The Best of Rio de Janeiro in a Private Guided Tour
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take your Rio de Janeiro sightseeing experience into your own hands on this customizable, private tour of the Marvelous City. Alongside a ‘carioca’ (Rio de Janeiro resident) and personal driver, tick off top Rio attractions chosen by you. Personalize your itinerary according to your interests and only visit the sites you wish to see: your guide tailors the tour according to preferred themes, such as food, history, or sport, and offers undivided attention throughout. Pickup and drop-off from your Rio de Janeiro hotel are included.
- Private custom sightseeing tour of Rio de Janeiro
- Create an itinerary featuring only sites of interest
- Tailor your tour according to themes such as food, sport, history, or culture
- Choose to visit top attractions including Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Statue of Christ the Redeemer
- Receive undivided attention from a private guide and driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off are included
What's Included
- Certified multilingual guide and driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private tour for up to 14 people
- Transport by private vehicle
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Ticket entrances
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Please contact us with your Hotel name so we can organize the pick-up.
Itinerary
Prior to your tour, your guide contacts you to discuss an itinerary. Whether you want to explore Rio’s traditional food joints, tick off all of the city’s top attractions, or stray from the beaten path to gain local insight, your drive and guide can make it happen.
Choose to visit the iconic Statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, or take a cable car ride to the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Opt to recline on the white-sand beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, both world-famous Rio spots, or check off landmarks including Sao Bento Monastery, Maracana Stadium, and the Sambadrome, which hosts the renowned Rio Carnival. All entrance fees are at your own expense.
Your tour concludes with drop-off at your Rio de Janeiro hotel.
Choose to visit the iconic Statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, or take a cable car ride to the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Opt to recline on the white-sand beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, both world-famous Rio spots, or check off landmarks including Sao Bento Monastery, Maracana Stadium, and the Sambadrome, which hosts the renowned Rio Carnival. All entrance fees are at your own expense.
Your tour concludes with drop-off at your Rio de Janeiro hotel.
1
Parque Nacional da Tijuca
Admission Ticket Free
2
Sugarloaf Mountain
Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Botanical Garden
Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro
Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB Rio de Janeiro
Admission Ticket Free
6
Praia de Sao Conrado
Admission Ticket Free
7
Ipanema Beach
Admission Ticket Free
8
Barra da Tijuca Beach
Admission Ticket Free
9
Mosteiro De Sao Bento
Admission Ticket Free
10
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian
Admission Ticket Free
11
Biblioteca Nacional
Admission Ticket Free
12
Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niteroi
Admission Ticket Not Included
13
Praia do Leblon
Admission Ticket Free
14
Maracana
Admission Ticket Not Included
15
Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria
Admission Ticket Free
16
Sambodromo da Marques de Sapucai
Admission Ticket Free
17
Arcos da Lapa
Admission Ticket Free
18
Praca Quinze de Novembro
Admission Ticket Free
19
Cinelandia
Admission Ticket Free
20
Corcovado - Christ the Redeemer
Admission Ticket Not Included
21
Santa Teresa
Admission Ticket Free
22
Escadaria Selaron
Admission Ticket Free
23
Casa Franca-Brasil
Admission Ticket Free
24
Correios Cultural Centre
Admission Ticket Free
25
Mirante Dona Marta
Admission Ticket Free
26
Tiradentes Palace
Admission Ticket Free
27
Portal de Entrada de Petropolis
Admission Ticket Free
28
Museu de Arte do Rio - MAR
Admission Ticket Not Included
29
Museu do Amanha
Admission Ticket Not Included
30
Palacio Pedro Ernesto - Camara Municipal do Rio de Janeiro
Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 71 reviews
Sandra_B, Mar 2026
Outstanding and knowledgeable guide Victoria..Strong knowledge of history. Quickly assessed our interests. Excellent language skills and enjoyed spending the day with her.
Mina_G, Mar 2026
We spent two amazing days with our private tour guide, Victoria and driver Bruno. First, we were a bit worried about our luggage as at the end of the second day we were being dropped off at the airport. However. No worries we’re needed. We had a large van and Bruno stayed with the van the entire time.
Victoria has a deep knowledge of the history and culture of her hometown. At the end of two days we felt like we were saying goodbye to a friend.
Claude_F, Dec 2025
Great tour but terrible company. They cancelled my tour the night before. I rebooted a second tour for the next morning and was told it would be at 9am. The tour guide sent me a note at 7am saying they moved it up to start at 8am
Then didn't show up until 830am saying that was the correct time.
This has happened almost every time I book with Viator.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced and understand how frustrating this situation must have been. The last-minute cancellation and the confusion regarding the start time do not reflect our usual standards of service.
This was an isolated situation, caused by an unexpected operational adjustment, and it is not representative of how our tours are normally conducted. We strive to communicate clearly and respect our guests’ time, and we regret that this was not your experience.
