Búzios Emerências Trail to José Gonçalves Beach Guided Hike

Hike the Emerências and José Gonçalves trails on a guided route through Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area to José Gonçalves Beach.

Getting started

Meet your expert Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide at the designated starting point for the Emerências Trail. After a brief introduction to the route and local conditions, you set off on foot along the first section of the trail. Have your personal hiking equipment ready and carry any food and drinks you might need, as these are not provided.

What to expect

Emerências Trail

The Emerências Trail is your entry point into the wild side of Búzios, with natural scenery and views of the Búzios coastline unfolding as you gain ground.

Features

• The hike on Emerências and José Gonçalves trails begins here, following paths that reveal the shape of the coastline and changes in vegetation as you move away from urban areas.
• Along this section, photo stops at the main viewpoints are planned so you can capture the Búzios coastline from different angles without rushing.
• Your bilingual Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide sets the pace, highlights local features, and orients you on trail conditions while you cover this first part of the route.

José Gonçalves Trail

From Emerências, the route connects to the José Gonçalves Trail, where the environment becomes more enclosed by native vegetation.

Features

• Dirt paths surrounded by native vegetation frame this part of the hike, giving you the chance to notice regional plants and the gradual change in landscape as you approach the sea again.
• There is a possibility of spotting regional animals, such as marmosets and sloths, in their natural habitat if they appear near the trail during your passage.
• Throughout the hike on Emerências and José Gonçalves trails, the expert Portuguese and Spanish-speaking guide remains with the group, managing timing between sections and supporting any questions about the environment.

Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area

Mid-route, you reach the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area, a protected area recognized for its biodiversity.

Features

• Exploration of the Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area lets you walk inside a zone of great biodiversity, where native vegetation is preserved under environmental protection rules.
• The guide explains how this visit to Pau Brasil Environmental Protection Area fits into the broader hike, clarifying where this section sits between the Emerências and José Gonçalves trails.
• Photo stops at the main viewpoints within or near this area give you additional perspectives on the surrounding forest and distant coastline.

José Gonçalves Beach

At the end of the trail, you arrive at José Gonçalves Beach, a refuge surrounded by nature and the final highlight of the route.

Features

• Free time at José Gonçalves Beach allows you to pause after the hike, enjoy the natural setting, and decide how to spend this part of your visit independently.
• This beach segment marks the conclusion of the guided hiking tour on Emerências and José Gonçalves trails, with the guide on hand to answer final questions before you depart the area on your own arrangements.