Sugar Loaf - Pão de Açucar, Rio de Janeiro

I had seen so many pictures of Sugarloaf Mountain before so I was not going to miss riding a cable car to reach its top. I cannot remember how much I paid, but I think it was less than $10 ( was it $8?). But no matter how much, it was worth it.

I remember going to a base station (Praca General Tiburcio?) which is at a small water peninsula (entrance of Guanabara Bay) – and from this station, the cable car leaves every 30 minutes from 8-10PM everyday.

The cable car (called “bondinho” in Portuguese or sometimes, teleferico) actually joins the hills of Urca (220 meters/705 feet) and Sugar Loaf( 575 meters/1300 feet). It can hold 75 passengers (some say 115 passengers). The views while still in the cable car are already stunning and the rides from base to Urca (halfway), and Urca to Sugar Loaf only took about 5-10 minutes if I remember right.

So, when you go out at Urca, you get excited to see the view and also enjoy the shops and restaurants. Then ride the cable again, and you get the magnificent view atop Sugar Loaf! On a clear day, it’s just as in the postcard!

But this mountain which is shaped like concentrated refined loaf sugar also has historical significance – this is where Rio de Janeiro was originally founded in 1565.

Access to cable car is on 520 Pasteur Avenue
TE: 2546-8400 / 2541-3737

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The most recognisable postcard image from Rio, Pão de Açucar, or Sugarloaf Mountain, dominates the centre of Rio and the entrance into Baìa da Guanabara. The steep mountain was called pau-nh-acugua, meaning "pointed peak", by the indigenous people, a name that to Portuguese ears sounded sufficiently close to Pão de Açucar or Sugarloaf, which also accurately describes the shape of the mountain. Since the introduction of the first cable cars in 1912, visits to the top of the mountain have been possible. First the visitor climbs up the smaller mountain, Morro de Urca where there are bars and restaurants and good views over the city. Then a second cable car takes the visitor to the higher peak for even better views over the entire city. Also worthwhile is the 7-minute helicopter ride from Morro de Urca that circles Morro de Corcovado/Cristo Redentor and back, and for those mountain climbers amongst us, climbs of Pão de Açucar are frequently organised.

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Its an amazing sense of freedom to be right on the top of the dominating mountain, with a 360° panoramic view over Rio: the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, the favelas of Babylonia, the Tijuca Forest, Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado and the Bay of Guanabara.
The views are the best if the sky is clear and realy one of the most amazing, you can get in Rio.
Reaching the top of Sugar Loaf is actually done by a cable car ride. The ride takes in two steps, the first from the ground station to the 220m Urca peak, the second up to the 396m Sugarloaf.
The ground station has an infrastructure of souvenir shops, toilets, information center and historic photos on the cable car, on Urca station you can find a restaurant and helicopter landing place.
The service runs every 30 minutes The modern cable cars carry 75 passengers and make the trip in less than five minutes each.
There are also refreshment stands, souvenir shops and nice rest areas where you can enjoy the panorama while get something to eat and to drink.

Sugarloaf is also very popular place for rock-climbers. There are more than 50 climbing routes from beginners path to advanced routes for climbers with outdoor experience.

Admission fee: R$30.00 for adults, R$ 15.00 for children 6-12 and for children under 6 free

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It is a must! Spectacular views from here! I'd say if you had to choose between here and corcovado, I'd say pick Sugar Loaf. It is easier to get to the top of and on a mostly clear day there is no worry about clouds covering your view. While I was here taking these amazing shots, Corcovado was covered in fog. I waited till the end of the day to visit Corcovado, hoping the fog would lift...it did a wee bit, but as you'll notice, most of my photos are blanketed by clouds.

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Most amazing thrill to take the funicular up to Sugarloaf. I am not a fan of heights but it was well worth it. Bring a sweater. It is colder once you get there. There is one stop in between before getting to the top.

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Best go on a clear day for this. I went on a semi clear day because I was short on time. Still had some good views. Didn't get a clear view of Cristo retendor though.
A roundtrip on the cabelcars to and back from Pau de acucar costs 35 real for an adult.
on the back of pau de acucar is a littlebit of rainforest with many monkeys. Don't feed them though.

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Besides visitng the glorious Christ on Corcovado, another thing you should visit to help make your trip complete is a visit to Sugar Loaf. Sugar Loaf is yet another great place to view Rio's cityscape. The cost to get in is R$35,00. There's a total of two cable cars that you take. One goes to the first mountain and the other goes to the second and final mountain. Both offer great views but if you want the best then save your pictures for the second mountain. Here you can have a good view of Copacabana Beach. If you must purchase stuff here, like any good attraction there's gift shops here and also little eateries where you can purchase something to snack on.

The first time I came to Riowas in December and I live here since may 2007, until now I went to the Sugar Loaf twice, and I never get bored. Impossible to be bored in one of the most beautiful city in the World. That time I went up with Rafa, the price is still the same, you have to pay 35 reais which is around 16 american dollars, and I can assure you, this is the best place for you to understand the city!

DECEMBER 2006