Hiking and Climbing

Rio [1] possesses an enormous number of options for hiking and climbing within and around the city. Rio Hiking (tel. 21/2552-9204, www.riohiking.com.br [2]) is highly recommended. This mother-son outfit also offers more radical sport outings including rappelling, climbing, cycling, trekking, kayaking, and scuba diving.

Trilhas do Rio Ecoturismo & Aventura (tel. 21/2425-8441, www.trilhasdorio.com.br [3]) has expert guides who are highly knowledgeable about Rio’s natural surroundings. They lead hiking, biking, horseback riding, climbing, and trekking tours in and around the city. There is even a yoga tour. A four-hour hike up Pão de Açúcar [4] costs R$130, while a six-hour hike up and around Pedra da Gávea is R$160. Other half- and full-day adventure sports excursions range from R$130–250 depending on the activities included.

Trilharte Ecoturismo (tel. 21/2245-5626, www.trilharte.com.br [5]) also offers many interesting eco-trips—all of which are slanted towards adventurers with cameras. Photographic safaris to a wide range of photogenic destinations involve hiking, horseback riding, climbing, and rafting. The only drawback is that tours are in Portuguese. Trip prices vary depending on the length of time and activities involved. They range from R$35 for a light hike up the Pão de Açúcar to R$180 (including lunch) for a full-day guided excursion into the Mata Atlântica.

Meanwhile, if you have ever dreamed of scaling Pão de Açúcar [4] or Corcovado [6], Companhia da Escalada (tel. 21/2567-7105, www.guiadaurca.com/companhia [7], R$100–160 pp) organizes rock-climbing classes and excursions for beginners and experts.