Dois Irmaos Hill
Dois Irmaos Hill
Dois Irmaos is located in Vidigal neighborhood. They are two mountains: Irmao Maior (Older Brother) 533 meters high and Irmao Menor (Younger Brother) 421 meters high. The trail to the top of Irmao Maior is 1.5 km.
Morro Dois Irmaos features a 360º view of Pedra da Gavea, Pedra Bonita, Sao Conrado, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas as well as other parts of Zona Sul. It is one of the best viewpoints for observing the size of Rocinha favela, the biggest slum of Latin America, with around 70, 000 inhabitants (according to the official data from 2010).
Tips for trilha Dois Irmaos
- It is not possible to get a taxi to the beginning of the trail. Take a minivan, or if you are more adventurous, a moto taxi, which you can take from the favela entrance. Rides up costs more or less the same as a bus ticket.
- The entrance to the trail can be hard to locate. Look for people in sporty clothes, observe which direction they came from or just ask. Locals are always happy to point you in the right direction. “Where is the trail for Dois Irmoas” : "Onde é a trilha dos Dois Irmãos?".
- Go before 14, to get back down before the dark.
- Hail a minivan or mototaxi to go back down, as the streets of the favela are very winding and confusing to navigate. There are many exits from the trail and there are no specific minivan stops around, so be prepared to look for one.
- Take plenty of water and a dry shirt if you prefer!
Two Brothers trail safety
Vidigal favela and its main entrance are under police control, so it is fairly safe to go there. It is one of the safest and most touristic favelas in Rio. You can bring your camera to the trail, but keep it in your backpack until you reach the track, just in case. The hill has many climbers and therefore you are rarely alone. The trail does not require any actual climbing, so it is suitable for anyone moderately fit.
Song related to Dois Irmaos
One of the most famous figures in Brazilian popular music (MPB), Chico Buarque, dedicated one of his songs to Morro Dois Irmaos: