- Josef Wehling
- Mar 12
- 11 min read
Updated: Mar 18
This Paraty Kayak Trip Report was written and submitted by Josef, a paddler from Germany. Don't bother with AI stuff, read on for what a real, living, breathing, sweating (!) kayaker has to say about kayaking in Brazil. This solo trip with equipment rented from Paraty Explorer was loosely based on our multiday Tropical Fjord Kayak Trip. But enough from Paraty Explorer, let's hand over to Josef...
As a loyal reader of Canoe Magazine and an active whitewater paddler, you sometimes dream of faraway countries with exotic paddling areas. I noticed an advertisement for guided tours based in Paraty. I had never heard of it, but quickly researched it. Paraty is a beautiful old colonial town on Brazil's coast between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. So, somehow quite far away...
Paraty is located in a large bay and is therefore protected from high Atlantic waves. There are several islands, small dream beaches, a large fjord-like bay with a mountain similar to Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, and at the end of the bay, an area with mangroves. It is said to be one of the most beautiful paddling areas in Brazil. It's easy to find a rental company with perfect equipment. They also offer various guided tours, ranging from one day to several days. Well, that's all well and good, but will I ever get there?
One day, my daughter came to me with the idea of traveling to Paraguay. Her husband is from there, and before their children start school, they could visit the country again. “Wouldn't that be something for you too?” Of course, but I didn't really want to spend three weeks traveling through Paraguay with the family. But I could fly there ahead of time, see Rio de Janeiro, and then travel on to Paraty. I would then meet up with the family later at the Iguacu Falls. Great idea, the dates are set and I immediately contacted Michael from “Paraty Explorer” to find out if there are any guided tours lasting several days during the planned period. Unfortunately, as I am traveling alone and he needs at least two participants for these tours, there was no offer. But there are still a few months to go before the trip starts, so hopefully a tour will come together after all.
Now I was finally there and wanted to visit the Paraty Explorer office right away. No luck, no office, just a high fence with boats behind it and a small sign with a phone number. OK, that'll do, and I contacted Michael, the owner of Paraty Explorer, via WhatsApp. Unfortunately, there was still no guided multi-day tour available. So, on to plan B: could I do the tour on my own? Of course, but he wanted to know if I could paddle. Of course! I've been organizing a popular paddling event on Ascension Day for many years, and we've paddled many rivers around the Münsterland region: Ems, Hase, Hunte, Oste, Örtze, Wümme, Sauer, Wied... I also had a few funny videos on my phone. That convinced him and the plan was quickly made: two days with an overnight stay in my tent. I could have gotten a room, too. Michael informed the accommodation at the day's destination that someone was coming to stay overnight and would need dinner and breakfast. Perfect!
The tour begins
The next morning at 8 a.m., we set off. I met Michael at his boat storage facility and received my equipment: kayak, life jacket, spray deck, spare paddle, bilge pump, and a tow rope. I had never rented a kayak before and was thrilled with the extensive range of accessories for all eventualities. This should probably be standard when paddling out to sea. He gave me lots of tips on which crossings to take and which beaches to head for. Michael recommended two breaks for the 22 km to my destination. As I couldn't eat breakfast in the morning, I first paddled to my hotel, had a good meal and then loaded my kayak. I could have gotten dry bags, but I had my own with me. That was very practical, so I didn't have to carry my camping equipment and a few clothes very far. You don't need much anyway in the summer temperatures. My silk sleeping bag was perfectly adequate.
But now we're finally getting started. I had roughly set my sights on two islands in the distance and after a short time saw a few other paddlers. We got closer and closer until our paths finally crossed. It was Michael, who was accompanying a small group on a day trip. After a brief chat and a final tip on where I should head, we went our separate ways again. I overheard him telling his group what I was planning to do.
The weather was good, with hardly any wind and only small waves. I slowly approached the shore and took my first photos. Small houses in front of lush greenery, framed by a few rocks. Simply beautiful! At the far end of the large bay of Paraty, the sea became a little more open and the waves correspondingly higher. But everything was still very relaxed.
Even the waves from some motorboats speeding by didn't bother me at all. On all the beaches I passed, there were also some larger boats with day trippers. The coastline is somewhat hilly everywhere, and the forests extend right up to the rocky shore. A large ship was anchored off one island. Many guests were snorkeling in the sea. There must be a lot to see underwater there.
