Morro dos Macacos

Overview

Morro dos Macacos ( Monkey Mountain )is a great gneisse block with 286 mts in the entrance of Guanabara Bay, inside of Fortaleza de Santa Cruz ( Santa Cruz Fortress ), a military area with many restrictions to climb. It’s a rounded form mountain with a big crack at the SW wall, having hard routes and spetacular view of Rio de Janeiro, Pão de Açucar, Tijuca Forest Mountains and Parque da Cidade – Niterói. This mountain is a postcard of Niterói City but, few people going there because do not know how to climb it. The North / East side are inside a particular area and there aren’t routes, only from Santa Cruz Fortress, you can go up the mountain or, choose climb the SW crack. The trail is very easy, 20-30 minutes rising by a good and inclinate trail to the top. Everyone with good conditions can go up this block.

Getting There

The access is very easy from anywhere , because this is an urban mountain. From Rio de Janeiro, the first step is drive to Niterói. Drive by Ponte Rio X Niterói and when arrives in there, go to Jurujuba district ( there are a lot of plates on the way ). All over Niterói coastline as possible to see the mountain. Just drive in your direction. Arriving Jurujuba, turn to the Fortaleza de Santa Cruz way, passing by two beaches ( Adão and Eva beach ) and after, you must to identify to the soldiers at the entrance of Fortress. The crack is situated before the main entrance, but you can stop your car at the parking place inside the Fortress. The trail starts behind this parking and rises by the SW crest till the summit. This way is unnecessary ropes or any climbing equipments, only good shoes ( There aren’t water ).

If you stay in Rio:
Taxi to Niterói : US$ 20-25 ( 1 hour without transit ).
Barcas S.A. : US$ 4 ( departures from Praça XV, downtown Rio – 25 minutes ).
Busline Castelo X Charitas : US$ 2 ( departures from Castelo bus station, downtown Rio – deluxe bus ).
Ponte RioxNiterói live cam

Red Tape

No parking fees, no taxes to climb, just the identification in the presence of the soldiers, for your safety.
Equipments to climb:
- Rope 50 mts;
- A pair of “nuts”;
- Some “friends”;
- No water on the base and route.

When To Climb

Every dry days are good to schematize your trip to Macacos. At summer season, could be extremely hot. I prefer visit this mountain or climb the crack at Autumn/Winter.

Camping

There aren’t camping area near Morro dos Macacos, but there are a lot of lodges in the neighbourhood districts.
Niterói – Hotels.

Mountain Conditions

Niterói – Weather

Routes

Inside the chimney, there is a good climbing route looking all downtown Rio and Guanabara Bay.
Chaminé do Forte – 4º V A2
Chaminé do Forte
The trail to the summit is very easy, rising by the south crest.

Links

Niterói Tourist Link
Niterói Map - Follow the way to Jurujuba, passing by Icaraí, São Francisco and Charitas.