Brazil's national parks: entry fees, booking and rules

Brazil’s federal parks are run by ICMBio, and the ones with private visitor concessions charge entry. Full-price tickets run from about R$ 44 at Itatiaia to R$ 384 at Fernando de Noronha (about US$9 to US$76, checked Oct 2026). Fernando de Noronha costs the most: R$ 384 for the marine park plus a state fee of R$ 105.79 a day for the first days. Iguaçu sells timed tickets online only.

Conversions on this page use R$ 5.08 per US$1 (mid-October 2026). Prices change every year, so check each operator’s site the week you go.

Who runs the parks and who charges

ICMBio, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, manages Brazil’s federal protected areas. In several parks it hands visitor services, including ticket sales, to a private operator under a concession.

These operators run visitor services in national parks:

The price rule depends on the contract. Contracts signed after 2018 use a price cap: ICMBio sets a ceiling and the operator may charge less. ICMBio adjusts the values by ordinance, most recently Portaria ICMBio 4.423 of October 14, 2025.

Parks without a concession often charge nothing at the gate. In those parks, you usually pay for the guide, boat or 4x4 tour that takes you in.

Fees by park

The table gives the most recent published price for each park. Where the figure is a cap set by ICMBio, the gate price can be lower, and older figures may have risen since.

Check before you go: the Veadeiros, Itatiaia and Aparados da Serra prices are 2024 values and have likely risen. Check the operator’s site for the current price, discounts and opening hours before you travel.

The Aparados da Serra three-day ticket covers three days of visits used within a seven-day period. It suits travelers who want to see both Itaimbezinho and Fortaleza canyons without rushing. Ask Urbia Cânions Verdes for the one-day price and which areas each ticket covers.

Fernando de Noronha: two separate charges

Every visitor to Noronha pays two things, to two different authorities. Together they make Noronha one of the most expensive places to visit in Brazil.

1. The state preservation fee (TPA). The Pernambuco state administration of the island charges it to everyone who does not live there. It rests on state law 10.403 of 1989, as amended, and Decreto Distrital 018/2004. The amount grows with each day you stay:

Pay online before you fly, by card or bank slip, at the administration’s payment page. You can also pay on arrival. Extra days are paid when you leave. Under state law 11.704, article 86, days not scheduled and authorized in advance are charged double. Cards issued outside Brazil work only at the airport counter on the island.

2. The marine park ticket. EcoNoronha sells it. The general public, including foreigners, pays R$ 384 (about US$76, checked Oct 2026). Brazilians pay R$ 192 (about US$38). The ticket lasts 10 days. Children under 12 and Brazilians over 60 enter free with proof. Buy online and use the QR code, or at the Visitor Center ticket office in Boldró, open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A five-day trip for a foreign visitor costs R$ 904.50 in these two charges (about US$178, checked Oct 2026), before flights and lodging.

The park ticket covers the protected beaches and trails, such as Baía do Sancho and Baía dos Porcos. Some popular trails and snorkel spots need a separate time-slot booking, so reserve them when you buy the ticket.

Iguaçu: online only, with a time slot

Urbia Cataratas sells Iguaçu tickets only online, for a set date and time, in limited numbers. Each visitor needs their own ticket and a photo ID. A ticket on your phone screen is accepted.

The ticket covers the park shuttle, about 12 km (7.5 mi) round trip between the Visitor Center and the falls trail, plus the 1 km (0.6 mi) trail, walkways, elevators and main viewpoints. Boat trips and other activities inside the park cost extra.

The park has no meia-entrada (half price), because the federal half-price laws do not apply to federal parks. Two- and three-day passes are personal, and dates can be changed twice before first use. Unused tickets are not refunded.

The park opens every day: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Morning slots are less crowded, and the walkway at the end of the trail gets you soaked, so pack a poncho or a dry bag for your phone.

Tijuca and Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer stands in Tijuca National Park. Paineiras Corcovado runs official vans from three points: Copacabana, Largo do Machado and the Paineiras Visitor Center. The ticket includes the round trip from the same boarding point and access to the statue. There is no parking at the site.

The Corcovado train runs from Cosme Velho as a separate concession. Both the van and the train had a ticket value of R$ 54.00 for 2025.

Check before you go: buy at ingressos.paineirascorcovado.com.br or on the Trem do Corcovado site, where you see the current total fare and any reduced rates. Go early in the day or on a clear afternoon, since the statue is often in cloud.

Jericoacoara: free village, paid extras

You can enter Jericoacoara village without a park ticket. Federal courts blocked the operator’s plan to charge visitors who go only to the village. Jijoca de Jericoacoara, the municipality, charges its own tourism fee of R$ 41.50 per visitor for up to 10 days (about US$8, checked Oct 2026).

The operator can still charge for some attractions inside the park. Ask your pousada or buggy driver what applies to the lagoons and viewpoints on your tour.

Lençóis Maranhenses and parks without tickets

Lençóis Maranhenses has no entry ticket. Visitors reach the dunes on accredited 4x4 tours or with guides from Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro or Atins, and the tour price is what you pay. Many other national parks work the same way, so budget for guides and transport rather than gate fees.

Discounts and the local-area rate

Some parks offer half-price tickets and a low “entorno” rate for people from the area around the park. Contracts also include discounts for priority groups such as older people and students, under Brazilian rules. Iguaçu has no half price. Expect to pay the full rate as a foreign visitor unless the operator’s page says otherwise.

Before you go

1. Book Iguaçu online for a date and time, and carry your passport.
2. Pay the Noronha TPA online before you fly, or plan to use the airport counter with a foreign card.
3. Buy the Noronha park ticket online and keep the QR code offline on your phone.
4. Check the operator’s site for the current price the week you travel.
5. Some parks border quilombola, Indigenous and fishing communities. Hire guides from those communities where they offer tours, pay them directly, and ask before photographing anyone.

Who should skip the paid parks

Skip Noronha if your budget is tight: fees alone pass R$ 900 for five days, before flights and lodging. Skip Iguaçu on Brazilian holidays and in July and January if you dislike crowds, since timed slots sell out. Skip the Chapada parks in the wettest months if you plan long hikes, because trails close after heavy rain.

For when to go, read best time to visit Brazil. For flights to Foz do Iguaçu and Noronha, see domestic flights in Brazil. For paying by card or cash, see money in Brazil.