Best of Rio in One Day: Christ Redeemer, Sugarloaf & Local Lunch
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 8 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
With a full day to spend in Rio de Janeiro, you can visit major locations during a comprehensive sightseeing tour. Let a guide take you to the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Escadaria Selaron (Selaron Steps), the Sambódromo where Rio’s Carnival takes place, Maracanã stadium, the Metropolitan Cathedral and more. With minivan capacity capped at 20, you’ll find it easy to follow your guide. Buffet lunch and entrance fees are included.
- Explore Rio de Janeiro’s most popular landmarks in a 20-capacity minivan
- See Maracanã stadium, the Sambódromo, Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, and more
- Live commentary on board the vehicle enhances the sightseeing
- Buffet lunch plus hotel pickup make touring convenient and comprehensive
What's Included
- Driver and Tour Guide
- Live commentary on board
- LunchBuffet lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off - main hotels in south side and downtown.
- Transport by air-conditioned van
- Tickets to attractions
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Drinks (available to purchase)
- Desserts (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Oferecemos embarque nos principais bairros turísticos do Rio de Janeiro, para que você aproveite uma experiência confortável, prática e totalmente livre de preocupações desde o início do seu dia. Os embarques normalmente acontecem entre 07h00 e 08h00, dependendo da localização da sua hospedagem. Para que tudo ocorra com tranquilidade, nossa equipe entrará em contato até às 17h00 do dia anterior ao passeio informando o horário exato do seu embarque e todos os detalhes necessários. Áreas atendidas: ➥ Centro ➥ Flamengo ➥ Botafogo ➥ Copacabana ➥ Ipanema ➥ Leblon Caso sua hospedagem esteja fora dessas regiões, não se preocupe — informaremos o ponto de encontro mais próximo e conveniente durante o processo de reserva. No dia do passeio, seu guia irá encontrá-lo na recepção do hotel e chamará seu nome pessoalmente, garantindo um início de experiência organizado e tranquilo. Recomendamos apenas que esteja pronto alguns minutos antes do horário combinado e tenha em mãos um documento de identificação válido. Nossa equipe permanecerá totalmente disponível durante todo o período de embarque. Se precisar de qualquer ajuda, estaremos sempre prontos para atender você.
Itinerary
1
Santuario Cristo Redentor
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Floresta da Tijuca (Pass By)
2
Mirante Dona Marta - Rio de Janeiro
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Maua Square
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Museu do Amanha
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Cinelandia
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Me Gusta Gourmet
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Arcos da Lapa (Pass By)
9
Escadaria Selaron
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
Sugarloaf Mountain
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 4,779 reviews
Charisse_B, May 2026
This is a great way to see the main attractions in the city. Our guide, Isaac, was funny and knowledgeable.
Rhian_R, Apr 2026
We had a great day and got to see most of the things we wanted to, and Victor was a great guide who really looked after us. We assumed the day started so early to avoid crowds at CTR but it was still extremely busy, so we would have preferred a later start and for the tour to finish after sunset at sugarloaf. A bit longer at some of the stops or a few more stops would have been great too.
Matthew_R, Apr 2026
Issac was an excellent guide and despite my dad and I being the only 2 English speakers on the trip, he did his best to keep us included and felt welcome. The trip was very organized. Lunch was delicious. Every stop was done with enough time to enjoy it well. I would definitely recommend this trip for anyone visiting Rio without much time in their stay.
David_C, Apr 2026
Spent majority of time traveling to sites. Not much time spent at sites. About 40 minutes to an hour. Lunch was buffet style and not authentic Brazilian food as promised. Had to pay extra for beverages including water at buffet.
Gay_T, Mar 2026
Great way to see the highlights of Rio in a day. Victor was a great guide and George drove us safely.
Leia_V, Mar 2026
This tour was a huge disappointment. I book tours to learn information about the city and places, not just get transportation to them. That I could do myself. But this mainly felt like a shuttle service where we spent a lot of time waiting for other people going to bathroom, shopping, or getting lost.
I want to make it clear that the tour guides Victor, Philip and Gino (driver) were very friendly and I think did mostly the best they could with a group, but there were some decisions that could have been better, especially having two guides. Firstly, only one of the guides spoke English which made it hard to divide the group as would have been more efficient so that there wasn’t a lot of standing around waiting. We thought this was an English speaking tour but it was instead both English and Portuguese and there were many times when it felt like in English we were not told everything or confused, as most of the group was Portuguese. They should divide tours by language. Also when the guide was speaking in English, the Portuguese speakers on the bus would be talking or watching loud videos on their phone in the back which made it hard for us to hear the English.
