The temperature at Sugar Loaf Mountain tends to decrease around sunset. Although it is not as high as Corcovado, Sugar Loaf is particularly windy because it is located at the entrance of the bay and is not shielded from the winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean. From April through November, it can be slightly cold and windy at Sugar Loaf (July through Sept can be as low as 12 Cº/53 Fº), so a pullover and trousers are recommended, especially if…read more
You can dress as casual as you want, such as shorts and flip-flops, but be aware that the temperature at Sugar Loaf Mountain can drop in the end of the afternoon of the coldest months (April-Oct). For more travel information on Sugar Loaf, get a copy now of Sugar Loaf – The Definitive Guidebook: Visiting Rio de Janeiro’s Most Famous Hill.
There is a museum about Sugar Loaf at Urca Hill, the hill half way to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Right before taking the second cable car/gondola, there is a nice little museum (called Cocuruto) with Sugar Loaf memorabilia, photos, and facts. Moreover, hidden behind a red curtain, you can watch a video about Sugar Loaf and the section of the film Moonraker (1979) when James Bond (Roger Moore) is attacked by Jaws on the most famous cable car in Rio de…read more
There are toilet facilities at Sugar Loaf and Urca hill (as well as at Station 1 at street level). They are constantly cleaned and there is never a queue. You will need to take some steps down to reach the toilets at Sugar Loaf, so if you are disabled or have difficulty climbing steps, you should use the no-steps restrooms at Urca Hill before taking the second cable car to Sugar Loaf. Bear in mind that, overall, restrooms in Rio…read more
There are souvenir stores at both Urca Hill and Sugar Loaf Mountain. At Urca hill, you can find the Brazilian-made world-famous flip-flops (Havaianas). At Sugar Loaf Mountain, there are souvenir stores where you can buy all sorts of souvenirs related to Sugar Loaf such as post cards, replicas of the Christ statue, books, DVDs, and other souvenirs related to Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. These souvenir stores are a good option if, for example, you are on a cruise ship…read more
Accesses and facilities at Sugar Loaf (Rio de Janeiro) for visitors in a wheelchair or with walking difficulties These are the obstacles you will find when visiting Sugar Loaf: At the ticket office at street level There are about 30 steps leading to the ticket office and the cable car boarding area. Those in a wheelchair can take two special elevators to avoid the steps. Someone from the staff will turn on the elevator and fit you and your wheelchair…read more
The vistas at Urca and Sugar Loaf hills are breath-taking. You can easily spend hours at either the snack bar, the café or the restaurant. If it happens that you are hungry during your Sugar Loaf visit, then you should eat before taking the second cable car. At Sugar Loaf, there is only one snack bar with limited options. In contrast, Urca Hill has a couple of very good snack bars/Cafés where you can have drinks and snacks such as…read more
It does get a bit crowded at peak times at Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro. Only a few hundred visitors can fit at the same time on the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. However, at Urca Hill (the hill half way to Sugar Loaf), which is much more spacious, fits well over one thousand people. Lots of visitors reach the summit of Sugar Loaf and then come down to Urca Hill to take their time. Although Sugar Loaf is…read more
You can stay as long as you want at Urca Hill or Sugar Loaf Mountain. Once you get off the cable car at Urca Hill, you can stay there and enjoy the view of Rio de Janeiro as long as you want. The same is true for Sugar Loaf. However, the majority of the tourists visiting Sugar Loaf on their own enjoy the views from the top of the hill for at least 30 minutes. If you want to take…read more
What are the speed of the cars and the length of the cables? The cable car from Station 1 (street level) to Urca Hill travels the 528 meters (575 yards) at a speed of 21.6 kilometers per hour (13.4 miles per hour). However, the cable car from Urca Hill to Sugar Loaf is faster; it travels the 735 meters (801 yards) at a speed of 31 kilometers per hour (19.2 miles per hour). To learn other details on the cable…read more
