Parque Estadual da Cantareira, São Paulo, Brazil

Visit duration: 3 hours Editorial visit time estimate

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Parque Estadual da Cantareira

Cantareira State Park is a state park created on 29 August 1962 in the Serra da Cantareira range, protecting Atlantic Forest on the northern edge of the city of São Paulo. It covers 7,916.52 hectares, of which about 4,278 hectares lie in the municipality of São Paulo and the rest in Guarulhos, Mairiporã and Caieiras. It is part of the Serra da Cantareira, the largest urban green area in Brazil and one of the largest in the world, and it protects land that provides an important part of the city's water supply. In 1994 UNESCO made it part of the São Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere Reserve.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

The park has four visitor centres: Pedra Grande, Engordador, Águas Claras and Cabuçu. The Pedra Grande centre has a lookout over the city at 1,010 metres of altitude. Most of the park is covered in dense montane rainforest in various stages of regeneration, which began at the end of the 19th century when the land was acquired for the city's water supply. An estimated 866 species of fauna live here, including 233 bird species, and BirdLife International considers it an important area for bird conservation in Brazil.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Common questions

Is there a viewpoint in the park?

Yes. The Pedra Grande centre has a lookout over the city at 1,010 metres of altitude.

How many visitor centres does the park have?

Four: Pedra Grande, Engordador, Águas Claras and Cabuçu.

Where it is

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Nearby

30 min
161 min walk
Paroquia São Benedito
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Gaetano Ferolla Museum of Public Transport
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Praça Caciporé
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