Towering over Rio de Janeiro’s coastline, Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the most iconic landmarks in Brazil. And no matter how short your time in the city is, checking out the views from the top is something you just have to do. From 1,300 feet in the sky you can see all the way from the golden shores of Copacabana to the majestic Christ the Redeemer watching over the city.
Sugarloaf Mountain is one of those places that you’ll only visit once in your lifetime, so it’s important you get the absolute most out of your trip. I’ve put together this complete guide to help you do exactly that.
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2 Cable Cars
The quickest, easiest, and most popular way to get to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain is to ride two cable cars. The first takes you to the top of Morro da Urca and the second takes you to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain.
To get there, walk or ride an Uber to Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar — this is the lower cable car station. You can buy your tickets in advance and join the line for the cable car as soon as you arrive. Alternatively, head for the ticket office and buy the tickets when you get there.
The views from the cable cars are beyond stunning. So try and get a spot next to a window if you want to take pictures. Along the way you’ll see the curved shoreline of Copacabana, the urban jungle of Downtown Rio, the lush green mountains of the Tijuca National Park, and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue.
Rock Climbing
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can climb to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain! Without having your own equipment, the only way you can do this is as part of a tour, but it’s an amazing experience you’ll never forget. It’s open to all adults — even if you’ve got zero climbing experience.
You start off by hiking to the top of Morro da Urca then head through the rugged nature reserve. You’ll hike and climb past lush plants, tropical trees, and rocky passages along the way. The biggest challenge you’ll face is scaling a 65-foot-tall vertical wall. At the end, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world!
Hiking and Cable Car
The third way to reach the top is to hike to the summit of Morro da Urca then ride the cable car to the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain. There’s very little information online about the hike, so I decided to give it a try so see what it’s like. If you’re planning on hiking, the following will help you prepare and know what to expect.
Start by walking or taking an Uber to Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar. Then walk in the direction of Sugarloaf Mountain (it’s absolutely huge — you can’t miss it!) with Red Beach/Playa Vermelha on your right side. The start of the hike is clearly marked. It begins at a large gate where the urban area transforms into dense forest.
This walk isn’t actually the official Sugarloaf Mountain hike. It’s a popular jogging track called Pista Cláudio Coutinho that winds its way around the bottom of the mountain. This section is really easy — it’s a proper concrete floor with loads of natural shade and stunning coastal views.
You need to look out for the first turn on your left — this is the route that will take you to Sugarloaf Mountain.
Sugarloaf Mountain Hike
The hike takes 30-45 minutes and although a lot of travel blogs say it’s easy, it definitely isn’t. I’d say it’s medium-hard difficulty and you should only do it if you’re up for a challenge. The route is made of uneven, steep steps and there are no proper handrails. The ground is loose with lots of thick tree roots sticking out and it’s on a constant incline.
Even though there’s a lot of natural shade provided by trees, the hike can get very hot. So make sure you take water with you. There are free water fountains at the end of the hike where you can fill up your bottle, so you don’t need to take too much. The forest is filled with biting bugs, so cover yourself in bug spray before you start and keep it with you to top up along the way.
If you’re struggling on the hike and need a little motivation, look out for the numbered signs. There are signs numbered one to five with information about the landscape and local wildlife. When you see sign number five, you’re nearly there!
The biggest reason people hike to the top of the mountain is to see marmosets. I saw a few climbing around in the trees toward the end, but not many. There are signs warning people about snakes dotted along the route, but I didn’t see any at all.
Ticket Barriers
When the dirt ground transforms into a paved floor, you’ve completed the most difficult part of the hike — congratulations! At this point, you’ll almost be at the top of Morro da Urca. You’ll soon come across a gate showing you a map of where you are, how far you’ve come, and your options for getting to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain and back down to Red Beach/Playa Vermelha.
You’ll see some turnstiles behind the gate. Don’t worry if you haven’t bought a ticket yet. They don’t work, so you can just walk through them. If a security guard is there, he’ll know you’ve hiked up and will just wave you through. After a couple more minutes walking, you’ll arrive at the first cable car station.
First Cable Car Station
The first cable car station at the top of Morro da Urca feels more like an open-air shopping mall or theme park than a natural attraction. But if you’ve just completed a tough hike, you’ll probably be happy to get out of the forest for a little bit!
