Chauás Ecological Station and Pariquera - Abaixo State Park

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Chauás Ecological Station

   The south coast of São Paulo state is a world away from the megacity a few hours to the north. Here, around the old town of Iguape, the Ribeira de Iguape river reaches the sea through a maze of channels, mangroves, islands and lagoons, backed by the forested slopes of the Serra do Mar. The Chauás Ecological Station protects a piece of lowland Atlantic Forest and restinga, the sandy coastal vegetation, near Iguape, and it is part of the Atlantic Forest Southeast Reserves, listed by UNESCO in 1999. The Atlantic Forest once covered much of the Brazilian coast; today only a fraction remains, and this region holds some of the largest continuous stretches.

   Read the complete Chauas Ecological Station write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Chauás Ecological Station is where the day begins. Next is Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone.

2. 2. Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone

   Ilha Comprida, the long island, is exactly what its name promises: a narrow barrier island of sand, dunes and restinga scrub that runs for roughly seventy kilometres along the southern coast of São Paulo state, separating the Atlantic from the calm inland waters of the Mar Pequeno. Behind it lies the Lagamar, one of the largest estuarine complexes in Brazil, a maze of channels, mangroves and islands stretching south toward Cananéia and Paranaguá. This entire region, including the Ilha Comprida protected areas, forms part of the Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves, listed by UNESCO in 1999 for preserving one of the richest and most threatened ecosystems on Earth.

   Read the complete Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone comes up about 58 km into the recorded legs. Next is Pariquera - Abaixo State Park.

3. 3. Pariquera - Abaixo State Park

   Between the Ribeira de Iguape river and the coast of southern São Paulo state, the land is low, green and wet, covered in a patchwork of banana plantations, rice fields, mangroves and patches of dense Atlantic Forest. The Pariquera-Abaixo State Park protects one of these patches, part of the larger network of Atlantic Forest reserves of southeast Brazil listed by UNESCO in 1999, a region that holds some of the most extensive surviving stretches of this once vast forest.

   Read the complete Pariquera - Abaixo State Park write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 160 km into the recorded legs you reach Pariquera - Abaixo State Park. Next is back through Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone.

4. 4. back through Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Ilha Comprida Wild Life Zone, late in the day. Next is Chauas Ecological Station.

5. 5. Chauás Ecological Station

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Chauas Ecological Station write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Chauas Ecological Station. That is the ride.