sugarloaf: the secret side to the landmark

Now I know you all, like good tourists will be heading to Sugarloaf, and well you should. It is absolutely stunning up there and lots of fun to ride the cable car a la James Bond in Goldfinger. However, did you know that there is also a beautiful TRAIL that wraps around the Sugarloaf rock?

Above is Praia Vermelha, which is the beach slightly to the left of the cable car entrance. Once you have located the beach, which is plain simple, you can locate the trail. On the left hand side (if you are facing the water) is CLAUDIO COUTINHO trail.

Can you tell that this place is magical? And I am not even showing you photos of the cute little mico monkeys that run around on the trees. Beyond the monkeys, this is one that even your great grandma could walk - paved, barely any incline, and only 2.5 km, is that 1.5 miles? And that is round trip guys!

If you are feeling particularly inspired, which I think you will, halfway through the trail on your left hand side (clearly because the right hand side is a cliff going into the ocean) is an opening for the trail that goes up to the first level of SugarLoaf. This trail is NOT for your grandma, and maybe not even for you, unless you like trails that would be better skied down, meaning extreme incline. But I have walked this trail, albeit about 10 years ago, and it is extremely satisfying to have walked up SugarLoaf, instead of paying a fortune for the cable car. Note however that you will have only made it up to the first mountain, not the second.

On your way down? Dont forget that you are very luckily in the same neighborhood as Bar Urca (another one of my famous posts!), so dont delay and go have a cold beer on the wall overlooking the Bay, along with the best view of the city.