Now for the actual tour issues - bottom line they can’t fit all the landmarks they advertise so they skip several, which is false advertising, and especially for this price. 1) we were told we couldn’t go to Mirante Dona Marta that day because the “road is broken” but we knew others that went the day prior and when we passed the road it was not closed and there were many busses there, 2) Maua Square and Museum of Tomorrow, itinerary said are of great cultural significance and we would hear stories from our guide, but there was no information about the square, just “you have 15 minutes”, 3) Cinelandia and Theatro just drove by (without telling us in advance we wouldn’t be stopping as was on the itinerary - couldn’t see anything since I was on other side of van) and he said maybe a couple sentences and drove past to go to a souvenir shop near the steps, 4) at the steps they focused on telling to buy water at a specific stand and giving us 10 minutes at the souvenir shop instead of offering us more time at the steps so we asked to walk ahead and we did but with two guides they should have offered that option.
Javier_V, Mar 2026
It was a good tour covering many attractions in a short period of time. The only problem was the amount of time in some of the location was too short for my liking. However, the tour guide was great.
Clinton_J, Feb 2026
Great overview of the main sights around Rio. The majority of people on the tour spoke Spanish or Portuguese, my wife and I were the only English speakers, but the tour guide did an excellent job explaining everything in English in addition to the other languages. Thank you so much for doing that! I would highly recommend this tour.
Nadine_a, Feb 2026
Expensive way to see the main attractions. Largely drive by observations of sights in city centre. No commentary given other than naming buildings and height above sea level. . Recommend taxis and a guide book for a more insightful tour. Don’t bother.
Jordana_C, Jan 2026
They listed our hotel as pickup and when it was time they didnt show up. When asked if we can meet them later in the tour... they said no. When asked for refund... the owner responded saying its not his job...
liv7575, Jan 2026
Many of the points of interest were passed by and depending on your van seat you may or may not be able to see them. They group was all Portuguese speaking and the guides English was difficult to understand due to heavy accent. The guide also talked too much about US politics.
Minh_T, Jan 2026
Best way to see the major landmarks in one day. Victor and Sergio were great in getting us to all the places and with plenty of time to enjoy ourselves.
Craig_K, Dec 2025
Review coming from two Americans from Chicago…
1) we were the last to be picked up and we got the back seats, over the wheels. I’m 6ft 5in. No leg room, uncomfortable ride 95% of the trip. Roads were very bumpy and being right over the back wheels, you feel every bump.
2) our guide was very kind, and tried to keep us informed everywhere we went. We were the only two English speaking Americans on the tour. And not their fault, but we didn’t know any Portuguese or Spanish.
3) only about 20 of us, which was nice!
4) the souvenir shop we went to must have been a friend of a friend of the owner. We love spending money. Unfortunately nothing we found there.
5) lunch was jammed packed when we arrived around noon. Seems like all the other tour operators took there customers here. We got checked in, they had to open the top floor because no seats were left. The buffet line was long! We decided to pop out and buy our own lunch in the neighborhood.
Overall, I recommend the tour despite some of the negatives. It hits all the top places. But if the tour operator messaged us the day before telling us we would be the only two English speakers, I would have cancelled. Don’t get me wrong, our tour guide did try his best, we appreciate that!
Iman_I, Dec 2025
Victor is such a lively, knowledgeable and professional tour guide. We had the best time. He kept the group together and on time and did his best to give insight into all our locations in three different languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese). He made the environment fun and exciting. Victor also is talented and photography and made sure all guests got the photos of their dreams.
Keith_B, Oct 2025
Wonderful trip today with Vince and his driver/ music man. A really enjoyable day ☺️ was a little foggy at the redemer but perfect on sugarloaf. Meal was excellent as well.
sharoninsydney, Oct 2025
They said to be in lobby at 6.55am for a 7am start. They turned up at 8.15am!!! I get 30 mins late is ok but 1 hr 20 mins is not acceptable. It did say a 7.30am start but they sent a message correcting it and saying 7am. We had Issac who was more interested in taking our photos than telling us about the sights. I asked him to stop and when he kept doing I demanded he stop. It was really creepy. His English was awful but a lot of talk happening with the other tourists in Portugese. When he had to talk to me he went ‘hey lady…’. He was so disinterested in everything and when we stopped at a place he gave little to no information about what to see and spent more time talking and using his phone in a corner. It was the worst tour I think I have ever been on and felt totally ripped off. It was so disorganised. Would have been a better day using Uber and goggling the info - you would get more than what you did from Issac. Would I recommend this tour - NO!!
