Brazil · BEACH TOURS IN RIO DE JANEIRO
Good beach tours in Rio de Janeiro fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Hike Rio’s Pedra do Telégrafo for sweeping coastal views, then cool off at Grumari or Prainha Beach with transport and a guide.
“Lovely day and hike. The guides were very helpful during the entire day and took pretty photos of us. Highly recommend!!”
Review of the Arraial do Cabo day trip from Rio, with a schooner cruise, swim stops, beach views, lunch, costs, and practical tips.
“What a delightful day! Even though the wind was too high for the boat excursion,Vivi took us to three wonderful beaches, each with something different to offer. There was plenty of time to make friends, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. This was a day we’ll never forget, thank you to Vivi and our fellow travelers”
Paddle off Copacabana at sunrise, learn SUP basics, and enjoy ocean views, lockers, life jackets, and photo coverage for $70.
“Pior experiência da minha vida! Conselho que dou é NÃO FAÇAM. Primeiro que fui no ponto de encontro e não tinha ninguém lá, cheguei 4h15 e o horário marcado era às 4h30. Daí fiquei em plena madrugada do Rio esperando responderem as minhas mensagem ou atenderem as minhas ligações e nada. Daí tive que ir na orla da praia saindo de quiosque em quiosque procurando o responsável pela atividade. Só conseguir fazer pois tinha um lá que tinha parceria com a “ empresa” ao qual contratei, caso contrário não iria conseguir fazer a atividade. O rapaz que me atendeu me passou a informação que eles não tinham mais o ponto…”
Review of Rio’s Pedra do Telégrafo hike with guide Alessandra, Marambaia views, small groups, photos, pickup, and Grumari Beach details.
“A Alessandra é a melhor guia que existe!! Sempre solicita, caminhando no nosso tempo, simpática e competente. Seu irmão, que nos levou ao passeio, é outra pessoa maravilhosa. Foi uma experiência única que indico a todos.”
See Rio from the water on a three-hour speedboat tour with Sugarloaf views, swim stops, city stories, and complimentary drinks.
“Rafael es encantador! La excursión fue genial y dinámica. La pasamos increíble”
Hike Rio’s Telégrafo Rock through Atlantic rainforest for ocean views, guide-taken photos, hotel transfers, and an optional beach stop.
“Super geslaagde dagtrup, de gids was stipt op tijd en heeft ons uitleg gegeven over dingen die we nog niet wisten van Brazilië. We houden er heel goede herinneringen aan over en een massa mooie foto’s 😉”
Review of the Buzios day trip from Rio, with Azeda, Joao Fernandes, Tartaruga, Rua das Pedras, lunch, and a schooner ride.
“if you want to travel 4 hours each way for a 3 hour boat trip, with the option to pay for scuba, then this is your trip. you will only see the beaches from a distance and the guide wasn't brilliant”
Cycle Rio’s Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon with a bilingual guide on this scenic three-hour tour.
“The bikes were so neglected they were dangerous. 5 out 7 bikes had their chains fall off consistently - the guide didn’t even wait when that happened and would consistently run red lights when leading us. If we were to follow him we would have been mowed down by traffic. The bike brakes were poor. The chains themselves were so oily to the point our legs, clothes and shoes were stained. The tyres were dry rotted, so badly they were crumbling apart. The gears didn’t work. The guide didn’t even know where we were going. I rarely post negative reviews, but this tour was awful and we’d strongly suggest going…”
Explore Rio's quieter coast on a six-hour beach tour from São Conrado to Prainha and Grumari, with hotel pickup and a local guide.
“Quería conocer las playas, obviamente de eso se trataba el paseo, pero el día anterior me armaron un tour más completo con visita a Piedra del Telégrafo, muy bien y entretenido pero luego sólo dio tiempo para 1 playa Grumari, y a la otra Prainha nos dijeron que sencillamente no alcanzábamos a pasar porque el chofer no podía, una lástima porque lo que yo quería era playas preciosas y el tour fue incompleto. La guía Jessie excelente guía y preocupada siempre de todo el grupo. Me devolvieron la mitad del dinero pero cuando uno anda de viaje y programa un paseo determinado, con errores así te quedas sin conocer lo…”
Hike Rio’s Pedra do Telégrafo for famous cliff photos, then swim at Grumari Beach on a six-hour guided coastal escape.
“Great, my driver Sylvio, was very kind and knowledgeable. I recommend him, for sure.”
Hike Rio’s Pedra do Telegrafo, enjoy sweeping coastal views, then swim at Grumari Beach on a six-hour small-group outing.
Hike Rio’s Pedra do Telégrafo, take digital photos, and swim at Prainha or Grumari on a guided half-day outing with hotel pickup.
“Excelente nuestro Guilherme nos contó mucho sobre la ciudad y nos ayudó a pasarla increíble el mejor guía de Rio”
Ride Sugarloaf’s cable cars, see Rio’s famous beaches, and weigh the value, timing, traffic risks, and practical details of this four-hour tour.
“Von den angekündigten 4 Stunden saßen wir 2 Stunden im Auto um von der Copacabana bis zum Hafen hoch zu fahren um Kreuzfahrtgäste abzuholen um dann wieder herunter zum Zuckerhut zu fahren . Dafür hatten wir dann 70 Minuten für den Zuckerhut . Das war ok , der Reiseführer hat sich Mühe gegeben, wollte uns dann aber nach dem Zuckerhut nicht zurück zum Hotel fahren sondern in ein Uber oder Taxi setzten . Weil er schon soviel Zeit verloren hatte . Die versprochen Strände haben wir nicht besichtigt. Entsprechend enttäuscht sind wir von diesem Ausflug.”
Hike to Caeté summit, swim at Prainha and relax at Grumari on a small-group Rio day trip with hotel pickup and bilingual guide.
Hike Pedra do Telégrafo for its famous illusion photo, then relax at Rio’s Prainha and Grumari beaches on a 7-hour tour.
Pick a city, a waterfall or a stretch of sand.
