Once you get all the touristy stuff ticked off the list there’s still so much to do and see in Rio De Janeiro, for those that like to stay active there’s plenty of walks and hikes around the city for all levels of fitness.

Hiking Dois Irmãos

One of the highlights of my time in Rio was hiking to the top of Dois Irmãos. Morro Dois Irmãos is the name of the recognisable twin peaked mountain at the the end of Ipanema and Leblon beach and in my opinion gives you the very best view of Rio.

The hike is located in Vidigal, one of the favelas in Rio. You can either take an Uber/taxi or bus to the foot of the favela or walk there along the coast to get there. From the bottom of Vidigal the easiest way to get to the trailhead is to take a moto-taxi (yes, a motorbike taxi), there is a moto-taxi rank at the entrance and for about 5 Brazilian reals you will get brought right to the top of the favela where you can begin the hike.

The hike itself isn’t that long, about 45 mins in total but it’s proper steep and if you’re not a big hiker normally (like me), and if you’re a smoker (like me), you’ll find it tough (like me). Without a doubt it is worth the effort though as the views are insane.

On the way back down we walked back down through the favela (yes, it’s safe. Vidigal is one of the pacified favelas) with people trying to usher our group into their bars and restaurants. We decided to stop in a place half way down for a beer and the owner who had finished serving for lunch prepared something especially for our group which went down well after the walk.

How To Get To The Dois Irmaos Hike

1. Make your way to Vidigal at the corner of Av. Neimeyar and Av. President Joao Goulart
 
2. Walk, take a kombi (mini bus) or moto-taxi (the quickest option) up to the Campo do Vidigal, the football pitch
  
3. Walk along the path to the side of the football pitch to the start of the trailhead
   
  
4. Hike up for approx 45 min (there’s a flat spot you can stop at about half way up with a view of Rocinha favela (the largest favela in Rio) below. pretty insane to think this area borders right on to one of the wealthiest parts of the city.
   
  
5. Enjoy possibly the best view of Rio (at least in my opinion)