Soon, the first beach, Praia de Conceição, came into view, which Michael recommended as my first stop. Several boats were already there, and about 30 people were walking on the beach or swimming in the sea. The surf was very small, so I was able to land without any problems. It was also good for me to stretch my legs a bit.
It was still April, and so far I had only been on a short paddling trip on the Dinkel in Holland. The Dinkel is open for paddling until the end of March after registration, and then again from September onwards. It is a beautiful little meadow river that meanders through the landscape without being straightened. So I still lacked some paddling fitness... When I started in Paraty, I forgot to install the GoPro on the boat. I quickly made up for that. I had a shoe to stick on in my luggage, as well as a gooseneck for optimal camera alignment. I also added a small safety line, just in case. You learn as you go! My old GoPro is somewhere at the bottom of the Tarn.
I continued along the coast, making a few small crossings, until I reached the large fjord-like bay. Michael recommended that I cross it immediately and head for Praia do Engenho beach on the other side. The wind picked up a little and was coming from the right. That meant I would have to paddle the last few kilometers against the wind. There were only two small motorboats on the beach and, accordingly, only a few people were there. This beach was also framed by rocks that were very photogenic. Onwards. It's only a good two kilometers to the destination. At the destination, there is a 400-meter-high mountain that looks like Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio. This rock has typically been given the same name: Pão de Açúcar.
At the destination
My accommodation was supposed to be next to the mountain. Michael described it to me as a yellow house. I quickly found it and received a warm welcome. A young man helped me bring the boat ashore. The only problem was communication. Unfortunately, no one there spoke English. But somehow you always manage to get by. The tent was quickly pitched and I ordered my first beer. As it wasn't too late and I wanted to do some more walking, I immediately decided to climb Sugarloaf Mountain again. The 400 meters of elevation gain should be manageable. On the way up, I encountered two small groups. Somehow, the destination didn't seem to be getting any closer. The steep but well-maintained path seemed endless. Suddenly, the forest thinned out and the destination came into view. To capture this moment, I had a small drone with me that flew behind me in “Follow Me” mode as I reached the summit. The two groups I encountered were apparently the last ones to climb the mountain before me. So I was there alone. From up here, there was a fantastic view of the fjord and the islands. I could retrace most of the paddling route from there. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon. Wait a minute, it's going to get dark soon, and it took me about an hour to climb up here. Now I had to get back down quickly. I reached the coast again in the last light of dusk. If necessary, I still had a flashlight on my cell phone. During dinner, I had the idea to get up at 6 a.m. to paddle through the mangroves. So I crawled into my tent in good time and set my alarm clock.
Into the mangroves
The next morning, there was no wind and the water was still as smooth as glass. Keeping along the coast, past a few fishing boats and small islands, I quickly reached the entrance to the mangroves. As it was low tide, I was able to simply follow the course of the river. On the shore, many crabs hid in their holes as soon as I approached. I could also hear the cries of birds from time to time. However, I didn't find the mangroves particularly interesting. I paddled deeper and deeper, and suddenly the landscape changed.
The river merged into jungle. I found it much more exciting to paddle down a small river through jungle. We went deeper and deeper into the forest. The current was also very weak. A large bird on the bank saw me coming and flew away sedately. In Germany, I would have thought the bird was a heron. However, it had black plumage. Here and there, a bush was still in bloom. It was April, which is autumn in the southern hemisphere. Not much is in bloom at that time of year. At some point, the water rumbled over rocks in the river. That was the end of the line, and I started my way back. I reached the mangroves again and finally the fjord, where I took a short break on the first beach I came to.
Return journey
After a 12 km tour early in the morning, breakfast tastes especially good. Then I paid the bill and thanked them for their hospitality with hand gestures. I quickly took down the tent and stowed everything back in my kayak. For the return trip, I decided to cross the fjord first. On the way there, I had had a headwind in the fjord and hoped for a tailwind on the way back. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The wind had changed direction and was now blowing even stronger from the front. But it was still manageable. On the other side of the fjord, there were more beautiful little beaches. Since I had already paddled quite a bit early in the morning, I wanted to take a few more breaks on the way back. I had plenty of time, after all.
