Kite surfing in Rio is one of the newest additions to the wide range of adventure sports available in the state. Pioneers started in the 1980´s but it only really kicked off in the late 1990´s, it is still on the rise. Rio de Janeiro is one of the places in the world to practice the sport, access to long beaches, good weather and consistant wind conditions. These good conditions coupled with the Carioca’s love for sun, ocean, beaches and sports has made the sport firmly established.
Kite Surfing in Rio – Not for Anyone
Now kite surfing is not a sport for the weak, it is heavy work with the sail and it can actually be quite dangerous. Most practitioners have a solid background as surfers or windsurfers. This shouldn’t keep you off, there are some excellent safe places for beginners in the state; prime location is probabaly Araurama, a few hours north from Rio. If you go to Associação Brasileira de Kitesurf you can find most schools around the state along with a lot of other good info and cool stuff. Novices use smaller sails which makes it a lot safer. There is another reason why the sport is not for everyone, the equipment is expensive.
Where to Practice Kite Surfing in Rio?
In the actual city there is no real kite surfing going on, you’ll have to go to the beginning of Barra de Tijuca to find some schools and kite surfers. On a windy day I can highly recommend going there just to check out some of the awesome stunts they pull out there, it’s really spectacular! Kite surfing is spread out all around the state but the greatest concentration is in Barra de Tijuca. The best conditions for beginners are in Araurama.
