15 Guided Tours in Rio de Janeiro Worth Booking

1.Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3,052 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $36Our pick

Spend about two hours walking through Rocinha with a local guide such as Ray, Bruno, or Carlos. Pickup is available from Copacabana or Ipanema, with multilingual guides, air-conditioned transport, and a community contribution included in the $36 price.

“It was an amazing experience. And our guide Ray, was the best. Very good in English and she made you feel comfortable, which was nice, when it’s your first time in a favela.”

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2.Guided Jeep Tour through Tijuca Rainforest

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 740 reviews · 4 hours · from $90

Ride an open-top jeep from select Rio hotels into Tijuca National Park. Guides such as Jorge, Roberta, Everton, and Andre explain the forest, wildlife, and reforestation before an easy one-hour walk past waterfalls, chapels, and city viewpoints.

“I liked the history provided by the our tour guide Roberta and the scenic views were amazing!”

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3.Jeep Adventure: Guided Tour through Tijuca Rain Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 554 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $88

Spend about four hours touring Tijuca National Park in an open-top Jeep, with an easy 15 to 30-minute forest walk to waterfalls. Your multilingual guide may be someone like Everton, George, Lucy, or Eddie. Expect city viewpoints, Mata Atlântica ecology, and hotel pickup, but not a wildlife safari.

“The trip through the national park was informative and educational. Our guide was informative and also amusing.”

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4.Favela Santa Marta Top Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 488 reviews · 150 minutes - 3 hours · from $28

Walk Santa Marta with a local guide such as Mario, Marco, Luis, or Raycca. See Michael Jackson Square, Mirante Dona Marta, filming locations, social projects, and a guide’s home, with samba, football, and time to meet residents.

“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.”

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5.Favela Santa Marta Tour with Resident Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 220 reviews · 2 hours - 150 minutes · from $27Best value

Walk through Rio’s Santa Marta favela with resident guide Gilson Fumaça, whose family has lived there for generations. Visit his mother’s clock-filled home, Michael Jackson Square, local projects, a restaurant, and viewpoints over Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.

“Just great in all aspects, obrigado Gilson and best wishes for your future and your many projects!!”

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6.Favela Rocinha Tour with Local Guide & Secret Spots

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 218 reviews · 2h 30m · from $43

Meet your English-, Portuguese-, or Spanish-speaking guide at São Conrado metro station for a two-hour walk through Rocinha. Expect local stories, viewpoints, motorcycle transport, community businesses, secret spots, capoeira, samba, and exclusive photos in a group of up to 10.

“It was amazing! My tour guide was awesome, very safe, but gave us a lot of opportunities to do different things:)”

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7.Private Guided City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 207 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $56

Build your Rio day around beaches, Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Santa Teresa, gardens, or local neighborhoods. A private guide such as Dario, Meilin, or Riccardo travels with you by car, adjusts for weather and traffic, and shares practical local insight.

“Riccardo is an amazing guide. He made sure we had a great time and he showed us Rio de Janeiro through his eyes as he was born and lives there. We saw a lot and enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you so much Riccardo! We had a wonderful day”

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8.Sunrise and Sunrise Walk Two Brothers with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 193 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $64Top rated

Meet your local guide at Vidigal, ride a community motor taxi or van to the trailhead, then hike 1.5 km through Atlantic Forest to the 533-meter summit of Morro Dois Irmãos. Expect an early start, lanterns, photo stops, and wide views of Ipanema, Leblon, Christ the Redeemer, and Rio’s southern coast.

“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. Highly recommended!”

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9.Pedra do Sal: Live Samba Night with Local Guide & Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 183 reviews · 2h 30m · from $41

Meet Helena, Gustavo, Yan, Lena, or another English-speaking local guide near Angu do Gomes, then walk into Pedra do Sal for samba, stories, and a welcome drink. This is a real Carioca night out, not a staged show, so expect crowds, dancing, local artists, and a late finish.

“Lena was a great guide! I had a fun group and Pedra do Sal was amazing. I loved learning about the rich history! This is perfect for solo travellers who want to experience Brazil’s night life with someone knowledgeable and feel safe!”

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10.Rio’s Icons Guided Tour with Tickets & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 155 reviews · 8 hours · from $126

Spend eight hours seeing Rio’s major sights with a bilingual guide such as Gustavo, Camila, Eduardo, or Jose. Hotel pickup, entry to Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, transport, and an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch are included. The small group can include up to 19 people.

“Camila was the best guide for this tour. She’s very knowledgeable about the Rio and the culture. I went as a solo traveler and it never felt that way in this tour as she was very welcoming and engaging. Must do if coming to Rio!!”

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11.Football Match in Rio de Janeiro – Guided with Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 150 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $166

Join a local guide such as Leo, David, or Warley for a Rio football match at Maracanã or Nilton Santos. Hotel pickup, stadium tickets, and return transport are included. Expect lively fans, covered general seating, security guidance, and a schedule that can change close to match day.

“Intense atmosphere and energetic fans. A bit chaotic outside of stadium but our guide got us safely in and out.”

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12.Guided Bike Tours in Small Groups

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 133 reviews · 3 - 7 hours · from $36

Ride through Rio with a guide such as Marco, Duco, or Thiago on a 3, 4, or 7-hour route. See Copacabana, Sugarloaf, Flamengo Park, Lapa, Selarón Steps, and Lagoa. Bikes, helmets, and lunch on the full-day tour are included.

“Fantastic! Ulysses the guide was amazing and it was a very enjoyable way to see part of Rio. Totally recommend it!”

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13.Football Game Ticket with Guide and a Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 124 reviews · 5 hours · from $86

Meet your football guide in Ipanema or near the stadium, handle any required biometric registration, then join local fans for a live match. Guides such as Pedro and Ricardo help with tickets, seating, chants, drinks, and the trip home. English and Spanish support is available.

“My family loved our whole soccer experience. My kids said it was one of their favorite activities of our entire Rio trip. The passion is real inside the stadium and fun to experience. Ricardo made everything so seamless and was a super friendly and helpful guide. So glad we did it!”

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14.Pedra da Gávea Guided Hike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 86 reviews · 8 hours · from $68

Climb Rio’s 842-meter Pedra da Gávea with a small group of up to 10 people and a bilingual guide such as Sergio or Eduardo. Expect a demanding forest hike, a secured rock-climbing section, local myths, and broad views of Guanabara Bay, Rio’s beaches, and Tijuca National Park.

“Unfortunately we weren’t able to see the view from the top because it was cloudy that day, however Sergio was very nice and told a lot of interesting stories. For me personally the hike was quite complicated but for sure worth it”

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15.Exclusive Private Rio Tour: Guide & Private Car/Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.)

Start at 7:30 am with Bruno and a private driver for a six to seven hour tour of Rio. Visit Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selarón Steps, historic churches, Kobra’s mural, and Valongo Wharf.

“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 great blend of Brazilian and US culture. So, if you’re looking for a great guide in Rio, try to book with Bruno. A+++++++++++”

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