The Ultimate Guide to the Saco do Mamangua Hike - Paraty

The View from the top of Saco Do Mamangua - Paraty

WHAT IS THE SACO DO MAMANGUA HIKE IN PARATY?

The Saco do Mamangua hike in Paraty is a 1.5hour hike from a remote beach up to a peak that is referred to as ‘mini sugarloaf’, due to its resemblance. Once at the peak you overlook what looks like a fjord (though technically it isn’t), with crystal blue waters and luscious mountains. The hike is so popular due to it’s spectacular view, but also the hike itself, as it climbs 450m through the jungle from a remote beach.

Saco Do Mamangua Hike Paraty

IS IT WORTH VISITING?

100%, the Mamangua hike was one of the best things we did in Brazil, and one of the best hikes I’ve ever done. It’s the perfect blend of Jungle and beach in one hike.

The hike is just the right amount of challenging. It’s doable if you have a moderate level of fitness and no injuries (as it’s steep and at times can be slippy). Not only is it one of the best things to do in Paraty it’s a cheap day out too.

DO I NEED A GUIDE FOR THE SACO DO MAMANGUA HIKE?

No! To do the Mamangua hike in Paraty you definitely don’t need a tour or a guide. This is one of those great moments where one of the best things to do in Brazil and definitely Paraty it’s cheap, you can do it in your own time and it’s safe without a guide. In this post, we are outlining everything you need to know about doing the Mamangua hike in Paraty alone or with friends so you don’t need to overpay for a tour.

WHERE DOES THE HIKE START?

The hike is at an isolated beach at Paraty Mirim, around 45 mins outside of Paraty. However, the beach you start the hike from is only accessible by boat. The beach to start the hike from is called Praia do cruzeiro, so you can either talk with the skippers at Paraty Mirim beach or pre-book via WhatsApp.

HOW DO I GET TO THE SACO DO MAMANGUA HIKE?

Getting to Paraty Mirim is really easy. About 5 buses leave a day from Paraty’s Rodivario (The best time is around 10:00am), and there is about 2-3 hours gap between each bus. All the bus stops in the Rodivario have signs above them that say their destination and departure times. Simply go to the bus platform number about 5-10 mins before your departure time and pay the driver for your trip. At the time of writing this article the one-way trip is $5R per person. (They don’t do return ticket – as they don’t give you any physical ticket, they just let you on the bus when you pay the fee).

The journey will take about 45min and only has 1 or 2 other stops on the route so it’s rarely longer. From the Paraty Mirim bus stop you need to get a small boat to the beach (Praia do cruzeiro), it isn’t accessible any other way. It’s best to go as a group else the boat trip can be expensive, you should pay more than around 300Reais for the boat return trip, and the boats can fit around 8-10 people. You tell the driver when you want picking up and the beach and also remember to pay at the end of the trip. P.s you will need cash for this and Paraty Mirim has no cash points!

HOW LONG DOES THE HIKE TAKE?

The hike takes around 1-2 hours depending on how much you need to stop and how fit you are. The average is around 1hr 20mins. Therefore, you need about 6 hours for the entire excursion, including travel and the return hike. If you have time, I advise spending a bit of time on the beach where the hike starts too. It’s got crystal clear waters, is shallow and has amazing views of the jungle-covered mountains. Being isolated means it’s also pretty quiet, which is

Saco Do Mamangua Hike Paraty

WHAT SHOULD I PACK?

Paraty Mirim and Praia do cruzeiro beach have very little around so pack well. If you are lucky the small restaurant at Praia do cruzeiro or Paraty Mirim dock may be open but don’t bank on it.

Be sure to take at least 1.5L of water, proper hiking shoes, Deet (there are a fair few mosquitoes in the jungle), a towel & a costume if you fancy a swim sun cream and a couple of snacks. We just wore bikinis under our hiking clothes and sprinted into the sea and the end of the hike (I highly recommend this).

HOW MUCH DOES THE SACO DO MAMANGUA HIKE COST?

The bus will cost you $10R return (£2) and the boat will cost $300R return for the whole group. We travelled as a group of 6 so the whole trip cost us $60R (£10) each. Of course, the bigger your group the cheaper it gets.