for those who are not planning on hiking to the pedra da gávea viewpoint, here a virtual tour can be enjoyed offered by the serviço geológico do brasil - cprm.

another delightful hike in tijuca national park, in the west of the city, is the trail up to pedra bonita. translated as 'beautiful rock', the pedra bonita is mountain opposite the famous rock formation pedra da gávea.

the trail to the peak of the mountain is one of the easier hikes in rio, and as its a little bit outside the city center, it offers visitors a bit of rest bite and some welcome fresh air from the more touristy trails in the city. the hike itself is about one and a half kilometers long, and takes between 30 minutes and one hour to complete, depending on hikers pace.