Scale this mountain on foot or by cable car to see impressive views of Rio’s beaches, rain forests and its most famous statue.

Located on the coast of the southeastern corner of Rio de Janeiro, Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) resides within forests, water and hills at the edge of Guanabara Bay. Rock climbers conquer the mountain using appropriate gear, but most visitors take the glass-sided cable car to the top. Originally built in 1912, the cable car transports 65 visitors per trip and offers panoramic views the entire way.

Sugarloaf Mountain offers remarkable views of nearby beaches, local rain forests, adjacent hills and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. The lush rain forests provide a sharp contrast against the surrounding granite hills. Historians attribute the mountain’s name to the 16th-century practice of molding sugar into a cone-like shape. These “sugar loaves” were common during the peak of Brazil’s sugarcane trade.

The mountain draws crowds year-round, but the best times to visit are each day early in the morning and 90 minutes before sunset. Make sure you have clear skies and bring your camera to capture Rio’s scenic beauty from 1,300 feet (396 meters) above sea level. Right beneath you is Copacabana Beach, which connects to Ipanema Beach at its southern end. To the west, enjoy views of Rio’s iconic member of the “New Seven Wonders of the World,” the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Cable cars depart every 20 minutes from morning until evening. Before reaching the top, you will board two cable cars. One stops at Morro da Urca and the other stops at the peak, Pão de Açúcar. Be sure to check with the ticketing office if you visit during major holidays as cable-car trips typically close around noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and close completely on Christmas and New Year’s Day. If visiting between December and March, be prepared for the cable car to close early on weekend evenings to accommodate seasonal performances.

Access to Sugarloaf Mountain is from Praia Vermelha at the southern entry to Guanabara Bay. You can walk to Guanabara Bay from nearby Copacabana Beach, or use boat or bus if you are coming from farther afield.

Plan a trip to see Sugar Loaf Mountain

Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.

Ipanema Inn

Ipanema

￥509,624

per person

Nov 17 - Nov 20

found 24 hours ago

Roundtrip flight included

Kitakyushu (KKJ) to Rio de Janeiro (GIG)

9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,001 reviews)

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana

Copacabana

￥562,106

per person

Nov 17 - Nov 20

found 24 hours ago

Roundtrip flight included

Kitakyushu (KKJ) to Rio de Janeiro (GIG)

9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,009 reviews)

Everything was great from arrival to departure. It is in a great location. It felt very safe to go out walking in the day. There was a Western Union around the corner for currency exchange if you needed it. There were some places to eat just doors away and taxis to places like the Copacabana Palace end of town and Roxy Dinner show were easy to get and cheap. We were in a Fairmont Gold club room and the lounge was lovely with views over Copacabana beach towards Sugar Loaf, and great for breakfast. I had fresh made omelette every day. The white wine in the lounge was not great, but the red was fine. The spa was lovely and compared to some hotel spas not horrifically priced. Housekeeping were excellent and brought extra water and clean towels in the evening and the corridors were quiet at night. We had no internal noise although the sliding patio doors let some external noise in but not enough to keep you awake. The room and bathroom were exceptionally clean. The lounge staff could not have been more helpful and arranged a car to take us to the Roxy and back. It was not very much more than an Uber but we had a dedicated person waiting for us as soon as the show finished. All in all a great hotel experience and would recommend this hotel.

Reviewed on Aug 27, 2026