The main reason for not going to see the sunset from Sugar Loaf in Rio is if, for example, you are on a cruise and your ship is leaving before sunset time.
Witnessing the sunset from Sugar Loaf Mountain is a truly memorable experience in Brazil. However, the risk of saving the visit to Sugar Loaf until the end of the day (at sunset) is that there may be cloud cover obscuring the view, which occasionally happens. In such instances, you may still be able to enjoy a cloudless view from Urca Hill, which is at a lower altitude and therefore less susceptible to cloud cover.
Of course, there is no guarantee of a perfectly cloudless sunset at Sugar Loaf, but in any event, you will see the stunning lights of Rio de Janeiro as night falls over the city. If you go to Sugar Loaf for the sunset, stay long enough to watch the lights of Rio replace the setting sun. The last descending cable car (gondola) leaves Sugar Loaf at 8:40 p.m. and Urca Hill at 9:00 p.m. If possible, bring along a small flexible tripod for camera night shots.
There is a ‘right time’ to get to Sugar Loaf to see the sunset and that varies from month to month. To access the full seasonal schedule and to learn about how to visit without annoyances Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, get a copy of Sugar Loaf: the definitive guidebook to visiting the Rio de Janeiro’s most famous hill.