On the Paraná coast of Brazil the Atlantic Forest comes down almost to the sea, and Salto Morato is a private reserve that protects a good piece of it. A few thousand hectares of dense, wet forest, ferns, palms, orchids and giant trees covered in moss, with a trail that leads to a waterfall of about a hundred metres plunging down a green cliff. The Atlantic Forest was once enormous, running along most of the Brazilian coast, but today only a small fraction survives, and this area, with its neighbours in the Serra do Mar, is one of the best-preserved parts, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage cluster.
The reserve was created by a Brazilian conservation foundation and has been a model for private protection, with trails, a research programme and guides from the local community. Wildlife is rich but shy: howler monkeys call at dawn, toucans and parrots cross the canopy, and jaguars and ocelots live in the forest, though you are very unlikely to see one. The nearby town of Guaraqueçaba and the bays of Paranaguá are fishing country, with mangroves, oyster beds and old Portuguese houses, and the pace of life is slow.
Riding here is an adventure. Approaching from Curitiba, the highway to Paranaguá descends the Serra do Mar in a long, spectacular series of bends through cloud and forest, with viaducts, tunnels and trucks that can slow progress. The final roads toward the reserve may be unpaved, and in the rain they become slippery and deep with mud, so check conditions locally and consider the season. The dry months from May to September are easier, but this is one of the wettest parts of Brazil, and showers can arrive at any time. Take rain gear and expect everything to feel damp.
Food near the reserve is simple, with fish, rice and beans, and fresh fruit juices. Visits usually need a fee and sometimes a guide, so check opening times in advance, and bring insect repellent and sturdy shoes for the trail, because a wet forest path is rarely dry.