There are bars, cafes, restaurants, and stores selling everything from Havaiana flip flops and Ray Ban sunglasses to hand-made souvenirs. There’s free WiFi throughout, as well as restrooms, and water fountains. You’ll find seats dotted around the edge, so grab a drink, something to eat, and check out the amazing views. If you’re lucky, you may even see a few marmosets up here.
There’s also a helicopter landing pad at this station. If you sign up for a tour, it will whiz you around Sugarloaf Mountain in the air, taking in views of the iconic landmark from a whole new angle.
Secret Exhibitions
There are two really cool displays up here that are easy to miss. Next to the first cable car exit you’ll find a number of old cable cars that were used at Sugarloaf Mountain over the years. It’s fun to see how much they’ve transformed since the cable car was set up in 1912 and they make great photo props.
The other exhibition is a collection of active outdoor beehives. There’s a handful of different styles of beehives built for different species of bees.
None of the bees are dangerous, so you can get really close to them. It’s fascinating to see the different entrances they build for their hives and how they can look so different even though they’re the same insect. It’s got nothing to do with Sugarloaf Mountain, but it’s really cool to see.
Tickets
If you haven’t already bought your tickets for the cable car, you can do so here. There’s a bright orange kiosk with self-service ticket machines that are really simple to use. If you need extra help, there’s a member of staff around, too.
There’s a sign at the entrance to the second cable car that says it runs every 20 minutes, but it’s much more frequent than that. So even though the line may look long, you’ll be riding on the cable car in no time. The journey only takes about 1-2 minutes, so enjoy the views while you can.
Second Cable Car Station
The second cable car station takes you to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. It’s a little more relaxed than the first one, with fewer bars, cafes, restaurants, and stores.
If you need a break, I suggest heading for Classic Beach Club Urca. It’s an outdoor restaurant with a stunning terrace that curves around the edge of the mountain. The food is fantastic, the drinks are great, and the views are phenomenal. You’ll never want to leave!
There are some short and easy walking trails around the mountain — nothing like the hike to get to the top of Morro da Urca! They take you to parts of the mountain a lot of people don’t see, like to greenhouses, sculptures, and incredible viewpoints. Following the trails is a great way to get away from the crowds, too.
If you want a souvenir of your visit, I recommend picking up one of the hand-painted tiles from the stall here. They’re beautiful and feature many different parts of Rio de Janeiro, from Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer to Copacabana Beach and the Tijuca National Park.
Extra Tips for Visiting Sugarloaf Mountain
Weather
If the weather is overcast, you won’t be able to see a single thing from the top of Sugarloaf Mountain and the views are the main reason to go. When it’s overcast, the entire mountain is shrouded in thick clouds and the entire city is blanketed in gray.
For the best experience, it’s worth waiting until the day to buy your tickets so you know what the weather will be like. There are plenty of tickets available (unlike railway tickets to visit Christ the Redeemer) so it won’t be an issue.
If it’s been raining recently, I recommend you avoid hiking up to Morro da Urca. The ground is just dirt steps for most of the way and the route will be very muddy and slippery after rainfall. You’ll have a much better experience if you ride the cable car there and back.
Time
You can spend as much or as little time as you like at the top of Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf Mountain. There’s no time restriction on your return cable car ticket. There are plenty of bars and restaurants at the top, as well as free water, so you won’t go hungry or thirsty.
Consider going up in the afternoon and catching the last cable car back down. This way you’ll get to admire the views in the daytime and watch the sunset over the city.
Safety
Sugarloaf Mountain and the surrounding area, Urca, are both incredibly safe. Urca has a very strong military presence and you’ll likely see people in uniform standing in the street when you arrive at Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar. Unlike the walk up to Christ the Redeemer, the walk up to Morro da Urca is totally safe for tourists.
Prices
If you’ve got a very limited budget, you can save some money by doing the hike and only riding one of the cable cars. The 2025 price for both cable cars is R$195, while it costs just R$130 if you hike the first part. It’s not much of a saving, but if you’re trying to make your money stretch as far as possible, it may be worth it.
Even if you hike up to Morro da Urca and only buy a cable car ticket to ride to Sugarloaf Mountain, you can ride all the way back to Red Beach/Playa Vermelha on both cable cars without paying any extra. So if you didn’t enjoy the hike up, don’t worry — you don’t have to hike back down!
