the old path was the first route the royal family travelled and connects ouro preto (black gold) to paraty - approximately 710km long, it takes 15 days to bicycle, 48 to walk, 8 with car and 24 by horse - the trip includes a visit to tiradentes, the historical brasillian city filled with baroque art.

the new path is 510km with 223km sloped - because of the incline the travel time is 11 days biking, 35 walking, 6 days by car and 18 days by horse - the route connects rio de janeiro to ouro preto and includes a visit to the imperial city of petropolis which was the capital of the brazilian empire for 40 years.

the diamond path was created in 1729 to connect ouro preto to diamantina where the precious diamonds were being mined - it is 395km long and takes 8 days to bike, 27 to walk, 4 days to drive and 14 days by horse.