• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Shop
  • Blog Coaching
  • Disclosures
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Amazon
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at th I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at this view from the top of the Kloof Corner hike! The biggest way we’re able to afford traveling so much is by letting the deals dictate where we go. Cape Town has been on our bucket list forever but with flights typically costing $1,200-$1,800 it hasn’t been a priority. But when Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going, I don’t like the new name but that’s besides the point) dropped this Cape Town deal for less than half of what it normally costs we jumped on it!

So often I hear “but there are no deals during school breaks”, YES THERE ARE! We went to Cape Town for Thanksgiving and the girls get the entire week off of school so they missed no days. Plus since there seasons are opposite it was late spring and the weather was amazing. Scott’s emails deals directly to your inbox for the airports you choose (we select our home airport and airports we can easily fly direct to and always have cheap flights because sometimes it’s worth flying to a city for a deal (known as a repositioning flight). They offer a free version but you don’t get all the deals so we have the Premium subscription which costs $49 for a year and you can tap the link in my bio and use code TRAVELINGCHILD20 for 20% off. They have an Elite membership level for business class seats. Because someone always asks, yes they give deals for nonstop flights but please remember you can’t fly everywhere nonstop. Beloved if you’re going to Thailand from the US you’re going to have a layover.

Anyway when in Cape Town you must hike, there are so many amazing ones! This Kloof’s Corner hike is perfect for sunset. It’s not stroller or wheelchair accessible as there are stairs but if Jordyn and Kennedy can hike it in 40mins (one way up) I promise you don’t have to be super fit!

P.S. when booking a flight from the US you have 24 hours to cancel & get a refund (on flights booked 7 days in advance). So many ppl told me they hesitated on this deal because they had to see if they could get off work/what dates worked for their travel partners. Always book first, think second & just cancel within 24hrs if you can’t make it work! What’s the best flight deal you’ve booked?
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s every Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s everything you need to know about getting into South Africa (save + share this post):

1. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after your scheduled date of departure.

2. You must have 2 consecutive empty pages in your passport.

3. There is no visa required for US citizens for visits less than 90 days.

4. There are no shots required to travel to South Africa, unless you are traveling from or transiting through yellow-fever deemed countries, then a yellow fever shot is required. You can find a list of these countries online.

5. South Africa has opposite seasons than the US so our winter is their summer. December to February are peak travel due to the weather but if you visit in November like we did you’ll get good weather and avoid the massive crowds of peak season.

Have you visited South Africa? If so, which part? If not, is it on your list?
Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners? Are you the one in your group that plans the trip or do you just show up? If you’re the planner tag your friends 😅. If you just show up do you look at the itinerary or ask all the questions even though the info was given to you 👀?

Original reel idea credit goes to @kryssedeal, sis really nailed exactly how I feel!!
#sponsored Last year we were able to cross some am #sponsored Last year we were able to cross some amazing places off our bucket list. We want you to do the same so we’ve teamed up with @vrbo to give you the opportunity to win $3,500 and turn your bucket list trip into a book-it-list one! 

Just head over to the giveaway post on @vrbo, make sure you’re following them and tag 3 people you’d want to join you on your trip! 

So what is your book-it list vacation this year?

*T&Cs apply – link in bio

 #VrboTogether #BookItList
Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post):

1. Visit the various houses of worship like Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque. Suleymaniye Camii, Ortakoy Mosque, Chora Church and the Camlica Mosque

2. Tour palaces like Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

3. Climb the Galata Tower for amazing views of Istanbul. You can even enjoy a meal here at the restaurant on the top floor.

4. Take a cruise of the Bosphorus to see both the European and Asia side of Istanbul.

5. Visit the cities Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar where you can shop your heart out and the Spice Bazaar where you can eat your heart out. Don’t leave without trying a Turkish delight!

6. If you want to go shopping Istiklal is the place to do so. They have a wide range of stores including international chains like Zara.

7. See a Dervish show at Hodjapasha.

8. Walk across the Galata Bridge to see fisherman at work and then walk under it to taste their fresh catches.

9. Take a day trip to the Princes’ Islands.

10. Experience a Turkish Hammam.

11. Explore the neighborhood of Balet, enjoying the colorful building and have some traditional Turkish tea or my favorite Apple Tea.

12. Turkey has some amazing food so go on a food tour or take a cooking class. If you don’t do either just make sure not to leave without having a traditional Turkish breakfast!

I recommend at least 5 days in Istanbul but you can easily spend a week or more exploring the city.

Have you been to Istanbul? If not is it on your list? For those that have been what was your favorite thing to do?

#istanbul #bucketlistadventures
Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post): 3 n Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post):

3 nights Siwa: Shali Fortress, 4x4 safari in the Great Sand Sea, sunset on Fatnas Island, emple of Amun and Temple of the Oracle, take a look or a dip into Cleopatra Spring, Mountain of the Dead, House of Siwa Museum, float in the salt lakes.

5 nights Cairo: Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx,  Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khal Al Khalil, Old and Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al Azhar Mosque and the Fortress of Babylon, see an Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri. For a break from the historical things with kids spend a day at Dreamland Park, Kidzania, or Ski Egypt. Stay at Marriott Mena House.

