The 11 Best Hiking Tours in Tijuca Forest

1.Tijuca Forest Small Group Hike to Caves and Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 536 reviews · 6 hours · from $69Our pick

Spend six hours exploring Tijuca Forest with guides such as Vini, Riccardo, Tito, or Luiza. Walk 6.2 kilometers past a cave, chapel, coffee-era ruins, suspension bridge, and waterfalls, then cool off beneath Baronesa Cascade.

“Pietro was our guide.He was professional and very passionate about what he is doing. His English was very good.The half day tour was very nice,we had a sunny day and almost no other people around the trek.The history and other information told by Pietro were very interesting and nice to listen to.Thank you very much.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Tijuca Forest Challenge Hike Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 163 reviews · 9 hours · from $86

Spend up to nine hours exploring Tijuca Forest with guides such as Gustavo, Ricardo, Pietro, or Tito. Hike 10.4 km over rough, steep trails to Taquara Hill, caves, coffee-farm ruins, viewpoints, and a waterfall. Pickup is offered in Rio’s South Zone.

“Super! I had a great time on the hike and I'm so happy that I included it in my itinerary. Riccardo was a great tour guide and expanded my appreciation for the Mata Atlantica.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Tijuca National Park Small-Group Hike to Pedra Bonita

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $63

Spend five hours with a bilingual guide hiking through Tijuca National Park to Pedra Bonita, a 696-meter summit with views toward Pedra da Gávea, Rio, and the coast. The small group holds up to six people, with South Zone hotel pickup, rainforest stories, and a stop at Vista Chinesa.

“Alex our tour guide was great at his job! You can see how he loves his job and he explained the history of Rio for us which was informative. He also was very polite, professional and brilliant! Thank you Alex! And getyourguide for a great experience! Took lots of great pics too”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Hiking in the Tijuca Forest : Waterfalls and Caves

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $62Top rated

Spend about five hours in Tijuca National Park with a multilingual guide such as Eduardo, Victor, or Julio. Visit Canoas Lookout, Taunay Waterfall, forest cascades, the Bat Cave, Emperor’s Table, and Chinese View, with hotel pickup from Rio’s South Zone.

“This tour was my absolute favourite highlight of my entire visit to Brazil (and there were many highlights). From beginning to end the experience was efficient and fun. I booked very last minute and still received prompt and comprehensive communication and were picked up at my doorstep punctually early the next morning. Eduardo is an unforgettable and magnificent guide who clearly loves sharing the ins and outs of not only the Tijuca forest, but the whole of Rio. His energy and enthusiasm is very contagious. And - as other reviews certainly mention - his photography skills are second to none. He managed to make everyone feel comfortable, taking into consideration…”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Tijuca Peak Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 56 reviews · from $56

Join a bilingual guide, including Denis when available, for a six-hour hike through Tijuca National Park. Climb to Pico da Tijuca at 1,021 meters, visit Tijuca Mirim, Cachoeira das Almas waterfall, the park museum, and a famous rock-cut staircase. Small-group and private options are available.

“We had a fantastic day & our guide was amazing, gave us lots of information & helped us get the bus back to our hotel. The views from the top were amazing.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Tijuca Forest Hike – Waterfalls & Caves, Nature & Wild Life!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Spend about 4.5 hours hiking Tijuca National Park with guides such as Alli, Sergio, Lucas, or Juliana. See Taunay Waterfall, three caves, several falls, historic sites, and Atlantic Rain Forest scenery. The 5.5-mile route is mostly easy but can turn humid and slippery.

“This was an incredible experience! The waterfalls and caves were beautiful - Juliana (my wonderful guide) said that bathing under a waterfall cleanses the soul, and it really did feel both otherworldly and grounding at the same time.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Hiking and Rappelling at Tijuca Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 44 reviews · from $59

Spend eight hours hiking Mata Atlântica trails in Tijuca National Park with a bilingual guide, then rappel from Bico do Papagaio. You’ll visit the park museum, stop at Cachoeira das Almas for a natural shower, and enjoy views toward Pedra da Gávea, Pico da Tijuca, and Christ the Redeemer. Guide GG is praised for careful pacing and clear instruction.

“It was really great. The guide knew a lot about the forest, Rio de Janeiro, the culture etc. He was explaining very well! The hike was hard, but he was asking for our wishes and looking after our well being. Great experience!! Show de bola!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Tijuca Forest Waterfall of Souls Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 3h 30m · from $60

Join Kelly or another local guide for a three-and-a-half-hour Tijuca Forest walk with breathing exercises, waterfall bathing, wildlife spotting, and Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous nature traditions. The route includes Cachoeira das Almas, Cascata Taunay views, Mayrink Chapel, and a small-group setting of up to 10 people.

“Mon guide est très professionnelle. Elle m'a expliqué beaucoup de choses concernant la nature”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Tijuca Forest´s hike: caves, waterfalls and great views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 4 hours · from $40Best value

Join Lucas or another bilingual guide for a four-hour, small-group hike through Tijuca National Park. Visit Taunay Waterfall, caves, ruins, streams, and Cachoeira das Almas, with time for a swim and snacks. Bring water, sturdy shoes, swimwear, repellent, and a towel.

“The hike was excellent and Lucas took such a great care of us! Highly recommend Lucas for a day trip to the forest!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Bico do Papagaio Guided Hiking Tour in the Tijuca Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 7 reviews · from $59

Spend up to eight hours with a bilingual guide on Tijuca Forest trails leading to 989-meter Bico do Papagaio. You will visit the park museum, look for monkeys and toucans, and bathe beneath Cachoeira das Almas. Private or small-group options and hotel pickup are available.

“It was great! Hiking wasn’t too long and views was awesome at the top of the rock. A big suggestion for people who wants to get adrenaline and see beautiful nature!”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Pedra Bonita & Tijuca Forest Hike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $110

Join a small group of up to 10 people for a four-hour guided hike through Tijuca National Park. You’ll visit Pedra Bonita’s hang-gliding ramp, walk toward Agulhinha da Gávea, and see Pedra da Gávea, São Conrado, Barra da Tijuca, and Morro Dois Irmãos. Hotel pickup is available at supported tourist-zone hotels.

“The guide was fantastic, made the whole experience a day to remember”

Check availability →Read our full review