Rio de Janeiro in $510s-$540s RT

Rio might be a sprawling urban metropolis, but there's still room to stretch out and get a little fresh air... 

...half a mile above the city!

The challenging Pedra da Gávea hiking trail takes you through the rainforest, around a mountain, and then up. Yes, straight up. Okay, some maps describe it as a "rock scramble," but take a look at some pics and see if you think that's an underexaggeration. Good thing there's guides with climbing ropes readily available!

Succesfully scale that last massive rock face, and you will be rewarded for your courage. Sitting on top of that rock is like sitting on the edge of the world — even Sugarloaf Mountain looks like a molehill from up there.

And this trail might be quite the ordeal, but we think there's enough caipirinhas back at the bottom to ease the next day's soreness :-)