Guapimirim combines a highly protected landscape with distinctive natural and cultural features. 75% of the municipality’s area lies within environmental protection areas. The Serra dos Órgãos National Park also extends across Guapimirim, but covers four municipalities in total; the Martius Visitor Center and Araçari Campground are located at the Guapimirim Headquarters. Two perspectives are therefore useful when planning your trip: the municipality as a destination and the larger national park as a landscape region.
Protected Areas and Distinctive Landscapes
The Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects 19,855 hectares across the municipalities of Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Magé and Guapimirim. The park therefore extends beyond Guapimirim’s boundaries. If you are considering the municipality as a travel destination, you can view it as part of a larger protected landscape without equating it with the entire national park.
Pico do Dedo de Deus is 1,692 meters high. Since 2002, Dedo de Deus has been recognized as a Brazilian national natural heritage site by IPHAN. The distinctive mountain and its recognized natural heritage status thus represent two different aspects of Guapimirim’s landscape.
Hiking and Mountain Sports
The national park has more than 200 kilometers of hiking trails of all difficulty levels. It is also suitable for mountain sports such as climbing, hiking and rappelling. This offers different ways to plan your trip: you can focus on trails and their difficulty levels or consider climbing and rappelling as additional mountain sports. These trails and activities are part of the national park, which also extends across Guapimirim; when planning a specific outing, it is worth taking the relevant section of the park into account.
Culture and Visitor Center
The Martius Visitor Center at the Guapimirim Headquarters is housed in a restored 19th-century manor house. The Martius Museum there features a permanent exhibition with photos and information about the park, a model of the entire PARNASO area, and a collection of specimens of works by the botanist Von Martius. The park as a natural landscape and its botanical connection to Von Martius are presented side by side.
The Folia de Reis Estrela do Oriente is also part of Guapimirim’s cultural identity: processions take place every year. If you are planning to travel for a procession, check the specific event dates in advance.
Where to Stay in Guapimirim
Araçari Campground at the Guapimirim Headquarters has 20 pitches. If you would like to stay there, check availability for your travel dates. Camping is therefore a specifically identified accommodation option to consider when looking for a suitable place to stay during your visit.
Discover more destinations: Rio Das Ostras, Bom Jardim, Cantagalo, Mendes, Paty Do Alferes, São Pedro Da Aldeia, Carapebus, Itabapoana.
For the broader travel overview: Rio De Janeiro.
