with a wealth of natural attractions, including the world's largest urban forest, one particularly popular activity, in the city, is hiking and trekking through the vast exotic expanses and up the many elevated peaks - featuring the largest coastal monolith in the world, pedra da gávea, rio de janeiro is filled with outdoor enthusiasts enjoying the countless hikes and trails.

although participation rates for hiking are high, it is still best to adhere closely to the safety guidelines that are set out for rock-climbing, hiking and trekking in rio, as no matter what level, participants may come across unexpected complications throughout their journey.

the first piece of safety advice given, before potential journeys, is to hire a local guide, especially if participants are not sure about the region, as many paths are poorly marked, and it can be easy to get lost.