The 15 Best Hikes & Treks in Brazil

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 with a bilingual guide such as Vini, Riccardo, or Tito. The 6.2-kilometer hike visits Taunay Waterfall, Mayrink Chapel, a suspension bridge, coffee-era ruins, Morcego’s Grotto, and Baronesa Cascade. Expect a moderate uphill walk, rainforest history, and a welcome waterfall shower.

“Riccardo was an amazing guide. He was very knowledgable and informative. The pace of the day was just right, and we had the time to make the most of all the sites. If you are into forest walks then you should give this a go!”

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

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

Hike with a guide such as Dayvison, Erick, Nicolas, or Felipe to Pedra do Telégrafo, a famous photo rock above Rio’s wild western beaches. Expect a steep, roughly one-hour climb, sweeping views, air-conditioned transport, and time to swim or eat at Grumari or Prainha Beach.

“The activity was a lot of fun!! My friend and I were definitely struggling with the hike at first but Sergio always made sure to wait for us. I also love that they let us take a lot of photos at the end of the hike.”

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3.Pedra da Gávea 7-Hour Hike

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

Take on Pedra da Gávea with a certified guide such as Eduardo, Lucas, or Sergio. You’ll hike through Tijuca National Park, use ropes at the Carrasqueira, and reach an 840-meter summit with sweeping views of Rio. The trail is difficult, shaded in places, and best for fit hikers comfortable with heights and hands-on scrambling.

“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 a full day hiking through Rio’s Tijuca National Park with an English or Portuguese-speaking guide such as Gustavo, Ricardo, Pietro, or Tito. You’ll climb Taquara Hill, visit Cascatinha Taunay, explore old coffee-farm ruins, enter a grotto and Bat Cave, and cool off at a waterfall. Hotel pickup is included in Rio’s South Zone.

“I enjoyed every part of it. The length and difficulty was perfect! The hike was very fun! Pietro, my guide, was fun to talk to. He was very knowledgeable about the different parts of the forest and its history. He even gave me recommendations for food and other things to do in Rio. Highly recommended for those with a little bit of hiking experience.”

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5.Vidigal Favela Tour and Two Brothers Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 121 reviews · 5 hours · from $88

Spend five hours exploring Vidigal with a local guide, ride neighborhood motorbike taxis, then hike Morro Dois Irmaos for views over Rocinha, Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, Corcovado, and Pedra da Gávea. Guides speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese, and private or small-group options are available.

“We really enjoyed the tour! Eduardo is a great guide, he’s friendly and helpful and gave us some interesting informations about Rio De Janeiro. The hike itself was beautiful even though we could not see a lot up there because it was cloudy. The walk through the favelas of Vidigal was an impressive experience and Eduardo took us to a nice bar with e amazing view. We definitely would recommend the tour :)”

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6.Dois Irmãos Peak Sunrise, Day or Sunset Hike

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

Meet your guide at Vidigal’s blue steps and ride a moto-taxi to the trailhead before a moderate, one-hour climb through forest to Dois Irmãos Peak. Choose a 3:20 AM sunrise, 10:00 AM daytime, or 3:30 PM sunset start. Guides such as Milena, Nat, Nathalia, and Thaina add local context and help with photos.

“I recently had the pleasure of going on an unforgettable tour in Rio, which involved a hike, watching a breathtaking sunset, and a fascinating tour of a local favela. The experience was made all the more amazing by our guide, Nathalia. Nathalia was incredibly knowledgeable, providing detailed insights into the history, culture, and daily life of Rio, the favela, and the surrounding areas. She was not only punctual but also made sure we were comfortable throughout the entire experience. It was clear she had a deep respect and understanding of the local community, which made the favela tour feel authentic and meaningful. Her fluency in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese,…”

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7.Pedra da Gávea Guided Hike Tour

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

Spend about eight hours hiking Pedra da Gávea with a small group of up to 10 people and a bilingual guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Expect steep forest walking, rock-climbing sections with certified gear, stories about local myths, and broad views of Rio. Hotel pickup is available in the city’s tourist zone.

“The tour we took was amazing. Sergio was a great guide, he provided us with a lot of interesting stories about Rio, and Brazil. He was also very helpful on the hike itself, and made us feel 100% safe throughout the whole hike.”

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8.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 for a five-hour guided hike to Pedra Bonita, a 696-meter summit with views of Pedra da Gávea and the coast. English and Portuguese guides, including Tito, Alex, and Eddie, explain the forest, coffee farms, wildlife, and Rio’s past.

“Great half day trip - funny guide Alex. Collected on time & lots of information given & time for photoes.”

