By Bike through Brazil

Who hasn't dreamt of exploring Brazil by bike? Three Brazilians have lived this dream and started a very special Brazilian trip by bicycle. In six months, they have crossed more than half of the Brazilian states. They have covered more than 6214 miles (10,000 kilometers) on this adventure trip and have now recorded and published this in a documentary. During their trip, the cycling trio crossed 14 of the 26 states of the country. The friends, who already know each other from childhood days, thus spent a Brazil vacation without hurry and time pressure as well as without a fixed date of return.

At the beginning of 2014, the three bicycle tourists started their trip in São Paulo. Their way led them to Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and then further north to visit all the states of the northeast as well as Para, Tocantins, Goias, and the Distrito Federal. On average, they covered about 50 – 62 miles (80 - 100 kilometers) per day. On their Brazil group trip, they mainly used smaller traffic-calmed roads on which only a few trucks were driving. Each of them had one luggage of about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) including a bicycle, furnished with camping equipment, water, food, and clothing. The three adventurers spent the nights mainly in their tents, which they set up in gardens of locals they met along the way. In the northeast, especially in Bahia, many locals also offered hammocks as sleeping places. In their luggage, there was also a small camping stove to prepare food. This way of life, without expenses for transportation and overnight stay, they could live with about R$ 300 - 400 Reais (about 90 - 120 USD) per month.

Except for a few stages in the rain and some flat tires, there were no problems during the trip, because "the people in Brazil are very friendly everywhere and help out immediately in case of minor problems", the trio reported. Hardly a day went by without them meeting new interesting characters. They also met many other bicycle tourists during their Brazil trip, such as a couple cycling through South America and a group cycling from the United States to Salvador in Brazil.

If all this sounds too exhausting for you, you can also take a rental car trip through Brazil. One of the most pleasant tours to explore the beautiful coastline of northeastern Brazil is a 10-day trip from Recife to Salvador da Bahia. Panoramic landscapes like out of a picture book, beaches with crystal clear water, and especially the colonial flair in Salvador are unique. The beautiful houses in the midst of small and narrow streets as well as the colonial architecture make this city a very popular tourist destination and should not be missed on a Brazil round trip.

The Brazil vacation took the cyclists to other impressive places, like the Lencois Maranhenses. This national park impresses with a dune landscape, which spreads like a bedsheet (port.: Lencois) in front of the viewer in elegant waves. In the Brazilian winter, between July and September, there is a special kind of natural spectacle here, because rainwater creates freshwater lagoons that shimmer green and blue in the sand. The adventurers report that Chapada Diamantina National Park was one of the most impressive places on their Brazil trip for them. In this park, you can find different types of vegetation, such as a rainforest area, savannahs, the inland delta of the Marimbus Swamps as well as different dry forest areas. This region is also a great place to start your own active tour, which is a combination of hiking and biking.

Source: globo.com