The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened in the world.

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When the Portuguese explorers first arrived in 1500 it is estimated that the Atlantic Forest occupied an area of about 1.1 million square km running from Recife in the far northeast along the coastline down into Argentina and Paraguay. If, like me, you struggle to understand what really big numbers actually mean it might help to think that this is twice the land area of Texas. Since then the Atlantic Forest has been gradually destroyed through a mixture of urbanisation, industry and agriculture and nowadays, as a recognised Biodiversity Hotspot, it is estimated that only 7% remains. It is no coincidence that 62% of the Brazilian population lives along the Atlantic coastline.

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Yet, even today, the spectacular mountain scenery attests to its past glory and the forest still rivals the Amazon in biological diversity. Paraty is home to a particularly rich area of Atlantic Forest due to its isolation throughout the 20th Century and over 80% of the municipality is now protected. In 2019, together with nearby Ilha Grande, the Atlantic Forest of Paraty was recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, a joint Cultural and Natural site.

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As you would expect the Atlantic Forest plays a central role in the day tours and multiday trips of Paraty Explorer.
In a fun and entertaining way we aim to give visitors a greater understanding of the Atlantic Forest; the challenges facing its preservation and development; and the local communities that live in and around it.

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In addition to amazing Coastal Rainforest hiking we also interact with the forest in new and innovative ways – in recent years we have started projects for native tree planting and mangrove planting. Through our work with local foragers and farmers our guides have been trained to identify edible plants in the Atlantic Forest. 

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Recommended Tour: Gold Trail Atlantic Forest Walk