Adventure Sports -- Rio Hiking(tel. 021/9721-0594; www.riohiking.com.br) has recently evolved into Rio's adventure-sport specialist, offering a range of exciting outdoor sports that take full advantage of Rio's extraordinary geography. To date, Rio Hiking offers rock climbing, rafting, ocean kayaking, cycling, scuba diving, surfing (with lessons), and rappelling. Depending on the sport, half-day adventures cost from R$121 to R$181 (US$40-US$60), full-day adventures R$181 to R$242 (US$60-US$80), transfer to and from your hotel included. The company also offers 3-day trekking trips.
Aventuras Rio (tel. 021/9195-8462; www.aventurasrio.com.br) offers a couple of 1-day adventure-sport options from Rio. On the rappelling trip, you drive past Barra de Tijuca to beautiful Guaratiba, hike for an hour to a cliff overlooking an undeveloped beach, then rappel down a 377m (115-ft.) rock face. Then you hang out, swim for bit, and head back. Cost is R$135 (US$45). The white water-rafting trip takes you to a small river an hour north of Rio with Class III (and sometimes Class IV) rapids. The descent takes about 3 hours. Cost is R$135 (US$45).
