While visiting the seaside oasis, hiking to Jericoacoara’s famous Pedra Furada landmark is a must-do activity. The massive, naturally sculpted rock formation is beautiful and equally striking in person and in photos.
The hike to reach Pedra Furada is enjoyable and fairly easy. There is more than one trail that leads to the rock. If hiking or walking long distances isn’t for you, tourists can also visit Pedra Furada by boat.
This blog post will explain the different ways to hike to Pedra Furada and what to know before you set out on one of the best adventures in Jericoacoara!
What makes Pedra Furada special
Pedra Furada means “Pireced Stone” in Portuguese. This is a rightfully fitting name for the naturally arched rock formation found on the coast in Jericoacoara. Over the past few centuries, the ocean has slowly carved and hallowed Pedra Furada into its present shape.
Today Pedra Furada is considered the “postcard” of Jericoacoara. Most Brazilians can easily identify the notorious arch shape on the beach in Northeast Brazil. It is the most popular place to take photos in Jericoacoara.
Where is Pedra Furada
Pedra Furada is found on the beach in an area of Jericoacoara referred to as the “rocky region” or região rochosa.
The rocky region of Jericoacoara is a 1-mile stretch of beach characterized by many huge rock formations on sand and in the water, like Pedra Furada and Pedra Frade.
4 ways to reach Pedra Furada
There are four ways to get to Pedra Furada. Three involve walking or hiking 1-2 miles from the village of Jericoacoara. The fourth option entails catching a boat ride to the rock formation from the beach in Jericoacoara.
Below I detail all four options.
Option 1 - Serrote Lighthouse Trail (Trilha do Farol Serrote)
The Serrote Lighthouse Trail begins at a well-marked trailhead just 10 minutes walking from the village center.
The start of the Serrote Lighthouse Trail is ALSO the Pedra Furada Trail but at about the 1/2 mile marker, you will veer right to officially enter the Serrote Lighthouse Trail.
From the turnoff, it is another 1.9 miles to Pedra Furada. The first major site you pass on the Serrote Lighthouse Trail is the Jericoacoara Lighthouse.
At 1.5 miles, you’ll begin to descend towards the coast and amazing views of Preá Beach will come into focus.
Once you get down to the beach, turn left and follow the coast until you reach Pedra Furada. Along the beach, you’ll pass Pedra Frade – another enormous rock formation found in the rocky region.
The Serrote Lighthouse Trail elevation gain is around 357 ft. There is no technical climbing, just a steady incline until after the lighthouse.
While not the most direct, the Serrote Lighthouse Trail is my favorite way to hike to Pedra Furada because of the range of views during the hike. Besides the views of Preá Beach, the distant views of Pedra Furada as you approach the beach are special too.
Total mileage: 2.35 miles to reach Pedra Furada from the trailhead.
Option 2 – Pedra Furada Trail (Trilha da Pedra Furada)
The Pedra Furada Trail begins at the same trailhead as the Serrote Lighthouse Trail.
This trail is more direct and bypasses the Jericoacoara Lighthouse.
It is only 1.2 miles from the trailhead to Pedra Furada. The elevation gain is slightly less compared to the Serrote Lighthouse Trail at 206 ft.
One fun aspect of the Pedra Furada Trail is the overhead views of the rock formation that hikers get before descending to the beach.
Option 3 – Malhada Beach Trail
The Malhada Beach Trail is a completely different experience from the Serrote Lighthouse Trail and Pedra Furada Trail. This is the best route for those who want to avoid strenuous inclined walking.
Pedra Furada can be reached by walking along the coast during a low tide. It is a flat walk but does require stepping over some rocks in the sand.
The Malhada Beach Trail starts at Malhada Beach, about a 9-minute walk from the village center.
Once at the beach, turn right (or eastwards) and follow the beautiful coastline until you reach Pedra Furada. It’s about a 40-minute walk.
If you choose this route, it is important to check the tides beforehand. During high tide, the beach will be difficult to traverse and may require swimming or climbing over rocks to pass.
Option 4 – Boat ride from Jericoacoara Beach
If you want to avoid any kind of walking to see Pedra Furada, your best option is to pay for a boat ride.
However, the big downside to visiting by boat is that you cannot leave the boat to take the coveted photo beneath the rock’s arch. You can only take pictures of Pedra Furada from the boat.
The visit to Pedra Furada by boat costs ~R$100 per person.
Boat tours to Pedra Furada are advertised daily at Jericoacoara Beach. You can also use the App Jeri to reserve a tour in advance.
Which option is the best?
The Pedra Furada Trail and the Malhada Beach Trail are the most popular options.
Personally, I highly recommend a hybrid approach to hiking to Pedra Furada.
This route takes the Serrote Lighthouse Trail past the lighthouse, down to the beach, and over to the Pedra Furada, and then follows the coast back to the village via the Malhada Beach trail.
This loop is 4.5 miles of fairly easy walking and amazing views.
Buggies and 4x4s cannot be used to access Pedra Furada. As of 2024, carts pulled by donkeys are also prohibited.
What to expect at Pedra Furada
Not much beyond the enormous rock itself! When we visited, there was a man selling drinks like water, coconut water, and sodas. If there is a larger crowd, expect there to be a line to take photos.
When to hike to Pedra Furada
If you want Pedra Furada to yourself or to at least avoid big groups of other tourists, the earlier the better.
I suggest arriving at the rock before 9 am. After this time, bigger groups and organized tours tend to start showing up. It isn’t uncommon for a line to form for photos.
We left Villa Mango Jeri around 7:30 a.m. and arrived at Pedra Furada around 8:15 a.m. There was only one other couple taking photos at the rock. However, by the time we left around 9 a.m., several more groups were arriving.
During July, the sunset lines up almost perfectly inside of Pedra Furada’s archway. If you’re visiting in July, check the sunset times before your hike.
What to wear on the hike to Pedra Furada
If you look up the pinned location on Instagram you’ll see a range of fashion happening at Pedra Furada.
For me, a bikini, with a cute beach skirt and Havaianas was the perfect attire. The walk is not strenuous enough to require hiking boots or any serious gear.
Other fun attire to wear at Pedra Furada are sundresses and flowy pants.
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