Kayak Expeditions (page 1 - Paraty + Mamanguá Bay)
a) Paraty/Mamanguá Bay - - HOME
a) Paraty + Mamanguá Bay
Founded in 1667 to serve as the main port to send gold from South America to Europe, the colonial town of Paraty (UNESCO Heritage Site) will be our base-city for this unforgetable trip. Located in the Green Coast of Rio de Janeiro State and right in the middle of the famous brazilian Atlantic Forest, this is definitelly one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit in the world.
With its calm waters, the bays of Paraty , Paraty Mirim and Mamanguá can be easily reached by canoe and/or kayaks (your choice!). We will have chance to visit many diferent beaches and small islands along the way, as well as hike to some montain's tops in order to get breathtaking views.
Antonio (Tony) Osse (42) will be your guide along this journey; he is a biology professor (with a PhD on Marine Ecology), and owner of the Companhia de Canoagem - a canoe shop in Brazil producing many different models of open-canoes and kayaks + paddling gear, as well as organizing paddling trips to a few special groups and destinations, just like this one!
Trip Basic Details:
Groups: of 4 (minimum) to 08 (maximum) + 1 (or 2) guide(s).
Meeting point: São Paulo International Airport (GRU), Brazil
Aerial Transportation: not included, but we will be glad to help you find the best rates from your home-town to our meeting point.
Ground transportation: on cars and/or mini-buses with full-time licensed driver + road insurance. OBS: for special small groups of 1 up to 3 participants the ground transportation will be made on a 4x4 SUV.
Lodging: Confortable Pousadas (lodges) at Paraty and local private house at Mamanguá Bay. All based on double occupancy. Single occupancy available (+20%)
Equipments: 17.6' tandem canoes/sea-kayaks (your choice); bent-shaft wood paddles/kayak paddles; Type III Ultra-Comfort PFDs; single or double high-quality self-standing igloo tents (your choice of size); full equipped kitchen; pole-tarps; advanced first-aid kit; communication system (1 radio per canoe), water filtering/treatment for the entire group. OBS: no camping nights on this specific trip, but we ask you to bring your sleeping bag.
Meals: local restaurants on route/cities + on-trip camp meals. No commercial beverages included (beer, sodas, liquor, wines,etc).
Services: full time guiding from/to the São Paulo International Airport (GRU). The group must help on some camping chores like wood gathering for the fire, tent pitching, tarp assembling, equipments carrying, etc.
Costs per person: US$ 3.150,00 (minimun 4 pax group) All values on US dollars with a non-refundable reservation fee of 25% (to be paid 60 days before the trip date).
Average paddling distance: 100km, to be covered in 5 to 6 paddling days. The final total distance will vary about 10% according to the degree of exploration made on the bays etc
The Chronogram (10 days total):
Day 1: (leaving your country the day/night before). Arrival at São Paulo International Airport (Cumbica/Guarulhos - GRU) in the morning, where you will clear Customs/Immigration. Your guide will be waiting you at the arrivals-gate exit, with a? paddle! (yes, you will know that he is your guide!) . Transfer by minibus to Paraty Pousada/Hotel (380km) with a nice lunch-stop on the way. Check-in at the hotel. Group meeting later at the hotel lobby for quick presentations and welcome drinks/snacks.
Day 2: Breakfast at 8:30am. Walk around the Historical Paraty City. Visit to part of the recently restored "Trilha do Ouro" (Gold Trail), used in the XVII and XVIII century to bring gold from central Brazil to Paraty and then ship to Portugal. Lunch at a local traditional restaurant (and cachaça distillerie!) on varied/sea-food. Back to the hotel for our trip briefing and equipments presentation/distribution. Free afternoon/night in this unique town. Of course we will be around to walk with you in the historical sites. Group dinner at the Pousada/hotel or at a local restaurant (around 8:00pm).
Day 3: Early call + breakfast. Transfer to Paraty Mirim Bay by minibus. Paddling from Paraty Mirim Bay to Mamanguá Bay, where we will stay for the next 5 days. The Mamanguá Bay is a secluded fisherman's area that, until today, is reached only by the sea and is still away from many basic urban conforts, like electricity for example! We will meet the local simple people, including artisans that produce small fishing-boat models out of "guapuruvú" wood, as well as a paddle and hike around for wonderful views. We will arrive at our particular beach around 12:30pm for a delicious lunch on local fish and simple (delicious!) food. Acomodation on a local remodeled and confortable house.
Day 4: Paddling the Mamanguá Bay. Depending on local tides, late call + breakfast at our house this first morning! On the way (paddling) to the bottom of the Mamanguá Bay, where we will enter a local river and mangroove system. After a few miles, we will reach a trail to access a small river pool and a very simple Tupi-Guarani indian village, where no more than 12 indians still live based on plantation, crafts and fishing. Paddling back on the other side of the bay, with a lunch-stop at Cruzeiro Beach on a local (yes, very simple!) restaurant! Arrival at our base-house in the afternoon. Dinner.
