Top Rio de Janeiro Culture

Get an in-depth local experience with this walking tour of one of Rio's "favelas," Rocinha. Follow your resident guide through the slum to get an insider's perspective on daily life and learn about the challenges these communities face. Upgrade your experience to a 2-day tour that includes a visit to Tijuca Forest.

Discover Rio de Janeiro from its history, architecture and cultural influences that have shaped the way you are Carioca. We will walk through squares, churches and historic sites, with the possibility of a break for a snack or coffee at the traditional Colombo Confectionery (not included in the tour price).

Explore the Carnival Factory, for a peek behind the scenes of Rio's Carnival, on this cultural tour. Learn how the parade's famous floats and costumes are produced. Listen to commentary on the history of samba and carnival, then hit the dressing rooms to try on some costumes and take some photos. Wind up with a cocktail and a samba class for the whole carnival experience.

We're a specialized incoming travel operator in Rio de Janeiro, offering the most immersive Afrotourism experiences that bring to light key sites of Black history, a legacy once erased and silenced. Our tours provide a decolonial narrative, visiting essential places like Valongo Wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage Menu publisher-the largest slave port in the Americas, and Pedra do Sal, the birthplace of Samba. From this point, the Black community reshaped their identity, profoundly influencing Brazil's national culture and values. What you'll experience? Afro-Brazilian Heritage | Afro-Brazilian Art | Afro Cuisine | Black Heritage Sites | Black Cultural Icons Little Africa is part of UNESCO's Global African Diaspora Project. Why choose us? - Black owned company - Trusted partner for Embratur and Black Travel Summit - Specialists in international Black events - Small groups for meaningful connections Ideal for travelers seeking authentic Afro-Brazilian culture. Don’t wait - book your tour today!

Get a glimpse into local life in Rio de Janeiro during a favela tour that reveals a different side of the Marvelous City. In an intimate group limited to 12 travelers, you’ll explore two of the largest favelas in Rio, and benefit from the local insight of a guide as you learn more about living conditions in the city.

See two iconic Rio de Janeiro landmarks from the water—Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf—on a sailing tour. Sail in Guanabara Bay or the open sea while you relax with a welcome drink and snacks. Enjoy stunning views and discover the magic of sailing from the captain who illuminates Rio’s history. This 3-hour boat tour has a maximum capacity of 20, so there'll be plenty of room onboard.

Explore the Rocinha with whom you live and know the territory. This tour offers a safe and authentic immersion in Brazil’s largest favela, guided by a local resident. The journey begins with a motorcycle-taxi ride and includes stops at strategic points that reveal the daily life of the community, away from stereotypes. The experience is educational, respectful and built on the basis of real experience, promoting conscious tourism and the dialogue about social transformation through education.

Summit both Corcovado and Sugar Loaf mountains on this half-day tour in Rio de Janeiro. After bright and early pickup from your Rio hotel, travel through the Tijuca National Forest to get up close with the Christ the Redeemer statue without throngs of people around. After learning about its history from your local guide, move on to Sugar Loaf Mountain for spectacular views of the sprawling city.

Board at Marina da Glória and cruise Guanabara Bay on a 3-hour boat tour timed to put you on the water at exactly the right moment for sunset. The group is capped at 11 passengers — no crowds, plenty of space on board, and full attention from the crew for everyone. Along the way, you'll pass the Museum of Tomorrow, stop for photos in front of Oscar Niemeyer's MAC in Niterói, and have 1 hour for swimming at Praia de Adão e Eva or Enseada da Urca. On the crossing back, with the sun going down over the bay, you'll see Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain lit up by the last light of the day — straight from the water. Beer, water, soft drinks and snacks are all included

Escape the crowds and discover a different side of Rio de Janeiro on an unforgettable adventure through Tijuca National Park, home to the world's largest urban reforested rainforest. Your experience begins with convenient hotel pickup before heading into the heart of the Tijuca Rainforest. Accompanied by an experienced bilingual guide, you'll explore scenic jungle trails, hidden caves, crystal-clear waterfalls, and breathtaking viewpoints while learning about the unique ecosystem that makes this park one of Rio's greatest natural treasures. Along the way, keep an eye out for local wildlife, including toucans, monkeys, coatis, butterflies, and many other species that call the rainforest home. They might appear to welcome you! Unlike traditional city tours, this experience takes you beyond Rio's famous landmarks and into the wild heart of the city, offering an authentic connection with nature and one of the most diverse environments in Brazil.

