Hiking to the Two Brothers Lookout (Morro Dois Irmaos) in Rio de Janeiro - everything you need to know before your hike
The Two Brothers Lookout consists of two peaks that stand out in the Rio skyline and this hike takes you to the top of the taller peak (at 533 meters). From there you get an absolutely stunning view of Leblon and Ipanema beach, Rocinha and Vidigal favelas, and you can also see Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance, if you are lucky!
The hike itself is kind of steep at points, but it doesn’t take more than tops an hour to complete. So, I would say this is something most people can do without any problems. Personally the part that worried me more was that the trailhead starts inside Vigidal favela. So after having done it and learned everything there is to know about the hike I will guide you through how to do this both with a guide and solo. After going there I will say both alternatives are great, it’s just a personal preference. If you want to do it as a guided tour, this is the tour I took and was very happy with.
How to get to the trailhead of the Two Brothers Lookout
As I said the trail starts in Vigidal favela. When people hear the word favela, me included, I think of a place I’m supposed to stay away from for safety reasons. However, a lot of Rio’s favelas have become passified in recent years, meaning that more tourists come for a visit to the local bars and there are even hostels to stay in. The favelas are after all also known for having some of the best views in Rio. Just remember that even though a favela is passified, it doesn’t mean that crime doesn’t exist. I’ve never seen more guns and drugs in a day than I did on this tour. The only rule I learned was that as long as you dont film or take pictures of it, everything will be fine.
So how to get there. The absolute easiest way, and the one I recommend is to take an Uber to the entrance of Vigidal. You will not be able to take an Uber through the favela, they have their own transport there. But just say you are going to the entrance of Vigidal favela and they will know where to take you.
Once you get to the entrance you will see lots of Moto-Taxis, and there is usually a line to catch them. This will cost you between 5-10 BRL to get to the top. Just say you are going to the Two Brothers lookout (Morro Dois Irmaos) and they know where to drop you of. I have to admit that I was pretty terrified about driving a motorcycle up through the favela, but it was actually a really fun experience. Make sure to ask the driver if you can film before you go if you want to. I did this and was told that they would let me know if we entered an area or if he saw people I was not allowed to film and give me a sign. So unless you have his permission I would skip the filming. If this sounds to sketchy for you, it’s possible to walk but it will take you about 45 minutes to get to the trail, and its all steep uphill.
At the top of Vigidal, you’ll find a sign marking the start of the Morro Dois Irmãos trail near a football field. This was the first place a saw a group of people siting with huge machine guns, so just be aware that you might see this even if you aren’t deep in the maze of the favela. It definitely scared me a bit, but they didn’t seem to care about me in the least.
The Two Brothers hike: What to Expect
The hike in itself is no more that 1,5 km one way and will take you about 40-60 minutes up and 30-40 minutes down. There are plenty of beautiful lookout points on the way up so I definitely spent more time up because I took so many pictures. The hike is pretty steep at times so the short breaks every now and then was very welcomed. The path is well marked so you wont get lost and and mostly shaded which is nice in the Rio sun. And once at the top you will be rewarded by one of Rios best views.
Hiking Alone vs. With a Guide
My guess based on the people I met on the trail is that there is about 50% that do it with a guide and 50% that either do it alone or with someone they have met that might have done the trail before or done a lot of research. It’s definitely doable alone, but as a female doing this solo I decided to do it with a guide. Not because of the hike in itself, but because of the location of the trail head. Its all personal preference. Above you will find everything you need to make this trail alone without any problems.
Another reason I recommend doing this with a guide is because you get to learn more about the area and the favelas as you go. In addition we walked through the different parts of the favela on our way down again and watched the sunset there. This is not something I would have done without a guide. He knew people, knew the streets, where to go, where to avvoid and could teach us about the community on the way. It was truly fascinating and something I highly recommend doing. So if you decide to do the trail on your own, I still recommend doing a guided tour through one of the favelas at another time.
I was very happy with this tour. The guide was super nice and knowledgeable which made it all the more fun!
Final Thoughts
Hiking to Morro Dois Irmaos is one of the best activities in Rio de Janeiro in my opinion. It’s something slightly different to add to your itinerary and its so worth the time to do both the hike and also experience the favela with a local. However, even though Vigidal is one of the safer favelas in Rio, and many people visit daily without any issues, its always best to stay aware of your surroundings and take the safety measures you see fit.
Happy hiking!
Until next time,
Ingrid