Morro Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers Mountain)

To get to the trailhead for Dois Irmãos (pronounced "doyz-ir-MOUSH" in the local carioca accent), you will need to first pass through the Vidigal favela. This favela is considered pacified, and the people are generally friendly and helpful! However, it may be unwise to attempt this hike outside of daylight hours. 

Taxi cabs and buses will not enter Vidigal, so you will need to be dropped off at the Av. Niemyer 210, at the entrance to Vidigal. This is about 1.3 km past Leblon beach, and right after the Sheraton hotel. The entrance to the favela will be on your right, and you should see a plaza with a concrete structure. Walk a couple paces up the road (away from the ocean, concrete structure on your right) and you should find small public bus vans underneath the blue "Vidigal" sign that can take you to the top. Ask to go to the football field, or campo de futebol (pronounced "CAM-pu gee foo-chee-BOL"). You can also tell the driver that you're looking for the trilha, or trail to Dois Irmãos; enough tourists pass through that they usually know where to drop you. The fee should be around BRL 2.50. If you enjoy an adrenaline rush, you can also take a motorbike taxi to the top...but beware, the roads are very sharp and the drivers are fearless! 

The bus will drop you off at the entrance of the football field. If you face the main road as if you were to continue ascending the mountain, the football field is on the left. Walk through the football field and pass through the gate on the other side to reach the start of the trail, which should enter the forest. After a few minutes of easy, relatively flat hiking, the path will veer right and you should start climbing over logs and steps. From this point on, the trail is well-trodden and straightforward. After about 10-15 minutes, you should reach a viewpoint where you can look over Pedra de Gavéa, another mountain in Rio de Janeiro, and Rocinha, the largest favela in the city. 

Another 15-20 minutes up the trail will lead you through more forest and some more difficult climbing sections through tree roots that can be slippery in the rain; watch your footing. Once you pass through this, the forest will clear and a second viewpoint will open up. At this point, you're about 5 minutes from the top of the mountain. Continue to follow the trail until you reach a concrete structure, where you should keep left and follow the last few paces of the trail to an amazing view over Rio de Janeiro! 

To return, follow the same trail back down to the football field, and wait for the bus at the same place where it dropped you off. The buses run relatively frequently, but you may have to wait a bit for the next bus with available seats. You can also walk back down to the entrance to the favela by following the main road, but keep an eye out for fast drivers around the hairpin bends.