The Serra da Bocaina is the green wall that rises behind the coast between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the high end of the Serra do Mar, and the national park that covers it protects one of the largest surviving patches of Atlantic forest. Rain from the ocean falls on the slopes almost daily, and the result is a dense, dripping jungle of tree ferns, bromeliads, orchids and enormous trees, with waterfalls and rivers running down to the sea. Clouds sit on the ridge, and the air smells of wet leaves and earth.
This forest has a human history that is easy to miss. In the eighteenth century, gold from Minas Gerais was carried over this ridge on the Caminho do Ouro, the Gold Road, by mule train, to be shipped from the port at Paraty, and parts of the old stone-paved road still survive in the forest. The route was dangerous and heavily taxed, and pirates preyed on the ships. Paraty itself, a handsome colonial town about twenty kilometres away, is one of the best preserved in Brazil and is part of the UNESCO listing for Paraty and Ilha Grande, granted in 2019.
The riding is a pleasure. The highway between Paraty and Cunha climbs the escarpment in a long series of bends, passing waterfalls, viewpoints and thick forest, and the temperature drops noticeably as you gain height. Cunha, on the plateau on the other side, is a cool, quiet town known for its ceramics, fired in wood-burning kilns in a technique brought from Japan, and for cheese and mountain crafts. Fog can fill the road in the morning, and rain is frequent, particularly in summer, from December to March, so ride with care on wet tarmac and watch for slippery leaves. Winter days are drier and clearer.
Paraty, with about fifteen thousand people, has fuel, cafes, guesthouses and pousadas, and Cunha, about twenty-nine kilometres away, has services too, though there is none in between. Try a fish stew, or cachaça, the sugarcane spirit, which Paraty has long been known for. The park itself has hiking trails and requires entry fees at some points, so check opening times and trail conditions with local guides.