3 nights Luxor: Hot air balloon ride, Luxor Museum, Mummification museum, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Colossi Statue of Memnon and Hatshpsut

3 nights Aswan: High Dam, Temple of Philae, Nubian Villages, Sail on the Nile by Felucca, Nubian Museum, Abu Simbel

On the way to Aswan from Luxor you can also stop to see the Temple of Horus and Kim Ombo Temple. If you have extra time visit Alexandria, Bahariya Oasis, and White Desert National Park to see the White Desert.

Have you been to Egypt? Is it on your list? There is so much to see outside of Cairo! 

#bucketlisttravel #cairoegypt #luxoregypt #aswan
OUR MOROCCO ITINERARY (save + share this post):

🇲🇦2 nights Chefchaouen- painting class, hiking, enjoying the Blue City and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Fes- Royal palaces, Moroccan dance class, visit the tannery and more

🇲🇦6 nights Marrakech- Majorelle Gardens, explore the Medina, explore the various mosques, stay in a riad, take a Moroccan cooking class and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Sahara Desert- ATV tour, sand boarding, Bedouin experience and more.

For all the details of each trip tap the link in my bio for the itineraries of each city. Have you been to Morocco? Is it on your list?

P.S. the girls were 3 and 5 on this trip

#moroccotrip #thisisafrica #travellingwithkids

The Traveling Child

If kids live there, kids can visit!

  • Affording Travel
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
    • Asia
      • Singapore
      • Thailand
    • Australia
    • Caribbean
      • Aruba
      • The Bahamas
      • Barbados
      • Cuba
      • Grand Cayman
      • Jamaica
      • Puerto Rico
      • Trinidad
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • The Netherlands
    • North America
      • Alaska
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Kansas
      • Louisiana
      • Mexico
      • Nevada
      • New York
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
    • South America
      • Brazil
      • Colombia
  • Travel Tips
    • Tips on Traveling with Kids
    • Trip Planning Tips
  • Reviews
    • Airline Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Product Reviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Buy Our Book
  • Blog Coaching

Pedra do Telegrafo: A Must Hike in Rio de Janeiro

April 9, 2019      Brazil, Destinations, South America

This blog post is in partnership with Backcountry.com. All opinions are my own and true!

When planning our Rio de Janeiro vacation visiting Pedra do Telegrafo was a must. We’d seen photos of the optical illusion photos of people “cliff hanging” all over Instagram and wanted the same. We knew it was in Rio but we didn’t understand the logistics of getting there. It wasn’t what we expected so we want to share our experience. Here is everything you need to know about visiting Pedra do Telegrafo.

Pedra do Telegrafo couple kissing

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

How to Get to Pedra do Telegrafo

When planning our visit to Pedra do Telegrafo we had no idea it was actually a 90 minute drive from the Copacabana area. There are three ways to get there, you can take the bus, take a tour, or hire a private driver. For ease, comfort and budget we chose to hire a private driver but here’s how to take the bus to Pedra do Telegrafo if you’re feeling adventurous. I honestly don’t recommend this route unless you are comfortable speaking Portuguese and understand you may potentially wait a long time for a bus.

From Rio de Janeiro you will need to get to Terminal Alvorada. When you get to Terminal Alvorada take one of the blue express buses to Malto Alto station. Once you arrive at Malto Alto station you’ll need to take the local bus 867 towards Barra de Guaratiba. You will get off the bus at the Barra de Guaratiba stop and walk towards the yellow church. There are a set of stairs besides the church leading to an alleyway. If you’re unsure if you ask any local you see they will be able to point you in the right direction. The alleyway is where the hike to Pedra do Telegrafo starts. You will soon see yellow painted footprints on the ground which will guide you to Pedra do Telegrafo.

What to Expect on the Hike to Pedra do Telegrafo

While the official start of the trail to Pedra do Telegrafo is 1km there is about a .2km hike prior to arriving to this sign. Most people take about 40-45 minutes to make the hike but since we were traveling with a 3 and 4 year old it took us an hour. If my 4 year old can make the hike up and down by herself you can definitely make it so don’t be intimidated by the amount of time it takes.

Pedra do Telegrafo Hike

The Rio sun is no joke so thankfully the hike to Pedra do Telegrafo comes with plenty of shade to block you from the burning rays. Hiking up  there will be some steep and tight areas so be prepared for those. This not the activity to wear sandals or flip flops, you need sneakers.

If you get tired and need a break there are plenty of places to rest on the way up to Pedra do Telegrafo. Lucky for you these places are typically on a rock that has an epic view of the beach below. We also came across a gentlemen at about the halfway point that was selling water and snacks.

Pedra de Telegrafo Rest Area

Like most hikes there are no toilets on the way to Pedra do Telegrafo. If you need to use the restroom you’ll have to find a hidden place off the path and be one with nature. Be sure to hike with toilet paper and a bag to put any trash in.

