Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is a must see for anyone who loves plants and gardens
When visiting Rio, sometimes you just need a bit of a time-out from all of the hustle and bustle of the city. This is something that the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is certain to provide.
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden was founded in 1808 by Prince Regent Dom Joao. He intended for it to be a research center in addition to a recreational area. The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is not just a place to go and see the local flora, there are also plants brought in from other parts of the world. You will be able see the first tea, cloves and cinnamon which were brought to Brazil in an attempt to grow them locally instead of having to import them. There are over five and a half thousand different species of plants in the gardens which makes for pleasant strolls and a peaceful exploration of nature. Some of the highlights include a lake filled with enormous water lilies, beautiful orchids, a selection of carnivorous plants and a Japanese Garden.
Interestingly, the row of 134 palms which form the Avenue of Royal Palms are all descended from a single tree. The Palma Mater can no longer be seen as it was hit and destroyed by lightning many years ago.
When you are tired of looking at the flora, you can take a turn through the library. The library is one of the largest of its kind. It contains more than thirty two thousand volumes all focused on botany. There are also a number of monuments which have great historical and cultural value to the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. For example, there is the Fountain of the Muses which was made in Derby in England and was at Henrique Lage's Villa until 1895 and there is an old gunpowder factory on the premises.
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is found at the foot of the Corcovado Mountain in the shadow of the Christ the Redeemer statue. Only forty percent of the park's 140 hectares are cultivated. The rest of the park is natural Atlantic Forest. The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden was designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1992.
For a slight change of pace and a moment of relaxation, visit the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. You will see plants that cannot be seen outside of Rio de Janeiro and take a break from the chaos of the city all at the same time.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesRio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: R. Jardim Botânico, 1008 - Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22460-030, Brazil
Phone: (21) 3874-1808
Official Website: Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Reviews
Rated out of 5
The park is very clean and beautifully maintained. Everything looks well preserved, and you can tell that the staff takes great care of the area. During my visit, I saw a few monkeys and some huge fish in the pond. I arrived right when the park opened there were not many people around.
You can purchase your entry ticket by card, which makes the process easy
Tatiana Dvi - 2 months ago
Came mainly to see the toucans, they’re quite hard to find especially considering there are no signs guiding towards them and some the people working on site seemed to not know anything about their surroundings when we wanted guidance, some briefly managed to explain the general direction. After about 20/25 min walking around we managed to find them!! We saw about 5-8 of them flying around and picking fruit off of the palm trees. Managed to find a parrot as well. If you are looking for them i was told to keep the the right from the entrance, they may be flying about but are generally found in those tall leafy trees. It’s helpful to also search up what sounds they make and follow the calls! They’re also in groups so great for photos :) Great park.
Nicola Wieckowska - 2 months ago
Man, the moans about this place are unreal! Yes, it is expensive for a park. Yes I’ve seen more elaborate gardens. Yeah there is no food on site (whine whine). And VERY annoyingly, the website says buying tix on site is cash only WHICH IS WRONG. They accept cards.
But it’s still very well-maintained, spacious and has absolutely lovely greenery. AND YOU SEE MONKEYS, especially around sections 34/35 and by taking the smaller, meandering paths. I saw loads of the marmosets today, as well as the great kiskadee and a saffron toucanet. The marmosets alone are worth the admission fee.
Jennifer Smith - 2 months ago
The garden is lush, beautifully designed, historically important and a wonderful alternative to the beaches of Rio. For those having trouble hiking in the Tijuca National Park, it gives a flavor without putting you in strenuous trail, and for the bonanophils, this is close to heaven. I removed a star simply for the process of getting a ticket. There is no way to reserve one online, and the website says cash only but in reality I paid with credit card onsite. The line is always long because for some reason there is always endless discussion at the window, there is no ticket machine to speed up the process. This does NOT require a complicated solution - just allow people buy tickets online or have an automatic ticket booth, both of which I see Rio's other institutions uses already.
L L - 2 months ago
Not very organized place, seniors and disabled waited as long as rest of us, till someone went to window to let them know it was super hot and people walking away.
Find out if you buy in advance do they have another line?
The place is a nice garden and lots to see.
Wish it was maintained better.
riccardo perdomo - 3 months ago
Directions
| Metro and Metro Bus Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 - Orange or Line 2 - Green | Botafogo | 5 MInutes |
How to get to Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden by Metro and Metro Bus
Purhase a Metro na Superficie farecard take the Metro to Botafogo Station and transfer to the blue 'Metro na Superficie Bus' and ride it to the Jardim Botanico Baixo Gávea stop. Exit the bus and walk north along Av. Rodrigo Otavio which becomes Rua Jardim Botanico until you see the entrance to the Garden on your left (5 minutes).
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Photo Gallery
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Walking paths in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden cc licensed photo by Felipe Ventura dos Santos -
Bridge across water feature in the Japanese Garden cc licensed photo by Glovebr2008 -
Close up of an Orquidário flower cc licensed photo by T Chu -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: mattk1979 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Soldon Souza - cc license via Flickr
