Sugarloaf Mountain hosts fossil programme 5-18 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 02:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Sugarloaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) in Rio de Janeiro will host Aventura Pré-Histórica from 5 to 18 October 2026. The programme brings fossils, replicas and paleontology activities to Morro da Urca, linking a major Brazilian landmark with a travelling science initiative.
Fossil programme runs from 5 to 18 October
The Museu de Ciências da Terra and the SGBeduca education programme are presenting the activities with Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar. The Serviço Geológico do Brasil says the programme runs from 5 to 18 October 2026, from 10am to 5pm, at Morro da Urca in the park at Avenida Pasteur, 520, Urca.
The programme includes fossil excavation and painting, dinosaur origami, a themed race, an interactive fossil laboratory, storytelling and games. The laboratory will display specimens and replicas for observation with magnifying glasses, while storytelling sessions are scheduled for 11am and 3pm. The official programme notice also identifies the park and the participating institutions.
The Museu de Ciências da Terra is continuing its public education work while its own headquarters undergoes recovery works. At Morro da Urca, its collection is represented through educational materials, fossils and replicas rather than through a visit to that closed headquarters.
How the fossil programme fits the mountain landmark
Morro da Urca is the first stop on the cable car route serving Sugarloaf Mountain. The operator describes the journey as two linked stages from Vermelha Beach to Urca Hill and then to the summit, making the first station the setting for the October science programme. The park's official page identifies the three points connected by the cable car and gives the visitor address in Urca.
The summit reaches 396 metres above sea level, while the first cable car section ends at Urca Hill at 220 metres. The route began operating in 1912 as Brazil's first cable car, according to Brazil's Ministry of Tourism. The two granite hills are also part of Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea, the cultural landscape added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. The heritage description places the mountain complex within that protected urban landscape.
Visiting Sugarloaf Mountain: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Aventura Pré-Histórica runs from 5 to 18 October 2026 at Morro da Urca, from 10am to 5pm. Storytelling sessions are listed for 11am and 3pm.
- The event occupies the first station, not the summit. Its activities include fossil excavation, replicas, games and a laboratory, so the programme is a science activity within the cable car park.
- The visitor address is Avenida Pasteur, 520, in Urca, Rio de Janeiro. The park's cable car route starts at Vermelha Beach and connects Urca Hill with Sugarloaf Mountain.
- The terrain is a steep granite mountain setting with cable car stations, viewpoints and access between two elevated hills. The summit is 396 metres high and Urca Hill is 220 metres high.
- Portuguese is Brazil's official language and the currency is the Brazilian real.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Sugarloaf Mountain
When does Aventura Pré-Histórica take place at Sugarloaf Mountain?
Aventura Pré-Histórica takes place from 5 to 18 October 2026 at Morro da Urca, from 10am to 5pm.
What is Sugarloaf Mountain?
Sugarloaf Mountain is a granite summit in Rio de Janeiro reached by a two-stage cable car from Vermelha Beach through Urca Hill. Its summit is 396 metres high and it forms part of Rio's UNESCO cultural landscape.
Where is Sugarloaf Mountain and how do you get there?
The park is at Avenida Pasteur, 520, in Urca, Rio de Janeiro. The cable car route links Vermelha Beach, Urca Hill and Sugarloaf Mountain.
