O Alto Ribeira State Park - PETAR is located in Vale do Ribeira, among the cities of Apiaí and Iporanga in the southern region of the state of São Paulo.
Nuclei
PETAR is a large park, and its Centers were created to better serve tourists and also for logistical and security reasons. Because it is large, the distances between the centers are considerable, with their own attractions and varied accommodation options, so choose your itinerary by entering and analyzing by nucleus you want to visit:
- Santana Nucleus - The most visited of the park, gives entrance to Santana Cave, Morro Preto, Betari Trail, among other attractions;
- Gross Gold Core - Gives access to the Ouro Grosso Cave and the Alambari de Baixo Cave, known for its more radical appeal;
- Stone House Nucleus - Due to recent accidents, today it does not lead to the entrance to any cave, but it has trails to the largest portico in the world, it is still worth the trip;
- Caboclos Nucleus - Perhaps the nucleus that demands the most from the visitor, giving access to the Caves of Temiminas, Caves of Spiders, among others.
Santana Nucleus
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Gross Gold Core
Caboclos Nucleus
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Understand
PETAR (Alto Ribeira Touristic State Park) houses one of the largest concentrations of caves on the planet in a region of untouched Atlantic Forest on mountains and mountains. With more than 300 caves registered by the Brazilian Society of Speleology (SBE), this natural heritage consists of paleontological, archeological and historical sites, not to mention the extreme biodiversity and speleological richness found in the region.
The high rate of precipitation combined with its action on the limestone rock is responsible for the formation of caves and their endless stalactites (on the ceiling), stalagmites (on the floor), columns (from ceiling to floor) and curtains. Caves are both horizontal (grottoes) and vertical (abysses).
Due to its immense extension - around 360 km² -, the areas allowed for visitation are concentrated in four different centers: Santana, Caboclos, Ouro Grosso and Casa da Pedra. PETAR offers the visitor, in addition to visits to ornamented caves, access to waterfalls, centenary trees, historical-cultural and archaeological heritage.
Together with the state parks of Jacutinga, Intervales, Carlos Botelho and the Xitué Ecological Station, PETAR forms a large continuous area of Atlantic Forest with an immense variety of species. The entire region was considered a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
History
The park was created in 1953 and officially recognized in 1958. Despite being considered one of the first state parks in the State of São Paulo, it was only in the 1980s that it began to be effectively open to visitors. It is also worth noting that PETAR was one of the first centers of activity of speleologists in Brazilian territory. However its history goes back thousands of years. According to studies, it is assumed that human occupation began about 10,000 years ago. The discovery of shell mounds and pottery sites date back 2,000 years, and traces of a hunting and later cultivating tradition place the region as a migratory route for indigenous populations. The Portuguese, through Bandeiras, started to colonize the place between the 17th and 18th centuries in search of riches. Many quilombos were formed in the region.
The park occupies an area of the municipalities of Apiaí and Iporanga.
Landscape
The relief is mountainous, as the park extends over the Serra da Boa Vista, part of the Serra de Paranapiacaba.
Aerial view of the Ribeira de Iguape River
View from the Caboclos Nucleus viewpoint
Flora and fauna
The landscape is covered by the original Atlantic Forest. Araucaria trees, pau-brasil, palm trees, orchids and bromeliads are common. There are also many fig trees, whose roots can be meters high above the ground. Larger trees can reach 40 meters in height.
The larger animals that make up this habitat are the red deer, the irara, the jaguar, the otter, the mono-charcoal tree, the capuchin monkey, the howler, the harpy eagle, the purple-breasted parrot, the jacutinga, the jacu-guaçu, the harpy eagle, the mono-carvoeiro or muriqui, the maria-fan, toucans, woodpecker, hummingbird, harpsichords, owls, the harpy eagle, the parrot -purple breast, tortoise, wild dog, opossum, water cuíca-d'água, among others. In addition, in caves, it is also possible to find the so-called snake lice, beetles, false scorpions, blind catfish, bats, cave crickets, among many other arachnids and insects.
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Climate
The climate in PETAR is considered to be subtropical with hot, humid summers, with lots of rain between December and March, when dirt roads become difficult to navigate. At this time, still, some caves and trails can be closed due to the rain and the risk of accidents. Therefore, the best time to visit the park is outside the rainy season, between April and November. Average temperatures at PETAR are 25ºC in summer and 18ºC in winter.
To arrive
By airplane
The two closest airports with commercial routes are the airports that serve greater São Paulo (Congonhas and Cumbica), the one that serves Campinas (Viracopos), but perhaps the best option, if there are direct flights, is the one that serves Curitiba (Afonso Pena) . From there, rent a car and follow the routes below or take a bus, also listed here.
By car
To get to PETAR we have two base cities, Iporanga and Apiaí, Iporanga getting closer to the Santana Nuclei and coarse gold, Apiaí dos Caboclos Nucleus and Stone house.