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9.Trekking the valley of the pat 3 days/ GUIDE TUTY CHAPADA DIAMANTINA

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $421Top rated

Join local guide Tuty for a demanding three-day trek from Lençóis through Chapada Diamantina’s Vale do Pati. Walk across Gerais do Vieira, climb Morro do Castelo, swim beneath waterfalls, and reach Cachoeirão do Pati. Nights are spent with local families, with home-cooked meals and trail lunches included.

“A beautiful trip through the nature. I went with the guide Tuty, great professional and well organised. He helps you out whatever you need and guide you with knowledge through de Pati.”

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10.Small Group Hike to Saco Bravo Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · from $81

Join guide Eugênia for an eight-hour, small-group hike from Paraty to Saco Bravo Waterfall in the Juatinga Reserve. A boat ride reaches Ponta Negra, followed by an 8.4-kilometer forest trail with streams, steep sections, and a spectacular sea-facing natural pool. The group is limited to seven, and good fitness is needed.

“This is a really authentic and stunning hike through the Mata Atlantica. Our guide Eugenia was knowledgeable and friendly.”

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11.Hiking in the Tijuca Forest : Waterfalls and Caves

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $62

Spend about five hours exploring Tijuca National Park with guides such as Eduardo, Victor, Eric or Júlio. Visit Canoas Lookout, Taunay Waterfall, forest cascades, the Bat Cave, Emperor’s Table and Chinese View Lookout. Expect light-to-moderate hiking, wildlife spotting, hotel pickup and a maximum group of 15.

“This tour was my absolute favourite highlight of my entire visit to Brazil (and there were many highlights). From beginning to end the experience was efficient and fun. I booked very last minute and still received prompt and comprehensive communication and were picked up at my doorstep punctually early the next morning. Eduardo is an unforgettable and magnificent guide who clearly loves sharing the ins and outs of not only the Tijuca forest, but the whole of Rio. His energy and enthusiasm is very contagious. And - as other reviews certainly mention - his photography skills are second to none. He managed to make everyone feel comfortable, taking into consideration…”

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12.Garganta do Céu and Waterfall hike in Pedra da Gávea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $58

Meet your accredited guide at Estrada Sorimã in Barra da Tijuca for a roughly four-hour hike through Tijuca National Park. The route climbs for nearly two hours to Garganta do Céu, with views of Christ the Redeemer, Pedra da Gávea, Rio’s southern beaches, and a refreshing stop at Sorimã Waterfall. Small groups are limited to 10 people.

“This was a very challenging hike for me. Took me 2hrs going up. Rugged terrain with lots of rocks. Ron Beulah is an excellent guide and truly helped to make sure that I got up and down without incident. There were 3 tourists & 1 guide. If you have any major health issues or are out of shape do not do this hike! You need at least 2 liters of water and snacks. It was very rewarding and satisfying to see the monkeys and tropical forests. I’d do it again since I’m aware of the level of difficulty.”

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13.Pedra da Gavea Guided Hiking tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 71 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $70

Spend about eight hours hiking from Tijuca National Park to Pedra da Gávea with a guide and a maximum of six people. Expect steep forest trails, the Carrasqueira rock section, rope-assisted descent, monkeys, and wide views of Rio, including Christ the Redeemer. Guides such as Sergio, Lucas, Didi, Luiz, and Eduardo have led this route.

“Our guide was Eduardo. He « practiced «  his English with us , as he said. He spoke English good enough for us to understand everything he tried to communicate. His pace was good, and we managed to keep up with him! We’re an older couple... we lucked out as we were the only hikers that day on that tour . It was definitely a challenge but loved it. He does a loop hike instead of an out and back which makes it more interesting. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the top as clouds and rain started as we got to the cave. Still had a few great view points…”

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14.Half Day Hiking Tour Morro Dois Irmaos and Favela Vidigal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $53

Join Fernando and the Marca na Agenda team for a 4 to 5-hour hike from Vidigal to Morro Dois Irmaos. Ride a local motorcycle taxi, walk through the reserve, see Rocinha and Rio’s famous peaks, then descend through Vidigal’s streets. Sunrise departures are available, with photos included and food and drinks extra.

“Fernando is a Star. This is the best tour in South America that I have done thus far (travelled ~5 months over multiple years throughout South America). My partner and I took this tour for the sunrise option and the views are absolutely stunRead more”

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15.Tijuca Peak Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 56 reviews · from $56

Spend about six hours hiking through Tijuca National Park to Pico da Tijuca, Rio’s highest urban rainforest point at 1,021 meters. A bilingual guide leads you to Tijuca Mirim, Cachoeira das Almas, the park museum, and a famous staircase cut into rock. 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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