Guide to hiking Pedra da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro

If you are looking for a hike in one of the most beautiful natural settings imaginable, then Pedra da Gavea is the perfect choice for you! Pedra da Gavea is known as the hardest hike in Rio de Janeiro, but it is also the most epic one because you have a really incredible view of the city.

I am originally from Barra da Tijuca, the neighborhood where Pedra da Gavea is located and this view is where I feel most at home. I did this hike when I was younger, but many things have changed from then to now. 

We have recently done the Pedra da Gavea hike again this year and this guide will describe everything you need to know to embark on this adventure as well (fully updated with our 2024 tips). Pedra da Gavea is by far our favorite hike in Rio, so we truly hope we convince you to do it as well.

Pedra da Gavea Hike: Basic information

Where is Pedra da Gavea Located?

Pedra da Gavea is located in the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, in the western area of Rio de Janeiro called “Zona Oeste”. 

Pedra da Gavea is part of the Tijuca National Park, the same urban park that most peaks in Rio belong to, including Corcovado Mountain where Christ the Redeemer is.

Pedra da Gavea is the largest monolithic block by the sea in the world, rising 844 meters right next to the beach. In practical terms, Pedra da Gavea mountain marks the division between Barra da Tijuca and Sao Conrado neighborhoods.

Important tip: Make sure you have good travel insurance before you go on an activity like this, and that it covers adventure sports such as hiking and climbing. We use SafetyWing for international travel insurance, they have coverage in over 175 countries and it is super easy to set it up.

How to get to Pedra da Gavea?

The starting point of the Pedra da Gavea hike is at Estrada Sorimã 932, Barra da Tijuca.

The best way to get to the start of the hike is by car or Uber. The access is very easy and there are places to park your car for free just before the entrance to the park.

To get to Estrada Sorimã, you will first pass by a square called Praça Professor Velho da Silva. Estrada Sorimã is the entrance right after the school, there is a gate but you can just wave at the guards and tell them you are there for the hike. There aren’t any further necessary checks. The starting point will be right ahead.

It is also possible to get to the Pedra da Gavea hike starting point by public transport, but it isn’t the most practical alternative. The closest subway station is called Jardim Oceanico and from there, it is a 2.3 km walk until the start of the trail. We recommend taking an Uber from the subway instead.

Read also:

• How the public transport works in Rio
• Using Uber in Rio de Janeiro

Hiking Pedra da Gavea: Possible trail paths

There are two trail paths to choose from when hiking Pedra da Gavea: via Carrasqueira or via P4 (short for Pico dos 4).

Both paths start at the same gate, but they diverge a few minutes ahead.

Carrasqueira is the way the majority of people take when hiking Pedra da Gavea. Carrasqueira is the name of a 30-meter-high rock wall that marks the last stretch of the hike and is the very reason this hike is considered hard (pictured above). In this part, you will have to climb and be very careful – we recommend hiring a guide with ropes to make this process easier and safer.

P4 is the alternative path and it is quite harder and steeper than the first (pictured below). The best thing about going via P4 is that you can pass through Garganta do Ceu, a spot with an incredible view. Keep reading so you can see pictures of the view from Garganta do Ceu.

Our recommendation: go up via Carrasqueira and go down via P4, but only if you have a guide. Going down P4 requires ropes and the expertise of someone who knows the way to advise you on the best paths to take.

Do you need a guide for the Pedra da Gavea hike?

The short answer is: it depends on your hiking skills. 

We recommend hiring a guide if you don’t have prior experience with this kind of hike or if you don’t feel very comfortable climbing and climbing at high heights. The climbs in Pedra da Gavea aren’t easy and having an experienced guide by your side will make the process much safer and enjoyable. 

That being said, if you are confident with your skills, we have seen people going up without a guide so it is certainly possible. Harder, but possible. We still recommend you research the trail beforehand to get familiar and ask advice from the locals once you get to the Carrasqueira.

In any case, we recommend you make sure you have good insurance coverage since you never know what can happen. We usually use SafetyWing for all our trips abroad.

Best hiking tour for Pedra da Gavea

This is the exact tour we did the last time we hiked Pedra da Gavea in Rio. We had an amazing experience, our guide was very good. He had ropes and solid climbing experience to guide us through where to put our feet, etc. We were only able to go down via P4 because of him – without a guide, it would not have been doable (the picture above is from the way down via P4).

You can book the same tour as ours using the tool below:

Best time of the year to hike Pedra da Gavea

The best time to do this hike is during the winter/spring. This is when the weather in Rio de Janeiro is most pleasant for hiking and the season where we have the clearest skies (for the best views). 

If you can, try to do the Pedra da Gavea hike during the week as there will be much fewer people there. This is one of the best hikes in Rio so during the weekends, there are also a lot of locals hiking.

Summer is very hot for doing such a long hike. Even though a lot of people still do it, we don’t recommend it. It is better to opt for shorter hikes during the summer instead.

Make sure you check the weather forecast before going up though! It is best to save this hike for a day with a forecast of clear skies.

Read also: When is the best time to visit Rio?

What to bring with you when hiking Pedra da Gavea

These are the most important things to bring when hiking Pedra da Gavea:

• Good shoes – do not go up in flip-flops or casual shoes, we recommend a hiking boot with a decent grip
• Water: Bring enough water to last for the whole day of hiking as there is no place to buy more or fill the bottle up
• Snacks: This is a long hike so make sure you bring a good snack such as sandwiches or energy bars
• Sunscreen: Don’t underestimate the sun in Rio, even during the winter
• Camera: You will not believe the view from the top, it is incredible! Make sure you bring your phone, camera, drone… whatever you have

Pedra da Gavea Hike: Complete description

The start and the first section of the hike

We started the hike at exactly 8 am, when the gate of Tijuca National Park opens. We wanted to have an early start to do most of the walking before midday to avoid the heat, which is something we strongly recommend.

