one of the most important natural landmark of rio de janeiro is the national park of tijuca - part of it is the foresta da tijuca (tijuca forest), a green space made up of the smaller floresta de santa ines and floresta do andaraí.

the tijuca forest is surrounded by several smaller forests - north of it is the floresta dos pretos forros, on the west the floresta da usina contributes to the greenery of this region of rio, while bordering the south of the tijuca florest, in the serra carioca, are the floresta do alto, and the floresta da gávea piquena.

the tijuca forest is set across a number of valleys, spanning from the vale dos perdidos (valley of the lost) in the north to the valley of são miguel, which is home to a beautiful pond.