Bondinho Pão de Açúcar

Rio is quite an adventure and this family friendly excursion up the Sugar Loaf Mountain was breathtaking. A must do. The cable car was safe and the environment provided a panoramic view of Rio. I could see the surrounding nature, hear the birds, feel the environment and see the airport and boats from afar. Treat yourself!

You must go to Sugar Loaf while you're in Rio! Best views on a clear day! Sugar Loaf is situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean. Rising 1,299 ft above the harbor. It gets its name due to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar. It is known worldwide for its cableway and panoramic views of the city.

This very famous mountain (Sugarloaf) was named this way because its shape resembles a piece of refined sugar named sugarloaf that was sold back in the day. As an attraction itself, it is simple but marvelous. The mountain has an observation deck that offers amazing views of the whole city.

To get to the top, you actually have to take two trams. The first tram takes you to a lower peak, and then the second one takes you to the top. I really enjoyed even the trams themselves. They are open glass wall cars that give you 360 degree views of everything as you rise up. This is simply a can't miss attraction for visitors to Rio.

This cable car to Sugarloaf mountain was another stop on the city tour. There are two legs of this, the first cable car takes you from Praia Vermelha (the beach) to Morro da Urca which is 722 ft above sea level where you'll find a helipad for helicopter tours, some small bars and restaurants inside some of the older cable cars that were used when it was originally built. There's quite a bit of room to roam around and enjoy the views. From there another cable car takes you to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at 1,299 ft. When I first arrived at the top it was literally in the clouds and I couldn't see anything. But soon the clouds cleared away and the view became quite dramatic. There's not as much to do at this level but there was a restaurant and some small shops. Heading back down I inquired about the helicopter tour but I would have needed to make a prior reservation and coming back another day and paying again for the cable car to get to the helicopter seemed silly to me. Now I know for my next visit.

Another must see when in Rio de Janeiro...the views are simply spectacular. It is very hot, but don't worry, enough spots to stop and have a drink. It is super touristic place but for some reason the day I went with my group (we were like 100 people attending a wedding in Rio) there was not that many, so I did not feel that 'too crowded' thing as in the Cristo Redentor excursion. I loved the whole experience of taking the cable up and just being there, observing the fabulous views and talking to other tourists. Somehow, since my skin is usually a topic of conversation and Brazilians are not shy to ask and I also speak the language...I got to meet people from other areas of Brazil that were visiting Rio, some for the first time in their lives!

If you don't like it, you must hate life. The views are spectacular, if you like cheesier terms, I'd say breathtaking. I'm an airplane nerd and even loved watching planes take off and land from SDU airport, easily visible to the north. Quite busy the day we visited, so the skip the line passes were definitely worth the price, we didn't want to wait in line considering how much time you will sit in traffic while in Rio.

This is a must while in Rio. It provides some fantastic views of the city.

It's not a long ride, but gives you such great vantage points of the city.
Can't beat some of the selfies once you are up the cable.

You can take some great pics on an overcast day, but I can imagine what the landscape would look like on a beautifully sunny day too.

Sugarloaf mtn is a must see if your in Rio! Beautiful panoramic views that are simply jus magical. It was cloudy the day I went but we still enjoyed to the fullest. The price is reasonable, free wifi, and the lines go really quickly for the cable car. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site that you don't wanna miss.

Urca Hill is the first hill, make sure you hang out here, the views are nice here also. The second is Sugarloaf mtn. They do have gift shops, restrooms and food at both levels.

I didn have any issues in Oct with crowds, I went around lunch time. Its the best views in RIO! On a clear day you can see Christ The Redeemer in the far views. I did see part of it before the clouds rolled in.

Sugar Loaf Mountain is a must see destination in Rio. The views from the top are spectacular and you see so much of the city from here!!

We met fellow tourists from all over the world and enjoyed the conversations.

Our tour guide was very helpful in sharing information and history to make the visit more interesting.

I would definitely recommend this if you are in South America

Iconic, majestic, historic all in one.
If you're in Rio, you must come!

Buy your tickets at the gate to get a discount for children. Bring your official documentation to verify children and senior ages.

There are places to eat and rest along the way including a great view of Christ the Redeemer.