Explore Paraty’s Atlantic Rainforest at your own pace with a private 4x4 Jeep and a local guide. Your tour follows stretches of the old Gold Route (Estrada Real), where gold once travelled from Minas Gerais to the sea, and passes through the Serra da Bocaina National Park area.

Start with the first waterfall complex at Pedra Branca Farm, where the Pedra Branca and Usina waterfalls have natural pools that are ideal for a refreshing swim. Then visit a traditional cachaça distillery for a guided presentation on how authentic Paraty cachaça is made. You’ll taste gold, silver and caramel cachaças, the famous Gabriela with clove and cinnamon, and liqueurs such as jabuticaba, passion fruit, cocoa and pineapple with coconut, along with local sweets and pepper sauces.

Next, head to the Penha neighborhood, home to Paraty’s two most famous waterfalls. Tobogã is known for its natural slide of about 20 meters and a cave behind the cascade, a favorite spot for photos. Tarzan Waterfall is right beside a forest restaurant, where you can stop for lunch before returning to town.