The 11 Most Booked Hiking Tours in Rio de Janeiro

1.Tijuca Forest Small Group Hike to Caves and Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 536 reviews · 6 hours · from $69Our pick

Spend six hours exploring Tijuca Forest on a 6.2-kilometer hike with a bilingual guide such as Vini, Riccardo, Tito, or Renata. Expect waterfalls, a gneiss cave, a suspension bridge, coffee plantation ruins, an old chapel, and a chance to cool off beneath Baronesa Cascade. Pickup is available from selected South Zone hotels.

“Vinnie was an absolutely fantastic guide who not only sensitively led our small group on the hike, but gave us so much info on the polito-social and cultural life of Brazil and Rio. He filled us in on its history, flora and fauna, geology and geography. His knowledge was seemingly limitless and he enthusiastically shared his passion for this unique environment. In fact, he has ruined us for all future guides as he was totally brilliant. The whole trip was more than we imagined. Thank you to Vinnie and our wonderful and kind driver.”

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2.Pedra do Telégrafo Hike and Beach Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 417 reviews · 4 hours - 390 minutes · from $56

Start early for a guided climb through Pedra Branca State Park to Pedra do Telégrafo, 350 meters above Guaratiba. Expect a steep, roughly one-hour hike, photo stops, air-conditioned transport, and a beach break at Grumari or Prainha. Guides such as Dayvison, Erick, and Nicolas are known for patient pacing and excellent photos.

“this was a great hike, not to strenuous and relatively short if you hike often. Pedro was amazing, kind and gracious and we got there and back in the alloted time. definitely worth the trip for the views”

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3.Pedra da Gávea 7-Hour Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 183 reviews · 8 hours · from $56

You’ll hike Pedra da Gávea from sea level to about 840 meters through Tijuca National Park, with guides such as Eduardo, Lucas, and Sergio. Expect steep forest trails, scrambling, and a 30-meter assisted climb using ropes and safety gear. The group is limited to six, and the hike suits fit people comfortable with heights.

“The hike was super fun and technical. Edu our guide is seriously like a professional photographer. He was able to capture some of the best photos of my life!!!”

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4.Tijuca Forest Challenge Hike Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 163 reviews · 9 hours · from $86

Spend nine hours exploring Tijuca National Park with a bilingual guide such as Gustavo, Ricardo, Pietro, or Tito. The hard 10.4 km hike climbs 848 meters to Taquara Hill, then follows quiet forest trails to coffee-farm ruins, grottos, a bat cave, viewpoints, and a waterfall. Pickup is available in Rio’s South Zone.

“Gustavo turned out to be the best guide one could possibly imagine. We have used similar services many times before, but I can say with full confidence that Gustavo is truly unmatched. He has extensive knowledge not only about Tijuca National Park, but also about the whole of Rio de Janeiro. At the same time, he is incredibly helpful, kind, and approachable. During our hike, he revealed many secrets of the forest that we would never have noticed on our own. We also learned a great deal about the history of Rio and Brazil itself. It was an unforgettable adventure that we will cherish for a long time. I wholeheartedly…”

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5.Dois Irmãos Peak Sunrise, Day or Sunset Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · 3h 30m · from $54Best value

Meet your guide at Vidigal’s blue steps and take a moto-taxi to the trailhead. The 1.5-kilometer uphill walk takes about an hour, ending at Dois Irmãos Peak with wide views over Rio. Choose a 3:20 AM sunrise, 10:00 AM daytime, or 3:30 PM afternoon start. Guides include Milena, Nathalia, Nat, and Thaina.

“Nathalia is a very kind guide. Good and clear communication and good instructions. Showed me a lot and told me a lot about the history as well. Would definitely book another trip with her!”

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6.Pedra da Gávea Guided Hike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 86 reviews · 8 hours · from $68

Spend about eight hours hiking Pedra da Gávea with a bilingual guide in a group of up to 10. You’ll tackle steep forest trail, use certified gear on the rock section, hear local myths, and reach views over Guanabara Bay, Rio’s beaches, and Tijuca National Park. Hotel pickup is optional.

“The trip and host were great, we highly recommend, however you need to be at least in pretty good shape to be able to make it”

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7.Tijuca National Park Small-Group Hike to Pedra Bonita

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $63

Ride from Rio’s South Zone into Tijuca National Park, then hike 3.5 kilometers through Atlantic Rainforest to Pedra Bonita at 696 meters. A bilingual guide explains plants, wildlife, coffee farming, and reforestation. The small group, limited to six people, also stops at Vista Chinesa.

“The guide was amazing. He knows English very well. He has extensive knowledge of the area he guides around and is a very nice and intelligent man.”

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8.Tijuca Peak Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 56 reviews · from $56

Spend about six hours in Tijuca National Park with a bilingual guide such as Denis, hiking toward Pico da Tijuca at 1,021 meters. You’ll visit the park museum, Cachoeira das Almas waterfall, Tijuca Mirim, and a rock-cut staircase. Hotel pickup is optional from several Rio neighborhoods.

“We had a fantastic day & our guide was amazing, gave us lots of information & helped us get the bus back to our hotel. The views from the top were amazing.”

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9.SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN HIKE & CLIMB

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 4 hours · from $60Top rated

Join certified guide André for a four-hour hike and rock climb up Sugarloaf Mountain. You’ll pass through Urca’s nature reserve, handle steep rocky sections, climb a 20-meter wall with ropes, and reach views over Copacabana and Guanabara Bay. No climbing experience is needed, but you need good fitness, proper shoes, and a head for heights.

“Great experience! 💫. A hard climb, 🤪, but Andre was super friendly, really enthusiastic and I really enjoyed the climb. We had to reschedule because of the weather and Andre was super communicative throughout, and we made the climb on my last morning! My favourite experience and guide I had whilst in Rio :)”

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10.Sugarloaf Mountain Hike and Climb

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 4 hours · from $68

This four-hour small-group or private outing takes you from Urca up Sugarloaf Mountain by trail, including steep scrambling and a 20-meter climbing wall. Guides such as Sergio, Didi, Thomas, and Eduardo provide climbing support and local insight. You return by cable car, with hotel pickup available from much of South Zone and downtown Rio.

“First off, excellent communication we had to reschedule a few times due to weather. We had phone numbers to the company, our driver, and guide through WhatsApp and all of them reached out to us 24 hours in advance. We had an amazing time with Didi (our guide). He was an experienced and confident climber. I highly recommend booking with him. He set a good pace and always let us know where we were headed. We felt it was like climbing with an old friend. He was able to point out excellent view spots and let us pause for pictures. He told us a lot about the surrounding area and…”

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11.Hiking and Rappelling at Tijuca Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 44 reviews · from $59

Spend eight hours hiking through Tijuca National Park with a bilingual guide such as GG, passing the museum and Cachoeira das Almas before tackling the rocky climb to Bico do Papagaio. At the summit, you rappel with certified equipment and take in views of Rio’s major peaks. Hotel pickup is optional.

“I had a great time at the hike. The views were incredible and the rappelling was a lot of fun! The hike itself is not easy, I’d highly recommend it if you are in good to decent shape. Lots of uphill climbing. Aside from that, it’s awesome to be able to hike through the forest. Ask your guide about the indigenous trail for an extra challenge!”

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