We truly appreciate your understanding and your feedback, which helps us improve and prevent situations like this from happening again. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Shayne_M, Dec 2025
Victoria created an amazing custom tour for our family in both Portuguese and English. We saw all the major sites in one day in a new, air conditioned mini bus. It was truly a special experience.
Mark_B, Jun 2025
Really good guide. Wonderful experience seeing Rio’s best sights
Would definitely recommend Gabo was a great guide
Sim_R, Mar 2025
Worth the $$ for private tour to get great overview of Rio in a short time. Managed to see ALL the major tourist sights, plus driving thru forest, more upscale areas and smaller cozy beaches
Donna_v, Mar 2024
Victoria was our guide today. She was very welcoming and friendly. I had booked our tickets to be on the first train up to Christ the Redemeer so we had an early start. Victoria was very knowledgeable about her beautiful city. We had a list of sites we wanted to explore and she also gave us other suggestions which we took her up on and and had a fantastic day. Unfortunately I dont recall our drivers name but he did a fantastic job getting us safely to our destinations. Would recommend this full day private guided tour.
Alan_S, Jan 2024
Ederson was our guide. He was VERY professional and knowledgeable. As we had been to the Christ the Redeemer statute the previous day, we were able to start the tour at the scheduled 9am start time.
Saturday was a city holiday and school was not yet back in session. He offered to purchase Sugar Loaf 'fast pass' tickets for us that we would reimburse him for the next day. We accepted. 'Fast Pass' tickets are WELL WORTH the expense for Sugar Loaf just as 'skip the line' tickets are for Christ the Redeemer, which we also used.
Ederson offered us two tour options after Sugar Loaf which was first thing in the morning. One was a walking tour of city center which would have been crowded (very hot and humid) and involved a lot of walking because roads were blocked off or a trip to the national park to see the water falls and enjoy lunch at a place were he would eat with his family. The choice was a 'no-brainer'.
The national park was very relaxing and much cooler than the city center. We saw other sites as well including the beach where the para-gliders land. The meal was EXACTLY what we were looking for--very local. On our own, we would not have ordered much of what was put before us. We are glad that we let Ederson do the ordering. All the food was EXCELLENT and abundant and by US standards VERY inexpensive.
The food was served family-style and we paid for Ederson's lunch. There was so much food leftover that we asked Ederson to take it home to his family which he did.
David_H, Jan 2024
The best tour guide ever! Angelie took us to the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf mountain, and many of the local sites. She is extremely knowledgeable and absolutely delightful.
Marshall_S, Dec 2023
Our guide was fantastic and worked with us to provide the best possible experience that we could desire.
what, Oct 2023
It’s was a very good tour and well run. We were able to see more than we would have if we tried to do it on our own. Victoria is passionate about here country and it has a positive influence on the tour.
LYNN_M, Mar 2023
Edisson was a great tour guide and gave us a great overview of the City. He was punctual and spoke great English. Having a guide is great as you can skip some of the lines and gain his knowledge of the city. I would highly recommend.
Erickson_P, Mar 2023
Great trip with Ederson. He was amazing at getting us to skip the long lines and we were able to get a bunch of Rio sights all in one day. Highly recommend.
shelleycascio, Feb 2023
The best way to see all of the highlights of Rio de Janeiro. Peter and our driver aka Vin Diesel were amazing! Definitely recommend this tour!!
Susan_A, Dec 2022
Vincente was an excellent guide, packed loads into our two half days with him. Brilliant at ensuring we got ahead of any queues. Vicente was extremely knowledgeable, was very upbeat with a great sense of humour. Would thoroughly recommend a personal guided tour with Vincente if you want to make the best of a short time in Rio.
paula_c, Dec 2022
I had wanted to go to Rio for many years so already had high expectations but our tour guide Thomas Vincent created an experience that exceeded all our expectations. His knowledge of the city, insights into the history and culture of Rio, and willingness to show us what we most wanted to see were phenomenal. I provided a list of things I most most wanted to see in order of their importance and he met each one effortlessly and with enthusiasm. Days later, I’m still amazed at not only his expertise but at his extreme like ability. Wish he lived in America so we could remain friends.
ayanna_d, Nov 2022
Eddy showed us all the highlights of this beautiful city. He took us all over the city and to Sugarloaf and Santa Theresa and lots of other interesting spots. The weather wasn't great - it was too foggy to see Christ the Redeemer so he took us to the loveliest spot, high above Rio - Mirante Dona Marta. The views were incredible and we made it to Christ the Redeemer a few days later. Thanks for an amazing day, Eddy!
Anthony_C, Oct 2022
Our tour guide was Victoria and she understood the assignment! She was on time and had amazing energy. She provided us with a private experience that left us wanting to do it all over again! She is fluent in English German Portuguese and Spanish! She was engaging up to the very end and provided relevant information throughout the tour! I encourage everyone to consider doing a farmer’s market tour. It was different and was an opportunity to engage with locals and try fruits and vegetables you’ve never seen.