Once you make it to the top you can expect the most breathtaking view you’ve ever seen. However, depending on the time you arrive that view could be obstructed by a massive line of people waiting to get their own optical illusion cliff hanging photos! We finished the hike to Pedra do Telegrafo at 10:00AM and the line was already quite lengthy. I read the line can sometimes be 6 hours to take a photo and we thought by leaving Rio at 7AM we’d beat the crowd. When we saw the line we wished we had arrived to the start of the hike at 7AM. We waited about 45-60 minutes until it was our turn to take photos.

Pedra do Telegrafo View

If there is one than one person in your group you can switch off waiting in line while the other person sits in the shaded area. There is another person here at Pedra do Telegrafo selling snacks and water for you to enjoy while you wait.

Pedra de Telegrafo Snack Stand

How to Get the Perfect Photos at Pedra do Telegrafo

Before getting to Pedra do Telegrafo I stalked other people’s Instagram photos to see what type of fun shots we wanted to take. While I knew what we wanted I honestly wasn’t too sure how we’d take them at the right angle to get the death defying effect we’d seen all over the internet. Luckily we didn’t have to worry about that! There is a photographer stationed at the top ready to take your pictures.

Telegrafo

The photographer is a pro at capturing these photos at the right angle. When we went he was charging $5 for 10 photos taken on his Nikon. Not only did he take pictures on his camera he takes them with your phone if you’d like a well. There was no obligation to purchase his professional pictures even if he took some for you on your phone. He did such a great job, I don’t know why you wouldn’t purchase them or at least tip him. He tells you exactly what to do and really we got great photos. Here is what the whole area really looks like.

If you choose to purchase the professional photos he will give you his business card with his website. You’ll be able to download your pictures that night after 9PM. He does put a small watermark of the left hand bottom corner of the photo but it is extremely easy to crop it out.

What to Bring on the Hike to Pedra do Telegrafo

You will need plenty of water to make the hike to Pedra do Telegrafo. While there is someone selling refreshments once you get to the cliff you’ll need water on your journey. CAfter our many hikes on our Southwest road trip and in Costa Rica we learned carrying large water bottles is annoying. This time we invested in the Osprey Hydration Backpack and I’m glad we did.  You can fill it with 2.5L of water and comfortably carry it on your back. There is a long straw attached to the pack allowing you to easily drink without removing the backpack. The backpack can also hold items like extra clothing.

Backcountry.com Hiking Gear

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

When I’m hiking my clothing typically doesn’t have pockets to store items like my phone or keys. This was true for our hike to Pedra do Telegrafo and that’s why I always hike with my Herschel fanny pack. To me it’s more convenient than having to constantly remove my backpack to retrieve my items.

If you are traveling with young children like we were I highly recommend using a carrier. If you’re child can’t walk or gets tired of walking you won’t want to carry them in your arms. Our favorite hiking carrier is the Dueter Kid Comfort III. We love how easy it is to get your child in and out, that is comes with a shade, and so many other features.

We got all of our hiking gear from Backcountry.com. You can use promo code HAMBRICK15 for 15% off your first purchase.

Dueter Kid Comfort III Hiking Carrier from Backcountry.com

Hiking to Pedra do Telegrafo was one of the highlights of our Rio de Janeiro vacation. When you’re done with your hike you’ll probably want to cool down and relax. There are three beaches that you will pass driving back to the Copacabana area of Rio de Janeiro. It’s a good idea to make the Pedra do Telegrafo hike an all day adventure. You can relax on one of the nearby beaches afterwards, they are much better than Copacabana beach. Grumari Beach is good for swimming, Prainha is great for surfing and Macumba Beach is good for swimming and surfing. 

We love using our Skullcandy Barricade XL Speaker at the beach. Not only is it Bluetooth capable, there are USB plug so you can charge your phone and it’s waterproof. You don’t have to worry about it getting wet and you can feel free to take it in the ocean with you! We also got it from Backcountry.com and you can use promo code HAMBRICK15 for 15% off .

I hope you get the most epic cliff hanging photos at Pedra do Telegrafo. You’ll want a good meal after this hike so check out the best restaurants in Rio. Did you find this article helpful? Please share it!

This blog post is in partnership with Backcountry.com. All opinions are my own and true!

Share17
Tweet
Pin72
Email
Share
89 Shares

Newsletter Subscribtion

 
Join Our Mailing List
You'll get tips on affordable travel, flight deals and detailed itineraries for every trip we've been on (family, girlfriends getaway, baecations and solo) to make your planning process easier.
Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shever says

    April 13, 2019 at 1:46 am

    Awesome information. You made this adventure so attractive, it is now a must do on my bucket list.

Primary Sidebar

  • Amazon
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

Newsletter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
You'll get tips on affordable travel, flight deals and detailed itineraries for every trip we've been on (family, girlfriends getaway, baecations and solo) to make your planning process easier.
Thank you for subscribing!

Recent Posts

  • The Best Christmas Markets in Europe
  • The Best Christmas Markets in the USA
  • The 11 Best Eiffel Tower Photo Spots
  • The Best Places to Go for Halloween
  • Things to Do in Southern Idaho

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Facebook

FOLLOW US ON PINTEREST

Copyright © 2023 The Traveling Child, LLC.