Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar, sometimes just called ‘sugarloaf’) is an iconic peak in the Guanabara Bay in Rio De Janeiro. Its name comes from the conical blocks of refined sugar which were exported from Brazil in the 16th & 17th century!
As a pretty iconic feature of Rio, it’s a bit of a must to visit and the 360 views at the top give a totally different perspective from the view from Christ the Redeemer.
There is a chain of supermarkets in Rio also called Pão de Açúcar, so if you are calling an Uber, make sure you have the right spot in Parque Bondinho before you press go!
Do you want tips on how to get around Rio? Check out our Rio de Janeiro: Ultimate Guide & Safety Tips Before You Go article
Cable Car to Pão de Açúcar 🚠
💰 Cost: 198R$ (£27 / US $36)
📍 Location: Parque Bondinho
✅ Top tips: book in advance for sunset (or sunrise on a Saturday), choose a clear day for the best views
The cable car takes you from the ground level all the way up to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain stopping half way. The top of Sugar Loaf Mountain can only be reached by cable car (or rock climbing! More on that below).
If you are wondering when to visit, the best time to visit is at sunset. The cable car is open until 8:30pm which gives plenty of time. Before you book check the weather beforehand to make sure it’s a clear day & head up about 1 hour before sunset to enjoy amazing 360 views!
On certain days the view point has a DJ playing from 4pm for sunset! Check out the dates & times on the Parque Bondinho website here.
If you don’t fancy going for sunset, during the day it is just as beautiful. We would recommend going on a clear day so you get the best views!
The view point is open on Mondays – Thursdays, from 8:30am to 8pm with the last boarding being at 6:30pm. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, it is open from 8:30am to 9pm and the last boarding is at 7:30pm.
The cable car comes in 2 parts, he first stop is the smaller of the two peaks. Here you will find a helipad, food & drinks spot, views of the city & attractions like honey bee garden plus a small exhibition which changes regularly.
Tickets cost 198R$ (£27 / US $36) for adults and can be bought online here with discounts for people who live in the state of RJ. You can also buy sunrise tickets which give you access to the park before it opens to enjoy the amazing sunrise over Rio. This option includes breakfast and is available on Saturdays only so make sure you book in advance. Sunrise can be EARLY in Brazil, so bear this in mind! 😴
Hike half way up Pão de Açúcar (Pista Cláudio Coutinho) 🥾
💰 Cost: free
📍 Location: Pista Cláudio Coutinho trail head
✅ Top tips: The hike is steep but short. Make sure you bring a water bottle.
The Pista Cláudio Coutinho trail leads to the Morro da Urca hike up to the half way point of the cable car. This hike is perfect for if you want to be close to nature and get a bit of heartbeat raising activity in, during your trip.
The hike is completely free and you finish at the Morro da Urca view point. This is the halfway point for the cable car. You can walk around this section for free and make use of the toilets. There are also free water refill stations as well as the food & drink options here.
What is the trail like?
The trail head is on the left of Praia Vermelha and easily sign posted. After you get onto the trail, the first part of the walk is flat and takes around 5-10mins. Although it could be longer depending on how often you stop to admire & take pictures of monkeys and birds!
We didn’t know whether to take our camera here but all the reviews online said how safe it was, so we did. We got some amazing pictures of birds and monkeys on this trail, so it was well worth it and we felt safe carrying the camera on the trail at all times. We put the camera away as soon as we were off the trail.
The trail up to Morro da Urca is clearly signposted on the left as you approach. If you don’t fancy the steep hike up, you can continue along the coastline path for a more relaxed walk.
The hike up to Morro da Urca takes about 40mins up. The views from the hike are mostly forest but there is one look out on the way which makes a nice rest spot. Once at the top of the trail you walk through the gates to the half way cable car point.
We recommend sturdy sandals for the hike, although you will see lots of people in flip flops too!
To hike back down it will take around 15-20 minutes. This of course depends on how quick you are – it took us about 20-30mins with time for bird watching!
On the hike we saw loads of marmoset monkeys which you could actually get quite close to for pictures. Just remember please don’t feed them. We also saw this Turquoise-Fronted Amazon Parrot as well as loads of other birds. Keep your eyes peeled!!
If you are slowly getting into birds (and South America is the place to see some amazing colourful birds) download the Merlin app to keep a note of the ones you see. You can either upload a picture, add the description or the sound and it will bring a list of the most likely birds. They say at 30 you realise your true passion, and it appears we are now twitchers! 🦜
We liked this option as it meant we could avoid paying the cable car fee. As of Nov 2025, the cost of the cable car is the same regardless of whether you hike to the mid way point. It would have been nice to see the top of the mountain but for us the price wasn’t worth it. But I am sure many other people would disagree!
After you have finished the hike, why not spend a bit of time on Praia Vermelha beach. Here you can enjoy the sun and have a refresh in the sea!
Take some cash to buy cold drinks or coconuts from the beach vendors 🥥
Rock Climbing
💰 Cost: depends on the tour you book. We love Get Your Guide for easy booking of tours
📍 Location: Most likely Pista Cláudio Coutinho trail head
✅ Top tips: The climb is suitable for beginners. It is recommended to have a good level of physical fitness.
Now we’re not experts in rock climbing, nor did we try it, but we saw a few people with ropes and helmets scaling the mountain. Reviews online say it’s a pretty basic climb and good for beginners. You definitely need to do this with a guide and have a good level of fitness. Not only is the climb a bit of a challenge, but the Rio heat is something else to contend with.
The overall hike & climb takes around 4 hours and you will need to wear sturdy shoes. It is recommended to wear light sports clothes for the climb to be as comfortable as possible.
Help, I’m on a budget 💰
If like us you are on a bit of a budget we would recommend the following:
- One day hike half way up the Pão de Açúcar for free, admiring the wildlife along the way and viewing the city from the half way point.
- On the same day (or another) hike the Morro Dois Irmãos for only 30R$ (£4 / US $5.50) (20R$ moto taxi return + 10R$ entry per person). This hike is a more challenging than the Pão do Açúcar half hike but the views are spectacular. With these 2 combined you will have been up Sugar Loaf Mountain and had incredible views over Rio for a fraction of the cost!
Read our complete guide to our favourite short hike in Brazil: Morro Dois Irmãos and how to travel to the start point of the hike
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