Rocinha Favela Walking Tour

Great experience with our guide Carlos who offered us with great generosity and clarity an insight into his hometown, its challenges ans its strenghts as a community. Thank you for your commitment ! Mathilde

I partnered with 5 ladies to do this tour! Full consensus amongst the group, this was the best part of our 7 days in Brazil! We went back to this favela twice! The tour guide Alberto KNEW EVERYONE THERE! He was soooo kind and extremely personable which made the tour a valuable experience. Getting to learn about and see the noble people who reside here was extremely rewarding. About the Favela: Let me tell you out the gate, the news and media will tell you this is a bad place. Don't believe the hype! Some will see this and think of it as the "S- word" that rhymes with plum however, they have much more law and order than the entire US! We felt extremely safe and the people were welcoming! They were sooo excited to see Americanos who looked like them! Seeing yourself in the people where you travel makes any trip or experience invaluable! You can not quantify the level of impact it has! It sort of reminded me of the fast paced areas of NY! I love seeing that the community had virtually everything you can imagine, grocery stores with fresh fruits and veggies, hair and nail salons, motor bike dealerships, taxis...EVERYTHING! They provide so much of their resources to their people throughout the community. I loved hearing and seeing that their dollar actually stays within their community and hearing how the people actually pour their talents into this community! Far from what some may see as "crab in a barrel" they actually support and uplift each other and the businesses there! I won't give too much on the ins and out and true experiences from inside... I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER GOING TO SEE FOR YOURSELF! I can tell you it is a lot of walking! You will be climbing a lot of stairs so consider comfortable shoes. If you have mobility issues, I highly encourage you to forgo this excursion. It's not hard, I did it the first time in sandals, but it can be a lot on your knees and joints if you have restrictions. Verdict? Add this to your travel plans while in Brazil. If you get Alberto, you will not be disappointed! When we went back the second time, Alberto showed us so much generosity! You can tell he was excited to see us again! The first time we were with a group of approx 14. The second time it was much smaller and I will say a much more genuine experience. My advice, see if Alberto can host you in a smaller group!

Carlos was a great host showing us his Brasil....it was an unforgettable experience...it definitely gave me a more balanced view on the reality of life in Brazil

I had a great tour with a great guide. Very interesting to see the houses and everyday life in Rocinha. Three hours were just perfect.

Rafael was amazing. He made this trip very safe. Took me to amazing views. Favela is not at all what I thought it would be! So much better!

Carlos did an excellent job of explaining the history of the community. We learned and saw things with Carlos that I’m convinced no one except those on this tour would see. Excellent job.

Carlos elevated Rocinha into much more than something for tourists to gawk at. He brought a social consciousness and authenticity that had our group in tears. Of all the sites in Rio (and we saw them all) this was the most affecting.

The historical background shared by Carlos was great…. And it was really interesting to meet that side of Rio de Janeiro…

The tour guide spoke very good English, he was attentive to all guest needs. If was a great experience

Great guide and enjoyed my time. I learned a lot. Everything was very friendly and safe. I would do it again!