide who’ll help you identify species and understand the rainforest and its flora and fauna. Lunch will be a picnic in the mountains by an old Jequitibá tree, probably as old as Brazil’s history, which grows by a waterfall where you can have a swim. Afterwards, we’ll ride along trails, where you’ll get intimate contact with orchids, bromeliads and butterflies. We’ll overnight at Pousada (Lodge) Boa Vista.

3rd day - Breakfast and departure to the second leg of the journey: the ride to Santa Maria. On the way we’ll cross the ‘Itaperiti’ Valley with its spectacular mountain scenery and exuberant lowland forest crisscrossed by many brooks and full of exotic fruit trees. By sunset you’ll be spying the ‘Três Picos’ as the expedition reaches the Santa Maria Inn. A sauna followed by a plunge in the river usually attracts the bravest. A good dinner (Brazilian cuisine) and a chat about the day’s adventures prepares the mind for a good nights sleep.

4th day - Breakfast and departure to the Reserva Ecologica Guapi Assu - REGUA. On this leg of the journey we’ll ride through Fazenda João Paulo, then enter the ‘Três Picos’ State Park, then transverse ‘Fazenda São Miguel’. This trail follows the base of the impressive granite wall of the ‘Serra dos Órgãos’, so steep that it held up Brazil’s expansion west for hundreds of years. To reach the Reserva Ecologica Guapi Assu we’ll swim our horses across the river Guapiassu. Lunch at Guapi Assu Lodge.
The afternoon is reserved to explore the Reserva Guapi Açu a premier birding and wildlife reserve, located within its own private 6740 hectare land reserve. The lodge we will stay at overlooks great stretches of wetlands and also offers a privileged view of the beautiful forested slopes and high altitude forest as well as of the “Serra dos Orgãos” mountain chain. This habitat, a haven for birds and other wildlife species, is also a heaven for birdwatchers, tree-huggers and animal lovers.

5th day - Daybreak is announced by the chirping, singing and screeching of birds of many feathers. In the saddle again, we’ll ride over a new trail, hill and dale where keen eyes have much to see creeping, crawling and flying everywhere. Lunch will be served at the Santa Maria Inn. After eating the best Brazil has to offer, to keep fit, you can choose between a hiking, a tree-rope course, zip-line or an invigorating sauna. After dinner, a game of cards a sip of wine, and when the time is right a comfortable bed and a sound night’s sleep in the heart of Darwin’s Brazil.

6th day - The ride to Desempenho will follow the ‘Trilha das Tocas’, which winds through farmland and cattle ranches. Picknick at ‘Fazenda das Tocas’. Mounted again, we’ll cross the town of Cachoeiras de Macacú, follow the trail that leads to the ‘Pedra do Colégio’, where Jesuits once taught Indians the ‘Golden Rule’, and then we’ll have a snack at ‘Mirante dos Três Picos’, where the mighty mountain chain can be seen in all its splendor. Then it’s clippetty-clop back to dinner and tall-tales at Desempenho Horse Center.

7 th day - Farewell
After breakfast a farewell to the horses and then its back to Rio de Janeiro Airport and a nice flight home. You’ve seen what Darwin saw and have a string of photographs to prove it.

Notes:
the itinerary may change depending on the weather at the time and other local conditions.