The stairs of the Pista Cláudio Coutinho are for those with a little stamina, but the view is worth it
You may not know it, but there is a way to scale the I die from Urca, in Rio de Janeiro, – the same place where the Parque Bondinho cable cars arrive – without paying anything. The route takes place via a path that goes up to the top, with numerous stairs. The suggestion came from a friend in Rio, who my mother and I decided to hire.
The route starts at Cláudio Coutinho track, whose entrance is at the very end of Red Beach. Access is very easy to find and is open from 6am to 6pm. This trail was created for walking and running only: no cycling, skating or scootering permitted. The stretch goes around Morro da Urca and is 1.5 km long. The place is delightful, with little difference in altitude and an enchanting landscape, with the sea on the right and the trees on the left.
The path that leads to the top of Morro da Urca is on the left, where there is a sign indicating the start of the route and some rules, which in general concern common sense, such as not leaving waste on the path and following the route signs marked. Additionally, the park requires that groups of more than 30 people make an appointment via email monapaodeacucar@yahoo.com.br, due to the environmental impact of larger groups.
How is the climb?
It is worth paying attention to the opening hours of Trilha do Morro da Urca, which are not the same as the Pista due to the opening hours of Parque Bondinho. From Monday to Thursday the course is open from 9:00 to 17:00 and from Friday to Sunday the hours are from 8:00 to 17:00. Important: bring a bottle of water and insect repellent, you can only buy them up there, at the end of the path.
One issue that may concern potential hikers is safety, as the trails can often be quite deserted. The advantage of the Cláudio Coutinho Track and the path that goes up to Morro da Urca is that it is located within a military zone, so nearby are the School of the Command and General Staff of the Army, the Military Institute of Engineering, the Círculo Militar Club and the Naval High School. Right at the entrance to the Pista Cláudio Coutinho there were two police officers controlling the entrance, which gave me a greater feeling of safety. The day we went up was a Friday and we encountered very few people along the trail. Even if I felt safe, I would avoid doing the route alone.
The path to Morro da Urca is about 900 meters and the time it took was 40 minutes, being practically only uphill. Fortunately, it is not necessary to climb, as in Pedra da Gávea, since most of the ascent is done via stairs. Almost all sections are equipped with handrails or ropes to make climbing easier. The advice is to walk slowly, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, as well as stopping to rest: every five minutes we stopped to catch our breath and take a sip of water to continue the climb.
There are no views along the route, which is surrounded only by forest. But, if you are lucky, you might find some monkeys and tamarins along the way: this was not the case for us. There are also some rare species of trees, such as Brazilian wood.
The arrival
After about thirty minutes we arrive at the first panoramic point, which is located on a terrace in front of the small (and charming) Praia da Urca. Then, a few more minutes will take you to the entrance of Parque Bondinho, which is the first stop of the cable cars.
We go through the turnstile (free) and finally we arrived at the top of the Morro da Urca, with all the structure of the Parque Bondinho, such as a fountain, shops, restaurants, snack bars, as well as the viewpoint with a panoramic view of the Rio. From the top we could see Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf and Guanabara Bay. What a knockout!
This is the arrival point of the cable car and also the base to continue the tour and continue up to Sugar Loaf. The price of the cable car is at least R$150 per adult and R$92 for children and seniors. Until then my mother and I hadn’t spent a cent.
From there, after taking beautiful photos, there are three options: buy the cable car that goes up from Urca station to Pão de Açúcar and then goes back down to Praia Vermelha (R$ 130 for the entire trip); go directly from Morro da Urca to Praia Vermelha by cable car (R$ 45 for the entire trip); go down the same path as the climb without paying anything. You can buy tickets up there, using totems that are very convenient to use: the nice thing is that you can see your level of tiredness and decide immediately.
We decided to take the cable car up to Praia Vermelha, to save our knees on the stairs. Once we got to the bottom, we went straight for a swim at Praia Vermelha, that reward that Rio offers like no other city.
Morro da Urca trail
The trail is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Friday to Sunday from 8am to 5pm.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
