Dedo de Deus

With its craggy edge stretching deep into the clouds, Dedo de Deus is an awe-inspiring sight just 30 miles outside of Rio de Janeiro. Located within the Brazilian municipality of Teresópolis, this majestic granite wonder entices hikers, climbers, and thrill seekers from around the world to climb its rocky peak.

Dedo de Deus, which translates to the “Finger of God,” is shaped like a giant hand with an extended index finger pointed towards the sky. At 5,417 feet it’s a tough climb for even the most experienced hikers, but those who dare the ascent can catch stunning views of the former capital of Brazil and surrounding Serra dos Orgãos National Park. It’s a favorite among both Brazilian and international climbers, and the best time to visit is from May to September during the winter season in South America.

Less than one year ago, Roam Media interviewed extreme sportsman Ryan Robinson about his daring journey across a thousand-foot highline rigged to the famous rock. Suspended miles above the ground, he survived the journey and told the team that it “took four years of research, planning, setbacks, and one failed attempt” to cross it.

“This location is unique because rock formations like this don’t exist in very many places in the world,” Robinson told Roam Media. “I’m not an expert on rocks, but I can tell you that there just aren’t very many places...where you have a finger shooting straight out of the ground, into the sky, that’s this tall and this sharp, and this drastic.”

According to Mountain Project, the summit was originally claimed to be unreachable by elite European mountaineers. But in 1912, an all-Brazilian party made the trek, paving the way for new adventurers to climb along their original route (called Teixeira).

The hypnotic focal point of Dedo de Deus stands out amongst a series of ridges and valleys that characterize the Serra dos Orgãos mountain range. The granite rock formations may have formed over 620 million years ago, making the name feel pretty appropriate.