Guarakessaba Portal

Guarakessaba Portal

City: Guaraqueçaba

Attractions and activities: Here we find some of the best Atlantic Forest in the entire Atlantic Forest Great Reserve. The Jaguar can be found in the dense forests, along with other big mammals that are its prey, including the South American Tapir, White-lipped Peccary, among other prey, and with possible competition from the somewhat smaller Puma or Mountain Lion. Guaraqueçaba was the first city to be established in Paraná because here was one of the first landings of the early Portuguese explorers during colonization. While time has passed, this quaint city retains some of its early character, including the streets lined with continuous houses, the central plaza facing the bay, and the Caiçara culture. Caiçara influence can be seen in the traditional boats at the piers, or the dances, with the Fandango. The Fandango, a dance from the Iberian peninsula, is recognized by the IPHANO (the Brazilian National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage) as a Nonmaterial Heritage of Humanity. This portal can be accessed by a boat ride from Paranaguá, for the adventurous, or by car on highway  PR-405, with 78 km of dirt road. Along the way, there are dozens of communities that may be visited, such as Tagaçaba, Potinga, Rio Verde, Batuva (the latter two with Quilombo communities), Morato and more. Two private nature reserves are important in local conservation, with Salto Morato Nature Reserve (known for its wildlife as well as its beautiful waterfalls from whence it gets its name – salto in Portuguese means falls) and Sebuí Ecological Reserve, both of which have facilities for visitors.

Fascinating fauna to see here: Jaguar (Panthera onca), Pin-tailed Manakin (Ilicura militaris), Bocaina Tree Frog (Aplastodiscus albosignatus), White-necked Hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus), Black-fronted Piping Guan (Penelope  jacutinga).

Photography by Ian Lorenzo & Haroldo Palo Jr