Brazil · GUIDED
Good guided tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Explore Rio’s Rocinha favela with a local guide, learn about daily life, and see the city from a more grounded perspective.
“I want to thank our tour guide Ray She was really nice and very helpful Her English was great, all the information she gave us was really clear”
Explore Rio’s Tijuca Rainforest by open-top jeep, with waterfalls, monkeys, forest walks, history, and sweeping Chinese View scenery.
“Amelia was very accommodating. She made sure that everything we wanted to see was included in the tour. Our driver was terrific. He even showed us some different trails to see the best views. I would highly recommend and definitely worth the money.”
Explore Rio’s Tijuca Rain Forest by open Jeep, with easy walks, waterfalls, historic sites, city views, and hotel pickup.
“The pictures are extremely accurate. This is a great trip for nature lovers. There is a bit of explorative walking, but nothing difficult. It was a welcomed suprise.”
Explore Santa Marta with a local guide, visit Michael Jackson Square, hear samba, see community projects, and learn how favela life works.
“Great cultural experience. The tour didn’t feel exploitative and the history shared with us was appreciated. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a true cultural experience and want to get to know the locals and what the Favelas are about from guides. This tour is hosted by a family that gives back to their community.”
See São Paulo’s churches, street art, historic center, Paulista Avenue, and Ibirapuera views on a practical five-hour guided tour.
“The guide was very professional. He spoke about the places we visited and explained in detail their historical and cultural significance. He didn't forget to include anecdotes and interesting observations. The journey in the air-conditioned bus with other tourists was very pleasant.”
Meet Santa Marta resident guide Gilson Fumaça, see Michael Jackson’s square, enjoy Rio views, and support local education and cultural projects.
“We really enjoyed this tour, it’s the most unique and down to earth, genuine tour I’ve been on. We were amongst the locals living in the favela from the get go and had a lot of interaction with people as we made our way down through the favela. Gilson may look young but he has been running these tours for 40 years - he is an excellent guide and is well liked by everyone in the favela. We met his grandkids, other family members and he invited us into his mother’s home which is filled with clocks! Highly recommended”
Explore Rocinha with a local guide, motorcycle ride, capoeira, samba, secret viewpoints, and honest insight into Rio community life.
“The tour was astonishing. Gisele and Larissa were perfect guides, so fun but informative at the same time. It wasn’t just a boring tour but we visited a lot of cool spots and heard a lot of stories directly from guides that are local. Would recommend to anyone!”
See Rio your way with a private guide, car, flexible hours, beaches, landmarks, scenic views, and local stops from $56 per person.
“Thank you so much Dario, we loved having you as our private tour guide! I cannot recommend this enough whilst you are in Rio. There was excellent communication beforehand to organise the itinerary and we managed to cover off everything we wanted to see on the day! Not only was the car comfortable, Dario knew everyone which seemed to help us skip the queues especially at Sugarloaf Mountain! Dario also gave us plenty of history on Rio and always had an answer to any questions we had. Nothing was too much trouble for Dario, from taking our pictures for us, holding our bags and not rushing us as we queued…”
Hike Two Brothers before dawn with a local Vidigal guide, motor taxi, forest trail, and sweeping sunrise views over Rio.
“This was amazing! Although early, the view were impeccable! Our hike guide was knowledgeable and so helpful! Most definitely worth the money!!”
Experience Rio’s samba roots at Pedra do Sal with a local English-speaking guide, live music, a welcome drink, and Little Africa’s nightlife.
“It was such a great experience, especially when traveling alone. The group was really fun and I felt safe the whole time. Even the guide shared a lot about the history of the place, which was really interesting, and the drinks were great too 😃 Overall, a super experience”
See Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selarón Steps, beaches, and Rio’s historic center on an 8-hour guided tour with lunch.
“Well organised excursion! The best way to have a general idea from Rio! Gustavo, our guide was really experienced and helpful. Definitely recommend!”
Join a Rio football match at Maracanã or Nilton Santos with hotel transfers, a guide, covered general seating, and local match-day energy.
“Great time, perfect timing, no stress, very places in stadium.. Guide was nice and know perfectly the stadium”
Explore Rio by bike in small groups, from Copacabana and Sugarloaf to Lapa and Selarón Steps, with three routes and expert guides.
“we really enjoyed Philip's tour! we recommabd strongly! i'ts a safe tour ans very very pleasant!”
Join Rio football fans at a live match with a local guide, seated ticket, and drink. Get help with entry, Face ID, and safe transport.
“It was an amazing experience for sure! Pedro was our tour guide and he was attentive and easy to communicate with. He contacted us early after the booking and gave us the directions / meeting points for Maracana. On the day, we had two guys to cover for about 20+ people and they were moving around in the stadium to chat / explain the game to everyone during the game, including to hand out water / beer. The seat was not assigned per se and we were seated around the north side. About 20 seats behind the goal line. The exact length of the tour was about 3.5 hrs as…”
Explore Vila Madalena and Beco do Batman with Leticia, stopping for street art, local bars, Brazilian drinks, galleries, and snacks.
“Leticia was so knowledgeable and led us on a great tour through the Vila Magdalena neighborhood and gave us great suggestions for the city as well. Most of our group ended up hanging out well past our tour “end” time!”
Pick a city, a waterfall or a stretch of sand.
