Pico do Papagaio

Overview

Pico do Papagaio (Parrot's Peak) is a prominent hill on the beautiful Ilha Grande (Big Island), which is part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis in the state Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. It is located in the eastern part of the Ilha Grande State Park, a moderate 6 km, 3 hours hike north of the main town, Vila do Abraão. The trail (labelled T13) starts right in the city center. It is the second highest peak on the island, owing its name to the shape of the summit rock formations, which resemble the beak of a parrot (sometimes the peak is wrongly referred to as Bico do Papagaio, Parrot's Beak). On a clear day, one can enjoy beautiful views of the island's beaches from the top. However, the summit is frequently covered in clouds.

Getting There

From São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, you can take a bus to Angra dos Reis. From Rio, the operator is called Costa Verde, the one-way fare is R$ 36 and you can take the bus from Rodoviaria Novo Rio for the 3h trip. From there you can catch a boat, ship or catamaran to Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande. It is best to check the schedules online and allow about 45 mins between arrival of the bus and departure of the boat, because the bus station is about 2 km from the harbor. Alternatively, coming from Rio de Janeiro, one can take the bus to Mangaritiba (2:40h) and catch a boat there.

Trail description

The first part of the trail (T13) follows the dirt road between Vila do Abraão and Dois Rios (on the south side of the island). After a mile or so, the trail leaves the dirt road and leads into the atlantic rainforest (mata atlantica). Keep your eyes open: Some people have missed the sign here and followed the dirt road too far. It is advisable to carry enough water for the 5h roundtrip. Although there are some streams along the way, they may not always provide clear, drinkable water!
The trail can be hiked year-round when it is dry. On rainy days some sections will get slippery and dangerous!

Camping

There are many campgrounds on Ilha Grande, including some in Vila do Abraão.
Wild camping is strictly forbidden on Ilha Grande! Please use one of the authorized campgrounds instead (watch for "camping legal" signs).

External Links

Official site of Pico do Papagaio
IlhaGrande.org
IlhaGrande.com

Images

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