The second beach looked gorgeous. Very small and framed by rocks and a lush green forest. A small motorboat was already anchored there.
During another crossing, the number of motorboats increased significantly compared to the previous day. It was Good Friday, after all, and many people were apparently taking advantage of the long weekend to visit this beautiful bay. But that wasn't a problem for me, even though some of them passed by quite recklessly at full speed. I wanted to use the next beach behind a headland for another break. Several large excursion boats were already anchored there. There was a restaurant and many people were also in the water. I just managed to squeeze in between them. A hermit also lived there, somewhat elevated in a modest hut. When he saw me landing, he immediately waved for me to come to him. Well, due to the language barrier, there wasn't much communication other than sign language. Only from the elevated position of his terrace did one have a beautiful view of the busy beach. The next beach was much quieter, smaller, and visually very beautiful. However, its orientation towards the Atlantic was somewhat less favorable, so the surf was significantly higher. Landing in surf can be a bit tricky if you're not used to it. It looked a bit unathletic, but I didn't capsize. However, I did get a lot of water in the boat, so I had to use the bilge pump. The last beach I headed for was also recommended by Michael. It did me good to stretch my legs a little before the final stage. I was also able to let Michael know my location so that he could estimate my approximate arrival time. Then I paddled hard once more and reached Paraty in the late afternoon, where Michael was already waiting for me. The kayak and equipment were quickly stowed away in his boat storage, and Michael had to rush off to an appointment. With my two dry bags under my arm, I headed back to my hotel. In the evening, as I reflected on the tour, I wondered why I hadn't planned three days. Then the extra trip into the mangroves would have been a little more relaxed. I wonder if there will be a next time...
Boat rental and tour operators: Paraty Explorer Michael www.paratyexplorer.com.br
Contact via E-Mail info@paratyexplorer.com or WhatsApp +55 24 99863 0533
Other activities: Since Paraty is quite touristy, there are many jeep tours into the jungle and hiking tours on offer. Of course, there are also many boat trips to beautiful beaches or to the island of Ilha Grande, which I visited for two days from Rio.
I also went on a two-day coastal hike from Vila Oratorio to Ponta Negra. Vila Oratorio can be reached by bus from Paraty. The Moovit app reliably showed me the departure times of the bus connections I wanted throughout my entire trip to South America.
Vila Oratorio is apparently located in a nature reserve where you have to pay an entrance fee if you arrive by car. The bus simply drives through the toll booth, of course...
The hike of just under 10 km with an elevation gain of 470 m leads past the large beach “Sono,” where you can stock up on water. At the destination, Ponta Negra beach, you first see it from a small hill. The view of the village is so beautiful it gives you goosebumps. There are no tourists, and children are playing soccer or flying kites on the beach. There are two small restaurants on the beach. The path up to the village leads to two small campsites. The first one on the left was closed. But the people there are very helpful and immediately wanted to help me get in. When that didn't work, they showed me another campsite just 20 meters further on the right.
Accommodations:In Rio de Janeiro, I had a lovely Airbnb apartment with an elderly lady. The apartment had a large balcony and a view of a park and Copacabana. I found all the inexpensive hotels too sterile. The apartment on the 8th floor had a somewhat morbid charm, but it was clean and Suzana was always helpful. Everything I needed was nearby: supermarket, bus, subway, and of course the famous beach.Contact: WhatsApp Suzana +55 21 97027 0240
There are also many affordable Airbnb accommodations in Paraty. I stayed at Hotel Brunello, about 1.5 km from the city center, with a pool, beach, and supermarket nearby. One of the reception staff even spoke German.
Paraty: With a population of around 37,600, Paraty is still located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The historic old town was listed as a heritage site in 1958. In 2019, the old town, together with four nature reserves in the surrounding area, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its culture and biodiversity. The old town has an almost completely preserved historical architecture dating back to the 17th century.
From Paraty, I took an intercity bus to Sao Paulo. The journey began on Easter Monday morning, when it seemed that many people wanted to take the only coastal road home. The journey, which was supposed to take about 7 hours, took an incredible 20 hours. There was only one bus driver, who drove the bus the entire time with one break and finally reached Brazil's largest city safely at 4 a.m. In Germany, such driving times are unthinkable. After a short tour of Sao Paulo, I flew on to the Iguazu Falls, where I finally met my family...
