this important part of the atlantic rainforest was declared a national park in the 1960s, a measure aimed at preserving its unique biodiversity. amigos do parque is a great website entirely dedicated to the tijuca forest, and can be accessed on this page. assistance of professional guides is highly recommended for hiking excursions in the forest.

tijuca is a word derived from an old expression of the tupi indigenous people which is roughly translated as 'rotting water', probably referencing the tijuca lagoon and former swamps.