Caminho do Ouro (Gold Trail)
Caminho do Ouro
An 18th-century stone-paved gold route laid by enslaved Africans, crossing the Atlantic Forest, with guided hiking sections.
Laid in the 18th century by enslaved Africans and Indigenous people, this road linked the gold mines of Minas Gerais with the port of Paraty and formed part of the royal road network. A stretch of stone-paved trail survives near Penha, beside the Paraty–Cunha road, with a visitor center offering guided hikes of about 2 to 3 hours through rainforest and streams. Guides explain the history of gold and the slave trade, and along the way visitors can sample coffee and cachaça at an old farmhouse. Reservations are required, and it is often closed on Mondays.
Opening hours
Tours depart ~10:00–14:00 (reservation required)
Nearby sights
- Cachoeira do Tobogã
- Paraty Cachaça Distilleries
- Cachoeira da Pedra Branca
- Praia do Jabaquara
- Paraty Historic Centre
- Igreja do Rosário e São Benedito
- Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios
- Igreja de Santa Rita & Sacred Art Museum