No trip to Rio is complete without a visit to sugar loaf mountain. This magnificent jewel of monolithic granite and quartz rises over 1,300ft (396m) above the Atlantic, and guards the entrance to Guanabara bay.

There are two seperate mountains that make up the Sugar Loaf, the first being Morro da Urca, and the secound one being Pao de Acucar - "Sugar Loaf". This name was believed to come from the mountains shape resembling conical clay moulds used earlier to refine sugar.

Although the name Pao de Acucar - "Sugar Loaf" was adopted in the 19th centery, the Tupi indians called it "Pau-Nh-Acuqua" which means' isolated hill.

There is a cable car station at praia Vermelha, which will be the starting point for your unbeleivably scenic ride to our first mountain, Morro da Urca, which is 705ft (224m) high. When we reach the flat summit you can stop to enjoy the bars and resteraunts and there is a theatre that plays host to cocerts, popular shows, and some Carnaval dances. There is a heliport base at the summit which we use for helicopter tours around Sugar Loaf, Corcavado were you can visit the Christ by air and see the beautiful Forest of Tijuca.

The original cable car of 1912 was way ahead of its time, and the current italian cable system can carry over 1,355 passengers every hour. You might remember the 1979 film Moonraker' which Roger Moore plays James Bond' 007, and had a major action scene atop the famous cable cars of the Sugar Loaf.

Sugar Loaf remains illuminated all through the night by 1,000watt projectors, and the summit of Pao de Acucar provides breath taking views and photos of Copacabana, Ipanema, Corcavado, Tijuca, and many other incredible sites.

For those of you who are in superb physical condition and are up for a xtreme challenge, we offer organized rock climbs to the summit. There are over 60 routes to the top, and these climbs have become very popular since 1817 when British nanny, Henrietta Carstairs made the first solo ascent.

So be prepared for many smiles and a whole lot of photos, and keep your eyes alert for the marmosets along the many wooded trails.

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