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Rio Carnival Experience at Backstage of Carnaval Factory (Pick-up included)

Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Group discounts
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Brian_S ·
Apr 2026
I can’t recommend this experience enough. So many wonderful surprises during the tour and the ability to learn the important history of Carnaval was a gift. Thiago was an amazing guide and provided so many extra insights on the transport.
· Kelly_H ·
Feb 2026
So informative!! I had no idea about the history and the competition involved in Carnaval. The tour was fabulous and so fun. I made new friends and we got to enjoy this great Carnaval Experience without the crowds.

Overview

    What's Included

    • Hotel, airport or port pick-up and drop-off. (Within Rio de Janeiro City)
    • Professional licensed private tour guide.
    • Guided tour of the Acadêmicos da Grande Rio.
    • Costumes to wear and photograph.
    • Welcome caipirinha.
    • Samba class with a professional dancers.
    • Private driver for groups bigger 4 people, otherwise the guide drives the vehicle themselves.
    • Transport by fully-equipped vehicle.
    • Tips. (optional)

    Meeting and Pickup

    Pickup points

    Select a pickup point

    Pickup details

    PICK-UP INFORMATION: The transfer is totally private and exclusive for you and your group. P.S. Unlike the to-and-from private transfers hotel in Rio vs Carnival Factory that are conducted by our private guide, the activities may be together with other unknown tourists. • Wherever place you specify at the time of the booking. As it’s a private transfer, you choose the best pick-up point that suits your needs as long as it's within the city of Rio. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DROP-OFF INSTRUCTIONS: • Wherever place you specify at the time of the booking. As it’s a private transfer, you choose the best drop-off point that suits your needs as long as it's within the city of Rio. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HOTEL PICK-UP INSTRUCTIONS: • As soon as the tour guide arrives at your hotel, they get the front desk to call you in the room in case you are not at the lobby. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AIRPORTS / PORT ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS: • Once you have arrived at the airport there will be a member of our staff waiting for you at the arrivals area holding a clear sign with your name on it, they will then escort you to your waiting private transfer vehicle.

    Itinerary

    1

    Cidade Do Samba

    45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

    2

    Cidade Do Samba

    45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Infant seats available
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.9
    based on 21 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    Wonderful experience

    Brian_S, Apr 2026
    I can’t recommend this experience enough. So many wonderful surprises during the tour and the ability to learn the important history of Carnaval was a gift. Thiago was an amazing guide and provided so many extra insights on the transport.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you so much for your amazing review, Brian! 😊 We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the surprises during the tour and that Thiago was able to share so much about the history of Carnaval with you. 🎉 His insights really make the experience unique! We hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable experience in Rio! 🌟

    Well organized to coordinate pick up. Our driver Leandro was an excellent communicator, very attentive to our group.

    Andre_C, Mar 2026
    My group love the experience; their feedback was this was the best experience they’ve had on any tour. The interaction kept us engaged.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    We’re really happy to hear that Leandro made a difference during your tour and that the experience was unforgettable for your group. Interaction and engagement really do make a difference! We hope to see you again soon for more adventures in Rio!

    Carnival Up Close

    Nadelyn_F, Mar 2026
    This tour provides so much history about the work involved in Carnival from the floats to costumes and choreography. It's also great fun to dress in costumes, take pictures and dance samba.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you for your great review! 😊 We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed learning about the history and work behind Carnival, and that you had fun dressing up, taking pictures, and dancing samba. It’s wonderful to know you had such an immersive experience! We hope to welcome you again on another tour in Rio! 🌟

    Carnival Backstage Tour with Antonio

    Jackie_T, Mar 2026
    The Backstage Carnival Tour with Antonio was truly a highlight of visiting Rio de Janerio. The tour was better than advertised. Antonio, our tour guide accommodated us in several ways. Coming off the cruise ship, we had our luggage, so instead of walking, our guide hailed a cab, provided a commentary, stayed with us the entire time, took pictures and accompanied us to the airport. Antonio spoke several languages, including English. He was exxtremely helpful, courteous and professional. We gained insight into the history and importance of Carnival, the spectacle, float and costume design, dancers, and more. Getting dressed in Carnival costumes was so much fun, and having a private opportunity to witness Carnival dancers was a nice surprise. This tour with Antonio was great, don't miss it.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thank you so much for your detailed review, Jackie! 😊 We’re thrilled to hear that Antonio made your Carnival experience unforgettable and that you enjoyed all the special moments of the tour. It's great to know that you felt well taken care of throughout the day. We hope to welcome you again soon for another amazing experience in Rio! 🌟

    This was such an amazing...

    Siobhan_N, Feb 2026
    This was such an amazing experience, from getting to see the costumes and props, to the dancing it was a great day.

    Response from Host, Apr 2026

    Thanks so much for the review! 😊 We’re thrilled that you enjoyed the Rio Carnival Experience and had a great day seeing the costumes and dancing. It sounds like an unforgettable day! Hope to see you again soon for more amazing tours in Rio! 🌟

    Fun time learning about Carnaval.

    Kelly_H, Feb 2026
    So informative!! I had no idea about the history and the competition involved in Carnaval. The tour was fabulous and so fun. I made new friends and we got to enjoy this great Carnaval Experience without the crowds.

    Do it on your own

    Gary_W, Jan 2026
    You do not need a guide. The people there have their own tour guides. It was a lot of waiting before it began. The tour itself was informative and interesting.

    Such a blast! Great experience!

    Denise_R, Dec 2025
    We loved every minute of this experience going backstage at Carnival. We tried on amazing outfits, learned to dance with fabulous professional young ladies, and saw the detail and hard work the Samba Schools perform for the big event. We loved the drink at the end. Highly recommended. This tour company was completely reliable.

    Educational, enjoyable....

    Patty_W, Aug 2025
    Educational, enjoyable. The staff was knowledgeable about the history of carnival and samba. We were able to try on costumes.

    Backstage at Carnivale!

    Erin_O, Jun 2025
    It felt like we were on a Hollywood movie set when we visited. It was fascinating to learn about how the samba schools prepare for Carnivale. We loved seeing all of the floats from last year in disarray as they are planning for next year. The video footage of Carnivale was neat to see and the history was interesting. Our guide Antonio was so kind and catered to us throughout the tour. He was wonderful!

    Response from Host, Jun 2025

    Thank you so much for the lovely review, Erin! 🎭✨ We’re glad you felt the backstage vibe of the Rio Carnival – it really is like stepping onto a movie set, isn’t it? Seeing the floats in progress and learning about the samba schools' year-round dedication is always an eye-opener. 🎬🎉 We’ll make sure to pass your kind words on to Antonio – he’ll be happy to know he made the tour even more special for you. Hope to see you again for more unforgettable moments in Brazil! 🇧🇷💃

    Celebrate the Rio carnival behind the scenes

    Michael_N, Feb 2023
    The Rio carnival backstage tour was really cool. I enjoyed it! I got to understand more about how the beautiful and biggest costume parade in the world came to existence. Our tour guide—Leandro—was awesome! I recommend this tour to anyone who loves costumes and parade.

    show de samba en río de janeiro

    luisfernando_m, Jul 2023
    todo el tour del show de samba fue excelente. Desde los comentarios y explicaciones de Antonio anteriores a la visita hasta la expereicnecia en la fánrica de samba donde se ve lec proceso inicial de armado de las carrozas y los vestidos ya utilizados-
    Likely to Sell Out

    From $128.00

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 75 days in advance.

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