RIO DE JANEIRO
The best of the marvellous city.
The 15 most popular guided tours in Rio de Janeiro, with prices, run times and who you book through. The ones worth building a day around, and what each actually gets you.
Walk Rocinha with a local guide, learn daily life up close, and get a safer, respectful Rio perspective from a small-group tour.
Most Popular“Very educational and felt safe ! Highly recommend.”
Open-top jeep + guided walk in Rio’s Tijuca Rainforest. See waterfalls, monkeys, and views from Vista Chinesa in 4 hours.
“my driver and guides positive vibes an general knowledge made the activity fantastic”
Ride an open-top Jeep into Tijuca Rain Forest, hike to Cachoeira dos Macacos, and enjoy classic viewpoints like Vista Chinesa and Emperor’s Table.
“I wouldn’t recommend this tour group due to very poor communication. My booking details clearly stated that pick-up was at my hotel address. After waiting for several minutes, I was then told that the pick-up location was a different hotel about 15 minutes away. That hotel is not listed anywhere in the meeting or pick-up…”
Walk Santa Marta with a local guide in Rio. See Michael Jackson Square, views, samba, football, and community projects for $28.
“Mario is a great guide. The tour was really informative.”
Meet Gilson Fumaça on a Santa Marta favela tour: real stories, smart safety, views, and community projects for $27.
“I was skeptical to book one of these tours, but im glad I went with a local (fumaça) who is so well respected by this community, it wasn’t there to exploit the community for money he was there to educate, and I’m glad we left feeling the way we felt. Thank you for showing us…”
A small-group Rocinha favela tour with local guide, motorbike ride, viewpoints, and capoeira/samba—responsible and practical.
“Antonio was our guide. He was friendly, very professional, and also spoke excellent English. The tour started with a motorbike ride to the top of the favela, and then we walked back down to the meeting point. Antonio lives in the favel, so he was able to give an interesting and insightful description of living…”
Private Rio city tour with a dedicated guide and private transport. Customize your day, cover Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, and iconic sights.
“Gerda was perfect tourguide. she is very considerate and helpful. I am so happy that I met her as guide. Hope we meet again. I enjoyed Christmas with her.”
Sunrise hike from Vidigal to Morro Dois Irmãos with a local guide: lantern-lit trail, moto ride, and wide Rio views. Around 3.5 hours.
“The experience was absolutely incredible! The views from the top of Morro Dois Irmãos at sunrise are truly breathtaking, totally worth the early wake-up. Everything was perfectly organized, and our guide Rodrigo was the best! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and made us feel safe the whole way. One of the highlights of my trip to Rio.…”
Live samba at Pedra do Sal in Rio’s Little Africa, guided history, local drinks, and an easy way to join the night.
“What a night!! History, Samba, Drinks…and lots of people!!! Great vibes, it’s very busy!! Host was excellent Yan!!”
Rio’s Icons in 8 hours: Christ the Redeemer and SugarLoaf tickets, lunch buffet, and hotel pickup with a multilingual guide in a small group.
“This tour was excellent. If you have a short amount of time and want to see the major sites without feeling rushed, this tour is it. The guide Jose Ricardo was amazing, and super friendly.”
Guided football in Rio at Maracanã or Nilton Santos with roundtrip transfers, a knowledgeable guide, and partially shaded general admission seats.
“As a football fan you really should consider this trip . We got lucky as it was the night that Flamengo won the league. Don’t be concerned about security you are with the guide all of the way and with a security escort near the stadium. The atmosphere was like nothing I have experienced in…”
Small-group guided bike tours in Rio with three route options, expert English guides, helmets, bike rental, and lunch on the 7-hour ride.
“We got guided through the whole city with the bikes. There was enough time to take fotos and for some breaks. The guide was really good and spoke excellent English. He explained a lot about the city. 4 hours was a good duration, longer would be too much.”
Rio soccer match with a local guide, skip-the-ticket help (sometimes biometric), and an included drink. Start in Ipanema and cheer.
“Ricardo was great! We found the whole evening fantastic. Thank you 😊”
Challenge Pedra da Gávea on a small-group 8-hour hike to 842m, with certified gear, safety coaching, and Bay of Guanabara views.
“Eduardo and Fernando were awesome. The hike was difficult but the view was absolutely worth it. Would definitely recommend.”
Private Rio day with a dedicated guide and car: Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selarón Steps, free sights, and history in one smooth route.
“Bruno is an exceptional guide. We saw the key sites and then some, very efficiently. Besides being extremely knowledgeable about Rio and its history, he’s a delightful person. He was born in Rio, moved to the US as a child, and returned to Rio to open a tour business a few years ago. He’s a…”
From Christ the Redeemer and the Sugarloaf cable car to the beaches, the rainforest and the Lapa nights, every way to spend a day in the Cidade Maravilhosa.
