Búzios Emerências and José Gonçalves Guided Hike

Explore the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area on a guided hiking tour that ends with free time at José Gonçalves Beach.

Getting started

Meet your expert Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide at the designated starting point and set out on the Trail Emerências and José Gonçalves. After a brief outline of the route and terrain, you begin hiking into the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area. The path starts on dirt tracks, so light clothing, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and water are recommended from the outset.

What to expect

Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area

This section of the hike takes you into one of the most natural and preserved sides of Búzios, within the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area and surrounded by the Atlantic Forest. As you follow the trail, the environment shifts between dense forest, open dirt paths, and stretches of nature that highlight how varied this coastal landscape can be.

Features

• The guided hiking tour in the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area leads you through the Atlantic Forest, where you can observe native biodiversity and experience a mix of forest, dirt paths, and nature along the way.
• Your bilingual Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide shares information about local wildlife such as marmosets and sloths and points out how this off-the-beaten-path route reveals a more authentic and little-known side of Búzios.
• Several photo stops at the main viewpoints give you time to take in panoramic views and viewpoints of Búzios and the coastline, capturing the contrast between the forested interior and the ocean.
• There is a shorter route option with direct access to José Gonçalves Beach from the lower part of the area, which can be used if you prefer a less demanding section of the trail.

Emerências and coastline viewpoints

As the trail progresses, you move through the Emerências area and reach natural viewpoints that overlook the coastline. Here, the hike shifts focus from the forest interior to the meeting point between land and sea, with open vistas across Búzios and its surrounding shores.

Features

• Along this Emerências stretch, the trail combines varied landscapes that include forest edges, coastal nature, and changing terrain, making it clear how the region transitions from the protected interior to the seaside.
• Photo stops at the main viewpoints are included here as well, so you can pause to frame views of Búzios and the coastline from different angles before continuing the hike.
• Your expert Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide manages the pace of this section, making sure you can safely navigate the dirt paths while still having time to observe the environment and ask questions about what you see.

José Gonçalves Beach

The hike concludes as you arrive at José Gonçalves Beach, a tranquil and rustic natural setting that contrasts with the forest and viewpoints you passed earlier. The beach marks the endpoint of the trail and the beginning of your unscheduled time by the water.

Features

• Free time at José Gonçalves Beach lets you unwind in a calm environment that feels removed from busier parts of Búzios, with the ocean and surrounding nature as your backdrop after the hike.
• This final stop on the guided hiking tour in the Pau Brasil area brings together everything you have seen along the trail, from Atlantic Forest and dirt paths to coastline views, now ending right on the sand.
• You can use this off-the-beaten-path beach time to rest after the walk, explore the shoreline at your own pace, or simply take in the preserved scenery before making your independent return, since round-trip transportation to the meeting point is not included.