If your tour isn’t with Victoria…is it really worth it??
We love you Victoria!!!
Anthony & Terrence
George_L, Oct 2022
Carioca Tropical Tours provided a fabulous full day private tour of Rio de Janeiro for me. Although Gisela was nominally the driver and Victoria the guide, they were both able to provide interesting facts and anecdotes, and to ensure that I was well informed about everything that I was seeing. They were also very capable of answering my sometimes very random questions!
I felt almost that I was being shown around Rio by a couple of friends, rather than by a tour company.
Great value for money.
Kenneth_C, Sep 2022
Vincente was an absolute gem! Knowledgeable, personable and a joy to be with. He took us on a journey to some of the lesser traveled locations providing a great view and sense of the city. He augmented the views with historical commentary on Brazil and Rio. Great time!
Todd_J, Mar 2022
Our guide was awesome from start to finish. Very knowledgeable about the history of Brazil. My daughter has issues with her mobility and our guide made it a NONE issue. Friendly, kind, accommodating, funny, personable. Would give him 10 stars if i could
Scott_B, Mar 2020
We really lucked into a great vendor in Efraim, and his go-to tour team of Flavio (great driver) and Katia (great tour guide)! It was effortless via Viator, and Efraim's communication, suggestions and coordination were flawless. Efraim and Katia did an excellent job of merging our "wish-list" compilation with the "don't miss" venues.
Katia was superb: punctual, considerate, effusive, and a pleasure to spend time with. My wife and I loved all the walking, nature, neighborhoods, architecture, vistas, cool sights, museums, and cultural highlights that Rio is famous for! Thanks to Katia, we had the most complete experience possible.
By the way, we were coming off a cruise and our one need was to have our luggage accompany us (safe/securely) throughout the day until airport drop-off at the end.
Thank you, Efraim, Katia, and Flavio, for delivering a great private tour at our pace and insuring that we had nothing but a great time. Can't wait to return to do more with you!
Cheers!
Scott & Shani
Janet_L, Jan 2020
Our guide, Victoria, was wonderful. (Driver too). She was very friendly and knowledgeable. Saw Christ, the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, cathedral, the steps.... and more. She arranged everything so well that we had minimal waits at any attraction. We were exceptionally pleased with this tour.
Melanie_M, Jan 2018
Excellent tour! I spent the entire day with driver Roberto and tour guide Leonardo. They were so proud to show me the highlights of their country and I am truly grateful. Thanks so much guys!
Stephen B, Mar 2017
Our guide and driver were excellent. We were met on time at the start of the day. Our guide customized the day to accommodated a few special requests and allowed us to get exactly what we wanted out of our time in Rio.
Caroline_P, Mar 2024
Malgré une visite de 8 heures, nous n'avons eu le temps de presque rien voir parce que le guide était complètement désorganisé. En plus, il est arrivé avec 30 minutes de retard. Il nous a systématiquement amené aux lieux touristiques au pire moment de la journée, n'a pas prévu d'horaire pour la journée nous obligeant à retourner sur nos pas dans la circulation dense, n'a pas prévu que nous devions manger, n'a pas prévu de bouteilles d'eau malgré une température de 36 degré Celsius et ne parlait pas suffisamment fort pour que nous l'entendions.
Astrid_O, Jan 2024
Unser Führer Niels sprach hervorragend deutsch und kannte sich mit Rio und dessen Geschichte bestens aus. Wir haben an dem Tag alles gesehen, was wir uns vorgenommen hatten. Der Faher André war auch sehr freundlich und hat das Auro sicher durch Rios Straßen gelenkt.
Helmine_R, Dec 2023
Der Partner von Viator - Cariocatours- war pünktlich und zuverlässig. Wir hatten einen einwandfrei deutschsprechenden Guide. Da wir Eintrittskarten für den Zuckerhut und die Christusstatue im Vorfeld gekauft hatten, mussten wir nirgendwo anstehen. Unser Guide, Nils, hat uns hervorragend betreut und uns bestens informiert. Was er uns über Rio und Brasilien erzählt hat, war kurzweilig, interessant, lehrreich ohne lehrerhaft zu wirken. Wir waren rundum zufrieden und empfehlen Sie gerne weiter.
Roberta_M, Jan 2023
Muito bom. O guia Ernani foi muito simpático e prestativo. Além de nos deixar a vontade para escolher o roteiro, deu otimas dicas e tem conhecimento sobre a história da cidade. Passeio excelente, recomendo.
Ftima_M, Dec 2022
Foi um passeio espetacular. À nossa escolha. O guia, o Claudio, era muito culto e simpático.
O motorista Marcelo também era muito afável. Sempre atento.
Recomendo vivamente.
From $480.00
per group (up to 3)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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The Best of Rio de Janeiro in a Private Guided Tour
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