20th July 2024
Heaven on Earth - wandering in the clouds
From Rio, I took a one-day trip to Serra dos Órgãos, a place I had dreamed of visiting for so long. My wish plan was to camp there for a night or two... I wanted to catch the iconic sunrise above the clouds. It’s one of those places photographers fantasize about: dramatic peaks, layers of mist, and golden light spilling through the sky.
Instead of camping, I ended up going with a group of adventurous (a bit crazy..) friends who were set on doing the full crossing in just one day. Normally, this is a two- to three-day hike with camping. And yes, we actually did it.
We started late, had some bad luck in the beginning, and I got really tired during the first part of the hike. The climb was steep and long. But once we got through that, the trail became beautiful, dynamic, and full of surprises.
What made it so special was the way people connected. We were different groups who met along the way, split up, joined forces, and mixed together. Sometimes I was hiking alone, sometimes with one group, sometimes with another. Somehow, by the time we reached the highest peak, we had all found each other again, just in time to take a big group photo at the top.
We descended on the other side, completing the full crossing. By the time we finished, it was nightfall. The temperature had dropped, and it felt cold... a rare thing near Rio, but not unusual in the mountains.Just before the darkness fully set in, the full moon rose over the landscape. It was the perfect ending to one of the wildest, most beautiful hikes I’ve done in Brazil.
Instead of camping, I ended up going with a group of adventurous (a bit crazy..) friends who were set on doing the full crossing in just one day. Normally, this is a two- to three-day hike with camping. And yes, we actually did it.
We started late, had some bad luck in the beginning, and I got really tired during the first part of the hike. The climb was steep and long. But once we got through that, the trail became beautiful, dynamic, and full of surprises.
What made it so special was the way people connected. We were different groups who met along the way, split up, joined forces, and mixed together. Sometimes I was hiking alone, sometimes with one group, sometimes with another. Somehow, by the time we reached the highest peak, we had all found each other again, just in time to take a big group photo at the top.
We descended on the other side, completing the full crossing. By the time we finished, it was nightfall. The temperature had dropped, and it felt cold... a rare thing near Rio, but not unusual in the mountains.Just before the darkness fully set in, the full moon rose over the landscape. It was the perfect ending to one of the wildest, most beautiful hikes I’ve done in Brazil.