Day 5: Paddling/Hiking at Mamanguá Bay. Early breakfast and paddling/hiking day. We will cross the bay in order to reach the Pão de Açúcar trail and hike over 650 meters of elevation for an incredible view of the entire bay and surrounding mountains and bays. Another lunch stop within a "caiçara" family restaurant. Back to base-camp by 5pm, no later. Dinner. If we have clear skyes we may try a night-paddle to watch the southern stars?
Day 6: Enjoying your life at Mamanguá Bay. Our base-house is located on a very secluded and private beach of clear sand and warm water. This is the day to enjoy your life, write your diary, drink "caipirinhas", read a good book while sitting on a confortable chair by the beach.... But, if you can´t stop for more than 2 hours, we can hike the long trail to Mamanguá Village and try to find local artisans working on paddles and boat miniatures (sold as traditional local handcraft in Paraty shops). Another option is to give a try on paddling local original dugout canoes (we have 2 small ones available!).
Day 7: Fishing Boat tour to Paraty Bay and Algodão Island: early breakfast and a full day aboard a local fishing boat to visit the Paraty Bay. Arriving by boat at Paraty City will bring you back to a view that the old ships from Europe used to have in the XVII century. Many stops along the way on small islands and beaches. On the way back to Mamanguá Bay we will stop at Algodão (cotton) Island for a wonderful lunch on seafood. Back to our base-house by the end of the day. Sacks... if you still have some space for food.....
Day 8: Paddling back the Paraty Mirim Bay: early breakfast and a full paddling morning back to Paraty Mirim Bay. This time we will reach the very bottom of the bay and paddle upriver inside a mangroove, where our transport will be waiting close to a road bridge. Load all the equipment on the trailler/minibus and back to the hotel/pousada at Paraty Town for the dinner. Late walk on the charming historical center.
Day 9: Breakfast at 8:30am and departure to the São Paulo International Airport. Late lunch at the airport (will you be looking for a BigMac after all that seafood??) and back home flight at night? OR, you can engage into some other local trips. We will be glad to assist you on choosing nice places/tours to discover a little bit more of this incredible country called Brazil! There are thousands of choices!
What to bring: a more detailed list will be sent with your complete trip-information-package. Here are just a few items to start:
a) "adventure" varied clothing (don´t forget that nice hat!) ; b) personal light sleeping bag; c) personal medicines (it is always hard to find similar drugs abroad) ; d) Sunscreen of 40 (or more) protection factor and bug dope; e) good humor!
What NOT to bring: a more detailed list will be sent with your complete trip-information-package...
a) Guns and Drugs: there are NO hunting licenses/reservations in Brazil, and carrying a gun without permission is a serious qualified Federal Crime, no matter what sort/caliber of gun. OBS: if you want to fish, get in contact at least 60 days prior to your arrival, in order to get the necessary permits. Costs (US$ 92,00/person) may be paid on arrival to your guide. Avoid huge and complicated problems by not bringing any sort of drugs too.
b) Stress?. Leave the daily stress in the trunk of your car parked at the airport!! But don´t worry, I´m sure it will not be there by the time you get back!
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General Information for all our destinations:
1) All our International Group Services are based on full outfitting and full guiding services. All you have to bring are your clothes, sleeping bag/mat and personal belongings. We will send you a complete information package (including a list of what to bring!) upon your booking.
2) From the moment you step outside your flight from home to the moment we say goodbye at the airport gate you will be under the care and attention of our guides, including all land transportation, lodging, meals (except beverages), equipments etc.
3) Flights (+ taxes) from/to your home country are not included, but we will be more than pleased to help you find the best services with the lowest rates.
4) Valid passports/Visas are to be self-provided. We have a support agent (hot-line) in São Paulo (where most customers will clear Immigration/Customs), but he will not be able to solve problems with passports/visas.
5) Personal or group travel insurances are not included. A trip-specific full coverage personal insurance with your particular insurance company is advisable.
6) Yellow-fever vaccines are obligatory 20 days prior to departure from your home-country to almost any tropical country, including Brazil. Bring your certificate inside your passport.
7) Children over 10 years old are more than welcome.
8) As expected, we will usually be travelling on wild country with no easy exit-rescuing facilities. For your safety, all our expedition groups carry a Personal Satellite Beacon Device. A Term of Liability will have to be filled by each participant prior to the trip, as well as a full medical information chart including personal details on food preferences, allergies, current treatments/medicines etc..
9) Sorry, no pets allowed.