As one of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic attractions, Christ the Redeemer attracts lengthy lines. Save time and prevent hassle by prebooking skip-the-line tickets, which allow you to board the next available train to the summit of Corcovado, where the statue is located. Your return ticket is valid on any train, so spend as much time as you like at the top, enjoying panoramic vistas of Rio and capturing photographs of the landmark.

Discover the best of Rio de Janeiro on this full-day guided tour with lunch. Take the Corcovado train up to the Christ the Redeemer statue, take a cable car ride up to the Sugarloaf Mountain, see the famed Maracana soccer stadium, capture beautiful photos in front of the colorful Selaron Steps, and much more. This tour is also inclusive of a delicious barbecue buffet lunch at a local steakhouse.

With your ticket at Morro da Urca, you visit and have access to the Praça dos Bondes - which displays the two previous generations of the Sugar Loaf Cable Car and the life-size bronze sculptures of those responsible for the creation and implementation of each one - Augusto Ferreira Ramos and Christopher Leite de Castro and; Cocuruto - a place that tells the story of the Sugar Loaf Cable Car, inaugurated over 100 years ago, with exhibitions of images, projections, machinery and objects that marked the trajectory of the 1st Brazilian cable car and the oldest in operation in the world. At some times of the year, the space hosts temporary exhibitions. The park has preferential access, lift platform, adapted toilets and ramps, making tourism accessible for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility.

Visit the Museum of Tomorrow, one of Rio’s most unique and modern science museums, and AquaRio, the largest aquarium in South America, with this half-day tour. Enjoy admission (if option selected) and guided tours of each attraction, then follow your guide to Olympic Boulevard, Maravilha Port, and the Painel Etnias graffiti wall to see the areas of Rio transformed for the 2016 Olympics.

Visit some of the most avoided areas of Rio de Janeiro with a guide who knows the areas well and knows how to keep you safe during this Rio de Janeiro Rocinha Favela Walking Tour. You’ll visit a few favelas within just a few hours as your guide tells you about the communities and their culture. Follow paths locals walk every day to see the slums and take in hilltop views of the city.

Delve deeper into the history of Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro with this insightful and informative walking tour around the city’s Saúde neighborhood. Once the largest African slave market in the world, Rio was the first port of call for millions of slaves arriving in Brazil. From carnival to samba, and food to music and religion to architecture, this guided walking tour shows how their heritage and legacy are still alive in Rio today.

Sail along Guanabara Bay just as the sun is setting below the horizon and experience Rio when it starts to come to life. This small-group sailing adventure is a perfect way to relax and see the sites such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Rio-Niteroi Bridge. Relax with complimentary drinks and light snacks while you sail.

Tick off several of Rio de Janeiro’s top sights—including the Selaron Steps, Christ the Redeemer Statue, and Tijuca National Park—in just a few hours on a tour that offers a stress-free introduction for travelers short on time. In order to avoid the hassle of public transport, you’ll travel around Brazil’s cultural capital in an air-conditioned vehicle and benefit from the insider knowledge of your guide.

Visitors will travel back in time on this tour of downtown Rio. The tour will visit the cultural and historical highlights of Rio, including the Cinelandia Square which is home to many of the political buildings of Rio; and Praia Quinze de Novembro, a square in the historical centre of Rio and surrounded by many historically significant buildings.

Check off most of Rio de Janeiro's top landmarks and highlights on a single full-day tour that saves you hours of planning logistics. Beat the Marvelous City's heat as you travel between the Sambadromo, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, and the Tijuca Rainforest in an air-conditioned vehicle to help you stay cool and collected. A buffet lunch, round-trip transfers, and admission tickets to Christ the Redeemer are all included for ease.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s biggest parties during this tour in Rio de Janeiro. See all the work that goes into this week-long party as you tour the City of Samba, a warehouse where floats and costumes are kept, and the Grande Rio’s Samba Factory, to learn about the history of samba and how to samba while wearing a traditional costume.

Samba is part of Rio de Janeiro’s lifeblood and this tour takes you to a traditional samba school for a behind-the-scenes look at this important cultural aspect. Join a small group and visit the City of Samba, home to several schools, to see where the costumes and giant floats are created. Visit one of the schools and learn about the history of samba, see the workshops, and take a quick samba class.

Looking to experience a dose of Carnaval magic, even if you’re not visiting Rio de Janeiro during the annual festival? This tour offers the perfect introduction. Choose from several start times and travel via air-conditioned vehicle from Copacabana straight to one of the city’s top samba schools. You’ll meet dancers, try on costumes, discover floats, and enjoy a celebratory caipirinha cocktail. Then, learn insider tips during a hands-on samba lesson.