Pedra Grande hike from São Paulo: Private guide & hotel pickup

Hike to a São Paulo overlook without arranging the drive there

A private guided hike in Cantareira State Park, departing from São Paulo hotels or GRU Airport, takes you 10 kilometers round-trip to Pedra Grande, a 1010-meter viewpoint overlooking the city and surrounding valleys. Your guide drives you to the park entrance, leads you through native forest and past a lake, and brings you back to your starting point. The hike takes about six hours total, including the drive.

Options for this experience

3 options

From US$ 189 per person, depending on the option and date you choose.See dates & book

Hotel pickup in São Paulo 10 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 11:30 Guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese Up to 14 per booking Pickup is included

Pickup from GRU Airport 8 departure times: the first at 06:30, the last at 10:00 Guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese Up to 14 per booking Include your flight number and contact details, then pickup is included

Sunday Special Deal 08:00 Guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese Up to 3 per booking For hotel pickups at 8:00 only: the same private tour experience at a reduced Sunday rate. Available on Sundays only. Pickup is included

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Step-by-step itinerary

Hike to Pedra Grande viewpoint

• Meet at hotel and depart north
• Enter Cantareira State Park
• Hike through forest and waterfalls
• Stop at Lago das Carpas lake
• Continue hiking to Pedra Grande
• Enjoy views from Pedra Grande
• Lunch at O Velhão restaurant (optional)
• Return to São Paulo with guide

What’s included

• Entrance fee to Cantareira State Park.
• professional licensed private tour guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• hotel or airport pickup and drop-off within São Paulo and its greater area.
• transport by fully-equipped vehicle with a private driver for groups larger than four people.
• picnic supplies.
• all taxes, handling charges and parking fees during stops.

Times

• Wednesday to Sunday 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30

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Before you book

Group Private

Live guide English, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included.

Book up to 8h before

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Not recommended during pregnancy Not recommended with heart problems Not recommended with back problems

Operated by Gregtur Turismo

Prices and times updated yesterday

Traveler reviews

5.00 ★★★★★ Exceptional 18 verified traveler reviews

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The experience

The tour picks you up at your São Paulo hotel or airport and drives about 50 minutes north to Cantareira State Park, a 7,900-hectare reserve. Once inside the park, you begin hiking on unpaved trails of light difficulty, climbing uphill through native forest. The path passes small waterfalls and opens onto views of the surrounding landscape. Monkeys live in the canopy, and you may spot them if you watch carefully.

After roughly an hour and a half of walking, you reach Lago das Carpas, a lake where the group stops to rest and eat the picnic supplies included with the tour. From there, the hike continues for another 30 minutes to Pedra Grande itself: a belvedere at 1010 meters where the view spans across São Paulo's valleys and the metropolis beyond. The contrast between the city and the forest around you is the payoff for the climb. Your guide, a licensed local expert on the park's ecology and wildlife, answers questions about the flora, fauna and history on the way back down and during the return drive to your starting point.

The tour does not include lunch at restaurants in the area, though "O Velhão" restaurant complex sits nearby if you want to eat and sample cachaça after the hike. The hike itself requires at least moderate fitness. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How far is the actual hike from the park entrance to Pedra Grande?

Pedra Grande sits about 5 kilometers from the park's main entrance, making the round-trip walk roughly 10 kilometers total. The route climbs uphill on unpaved trails and includes a rest stop at Lago das Carpas about an hour and a half into the hike.

What animals might I see on the hike in Cantareira State Park?

Monkeys live in the native forest throughout the park, and you have a good chance of spotting them if you watch the canopy. The park is home to other wildlife as well, and your guide can point out what lives in each part of the forest.

Does the tour include food, or do I need to bring my own?

Picnic supplies are included with the tour and you eat them during a rest stop at Lago das Carpas partway through the hike. Lunch at nearby restaurants is not included, though the "O Velhão" restaurant complex is available if you want to eat after the hike ends.

Can I book a pickup from GRU Airport instead of my hotel?

Yes, GRU Airport pickup is one of the available options at checkout. The drive from the airport to Cantareira State Park takes about 50 minutes, and the guide brings you back to the airport at the end of the tour.

What is the total time commitment for this tour?

The tour lasts about six hours from pickup to drop-off, including the 50-minute drive each way to and from the park, the hike itself, and the rest stop at the lake.