Rio de Janeiro
Price $68
Min age 0
Rating 4.75 / 5 [2504 ratings]
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Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Region, Brazil
Rio’s most famous mountain crouches like a sphinx over a perfect half-moon bay just close to Copacabana. It’s a stunning sight – its haunches carpeted with forest, its slopes reflected in the calm water.
The views from the top are even more breathtaking; especially in the late afternoon when the sun shines buttery-yellow on the sands of Copacabana, before dropping behind the Christ statue; and the lights of Rio twinkle on like stars.
Sugar Loaf is actually two mountains – Sugar Loaf itself (Pão de Açucar) and neighbouring Urca Hill (Morro de Urca). Both summits are reachable by two ten-minute cable car rides (one paid ticket for both), setting off from the cable car base station in Urca neighbourhood. The first ascent is up Urca Hill, the second stage takes you up Sugar Loaf itself.
The nearest metro station, Botafogo, is a 10-minute bus or 5-minute cab ride away. The cable-car station is about 10 minutes by cab from Copacabana, 20 minutes from Ipanema and 10 minutes from Santa Teresa.
There are some rather pricey and mediocre café/juice bars on the summit of Morro de Urca, but they’re good enough for a snack or coffee.
The cable car runs all year round.
Catch the first cable car up at 8am to avoid the queues and catch the best morning light or a ride up at around 3.30pm for the afternoon light and sunset (the last ride is at 6pm).
Like Corcovado, it’s unpleasantly busy in high season – Christmas and New Year, Carnival and during the Brazilian school holidays in June – and the queues can be tortuous. Avoid if possible.
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