In Rio de Janeiro it gets dark rather early. Even in the summer it does not get dark very late in the evening, as it happens in many countries in the north of the world. It gets completely dark approximately 20 minutes after sunset in the winter and 40 minutes after sunset in the summer. See below what time it gets dark in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. January 1 – February 25 It gets dark approximately between 7:55 and 8:14…read more
Seeing the sunset from SugarLoaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro is a must, however is very important to get there at the right time not to miss the experience. Since the sunset hour changes with the seasons in Rio de Janeiro, your visit to Sugar Loaf should take ‘timing’ into account. The seasonal timetables below reflect the most opportune times for each trip segment. The schedules are valid for weekdays (Monday through Friday), but you will want to advance your time…read more
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…read more
If your question is ‘How can I visit Sugar Loaf in Rio (Brazil) on my own?’ here is the DIY answer. Getting to the summit of Sugar Loaf by yourself is very easy on a non-holiday weekday in low season. You can visit it by taking the following six steps: Step 1) Take a taxi from your hotel to bondinho do Pão de Açúcar — the ticket office at Station 1 (at street level) at Urca neighborhood. Step 2) At Station…read more
Sugar Loaf Mountain Ticket Office Opening Hours in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Daily, 8:00 a.m. – 7:50 p.m. December 24th and 31st, usually 8:00 a.m. – noon. Sugar Loaf Cable Cars (gondolas) Operating Hours in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The first ascending cable car to Urca Hill (the half way hill to Sugar Loaf) leaves at 8:20 a.m.; the last descending one from Sugar Loaf leaves at 8:40 pm. Cable cars depart every 20 minutes, although the frequency may increase with…read more
Do make an effort to get to Sugar Loaf at the right time to avoid standing in line. It pays. On peak days, lines to buy the Sugar Loaf cable car tickets begin to form at Station 1 (street level) from 9:30 a.m. on and continue until late afternoon. If you are queue-averse, you have two choices: 1) buy your ticket between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and board the cable car immediately, or 2) buy your ticket between 8:00 a.m. and…read more
There is ‘good’, ‘best’, ‘bad’ and ‘worst’ time to visit Sugar Loaf Mountain. When is the worst time? The cable cars that take tourists and visitors to Sugar Loaf run all year round during the day, including holidays. However, there are some months, some weeks, some weekends, some days, and some moments of the day that are inconvenient times for getting to the top of Sugar Loaf due to an excess of visitors. The worst times to visit Sugar Loaf…read more
A visit to Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro is unforgettable, but there is a ‘best time to visit it’ to make it truly unforgettable on the positive side. Regardless of the cloud cover, the best times to visit Sugar Loaf are in the morning or near the end of the afternoon (for sunset and city lights when it gets dark), ideally on a non-holiday weekday without a large cruise ship at port. To learn other very important details…read more
Do check how cloudy or clear Sugar Loaf Mountain is before heading out to see it. Some locations offering views of Sugar Loaf to check for clouds or mist are: – The rooftops of many hotels in Copacabana – The top of Corcovado Mountain – Dona Marta Overlook – Anywhere on the right-half of Copacabana Beach (closer to Ipanema — see photo). (If you choose to stay at Sofitel or Orla Copacabana, for example, you may even see Sugar Loaf…read more
When NOT to visit Sugar Loaf in Rio, Brazil? A visit to Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro is rarely disappointing, but it may happen as there is a bad time to go. Disappointments can arise from the hassle associated with ticketing and the queue you may face when arriving after 9:00 a.m. on a peak or extreme peak day. Other reasons for a disappointing trip leading to a bad time can be due to clouds that sometimes cover…read more