Rio Shore Excursion: Skip-the-Line Christ Redeemer & Sugar Loaf
Two of Rio's highest points in one day, with the wait times already handled.
A full-day shore excursion from Rio de Janeiro's cruise terminal that combines Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer in a single itinerary, with skip-the-line train access and a professional guide. You ride cable cars to Sugar Loaf's 395-meter summit, pass through the city's neighborhoods and beaches, then take a reserved train through Tijuca Rainforest to the Christ statue on Corcovado Mountain, where you have roughly 40 minutes to explore all sides and photograph the views.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Rio city tour and mountain visits
- Meet at Cruise Terminal Pier Mauá
- Pass through Laranjeiras neighborhood
- Pass by Sambodrome
- Visit Metropolitan Cathedral
- Drive through Flamengo Park to Urca
- Pass by Sugar Loaf Mountain neighborhood
- Ride cable car to Morro da Urca
- Ride cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain summit
- Lunch at Brazilian barbecue house (optional)
- Pass by Ipanema Beach
- Pass by Leblon Beach
- Pass by Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon
- Arrive at Cosme Velho train station
- Train ride through Tijuca Forest to Christ the Redeemer
- Explore Christ the Redeemer statue and views
- Sambadrome passing by
- Rio de Janeiro Cathedral 15m
- Flamengo Park passing by
- Urca passing by
- Morro da Urca 15m
- Sugarloaf Mountain 40m
- Ipanema Beach passing by
- Leblon Beach passing by
- Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon passing by
- Cosme Velho passing by
- Tijuca National Park 20m
- Christ the Redeemer 40m
What’s included
- Professional guide in your choice of five languages.
- cable car tickets to both levels of Sugar Loaf Mountain.
- skip-the-line train tickets to Christ the Redeemer.
- barbecue lunch with vegetarian options (on lunch options only).
- port pickup and drop-off at the cruise terminal.
Times
- Every day 10:30
Before you book
Operated by Gray Line Brazil
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
The tour starts at Cruise Terminal Pier Mauá and moves through Rio's historic layers before reaching the heights. You'll pass the Sambadrome, step inside the Metropolitan Cathedral's 96-meter interior, and drive through Flamengo Park along the waterfront before arriving at Sugar Loaf. Two cable cars carry you up: the first to Morro da Urca at 215 meters, where you see Guanabara Bay, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Corcovado Mountain itself. The second to the 395-meter summit, where the view opens to Copacabana, Niterói and the city's south zone spread below.
After Sugar Loaf, you head to a churrascaria for an all-you-can-eat barbecue lunch (if your option includes it, otherwise the guide suggests nearby restaurants to fit your budget). The afternoon route takes you past Ipanema and Leblon beaches and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon before reaching Cosme Velho station at the base of Corcovado. Your pre-reserved train ticket skips the line: a 20-minute ride climbs through Tijuca Rainforest, the world's largest urban forest, to the Christ Redeemer statue. You can take the lift and escalator to the top or climb 222 steps. Either way, you get roughly 40 minutes at the 38-meter statue to see all sides, photograph the views across the city, and stand beneath the open arms of one of the New Seven Wonders.
The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and two additional languages, and the full day runs about 10 hours from pickup to drop-off at the port. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen and a hat. The tour does not operate during Carnival or on December 24, 25, 31 or January 1st.
Is this one for you?Choose the shared option if you're comfortable with other passengers and want the lower price, or the private option if your group wants the vehicle to yourselves. Pick the lunch option if you'd rather eat as part of the tour schedule, or skip it if you prefer to choose your own restaurant and timing during the afternoon.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What's the difference between the shared and private options on this tour?
Shared tours run with other passengers in a group vehicle. Private tours are for your party alone in a dedicated vehicle. Both include the same skip-the-line access, guide, cable cars and train tickets, and both start and end at the cruise terminal.
Does the lunch option make a real difference to the day?
The barbecue lunch at a churrascaria is included only if you select one of the lunch options at checkout. If you choose no lunch, your guide will point you toward nearby restaurants that fit different budgets and tastes, so you eat on your own schedule rather than as part of the tour.
How much time do you actually spend at Christ the Redeemer?
You have roughly 40 minutes at the statue to walk around all sides, take photographs and look out over the city and toward Niterói. You can reach the top by lift and escalator or by climbing 222 stairs. Both routes lead to the same viewing platform.
What's the Tijuca Rainforest like on the train ride up?
The 20-minute train journey climbs through dense forest that covers 7 percent of Rio's territory and is considered the world's largest urban forest. The ride itself is the main way you see it. You're traveling through it rather than stopping to walk, so the forest is the backdrop to your ascent rather than a separate hiking section.
Can you visit the beaches or lagoon on your own time during the tour?
You pass Ipanema Beach, Leblon Beach and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon as part of the route between Sugar Loaf and the train station, but these are drive-by stops where you see them from the vehicle. The tour does not include time to get out and walk on the beaches or around the lagoon.
Rio Shore Excursion: Skip-the-Line Christ Redeemer & Sugar Loaf
10h · EN · ES · FR · DE · IT · PT · at your hotel
from US$ 157 per person
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