Paraty: 4x4 Waterfalls Tour & Cachaça Tasting Day Trip

Summary

Old gold road trails waterfalls cachaça and forest flavors in paraty

You’ll follow Paraty’s old Gold Trail by 4x4 with a local guide, swim in hidden waterfalls like Tobogã and Usina, taste regional cachaças (Gabriela is unforgettable), and eat lunch beside rushing water deep in the Atlantic Forest. Expect laughter, cold swims, new flavors—and moments you’ll keep thinking about long after you’re dry.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the smell — wet leaves and sugarcane, sharp and sweet at the same time. We’d barely bounced out of Paraty’s cobbled streets in that old 4x4 when our guide, Jango, pointed at a patch of tangled green. “That’s where the gold came through,” he said. I’m not sure what I expected from the Gold Trail, but it wasn’t this: bird calls echoing off huge stones, sunlight flickering through Atlantic Forest leaves, my shoes already muddy before we’d even seen a waterfall.

The White Stone Farm was our first stop — Usina waterfall roaring somewhere behind thick bamboo. The water was cold enough to make me yelp (I did), but after five minutes floating in that pool I felt like I could breathe again. Jango laughed and told us how locals used to hide here during storms. There was a kind of hush under those trees, broken only by someone’s flip-flop slapping on wet rock.

I didn’t expect to care about cachaça but the alambique tour was actually fascinating — you could smell cinnamon and clove before we even stepped inside Paratiana. The guide handed me a tiny glass of Gabriela; it burned and then bloomed into something almost floral. They kept offering more flavors: caramel, jabuticaba, chocolate with pepper (that one surprised me). Li tried to pronounce “jabuticaba” and got everyone laughing, including the woman pouring.

Later we hit Tobogã waterfall — famous for its natural rock slide. A couple local kids showed us how to ride it sitting up (I chickened out halfway down). Lunch came right after, in a place tucked next to Tarzan waterfall where everything smelled like woodsmoke and river water. I still think about that fish stew — maybe because my hands were still wrinkled from swimming or maybe just because it tasted perfect after all that cold water. The drive back was quieter; everyone sort of spaced out watching the forest roll by outside the windows.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Waterfalls and cachaça tasting tour

• Visit White Stone Farm waterfalls
• Bath at Usina and White Stone waterfalls
• Guided tour at Alambique Paratiana distillery
• Taste cachaças and regional sweets
• Visit Tarzan and Tobogan waterfalls
• Enjoy natural slide at Tobogan waterfall
• Optional lunch near Tarzan waterfall
• Cheese tasting at tour end

Top questions

How long does the Paraty 4x4 waterfalls tour last?

The tour lasts most of the day with several stops for swimming, tasting cachaça, lunch by the waterfall, and scenic drives between sites.

Is hotel pickup included for this Paraty day trip?

Yes, transportation with pickup is included as part of your booking.

What waterfalls are visited on this Paraty waterfalls tour?

You’ll visit Usina and White Stone waterfalls at Fazenda Pedra Branca plus Tobogã and Tarzan waterfalls in Penha neighborhood.

Is lunch included during the tour?

An optional lunch stop is made at a restaurant near Tarzan waterfall; dishes include fish stew and seafood options.

Can I taste different types of cachaça on this trip?

Yes—there’s a guided tasting at Alambique Paratiana or Pedra Branca with several regional cachaças including Gabriela (cravo & canela).

Is this Paraty day trip suitable for children or seniors?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels but not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health; infants must sit on an adult's lap.

What’s included

Your day includes transportation with pickup in Paraty, guidance from a local expert throughout stretches of the old Gold Trail, entry to two different waterfall complexes for swimming or relaxing, a guided cachaça distillery visit with tastings of regional spirits and sweets—and time for an optional lunch beside Tarzan waterfall before heading back to town.