Rock Climbing in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil is probably the country in South America with the best and most developed rock climbing scene. The most famous areas include the whole of urban Rio de Janeiro, Salinas, Itatiaia, Pedra do Bau. The rock here is all granite, though sandstone and limestone crags exist elsewhere in the country. Guidebooks exist for most of these areas.
We run a 2 week climbing holidays to Brazil, for details please see our Brazilian Climber and Scrambler page.
Rock Climbing areas in Brazil
Itatiaia
Anhangava
Marumbi
Rio de Janeiro
On the route ' Infravermelho' on the Morra Urca, above the Praia Vermelha, Rio.
Climbing on the north side of the Agulinha da Gavea, Floresta da Tijuca Rio. In the Brazilian winter climbing season the north side is of course the sunny side.!
Topping out on K2, Grade IV+ (about easy E1, hard HVS, 5.8) which finishes right by the Cristo Redentor statue on the Corcovado. Watch out for the Japanese tourists.
Tres Picos
Some of the longest and most impressive routes in Brazil are found on these mountains a few hours drive northeast of Rio. It is a very scenic area. Pico Maior, at 2315m is the highest peak around here.
Serra dos Orgaos
Located an hour or two inland form Rio these are very dramatic mountains with some classic rock climbs, including the most famous route in Brazil on the 1600m high Dedo do Deus. First climbed early last century by an all Brazilian party it is still a difficult and exciting climb.! The normal route (about VS, 5.6 or 5.7) is up the west side in a series of three (tight ) chimneys. Another good and popular route climbs the east side, slightly harder and with some more spectacular chimneys (about HVS, 5.8)
The Dedo do Deus at sunrise.
The view from the summit of the Dedo down onto the peak of Escalavrado, 1420m, a spectacular scramble up the left hand ridge, starting up a greasy gully from the main road. Mostly very straightforward but exposed and slabby climbing , with one 50m pitch of about V.Diff, 5.4
Itatiaia
Some of the highest peaks in the coastal range are in this national park. there is excellent scrambling and some good rock climbing too. be prepared for cold weather in the June-August Brazilian climbing season. Frosts are regular and it even occasionally snows.
Scrambling on Agulhas Negras.
The 2600m high Pedra do Altar, one of the spots with the best rock climbing in the Itatiaia National Park. Climbers are on Cha para Dois (III) and Cafe na Cama (IV), both about VS or grade 5.6
Pedra do Bau
The Pedra do Bau is the biggest peak here - bigger than it looks at nearly 300m!
Looking down the easy but exposed top pitch of the Normal route on the Pedra da Bau (grade III).
Anhangava
Located just a short way form the city of Curitiba in Parana state, Anhnagava is a small friendly place to climb, on very good rock. There aren't many routes though and nothing is longer than about 20m. However if you are in the area it is worth checking out. Pictured below one of the steeper routes at grade VII, the lower slab is a delicate grade V (about E1).
The nearby Refugio 5.13 (Cinco Trece) is a cool place to stay, they sell guidebooks, have information and a nice campsite.
Marumbi
Marumbi is a steep wildly overgrown and very atmospheric place to climb on about halfway between the city of Curitiba and the Atlantic Ocean. To get here either take the tourist train from Curritiba to Marumbi station (pictured below), or follow the old colonial road of the Estrada da Graciosa to the park entrance, from where a one hour walk gets you to the station.
The guidebook here lists many routes from grade IV upwards, each with exposure grades (often serious0 and vegetation grades 9often plentiful). Marumbi is definitely a place for the climbing connoisseur, but is a remarkable place for a walk or a scramble. The ascents of the peak of Olimpo 1539m and Abrolhos c.1200m are long and sustained scrambles (easy grade though), featuring many iron staples, wires, overhanging vegetation and mud, snakes, monkeys, toucans etc...
Guidebooks
The following guidebooks are all reasonably easy to find (once you get to South America!!) and are reasonably accurate and useful.
Brazilian Tanager
Guia de Escaladas - Urca (Portuguese) by Flavio Deflon and Delson Queiroz -- the classic climbing areas around the Sugar Loaf - Morro da Babilonia, Morro da Urca and the Pao de Acucar itself.
Floresta Da Tijuca (Portuguese) by Flavio Deflon and Delson Queiroz -- climbs in some of the more outlying areas of Rio, including the Pedra do Gavea, Agulinha da Gavea, Corcovado and the Pico Tijuca.
Guaratiba - Andre Ilha -- A coastal area near Rio.
Guia de Escaladas do Itatiaia (Portuguese) by Alberto and Correa Guedes -- Climbs in this mountainous area about four hours drive from Rio, including Agulhas Negras and Prateleiras.
Guia de Escaladas - Tres Picos (Portuguese) by Alexandre Portela and Sergio Tartari and Isabella de Paoli.
Manual de Escaladas e Boulders - Pedra do Baś (Portuguese) by Eliseu Frechou -- A small guide to this brilliant piece of rock.
Anhangava (Portuguese) by Dalio Zipppin Neto and Ronaldo Franzen.
Marumbi (Portuguese) by Jose Luiz Hartmann.
Burrowing Owl
