Kayaking & Canoeing in Brazil

With 8,000km of Atlantic coastline plus the largest river system in the world, and also the largest wetlands in the world, Brazil certainly has the perfect place for your Kayaking Adventure, however long that may be. There are so many fantastic options for canoeing and kayaking that Brazil Adventure Tours are surprised that it is not a great deal more popular. You can basically assume that any kayaking trip will be amongst absolutely beautiful beach or lake scenery, often with mountains covered with Atlantic Rainforest bearing down on you, or perhaps the Amazon Jungle alongside you. The tranquillity of paddling out for a few hours or a few days, out in the open water away from the world, resting your paddle across the middle and bobbing up and down a little while, with birds flying and fish jumping around you, perhaps dolphins coming to say hello, nothing but you and the noises of the Costa Verde, the Amazon, the Pantanal or any of countless beaches up and down the coast.

Most Amazon and Pantanal lodges have canoes or kayaks available for guests to use, with guides included as part of the trip or perhaps for a couple of solo hours if you prefer. We recommend a dawn paddle in either of these places, the perfect way to start an Amazon or Pantanal day, in amongst the tree trunks of the flooded forests and savannah, or exploring up a hidden creek. The dawn chorus at these moments will astound you and you will have it all to yourselves.

Many of the beaches also have simple kayaks for hire, including Pipa, Buzios, Praia do Forte, Morro do Sao Paulo and Jericoacoara, although for many others with Atlantic breakers it isn't an option. Lagoons cover the coastline too, especially around Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina and Porto Alegre. Day trips in the shadow of Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio or on Lagoa da Conceiçao, the heart of Florianopolis are two of the finest day paddles in Brazil and the Floripa trip can even be extended with some beach camping and a mountain hike. Many small deltas have mangrove forests to explore in silence, just the scuttle of the crabs as they inch along the roots away from your approaching craft. There are many areas with mangroves still remaining, and one fantastic extended kayak safari is along the remote and empty coastline of the Superagui National Park, crossing from Sao Paulo to Parana State. This 4-day trip includes accommodation in simple fishing villages after paddling miles of empty channels, with nothing but wildlife for company.

Perhaps the best area of all though is the Costa Verde, which is the stunningly scenic coastal route between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Atlantic Rainforest covers the mountains, which drop directly into the sea on this rugged paradise. Coves and hidden beaches once provided shelter for pirates, and now make convenient breaks on kayak trips. The Bay of Angra dos Reis, including Paraty and Ilha Grande, is perhaps the finest kayaking spot in the whole of Brazil, especially because here we can organise all manner of kayaking trips, from morning paddles to week-long specialist ocean-kayak safaris around the whole coast of tropical island paradise Ilha Grande, or around the remote Laranjeiras Peninsula close to Paraty. These trips are so good, so scenic, not only taking you to sheltered coves and beaches and rocks galore, including sleeping in simple fishing villages only reachable by sea, but they can also be combined with hikes up mountain peaks to provide you with panoramic Costa Verde views that we think cannot be bettered in Brazil or anywhere else. This dizzying combination of kayaking and hiking amongst some of Brazil's finest coastal scenery makes kayaking in the Costa Verde one of our most highly recommended Brazil Adventure Tours!

As with all kayaking and canoeing tours, in Brazil and elsewhere, care must be taken. Our local guides know the weather conditions, the currents and the tide patterns, so for anything more than a simple paddle around the headlands on tranquil waters, we recommend organising a qualified guide. From the beginning it is best to bear in mind that every single kayak and canoe trip in Brazil requires sunscreen, sun-hat, good quality insect repellent, some kind of footwear for rocky landings (dark rocks especially can become burning hot in the tropical Brazilian sun!) and perhaps long-sleeve outerwear. Longer kayak safaris mean this equipment is essential and best to bring from home if possible.

Whichever canoe or kayak tour you choose to include as part of your Brazil trip, we'll make sure that you have the best guides, the most suitable equipment and the safest and most enjoyable days that you can imagine. This way you can help us to make kayaking in Brazil as popular as it deserves to be. Activity Information: Different trips can be planned in Brazil for those with a little or a lot of kayak/canoe experience. Safety equipment and good quality craft are used on all guided tours, with experienced local guides who are familiar with weather conditions, currents and tides, as well as with the regional flora and fauna.

Kayaking & Canoeing Tours