Brazilian Climber & Scrambler Dossier 2009
Rock climbing, scrambling and walking in the coastal mountains of Brazil
For dates and prices please return to the Brazilian Climber & Scrambler front page
SummaryA great short holiday to the country with the best scrambling and climbing and friendliest people in South America, plus a chance to see and experience one of the world's most beautiful and vibrant cities - Rio de Janeiro. |
Outline Itinerary |
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Day 1-2 |
Flight to Rio de Janeiro |
| Day 3-7 | Climbing, walking and scrambling in Rio |
| Day 8-11 | Travel to and time in Itatiaia national park |
| Day 12-14 | Climbs and via ferrata at Pedra do Bau |
| Day 15-16 | Return to Rio and home |
Stunning scenery at the Pedra do Bau, Sao Bento Sepucai, Brazil.
INTRODUCTION TO THIS HOLIDAY
This itinerary visits three of the best mountain areas in Brazil to climb and scramble. We'll begin with five days in Rio de Janeiro before moving on to the Itatiaia national park and the Pedra do Bau, spending three days at each of these venues. The trip is open to those who want to climb and those who would rather walk or scramble, we will offer alternative routes every day.
Probably the best climbing in Brazil is in and around Rio de Janeiro. This is a city with plenty of mountains, there are steep 200m crags right by the pavements in Urca. The world famous landmark of the Cristo Redentor stands at the top of a peak called Corcovado and the equally famous Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf) peak is an easy scramble with the bonus of a free descent in the cable car afterwards. Climbing and walking in the dramatic coastal scenery and vibrant culture of Rio is an unforgettable experience.
After our time climbing by the beaches of Rio we will visit some of the best mountain areas in Brazil including the impressive Pedra do Bau in the scenic Serra da Mantiqueria. There are climbing routes and "via ferrata" of up to 300m long on this peak and on the neighbouring peaks of Ana Chata and the Bauzinho. Elsewhere in the mountains of Brazil there is excellent climbing and scrambling in the Itatiaia national park, including the highest peak in Brazil's Coastal Mountains, Agulhas Negras, which has both easy scrambling and harder rock climbing routes on it's flank.
This holiday includes all transport, accommodation and logistics plus a full guided service. Whether you want to walk, scramble or climb, we will lead you up some of the best routes, peaks and crags in Brazil.
Climbing on pitch four of the route 'Reinaldo Behnken', Morro da Babilonia, Rio. At this height the palm trees on the Praia Vermelha beach are starting to look pretty wee.
RIO DE JANEIRO
Some of the best walking and climbing in Brazil is located in and around the former capital of Rio de Janeiro. Rio is a stunning city with much dramatic mountain and coastal scenery and a very vibrant culture. It is an unforgettable place to spend some time walking and climbing.
For climbers there are 200m crags right by the pavements in Urca and more remote long routes on the far side of the famous Sugar Loaf peak (Pao de Acucar). The Pao de Acucar peak has literally a hundred excellent routes on it, and all of them have the bonus of a free descent in the cable car afterwards. Across the city the world famous landmark of the Cristo Redentor stands at the top of a peak called Corcovado which has some more excellent climbing. There are crags on several other mountains in the city. The climbing on almost all the crags in and around Rio is mostly on slabby granite, with most routes bolt protected.
For scramblers the famous Sugar Loaf (Pao de Acucar) peak at the entrance to the harbour has a superb scrambling route on it. Across the city are the peaks of Pedra do Gavea and Pico da Tijuca, both with excellent easy scrambles to the summits. The slopes of these peaks are covered in well preserved tropical forest and we will see many exotic species of birds, mammals and plants on our way up the hills, such as toucans, manikins and marmosets. Near the city we’ll also visit the Serra do Mar and the dramatic rock needle of the Dedo do Deus.
We'll climb and scramble as many routes as possible at a variety of venues during our five days based here. There will also be a chance to see some of the city and its famous beaches.
Climbing on K2 (150m, E1 - 5.10a) one of the worlds coolest rock climbs...!.
ITATIAIA NATIONAL PARK
About four hours drive inland from Rio is one of Brazil's best mountain national parks. Itatiaia has many peaks over 2500m high, the majority of them with good rock climbing on their flanks but easy enough scrambles to their summits. Indeed the highest peak of Agulhas Negras, 2787m, can be climbed by a variety of long and interesting middle-grade routes as well as a classic scramble. We'll also climb on a peak called the Pedra do Altar and the second highest peak, Prateleiras has a very entertaining scramble on it.
The park gets quite cold at night and even very occasionally sees a little snow, as we are travelling in Brazil's winter dry season. Brazilians from nearby Sao Paulo come up every weekend to experience such unusually cold weather! Despite being close to several big cities the mountains are surprisingly quiet. While in Itatiaia we'll be staying in a fairly basic mountain hut at the entrance to the national park.
PEDRA DO BAU
Our final destination will be the impressive rock peak of the Pedra do Bau in the Serra da Mantiqueria near Sao Paulo. This 2050m peak rises spectacularly from the forests and fields around the village of Sao Bento Sepucai. There are routes of up to 300m on this peak and on the neighbouring peaks of Ana Chata and the Bauzinho. The Pedra do Bau has two stunning and exposed vias ferrata on it as well. The rock is again a type of granite.
While staying here we will base ourselves in the nearby village of Sao Bento Sepucai. Sao Bento is a charming wee village with many beautiful colonial style buildings set amongst rolling green hills in a rich agricultural area where cattle, coffee and bananas are raised.
Stunning scenery near Sao Bento, featuring the Pedra do Bau and some banana trees.