The first section of the hike is fairly easy, you walk among the forest so it is quite fresh and moist. During this part, you can see a lot of jackfruit trees and, if you are lucky, many monkeys that feast on the fruits. The hardest challenge you will have during this section are some parts with ropes and steel steps to help you, like on the picture above.

Cool to see: Right at the start of the trail, there is a bush rope that is more than 100 years old, it is super impressive and incredibly strong. Ask your guide to point it out for you.

The hike is very easy to follow in this section, but it is a constant ascent, almost without flat parts. After around 1h 30m, you start reaching the point where you start exiting the forest and are instantly faced with the Emperor’s Head (Cabeça do Imperador). Can you see the face in the rock below?

We were very lucky to see someone base jumping from the very top of the rock.

The Carrasqueira

This is the hardest section of the Pedra da Gavea hike, and the very reason for this hike being considered difficult. The Carrasqueira is a 30-meter-high rock wall that you need to climb to get to the top. Below you can see Edo waiting for his turn, but notice how vertical the rocks are.

This is the toughest part for people that are afraid of heights.

If you have a guide, he will install the ropes and help you climb up. If you don’t have a guide, be extra careful in this section. Towards the right, there are rocks that are easier to climb (less flat and slippery) but it is still quite tricky. Again, we really don’t recommend going alone if you don’t have any hiking experience.

From here, you can see the view over Barra da Tijuca and it is beautiful! Make sure to take it all in.

Arriving at the top of Pedra da Gavea

After the Carrasqueira, it is only a few minutes’ walk until you reach the top of Pedra da Gavea. There is a wide open area where everyone usually stays. It faces the East and has the best views over Rio.

From the top, you can see Christ the Redeemer, Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers Mountain), the Sugar Loaf, and even Niteroi if the day is clear enough. You can also see the main beaches and neighborhoods in Rio. It is fantastic!

To your left, you can spot the paragliding ramp of Pedra Bonita, one of the most popular spots for flying in Rio.

We took around 40 min at the top to have a snack, take in the views, and take some pictures.  Be very careful with the pictures but make sure you register this place as much as you can because it is one for the memory.

Going down via P4

We decided to go down via P4 so we could visit Garganta do Céu (see picture below). As I mentioned before, we would not have gone this way if we were not with a guide. It is much steeper than the Carrasqueira and more slippery as well, as this part of the mountain faces the ocean and it is very moist during the entire day.

Our guide set up the ropes and we went down rapelling. It was the most fun part for us, as it was also a new activity. We had to rappel 3 times in different sections.

After around 1 hour, we made it to Garganta do Céu. It is a very unique viewpoint where you can see the Two Brothers Mountain through a cave.

There are no signs indicating the viewpoint though, you have to know where to go.

After a quick stop for pictures, we continued going down. The P4 hike meets the Carrasqueira one inside the forest. We made a quick stop at a small waterfall called “Cachoeira da Pedra da Gávea”. It usually has very little water but it is a nice place to freshen up after a day hike.

FAQ – Popular questions about hiking Pedra da Gavea

Is the Pedra da Gavea hike worth it?

Absolutely!

The incredible views of Rio de Janeiro and the sense of accomplishment after finishing the hike make it well worth it. I won’t lie – it is definitely a challenging hike, but a very rewarding experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list if they visit Rio.

What are the opening times of the Pedra da Gavea hike?

The Tijuca National Park entrance opens at 8 am and closes at 6 pm. 

In most cases, the latest you can start the hike is at 2 pm. There is a guard at the entrance that controls the influx of people.

Can you fly the drone at Pedra da Gavea?

Yes, and we did it.

However, you should be extremely careful about two things: wind and connectivity.

The wind at the top can be extremely strong and can vary a lot throughout the day so be very careful.

Also, the mountain is said to have a strong magnetism which highly affects the connectivity of the drone with the controller. When we arrived at the Carrasqueira, we saw a guy who lost control of his drone on the way up and struggled quite a lot to bring it back.

What is the photo trick people do in Pedra da Gavea?

This is a big misconception that went viral online. There is no photo trick in Pedra da Gavea. The popular photo trick in Rio is at Pedra do Telegrafo, another hike where you have a small rock at the end. With the right angle, the picture makes it seem that the rock is very dangerous and rises just above the abyss.

This is definitely not true, the ground is only a meter away. This is just a photo trick. Even if you fall from the rock, you may hurt yourself a bit but you won’t die.

That being said, Pedra do Telegrafo is an amazing hike in Rio, and we definitely recommend it as well!

How much does it cost to hike Pedra da Gavea?

The entrance is free of charge.

If you decide to book a tour, you can expect to pay 55-75 USD (50-70 EUR). It is possible to pay cheaper by getting direct contact with a local guide, but we strongly advise you to book with a known tour provider. This is the exact tour we did.

What other hikes in Rio do you recommend?

These are our top 5 hikes in Rio:

• Pedra Bonita
• Sugar Loaf hike
• Two Brothers Mountain
• Pedra do Telegrafo
• Pico da Tijuca (Tijuca Peak)

Bonus: Costao de Itacoatiara is also an amazing hike, but it is located in Niteroi

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We hope this article has convinced you to hike Pedra da Gavea. You now have all the information you need for the hike, so all you need to do is put on your hiking shoes and book your guide.

Doing this hike is one of our favorite memories in Rio so far, so we truly hope more people get to experience it too.

Happy travels!