The 10 Best Sunrise Tours in Rio de Janeiro

1.Sunrise and Sunrise Walk Two Brothers with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 193 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $64Our pick

Meet your local guide at Vidigal, ride a community motor taxi or van to the trailhead, then hike 1.5 km through Atlantic Forest to the 533-meter summit of Morro Dois Irmãos. Expect an early start, lanterns, photo stops, and wide views of Ipanema, Leblon, Christ the Redeemer, and Rio’s southern coast.

“The experience was absolutely incredible! The views from the top of Morro Dois Irmãos at sunrise are truly breathtaking, totally worth the early wake-up. Everything was perfectly organized, and our guide Rodrigo was the best! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and made us feel safe the whole way. One of the highlights of my trip to Rio. Highly recommended!”

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2.Sunrise at Observatory & Christ the Redeemer

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 144 reviews · 6 hours · from $143

Start before dawn with a small group, air-conditioned car, and trilingual guide such as Marco, Jasmine, or Gabriel. Watch sunrise at Mirante Dona Marta, visit Christ the Redeemer before the crowds, enjoy a Brazilian breakfast, then explore the Selarón Steps.

“Marco is the best tour guide on the PLANET! No one does it like him. Everything was timed perfectly. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about the whole experience. I would recommend him time and time again. We love you Marco!!!”

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3.Sunrise Lookout and Christ the Redeemer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 121 reviews · 3 hours · from $98

Start before dawn with a shared hotel pickup, then watch sunrise from Dona Marta Lookout before visiting Christ the Redeemer. English, Portuguese, and Spanish guides, including Ederson, help with history and photos. A homemade breakfast kit, entry ticket, and return transfer are included.

“It was an outstanding experience. Ederson and his team were truly committed to giving us the best visit possible. Originally, our tour was scheduled for Saturday, but due to a thunderstorm they suggested rescheduling for Sunday, which turned out to be the best decision. The view was absolutely amazing. Arriving early allowed us to enjoy the sunrise, and we were the first to reach Christ the Redeemer. This made it possible to fully appreciate the monument and take great photos without the crowds. Ederson took incredible pictures of us, and we also enjoyed a great breakfast along with insightful historical explanations about the monument and the city. I would absolutely…”

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4.Dois Irmãos Peak Sunrise, Day or Sunset Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · 3h 30m · from $54Best value

Meet your guide by the blue steps at Praça do Vidigal, ride a moto-taxi through Vidigal, then hike about 1.5 kilometers uphill to Dois Irmãos Peak. Choose a 3:20 AM sunrise, 10:00 AM daytime, or 3:30 PM sunset start. Guides include Milena, Nat, Nathalia, and Thainá.

“This was SUCH a magical experience. We got engaged at the top, with the most stunning sunrise colours! We had a private tour of the 2 of us, with Melina as our guide and honestly she was amazing. She made sure we had everything we need and got us most incredible photos to remember it all! Had an interesting tour round the favela afterwards. Would highly recommend this as a trip if you want to see the best views of Rio and have a magical experience. I would highly recommend booking through these guys as they've been so helpful, including changing the day for us as the weather was bad…”

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5.Private Sunrise Tour at Mirante Dona Marta

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 81 reviews · 2h 30m

Leave your Rio hotel around 5:00 AM with guide Guilherme for a private ride to Mirante Dona Marta, 360 meters above sea level. Spend about an hour watching dawn over Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, Niterói, and the ocean, then return by roughly 7:30 AM.

“Absolutely wonderful morning! We arrived to watch the most beautiful sunrise and our guide was so patient and lovely with us taking some of the best photos I’ve ever had! Thank you so much for such a great experience!”

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6.Sunrise at Morro 2 Irmãos – Vidigal – Rio de Janeiro

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $57

Meet Christian at 4:00 am in Praça do Vidigal for a motorbike taxi ride up the community, then hike about an hour to Morro Dois Irmãos. Expect steep sections, sunrise views, photo stops, and a walk back through Vidigal. Groups are limited to 15 people.

“Excellent and safe tour. Early start, but this ensures you get to the viewpoint with the best spot before all of the other hikers show up. Recommend to anyone of good hiking ability who has the morning available to them.”

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7.Tour to Mirante Dona Marta at sunrise with guide and photos!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $114

Leave your southern-zone hotel around 3:30 a.m. for Mirante Dona Marta, where guide and photographer Thales takes sunrise photos using your phone. The short visit uses a staircase of about 30 steps, and the shared group is limited to 10 people. Rain cancels the outing.

“An inexpensive uber ride can get you to this site for sunrise photos with reliable timing. Event was for 4:30am start time but guide changes had him arrive after sunrise.”

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8.Stand-Up Paddle – Copacabana Beach Sunrise

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 39 reviews · 1h 30m · from $70

Meet near Posto 6 beside the Fairmont and Fisherman colony Z-13, learn basic SUP skills, then paddle about five minutes to a sunrise viewing spot. The 90-minute outing includes a board, paddle, life jacket, lockers, photos, videos, and multilingual instruction.

“Pior experiência da minha vida! Conselho que dou é NÃO FAÇAM. Primeiro que fui no ponto de encontro e não tinha ninguém lá, cheguei 4h15 e o horário marcado era às 4h30. Daí fiquei em plena madrugada do Rio esperando responderem as minhas mensagem ou atenderem as minhas ligações e nada. Daí tive que ir na orla da praia saindo de quiosque em quiosque procurando o responsável pela atividade. Só conseguir fazer pois tinha um lá que tinha parceria com a “ empresa” ao qual contratei, caso contrário não iria conseguir fazer a atividade. O rapaz que me atendeu me passou a informação que eles não tinham mais o ponto…”

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9.Sunrise at Morro Dois Irmãos + Vidigal Favela Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · 4 hours · from $65

Meet your guide before dawn for a moderate hike up Morro Dois Irmãos and sunrise views of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, and Rio’s beaches. Afterward, walk down through Vidigal with a Portuguese, English, or Spanish-speaking guide. Beatriz is especially praised for photos, care, and local insight.

“La nostra guida Beatriz è stata semplicemente perfetta: ha spiegato tutto nel dettaglio, ci ha accompagnati in perfetto orario e ci ha aiutati in ogni fase del tour. Il giorno prima del tour ha piovuto ed alcuni tratti del sentiero risultavano scivolosi, Beatriz è stata molto attenta ad aiutare tutti i componenti del gruppo a superare ogni fase. Inoltre è una guida molto solare e premurosa. Consigliatissimo :)”

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10.Copacabana Sunrise Stand Up Paddleboard Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 6 reviews · 1h 30m · from $58

Meet at the red turtle tent on Av. Atlântica, 4134, then walk one minute to the sand for a sunrise stand up paddle lesson. Universo Paddle provides the board, leash, life jacket, instruction, and photos and videos. English and Spanish instruction is available.

“Vue magnifique. Mais on a pas le droit de s'arrêter 2 secondes pour prendre une photo. Les moniteurs ne font que crier qu'il faut avancer. Plus stressant qu'autre chose. 1 seconde à l'arrêt et on se fait crier dessus. Pas relaxant pour admirer la vue”

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