Serra da Mantiqueira Highland Circuit

The Serra da Mantiqueira Highland Circuit threads through Brazil’s highest peaks outside the Amazon, following colonial-era mining roads that connected gold camps to Rio de Janeiro. You’ll climb to Pedra da Mina at 2,798 meters, cross the Passa Quatro saddle, and navigate boulder fields where 18th-century mule trains once hauled precious metals. The route connects Campos do Jordão to Penedo via forgotten settlements like Visconde de Mauá, with technical sections through Itatiaia National Park’s upper reaches.

This is moderate to difficult terrain requiring high-clearance 4WD for rocky ascents and stream crossings during rainy season. Winter brings frost and occasional snow above 2,000 meters, making May through September optimal. No permits needed for most sections, but fuel up in larger towns — mountain settlements run dry. Dispersed camping is legendary among Brazilian overlanders, with jaw-dropping sunrise views over the Paraíba Valley that’ll remind you why this range earned its name: ‘crying mountains.’