Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing in Rio de Janeiro: 7 Classic Routes Ranked by Difficulty

The conversation about Rio climbing usually begins and ends with two routes: Pedra da Gavea and Morro Dois Irmaos. These are the right routes to know — they are defining objectives that justify a trip from anywhere in the world. But Rio's multi-pitch inventory is far larger than two climbs, and a climber who spends a week in the city looking only at those two has missed a landscape of granite that took the local community decades to develop.

Here are seven multi-pitch routes in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, ranked from most accessible to most demanding.

Chamine Stop, Morro do Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf) — 5.7, 3 pitches, 150m. The easiest true multi-pitch in Rio and the best introduction to Rio granite for climbers who have never been to Brazil. Three moderate pitches on the south face of Sugarloaf, finishing at a ledge with views of Guanabara Bay. Approach via the Urca neighborhood (20-minute walk from the cable car base station). Gear: 8 quickdraws, two slings, 50m rope. This is the route you do before Gavea if your multi-pitch experience is limited.

Via dos Italianos, Morro da Urca — 5.9, 5 pitches, 200m. A classic that the Rio climbing community has known for 40 years, Via dos Italianos takes a diagonal line across the main face of Morro da Urca with consistent 5.8-5.9 climbing and one crux pitch. Well-bolted throughout, with escape options at pitch 3 if weather turns. The approach is the same as Chamine Stop — Urca neighborhood, no trailhead fee. Gear: 12 quickdraws, 4 slings. This is the true warm-up route for Gavea.

Passagem dos Olhos, Pedra da Gavea — 5.9, 8 pitches, 844m. Rio's defining multi-pitch and the most iconic summit in Brazilian climbing. The Via Normal (also called Passagem dos Olhos on some maps) tops out on the highest point in the Tijuca massif with views extending 60km in clear conditions. The crux is a friction slab on pitch 4 with no positive holds — you smear and commit. Approach via Sao Conrado takes 1.5 hours through Atlantic forest. Budget a full day with a 6AM start. Gear: 12 quickdraws, 4 shoulder-length slings, 2 cordelettes, 60m dry rope.

Via da Gávea Pequena — 5.10a, 4 pitches, 220m. Gavea Pequena sits directly south of the main Gavea massif and is visible from many Sao Conrado viewpoints. Four pitches of face and slab climbing with better rock quality than many surrounding routes — the granite on this face has less lichens and more positive holds. Less known than Gavea proper, which means you will often have it to yourself on weekdays. Gear: 12 quickdraws, 2 slings.

Via dos Canivetes, Pedra Bonita — 5.10b, 6 pitches, 280m. Pedra Bonita sits in Tijuca National Park, accessible from the hang-gliding launch ramp at the top (take a taxi to the ramp and descend to the wall). Six pitches of clean face climbing with the sustained crux on pitch 4. The descent involves two rappels and a trail down through forest — allow 2 hours for descent. Gear: 14 quickdraws, 4 slings, two 60m ropes for the double-rope rappels.

Nordeste, Corcovado — 5.10c, 7 pitches, 400m. Corcovado (the mountain beneath the Christ the Redeemer statue) has a developed climbing sector on its northeast face that almost no tourists know exists. Seven pitches on good granite with sustained 5.10 difficulty through the upper pitches. The approach runs through private land managed by the Corcovado train operators — you will need to arrange guide access. Not climbable independently without prior arrangement. Gear: 14 quickdraws, 4 slings.

Nordeste Ridge, Morro Dois Irmaos — 5.11a, 6 pitches, 300m. The hardest route on this list and the most committing. Six pitches of trad climbing through the twin spires above Leblon, with the crux a sustained 20-meter finger crack on pitch 2 that is continuously at 5.11a. A guide is mandatory — the approach through Vidigal requires community authorization. Full trad rack required: cams 0.3 to 3 inches, 10 nuts, 12 quickdraws. Budget 6-8 hours car to car with a 6AM start.

For a first-time visitor planning a Rio multi-pitch itinerary, the ideal sequence is: Day 1 — Chamine Stop or Via dos Italianos (calibrate to the granite), Day 2 — Via da Gavea Pequena or Via dos Canivetes (build confidence on steeper terrain), Day 3 — Pedra da Gavea Via Normal (the summit), Day 4 rest, Day 5 — Dois Irmaos (the hardest, with a day of recovery behind you). This five-day sequence covers the full range of Rio multi-pitch from 5.7 to 5.11a and is the basis for what local guides call the Rio Climbing Week.