For how to get to the respective Nucleus, see the page of the Nucleus you want.
- To Iporanga:
- In São Paulo, there are two paths to Iporanga, both of which take about 5 hours, passing through roads with many trucks, and simple roads with animals.
- Through the BR-116/Régis Bittencourt for 230 km to jacupiranga, another 25 km by SP-193 until Eldorado and finally another 73 km by SP-185 to the municipality of Iporanga; total: 323 km.
- An alternative is to go down the Anchieta/Imigrants system and take Régis further ahead, as it is a not so good road and with many trucks, go towards Peruíbe, from there follow to Régis;
- In Curitiba the path takes about 3 hours, also passing through roads with many trucks, simple roads with animals. You also start with BR-116/Régis Bittencourt, walk 108 km (~1h20min) to Rio Turvo State Park, change to Ribeirão do Veado-Perebá Municipal Road towards Bar of the Turvo, follow these municipal roads to Iporanga. They follow the Turvo River, there are many animals, and the landscape is very beautiful, it's worth the day trip.
- To Apiaí:
- In Curitiba the path takes about 3 hours by BR-476, leave Curitiba using the BR-116/Régis Bittencourt towards BR-476, walk 160 km (~3h) and you will arrive in Apiaí. This trip is especially beautiful, it's worth going by day;
- In São Paulo the journey takes approximately 4 hours you will use the Castello Branco Highway, is at Sorocaba you switch to the fox Tavares, added together will give 324 km.
By bus
From the Barra Funda Terminal in São Paulo, in two ways:
- Through the Transpen, to Apiaí: 6 h, R$53.11. From there, there are daily departures to Iporanga: 11 am and 4 pm, by dirt road, where the Santana, Ouro Grosso and Casa da Pedra centers are located.
- Through the Intersouth, with four daily departures to Eldorado (R$ 33.45), and then a circular bus to Iporanga and finally another to Apiaí, with its two daily departures.
Fees and Permissions
The ticket prices charged for access to each PETAR nucleus in 2020 are:
- General Ticket: BRL 32.00
- Brazil discount ticket (50%): R$ 16.00 (students pay half price)
- Mercosur discount ticket (25%): R$24.00
- Annual Package – 10 visits (30%): R$ 112.00
- It is required to hire and monitor an accredited guide, who can be responsible for a group of up to 8 people. The amounts charged by each guide are individual, ranging from an average of R$ 200 per person per day (values referring to February 2020 for Núcleo Santana routes).
- Not all caves can be visited - of the more than 300 that make up the park, only 12 of them are open to the public.
- The use of safety equipment, such as a helmet with a flashlight, is always mandatory.
- To access the restricted areas of the caves, it is necessary to request prior authorization from the administration of PETAR in Apiaí, at Avenida Isidoro Alfeu Santiago, 364 - Tel. (15) 3552-1895.
Knife
Activities
- hiking - PETAR has several trails open to the public. It is through them that you can access the main attractions of the park, such as waterfalls and caves. The most famous of these is the Betari River, in Núcleo Santana, a route of 3.6 km of medium difficulty that passes through two caves (Água Suja and Cafezal), in addition to waterfalls (Andorinhas and Betarizinho).
- Buoy Cross - Aquatic activity carried out by buoys to the River Betari. Each buoy holds one person and the 2 km journey is done in a group. The activity can be performed in two sections with different levels of difficulty. For your practice it is necessary to use some safety items, such as a life jacket and helmet.
eat and drink
There is no type of trade in the park, but access with food is allowed at the site - some trails even have a picnic area. Outside the park, meals can be taken at inns, hotels and restaurants.
sleep
accommodation
There are some accommodation options, mostly inns, but there are still some campsites, and in the centers of Apiaí and Iporanga even hotels, to better accommodate yourself, see the options of each nucleus. In some centers it is possible to camp inside the park.
In the field
Strictly follow the Park's recommendations.
Safety
- It is essential to have a guide, as the galleries in the caves can turn into veritable labyrinths.
- Have extra batteries for flashlights and plastic bags to waterproof equipment, as well as to bring your trash back.
- Bring a canteen, light clothes that warm up, preferably quick drying (tactel), non-slip shoes, socks, bed linen, towel.
- Dirt roads become dangerous in times of heavy rain, and barrier falls can occur.
respect
- Small groups have less impact on the environment.
- Always walk along the paths and do not cut the path.
- Do not make noise, as this alters the behavior of the fauna and harms requests for help.
- Do not cut vegetation or open paths.
- Avoid trampling on undergrowth.
- Collect all garbage, always. On campsites, leave no traces.
- Camping in permitted places or free from vegetation and never in poorly compacted places.
- Do not build structures of any kind.
- Do not start a fire: use a stove.
- Wash utensils with white soap and away from streams using a container.
- If there is no toilet, keep a distance of 50 m from watercourses and bury the waste at least one foot
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