Hotels near Tijuca National Park

Tijuca National Park covers roughly 40 square kilometres of Atlantic forest inside the city limits, one of the largest urban forests anywhere. Most of it was replanted by hand from 1861 onward after coffee clearing stripped the slopes, which makes it a 160-year-old restoration project as much as a wilderness. Entry is free. The Alto da Boa Vista sector holds the Cascatinha Taunay waterfall, the Mayrink chapel and the Vista Chinesa lookout.

Pico da Tijuca is the serious walk here: about 5 km return from Bom Retiro, finishing on a chain-assisted scramble to a 1,021-metre summit with both Corcovado and Sugarloaf in one view. Allow three to four hours. Shorter options include the 40-minute loop to Cascatinha Taunay. Gates open at 08:00 and close at 17:00, with last entry well before that.

Pro Tip: Start the Pico da Tijuca trail by 08:30. Summer cloud builds fast in the afternoon and the final scramble is unpleasant on wet rock. Carry two litres of water, because nothing is sold past the trailhead.