Holiday Ayo - Sugarloaf Mountain is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Rising 396 m or 1,299 ft above the harbor, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar. It is known worldwide for its cableway and panoramic views of the city and beyond.

The mountain is one of several monolithic granite and quartz mountains that rise straight from the water's edge around Rio de Janeiro. Geologically, it is considered part of a family of steep-sided rock outcroppings known as non-inselberg bornhardts.

The name Sugarloaf was coined in the 16th century by the Portuguese during the heyday of sugarcane trade in Brazil. According to historian Vieira Fazenda, blocks of sugar were placed in conical molds made of clay to be transported on ships.

A cable car runs from its summit to the adjacent Urca Hill, near the foot of which is the site of the Praia Vermelha Campus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

This aerial tramway system was launched in 1912 and fast became world-famous. Today, the sight of bondinhos (as they are known by the locals) moving up and down the Mountain is a familiar part of the city’s landscape.

You can reach the sea-level station by taxi, public bus or with us on a guided tour by minibus or open-top jeep, taking in other city highlights en route.  

With very little vegetation on its slopes, the granite stone of Sugarloaf Mountain is believed to date back 600 million years, it’s a monolith, which means it’s one big block. It’s made of really hard igneous rock.

Alternatively climb the whole way on foot aided by an English-speaking guide and all necessary equipment. The ascent is challenging but doesn’t require technical expertise or climbing experience, so if you’re relatively fit and healthy there’s nothing to stop you.