Active Pursuits in Petropolis

Hiking -- Petrópolis has great hiking in the hills surrounding the town. Serra Trekking Ecoturismo (tel. 024/2242-2360; www.serratrekking.com.br) offers everything from short day hikes to full overnight treks, ranging in price from R$25 to R$125. For do-it-yourselfers, the Petrópolis Convention and Visitor's Bureau website (www.pcvb.com.br) has a full page of information on local Petrópolis hikes. Click on "Trekking." To hook up with local hikers, try Grupo de Ecoturismo Maverick (tel. 024/2291-3789; www.grupomaverick.com.br). Rio Hiking (tel. 021/2552-9204 or 9721-0594; www.riohiking.com.br) also organizes a variety of hiking trips in the Petrópolis region, with transportation to and from Rio included. A day trip can combine a short hike with some sightseeing of Petrópolis (R$200 per person) or you can opt for a 2-day hiking trip in the national park of Serra dos Orgãos close to Petrópolis (R$475).

Horseback Riding -- Contact Cavalgada Ecologica (tel. 024/2222-9666 or 8823-5528; www.cavalgadaecologica.com.br) for tours lasting from 2 to 4 hours.