FITNESS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Climbers should ideally be experienced rock climbers and be able to second routes to at least Severe or Very Severe (US grades 5.6 or 5.7) comfortably. A reasonable level of fitness is also required. In general scramblers should be happy on grade 2 and 3 scrambles (UK) or on all 4th class terrain (US) and be comfortable with some exposure.... again a reasonable standard of fitness is required. All climbs and scrambles will be lead and guided by us, there is no requirement to lead climb.
However we should stress that there are almost endless great things to do in the mountains of Brazil, and we will pretty much tailor the trip to the aspirations and abilities of those who book, whether you want to climb, walk or scramble. And of course you can always take a day off in Rio and lie on the beach at Copacabana.! Please call or email us (contact) if you wish to discuss the suitability of this holiday for you.
HARDSHIPS
This holiday is designed to have few (if any) hardships. The food is good, the people are relaxing, the mountains and beaches are awesome. We'll have to start climbing early most days as it just occasionally gets a little bit too hot in the afternoon!
CLIMATE
We travel to Brazil in the winter dry season, when the weather is also at its coolest. We can expect a lot of clear sunny days and few (if any) rainy days. On the coast temperatures regularly reach 25ºC but higher up inland, and particularly at Itatiaia, it may only be pleasantly warm (15ºC) during the day. It gets cold at night in Itatiaia with temperatures dropping below freezing. As we are in the tropics there are 12 hours of darkness each night, so bring a good book!
Scrambling on Agulhas Negras, Itatiaia national park .
FLIGHTS
Flights from London to Rio will cost about £700-£900 but are currently rising sharply. We normally arrange these for customers through our travel agents, Journey Latin America, (ATOL 2828) at very competitive prices. We make no charge for this service and many customers find it convenient as we are then all booked to fly out on the same plane.
If you prefer you can arrange your own flights to fit in with the holiday itinerary. Please note that if booking flights yourself it is better to pay only a deposit in the short term in case we do not have sufficient fully paid customers to run the expedition.
VISAS
Visas are not necessary for British citizens for Brazil, but you should have a full passport valid for at least six months from the date of travel. Please tell us at the time of booking if you will not be travelling on a British passport.
The crags and peaks of Rio as seen form the cable car station on the Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf).
INSURANCE
All clients must be insured for medical costs and repatriation in an emergency We recommend having insurance for baggage, personal liability and cancellation as well. If you would like advice on insurance please ask.
SAFETY AND RISK
This is an adventure holiday and all clients will be exposed to an element of risk by taking part in this itinerary. While we take all reasonable precautions to reduce risk it is neither possible nor desirable to completely eliminate these additional risks. It is important that you understand the risks involved before signing our booking form. We have identified the following areas as the principal additional risks of this itinerary. This is not a fully inclusive list - please ask if you would like to see a more detailed risk assessment of this itinerary before booking.
Crime : Brazil (and particularly Rio) has a higher crime rate than Europe. As a wealthy tourist you may attract attention.
Driving, hotels and general safety : In Brazil driving, fire safety standards and general safety standards are not as high as in Europe.
Remoteness : You will be several hours from medical help for short periods of time.
Minor slips and falls : Due to steep, uneven and unstable ground in the mountains and when approaching rock climbs.
Weather : The mountains of Brazil have only minor hazards associated with mountain weather. Forecasts are not reliable.
Mountain Hazards : On all scrambles, rock climbs and abseils there is always a very small risk of falls or other mistakes resulting in injury or death. In certain places you may be subjected to a slight risk of rockfall, though this is not a serious hazard.
Scrambling up on magnificent rock, Agulhas Negras
ACCOMMODATION
While staying in Rio and Sao Bento we will use a clean and secure hotel, with hot showers, private bathroom and all the other comforts of home. In Itatiaia there is a mountain hut for which you'll need your own summer-weight sleeping bag.
HEALTH AND HYGIENE
Brazil is one of the more developed countries in South America but hygiene standards are still not as good as in Europe. Even with a bit of caution you might get an upset stomach at some stage. It is a good idea to avoid tap water, unwashed fruit, ice and all seafood. Vaccinations for tetanus, typhoid, polio and hepatitis are needed! Malaria and yellow fever precautions are not necessary as we won't be visiting mosquito infested areas.
Topping out on K2, a 150m E1 (5.10) climb on the Corcovado, which finishes on the balcony by the statue of Christ the Redeemer
SECURITY
Brazil is a very friendly and relatively safe country to visit but it is important to stay alert when in busy public areas and to guard your belongings carefully. Muggings and violent crime against tourists are rare.
We issue further advice on security to all clients before departure.
It should be stressed that we have run countless expeditions to South America over ten years and we can quite confidently say that people are more likely to lose something than have it stolen!
HOLIDAY ORGANISATION
Our holidays are designed to be small and flexible. The trip will be co-ordinated, organised and lead by us, but we will consult members when planning the details of the trip and aim to be as flexible as possible over your choice of climb or scramble each day. We publish an outline itinerary so that we have a framework on which to build the expedition.
Please note however that on both options the leaders decision will be final where the safety of the group or any member is in jeopardy; for example where retreat or diversion is necessary due to illness or bad weather.
Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, with the Sugar Loaf in the distance.
HOLIDAY SIZE
The minimum we need to run this holiday is three customers. The maximum size of this holiday will be six customers plus leader.
LEADER
At the time of printing we have not finalised the leader for this holiday. Please phone if you require further details. All of our holidays and expeditions are normally led by a suitably qualified and/or experienced European (normally British) leader.
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