Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro: how to go up

At a glance

What Sugarloaf Mountain is

Sugarloaf rises at the entrance to Guanabara Bay, next to Botafogo Cove and the edge of Copacabana. Riotur’s most common explanation for the name: from the 16th to the 18th century sugar was shipped in block-shaped moulds, and the peak looked like one of them.

Since 2012 the mountain has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea”, together with Corcovado, Tijuca National Park, the Botanical Garden and Copacabana.

The cable car was designed by engineer Augusto Ferreira Ramos. The park describes it as Brazil’s first cable car and the oldest one still running in the world.

The park says it has welcomed more than 50 million visitors.

How the Sugarloaf cable car works

One ticket covers both stages, and you change cars on Morro da Urca. On that hill there are restaurants and cafes, shops and Jardim do Mel, a small meliponary with hives of native stingless bees that children tend to like. The second car takes you to the summit, where you find the viewpoints and Bosque das Artes, an open-air contemporary art space in the forest.

With your ticket you can walk around the whole park at your own pace. On some dates the park holds Sunset no Parque with a DJ at the end of the day; the schedule changes, so check the park’s channels before you plan around it.

Opening hours

The official site shows two different schedules at the moment:

The park itself asks visitors to check the hours on the day of the visit. We plan around the earlier time and never arrive at the last boarding with no margin.

Tickets and Fast Access

The standard ticket is the Bilhete Bondinho, sold on bondinho.com.br. The sales system shows the price and conditions for your date.

Rules for tickets bought on the official site:

• one reschedule at no extra charge, up to the start of the visit, if the new date has space;
• purchases made outside the park can be cancelled within 7 calendar days with a full refund;
• cancellations between 24 hours before and the start of boarding: the park keeps 20%;
• no refund once the visit has started.

Acesso Rápido (Fast Access) gives priority lines at every station and a lounge at Praia Vermelha before boarding, with air conditioning, sofas and water. You can use it once per stage, on the same day. The priority lines are shared with other passengers who have priority by right.

The park also runs a Visita Guiada: a bilingual staff member walks you to the main points and explains the history of the cable car and the nature on the hills.

Getting to the lower station

The station is at Praia Vermelha, Av. Pasteur, 520, in Urca.

• Metro: Botafogo station, exit E (Mena Barreto), then bus 513 to the UNIRIO stop and a 260 m walk.
• Buses: 107, 513, 518, 519 and 167.
• The park has no parking of its own. There is an arrangement with the Rio Sul shopping centre car park for visitors; conditions are on the official site.

You can also skip the bus: a private driver drops you at the station and waits.

Walking up to Morro da Urca

You can walk to the first hill. The park rates the trail as light to moderate, about 30 minutes uphill. It starts from the Pista Cláudio Coutinho walkway by Praia Vermelha. From Morro da Urca you go on to the summit of Sugarloaf by cable car with a special park ticket.

• Take water and wear comfortable shoes.
• Go in daylight and leave plenty of time before closing.
• After heavy rain, the cable car is the easier way up.

Climbers also reach the summit by rock routes, but that takes equipment and experience. For other walks around the city see hiking in Rio, and for general advice see Rio safety tips.

Weather and the best time of day

The park stays open in the rain, with covered areas, shops and cafes. Strong wind or lightning can stop the cars until conditions allow. If the summit is in cloud you will see very little, so look at the forecast the evening before. Month by month conditions are on our page about Rio weather.

Mornings are usually quieter. Later in the day many people come up for the sunset and the city lights.

Park rules

• No drones.
• No glass, and no bulky items: tripods, musical instruments, umbrellas, beach chairs, coolers, bags larger than 25 x 35 x 55 cm.
• No entry shirtless, in swimwear or barefoot.
• Under 16s only with a parent or responsible adult, who must show proof of kinship or a parental authorization.
• No pets, except guide dogs and emotional support dogs with the documents required by state law.
• No eating or drinking in the cars; food brought in must be sealed.

Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer in one day

Rio’s two main viewpoints fit into one day. Start with Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado at opening time, while capacity at the top is still reduced, and keep Sugarloaf for the afternoon and sunset. Book both on the official sites. With a car you can add the viewpoints of the Tijuca Forest. For a full plan see our Rio itinerary. To see both from the air in one flight, look at helicopter tours in Rio.

How we help

We add Sugarloaf to a private tour of Rio with a guide who speaks your language and a driver. We time the visit around the forecast and the park’s hours, and the cable car tickets are handled as set out in your proposal.

What to tell us in your request

• your dates and how flexible they are
• how many people, and the ages of any children
• where you are staying in Rio
• morning visit or sunset
• whether you also want Christ the Redeemer or the Tijuca Forest the same day
• guide language
• anyone who needs help with walking or stairs

Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm. Our tours can be cancelled at no cost up to 48 hours before, and if the weather rules a day out, we offer a new date or a full refund of the deposit.