Adventure activities
Hiking in Rio de Janeiro with a private guide
We arrange private hikes in Rio de Janeiro with a guide who speaks your language: Pedra Bonita for a short climb, Pico da Tijuca, the trails up to Christ the Redeemer, or Pedra da Gávea for experienced hikers. We match the trail to your fitness and plan around the park's hours. Price on request, proposal within 24 hours.
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At a glance
| Format | Private guided hike or climbing session for you and your group |
| Duration | From about an hour to a full day, depending on the trail |
| Who it suits | Couples, friends, active families, solo travelers |
| Pickup | From your hotel by car to the trailhead |
| Guide language | A guide who speaks your language |
| Cancellation | No charge up to 48 hours before the hike |
| Price | On request, proposal within 24 hours |
Hiking in Rio de Janeiro: which trail
Most mountain trails in Rio run through Tijuca National Park, managed by the federal agency ICMBio.
| Trail | Level and time | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Pedra Bonita | About 20 minutes to the summit | Start by 4 pm |
| Pico da Tijuca, 1,022 m | Highest point of the park | Start by 2 pm |
| Paineiras to Corcovado | 1.15 km, about 45 minutes, moderate | Start by 3 pm |
| Parque Lage to Corcovado | Up to 4 hours, very steep parts | Start by 3 pm, not for children under 10 |
| Pedra da Gávea | Hard, about 5 hours | Start by 2 pm, rope and safety gear |
Pedra Bonita and Pico da Tijuca: half a day
Pedra Bonita is the short one. The park puts the summit about 20 minutes from the start and lets you begin until 4 pm. Hang gliders take off from here, so you can walk up and fly down: hang gliding in Rio.
Pico da Tijuca, at 1,022 m, is the highest point of the park. You enter the Floresta sector at Praça Afonso Viseu in Alto da Boa Vista, and the park advises starting no later than 2 pm so you are back before closing. If you would rather see the forest without a long climb, the viewpoints and waterfall are reachable by car: Tijuca Forest.
Trails to Christ the Redeemer
Two trails lead up Corcovado:
- From Parque Lage: up to four hours, with very steep stretches but no climbing. You must start by 3 pm. The park does not recommend it for children under 10 or for people not used to hiking.
- From Paineiras: 1.15 km and 260 m of climb, about 45 minutes, moderate. Start by 3 pm.
Entry to the monument itself is paid separately at the top. Other ways up: Christ the Redeemer.
Pedra da Gávea: for experienced hikers
The park rates Pedra da Gávea as hard: about five hours on average, a summit above 800 m and more than 800 m of climb, with steep and exposed sections. It recommends a guide, a rope and safety gear (harness, carabiners, slings), groups of no more than 10 and at least one person with climbing experience. You must start by 2 pm. Overnight stays and pets are not allowed.
We book Pedra da Gávea only with a guide who brings equipment for the whole group. If you are uneasy with heights, we suggest another trail from the start.
Rock climbing
You can climb without experience if you go with an instructor and their equipment. The park calls safety gear indispensable, advises beginners to go with an experienced guide and says never to climb alone. A popular training wall is Campo Escola 2000 in the Floresta sector, and routes include Pedra da Gávea, Pedra Bonita, Pico da Tijuca and Corcovado.
Our fee is already included in the price.
How we plan your hike
We pick the trail from your fitness and the time you have, arrange the car to the trailhead and back, and check the weather with the guide the day before. Hikes combine well with a private tour of Rio on the same day. How we vet guides: how we work.
What to tell us in your request
- Dates and preferred start time
- Number of people and ages of any children
- Fitness and hiking experience, and how you feel about heights
- Trail you have in mind, or “you choose”
- Interest in climbing, with or without experience
- Where you are staying
Check entry requirements on official websites before you travel. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal, and you pay nothing before you confirm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest hike in Rio with a view?
Pedra Bonita. Tijuca National Park says the summit is about a 20-minute walk from the start, and you can begin the trail until 4 pm.
How hard is Pedra da Gávea?
The park rates it hard: about five hours on average and more than 800 m of elevation gain, with steep, exposed sections. It recommends a guide, a rope and safety gear, and at least one person with climbing experience in the group.
Can I hike up to Christ the Redeemer?
Yes. The trail from Parque Lage can take up to four hours and must be started by 3 pm, and the park does not recommend it for children under 10. The trail from Paineiras is 1.15 km with 260 m of climb, about 45 minutes.
Can beginners go rock climbing?
Yes, with an instructor and their equipment. The park says safety gear is indispensable, advises beginners to climb with an experienced guide and says never to climb alone.
What if it rains on the day?
The guide decides whether the trail is safe. If the hike cannot go ahead, we move it to another day or refund the deposit in full.
See also
- Tijuca Forest and National Park in Rio de JaneiroThe Tijuca Forest (Floresta da Tijuca) is the Floresta sector of Tijuca National Park, which covers the mountains in the middle of Rio. The forest was replanted in the 19th century and today has the Cascatinha Taunay waterfall, the Capela Mayrink and quiet lakes, with the Vista Chinesa and Dona Marta viewpoints and Corcovado nearby. The park opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm; plan half a day with a car.
- Christ the Redeemer in Rio: how to get up CorcovadoChrist the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) stands on Corcovado, a 704 m peak inside Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro. You reach it by the Corcovado train from Cosme Velho, by the official vans from Copacabana, Largo do Machado or Paineiras, or on foot. Private cars cannot drive up to the statue.
- Hang gliding in Rio de Janeiro: a tandem flight from Pedra BonitaHang gliding in Rio de Janeiro starts at Pedra Bonita in Tijuca National Park, where two take-off ramps sit at 517 m, and the flight heads down to Praia do Pepino in São Conrado. You fly in tandem with an instructor pilot and need no licence of your own. We find the pilot, check the papers and send a proposal within 24 hours.
- Adventure activities in Rio de Janeiro for groups, incentive trips and agenciesWe arrange tandem hang gliding and paragliding over São Conrado, tandem skydiving, sport-plane flights, jet ski rides with an instructor and helicopter flights for groups, incentive trips and travel agencies. We book only providers that follow the rules set by ICMBio, ANAC, the Brazilian Navy and the parachuting confederation, check their papers before booking and plan the time slots so everyone in the group gets a turn. You get a priced proposal within 24 hours.
- Private tour of Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer and SugarloafA private tour of Rio de Janeiro covers Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf in a half day or a full day, with a guide who speaks your language, a private car and pickup at your hotel. We book the train or van to Corcovado and the cable car for your date and time. Price on request, proposal within 24 hours.
Sources
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca: Pedra da Gávea (hard, about 5 hours, over 800 m gain, start by 2 pm, groups up to 10, equipment), checked 21.10.2026
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca: Pedra Bonita (about 20 minutes to the summit, start by 4 pm, 24 parking spaces), checked 21.10.2026
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca: Pico da Tijuca (1,022 m, Floresta sector entrance at Praça Afonso Viseu, start by 2 pm), checked 21.10.2026
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca: Trilha Parque Lage x Corcovado and Paineiras x Corcovado, checked 21.10.2026
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca: Escalada (safety gear indispensable, guide for beginners, Campo Escola 2000), checked 21.10.2026