Favela Vidigal Tour and Brazilian Lunch

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2 to 4 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

A good number of Rio de Janeiro’s population live in the surrounding favelas, or slums, but they can be dangerous to visit on your own. Join a local guide for a private tour of the Vidigal favela to learn about the local culture and see what it’s like through the eyes of someone who lives there. Walk through back alleys, discover vibrant street art, and enjoy a traditional Brazilian lunch.

Learn about Rio and its favelas from a local guide
A portion of each tour goes back to the community
Tuck into a delicious Brazilian meal like a local
A private tour means a personalized experience

What's Included

Lunch

Includes typical Brazilian food such as, rice and beans, chicken Milanese, beef/steak, salad farofa and more. Menu will be decided upon request and depend of what fresh meats and veggie are available.

Alcoholic Beverages

All beers, bottled Wine and cocktails are an extra costs, prices will be reasonable and selections will be based on availability.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Praça do Vidigal
Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro - State of Rio de Janeiro, 22450-241, Brazil
Travelers will meet us at Praca do Vidigal or Vidigal Square. It's located at the base of Vidigal along Avenue Niemeyer. From there we will start out tours.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Arranged start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

02/17/2020 - 06/09/2027
Monday - Sunday : 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Itinerary

Favela Inc - Incubadora e Aceleradora de Impacto Social

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Vidigal

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Vidigal

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers

Supplied by

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)

Featured review

Kiki_S

Rodrigo was our tour guide and spoke excellent English. He is highly respected in the favela, ensuring you’re in safe hands with him. We witnessed the resourcefulness of the community, and everyone we met was very friendly. Dining at Jorge’s Restaurant was an incredible experience, with delicious food! It felt wonderful to experience the authentic culture of Brazil.

Reviews

4.9

based on 18 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fantastic Tour!!!

Shigetsu_S, Aug 2025

The tour guide was such a great person to be with and the food was great! Loved every moment of the tour.

The Woman in the Ghetto Streets of Brazil

Tiffany_H, Feb 2025

The experience was nice. I loved the motorcycle rides. And the education given by Rodrigo. The food was good at the restaurant!

An immersive experience....

todd_a, Jan 2025

An immersive experience. Rodrigo does a wonderful job explaining the social make up of the area. The lunch was delicious.

Vidigal favelas from Canada

Nycole_Y, Sep 2024

Fantastic guides with Rodrigo and Ronaldo. So nice and so informative. Speaks a good English. Worth while taking this tour. Lots of stairs, not possible with anyone with mobility issues. So good

Not a private tour, but advertised as a private tour

Mieke_L, Aug 2024

The tour was advertised as a private tour and the price we paid felt like we were paying for a private tour. The morning of the tour we were contacted by the operator and they were talking about it like it was a group tour. When I asked if it was a group tour, they just said yes it was and that they seem to have no control over the information on Viator? They said Viator defaults to describing tours as private, even if they’re groups. That They said Viator defaults to describing tours as private, even if they’re groups. That makes no sense to me. The tour was interesting, but there were 15 people on it which means you have to wait for everyone to sort of catch up. A big part of what we had to wait for was for the other people in the group to take all their selfies in the favela.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi, you paid for a tour with lunch included, which is why the cost was higher. The total cost of lunch was 315brl with drink! And you took a tour the 5th of January. I'd like to note again this tour isn't private and I've made this clear in the description. You asked one time and I clarified with you that this tour was in group. (You had no problem and said "that works for us"). The group was not 15, it was 11. And another two of the 11 joined you for lunch this day. You waited 7 minutes extra for two to arrive (12:07) the tour went 30mins over after lunch with you guys drinking beers, so can I get paid for that extra 23mins? You see how ridiculous that sounds? Sometimes we have to wait, it's not the end of the world Mieke..... Again we do not do private tours unless off this platform. Just an FYI, our payout was 100usd with a rate of 1usd/6brl. 120brl per person for the tour = 240brl, + 315brl for lunch, we paid for drinks even as it wasn't included. Rodrigo, suggested this because you did seem to be annoyed with people taking photos. The total came to 555. At the end you had only wonderful things to say....here is the text. "Today was awesome!" 15:08 "Thanks were very happy" 15:08 "Rodrigo is amazing and so nice snd told us so much great information 15:09" (My Response)"That is nice to hear. Rodrigo is great. And I've been so happy with his his progress. He's a very bright young man. and I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed today. I hope the beer was cold enough, too If you have time, please do leave a review for us. Rodrigo would sure appreciate it!" So interesting to leave a review like this after saying the complete opposite thing to me. How interesting indeed. I do ask again why not bring this up to me, look for a personal resolution directly with us? Why lie and then write a completely different review? Why wait 6 months+ to do so? All this makes zero sense.

Recommending this tour

Kiki_S, Jul 2024

Super interesting, authentic, and beautiful experience

Hanja_B, Jun 2023

This was a really incredible experience. Rodriguez took me on a walk through the favela that he grew up in. He explained me a lot about the living conditions there and showed me his favourite beutiful spots. He speaks 5 languages, which is incredible, and we had a great exchange. We finished with a nice lunch and a beer. I loved it and would greatly recommend to anyone who is looking for an authentic experience!

Wonderful and safe. It is beautiful to be in the favela.

Omar_M, May 2026

I want to express my sincerest gratitude for the wonderful experience of visiting the favela. It was a true privilege to meet the community firsthand and feel the warm hospitality of its people. This tour not only allowed me to appreciate the stunning view and the vibrant local culture, but it also taught me about the resilience, unity, and strength of its inhabitants. Thank you for opening the doors of your home to me with such generosity, for sharing your stories, and for showing me such an authentic and enriching perspective of Rio de Janeiro. I carry a beautiful memory.

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Response from Host, May 2026

Omar, thank you very much. Again, I always tell people that tourism in the Favela it's not inherently beneficial to those that live here. Currently, a lot of gentrification is removing the locals and increasing prices for rent etc. So I believe that this type of tourism that we do is very impactful and in a more positive way that brings community, tourists and locals together. Our objective is uplifting the locals that live here. Strengthening the businesses that are run by the residents here. Not by foreign / rich owned establishments and clubs by outsiders which is what most tourism "focuses" on. So once again, thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide you with a different perspective. And i'm so glad that you enjoyed lunch! 🇧🇷👊