Valerie_K, Sep 2025
What a wonderful experience! If you want to see a lot of the city and major sights this is the tour to go on. This one includes lunch and it was delicious!
Dylan_S, Sep 2025
The whole trip was very good, and we got to see the iconic Rio sites. The schedule of the day was changed due to the forecasted rain in the afternoon, so we got to see the main sites in the morning whilst the sun was shining. A very good day, and the guide, Isaac, was great
Christopher_C, Jul 2025
An excellent tour of the key Rio sights - well organised and enjoyable with the right amount of time at each location.
MarcA_H, Jul 2025
Book through Viator and the process was very smooth. Get contacted the day before by the tour operator, which was appreciated.
Tour takes place in small bus with maximum of approximate 16 seats. Good air conditionned. Driving was generally safe.
The tour lasts about 8 hours and goes to all the advertised places. Good amount of time is given at each site to visit by ourselves. Prepared however to wait a bit at paid sites because tickets are not purchased in advance by your operator. While not advertised, there is stop early in the morning to a souvenir shop for about 20 minutes. Food at the restaurant is at best average.
Our guide was Isaac and he was below average. He gave minimal information, and mostly in Portuguese. The few English he spoke was difficult to understand. He generally left us to wander in the sites with no information about what to see. Instead, he would go in a corner and look at his phone until it was time to go to next site. Not surprisingly, no one give him tip at the end of the tour.
Overall, I would give 3.5 stars. With a good guide, I would give 4.5 stars (removing 0.5 star because of the average food at restaurant and the visit at the souvenir shop which I consider a waste of time).
Nira_M, Jun 2025
Safe. I traveled alone as a woman to Rio. I did a lot of reading before coming and got a sense that it was safe if you traveled in groups and during daylight hours. Isaac picked me up in the lobby of the Hilton Copacabana and dropped me back safe and sound. The tour covers a lot and allows you to decide where you might want to re-visit. For me, I’d love to go back to sugarloaf mountain for urs serenity and shopping. Isaac took very good care of me as I was the only English speaking person there. He made sure to explain everything to me in English. Highly recommend if you want to see a lot in a day.
Jeremy_C, May 2025
The tour's rating doesn't reflect its true quality. My guide, Rafael, spoke only basic English and lacked enthusiasm when explaining the attractions’ history and details. If you'd prefer to explore Rio's main sights at your own pace, you could follow the same itinerary and use Uber. For a more informative and engaging experience, consider other tour operators.
P.S. The buffet restaurant was decent, but it's a common stop for many tours and can also be visited independently.
Arvis_S, May 2025
The tour was supposed yo be in english as it clearly says “English language tour”. 95% of the tour was spoken in Portuguese.
Elizabeth_M, May 2025
Our guide Bruno was superb and worked hard all day to ensure equal service to bother English and Portuguese speaking clients. A full on day but saw all I wanted. Wasn't so keen on lunch. It looked superb but food was not warm. Guide made the tour!
Sean_T, Apr 2025
The tour is wonderful. All the places we visited were as committed and they are truly worth your time. I do wish the guide can speak better English, however, I do understand the tour has Brazilian as majority of the tourists.
SANDRA_S, Mar 2025
A very well planned excursion. Extremely knowledgeable tour guide ( Isaac). Viator provides excellent service.
kevinvandort, Mar 2025
A long day however well worth it as you get to see and experience all the highlights of this busy and large city. A special shout out to Isaac our tour guide who went out of his way to return an item to our hotel that I left on the bus! Thanks Isaac!
Jill_K, Mar 2025
Excellent guide, Isaac, very professional. Comfortable people carrier and fully airconditioned, which is essential. Once in a lifetime experience.
T_S, Feb 2025
Saw all of the big tourist spots in one day with the ease and convenience of a van to take us to each. We were expecting to learn more from our guide. We signed up for an English tour and our guide didn’t speak a lot of English, so we didn’t get a lot of history or information about the area. Great for just getting to a bunch of different places in one day. Would not recommend as an informative tour of Rio.
Petrina_L, Feb 2025
Isaac was a great guide and was funny yet informative. When we were picked up it was on time and the van was clean and nice and cool. We were running late from the next stop onwards due to a couple of ladies who decided to argue with Isaac for 30 minutes before we headed off and they continued to be late for every stop we made after that with no apologies. We were unfortunately the minority of English speaking people so Isaac spoke Spanish most of the time which of course made us miss out on more information.
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