Visiting the botanical gardens in a new city isn’t usually on the top of everyone’s travel itinerary.
However, the Botanical Gardens in Rio de Janeiro are not your usual gardens.
These botanical gardens are right on the edge of the Atlantic Forest, a nearly 100 thousand square kilometres rainforest that runs down the southeast coast of Brazil. It’s one of Earth’s richest biomes and is home to several endemic species, which are species of plants and animals unique to this area and can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Make sure to include this destination in your South American tour.
Sixty percent of the Botanical Gardens are made up of vegetation from the Atlantic Forest and the rest is imported species, both from around Brazil and other countries. As a result, it’s rich in biodiversity and is the ideal spot to get a feel of what it’s like to visit a rainforest.
You won’t be short of plants to see. The garden has more than 6,500 different plants species both growing wild in its grounds and some protected in specialist greenhouses. It’s also home to more than 140 species of birds including the channel-billed toucan and the white-necked hawk as well as animals such as the capuchin monkey, sloths and terrapins.
The garden is also of great scientific importance. The research centre there has Brazil’s most complete library that specialises in botany, with more than 32,000 books on the subject.
Highlights in the Botanical Garden include the sensory garden, the Amazon section, the greenhouse of carnivorous plants and the Avenue of Royal Palms. Check out the video below to find out more and discover why a trip to Rio’s Botanical Gardens is a must.
Important Information
To visit the Botanical Gardens in Rio de Janeiro, you need to book a one-hour arrival slot on their booking site. You can stay in the gardens until 5pm, but you have to book your arrival in advance. The cost varies from R$15 (€2.30) to R$60 (€9.20).
Address: Rua Jardim Botanico 1008, Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro 22460-000 Brazil
Opening hours:
Have you ever visited Rio de Janeiro? What’s your favourite place there? Comment below!
