Floresta da Tijuca (Tijuca Forest) is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, and it is the world’s largest urban forest, covering 32 square km (12.4 square miles). The highlight is the 35-meter (115-foot) high Taunay’s Waterfall.
Although it was originally a primary forest, for the last 150 years Tijuca Forest has been a secondary forest (meaning it was hand-planted after being a coffee plantation for a long period of time).
Tijuca Forest Opening Hours
Every day, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Best time to visit Tijuca Forest
Any day at any time.
How to visit Tijuca Forest
The ideal way to visit Tijuca Forest is either on a private tour with your own tour guide or by yourself by taxi. Alternatively, you can visit it on a jeep group tour — very popular in Rio de Janeiro.
In case you visit Tijuca Forest by yourself by taxi, here are the options you have when you get to the forest:
Option 1) From the taxi parking area, it is a 1-minute walk to the waterfall (10-minute stop). Then, return to the taxi and proceed to the forest exit gate 3 km (1.8 mi) away, about an 8-minute drive. (Taxi waiting cost for 10 minutes = R$5; US$2.50; €2 on the meter.).
Option 2) When entering at the Tijuca Forest’s main gate, watch for the entrance to the first trail on the left (Student’s Trail), which leads into the forest. Leave the taxi at this point and let him proceed to the waterfall parking lot. Walk for about 7 minutes on the trail, which ends at the waterfall parking lot. After you have seen the waterfall, return to your taxi to proceed to the forest exit gate.
For a more detailed explanation on how to visit Tijuca Forest by yourself and how to combine the tour with other sites, get a copy of My Rio Travel Guide – The Essential How-To Visitor’s Guide to Rio de Janeiro, which covers not only Tijuca Forest, but the top attractions that visitors should see when travelling to Brazil.