A Hike to Morro da Urca and a Cable Car to Sugarloaf Mountain

While in Rio for the Carnival, we dedicated a day to visit Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar), one of the city’s most iconic peaks. Our original idea—especially after discovering that the cable car ticket cost 130 reais per person—was to hike to the top. But then we realized that, rather than walking, the ascent involved a fair amount of technical climbing, without fixed ropes. Since we had no climbing gear and I had an arm injury that prevented me from taking any crazy risks, we came up with an alternative course: hike to Morro da Urca—the lower peak before Sugarloaf—and take the second cable car from there.

Scenic view of Sugarloaf Mountain towering above the shoreline at Praia Vermelha in Rio de Janeiro, with a sunny sky, clear water, and vibrant beach umbrellas in the foreground — Sugarloaf Mountain rises above Praia Vermelha in postcard-perfect Rio

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The trail to Morro da Urca starts at the north end of Praia Vermelha, not far from the cable car station (trailhead location). It briefly follows the coastline before heading up the ridge, covering 1.2 km with an ascent of 200 meters. Along the way, we encountered fascinating flora, a troop of unshy marmoset monkeys, and our first stunning view of Botafogo Bay from a viewing platform located at the col between the two peaks. The trail was quite busy and felt completely safe, being far from any favelas and close to an army base.

Tree-lined hiking trail with rustic wooden steps winding through lush tropical forest on the way to Morro da Urca in Rio de Janeiro — Shaded forest steps lead the way up Morro da Urca

Small capuchin monkey clinging to the side of a tree trunk, peering out curiously in the Atlantic Forest along the Morro da Urca hiking route in Rio de Janeiro — A curious capuchin monkey pauses mid-climb on the forest trail

Group of hikers standing on a wooden viewing platform on col between Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf overlooking botafogo bay — Viewpoint on the col between Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf

The top of Morro da Urca featured a spacious, bustling park with several restaurants, food carts, benches, and drinking water faucets. Viewpoints covered all 360 degrees of the horizon and offered spectacular vistas of Rio’s urban and natural magnificence. There was also a helipad used by a tour helicopter flying back and forth to Christ the Redeemer in short intervals. Having flown in a helicopter before, I wasn’t as keen to shove my hand into my pocket. However, if you haven’t already lived this unique experience, you can find plenty of reasonably priced helicopter tours in Rio.

Open-air refreshment area with tables, umbrellas, and food stands offering drinks and snacks at the top of Morro da Urca in Rio de Janeiro — Snack bars and cold drinks reward hikers at the summit

Aerial view of Botafogo Bay filled with small sailboats near the Urca neighborhood, backed by green hills and a cloudless sky in Rio de Janeiro — Sailboats dotting the Bay of Botafogo

Helicopter returning from a ride to Christ the Redeemer from helipad atop morro da urca in rio de janeiro — Helicopter returning from a ride to Christ the Redeemer

We had read online that, since we hiked to Morro da Urca, we should pay a discounted ticket to ride the second funicular to Sugarloaf. It wasn’t true. We paid the full 130 reais price. The queue was long, but the ride was fast. Once we boarded, packed like sardines with other passengers, we reached the top of Sugarloaf before we knew it.

Waiting amid a crowd for the cable car from morro da urca to sugarloaf mountain — Waiting amid a crowd for the cable car

The area atop Sugarloaf was more limited compared to Morro da Urca. It held only one small restaurant and a couple of souvenir shops. More interestingly, there was a network of hiking paths leading downslope through dense vegetation to quiet clearings with breathtaking views. After some leisurely strolling and relaxing, we took the cable car back down and headed for a walk to Copacabana.

Tourists on a curved, path-like observation deck atop Sugarloaf Mountain, overlooking panoramic views of the Rio coastline and sky — Sugarloaf vista platform with 360-degree views of Rio’s coast

Woman wearing a baseball cap with the brazilian flag gazes over the vast Rio de Janeiro coastline, with clear blue sky and expansive ocean views stretching toward Copacabana — Sophie enjoying the view of Copacabana with her new Brazilian hat she’s so proud of

View of Praia Vermelha and the Copacabana from the top of sugarloaf mountain — Overlooking Praia Vermelha and the Copacabana

Distant view of Fortaleza de Santa Cruz da Barra at the entrance of Guanabara Bay from top of sugarloaf mountain — Distant view of Fortaleza de Santa Cruz da Barra at the entrance of Guanabara Bay

Photos

View (and if you want use) all my photographs from Sugarloaf Mountain in higher resolution.

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