Sugar Loaf is not far — it is right in Rio de Janeiro. If you like walking, you can even walk from Copacabana, Leme, Leblon or Ipanema to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Sugar Loaf is 5.8 kilometers (3.6 miles) from Copacabana (calculated from Copacabana Fort — the farthest side) and 8.2 kilometers (5 miles) from Ipanema (calculated from the border with Leblon — the farthest side). However, the vast majority of visitors go visiting Sugar Loaf either by taxi or on an organized tour. Alternatively, you…read more
If you are travelling without a guide, you can stay at Sugar Loaf Mountain as long as you want. This is a major advantage since the facilities and the views invite you to take your time there. On the other hand, a guided tour plans your visit so that it is as smooth as possible. You can also learn from a tour guide about the culture, history, etc. If you don’t want to visit Sugar Loaf on your own, you can…read more
It is not absolutely necessary to hire a tour guide to visit Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio. On peak days, however, and especially extremely peak days, a licensed tour guide or a tour operator can make things easier. A tour guide can buy your tickets at a line-free ticket booth. However, you both still need to wait in line to take the cable cars (gondolas) to Sugar Loaf. On peak days and mainly extreme peak days, those travelling without a tour guide should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m.…read more
No, there are no tour guides at Sugar Loaf, except the ones previously and independently hired to take tourists there as well as to other attractions in Rio de Janeiro. In fact, you don’t need a tour guide to go to Sugar Loaf. However, if you have ever hired a tour guide (especially a private one), with lots of relevant knowledge as well as with a great personality, you then know how much he or she can add to your visiting experience.…read more
Here is a cheap way to get to Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Take Bus # 511 (R$ 2.50, paid on entering the bus) at any bus stop indicating BRS 2 at Avenida N.S. de Copacabana (in Copacabana), on Avenida Visconde de Pirajá (in Ipanema), or on Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva (in Leblon), and get off at Avenida Pasteur. Ask the bus cashier to let you know where get off (say, “Por favor, me avise quando chegar no…read more
To take a taxi after having visited Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio is very easy and safe. You have two options at the exit: Option 1) Take a taxi at the very first taxi stand you see when leaving Station 1 (where you bought the tickets to the cable cars). Note: Some taxi drivers will offer a flat rate (off meter) based on your destination, which is often twice the cost of the metered rate. Option 2) Walk farther to your left for…read more
Yes, you can rock-climb Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and no experience is required! Without a doubt, the most adventurous way to reach the top of Sugar Loaf is by rock climbing. Costão is the easiest route for beginners because for part of the way, you can follow trails, leaving only a short distance up the face of the rock to actually climb. At some point, climbing gear is required, but significant previous climbing experience is not a prerequisite. All…read more
The entrance cost to Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro is the cable car round-trip ticket price. Once you buy the ticket to the cable cars, you have full access to the whole Sugar Loaf complex, which includes Sugar Loaf and Urca Hill (Urca Hill is the hill right before getting to Sugar Loaf). Sold only at Station 1 (ground level): R$ 62; round-trip to Urca and Sugar Loaf Hills The admission fee to Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro…read more
You can’t walk up to Sugar Loaf (without involving rock-climbing), but you can easily hike up to Urca Hill on a beaten walking route. One the most popular hikes in Rio is the one that leads up to Urca Hill. Urca is the intermediary hill on the cable car route to the summit of Sugar Loaf, and can be reached by cable car or by hiking up the hill on a forest trail. Walking at a reasonable pace, you’ll find that the…read more
If you are going to Sugar Loaf for sunset it is important to learn The Daylight Saving Time in Rio de Janeiro. See below: 2011-2012: October 16 to February 26 2012-2013: October 21 to February 17 2013-2014: October 20 to February 15 2014-2015: October 19 to February 21 2015-2016: October 18 to February 20 To learn how to visit Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, get a copy of Sugar Loaf: the definitive guidebook to visiting the Rio de…read more
