Get an in-depth local experience with this walking tour of one of Rio's favelas, Rocinha. Follow your resident guide to get an insider's perspective on daily life and learn about the challenges these communities face.

Enjoy a guided Rocinha favela walking tour
Learn about the challenges of life in Rio's slums
Gain insight into the community from a resident favela guide
Price of tour includes monetary contribution to the community

What's Included

Local guide
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Hotel pickup and drop-off (select hotels only)

Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

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End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Begin your experience with convenient pickup at your Rio hotel, then transfer to Rocinha, Brazil's largest favela.

Meet your local guide, a favela resident, and set off through community on foot. Learn about daily life in the favela and the challenges that residents face. Hear about the history of the favela and how these communities have become a large part of the culture of Rio.

The price of your tour includes a monetary contribution to the community.

Please note: We are sensitive to the issues and concerns surrounding favelas; we understand that this tour may not be suitable for everyone. The purpose of this tour is for educational reasons alone and allows for a better understanding of local life.

Copacabana Beach

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Ipanema Beach

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Rocinha

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Children must be accompanied by an adult
May be operated by a multilingual guide
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Be aware of uneven steps
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
You must be fit or in good condition to walk at least 5 km
Our walking tour is around 3km downhill
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers

Cancellation Policy

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

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Be aware that many steps are steep and uneven, if raining could be slippery.

Requires lots of stairs and walking on uneven and tight surfaces.

Reviews

4.5

448 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 448 reviews

Great tour!

Jensen_Z, Jun 2023

It was a great experience. Our tour guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and made our experience unforgettable. Definitely recommended!

So interesting ! The...

Hlose_B, May 2023

So interesting ! The guide is really nice. We did a tour of the rocinha favela and finished in a bar to drink caeperina 🤪 definitely recommand it

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks a lot for your feedback. We wish a great trip in Rio

An experience that will shape your thinking

Jose_M, May 2023

If you wanna see how poor people live this is the BEST way. Its safe and guides actually live there. Make sure you can handle narrow areas and irregular steps. Loved seeing the kids playing and residents going about their business

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks for your review Jose. However, we would like to highlight that our tour does not aim to show how "poor people live" but how our culture can better be seen with samba, capoeira and of course, see sense of community we live in everyday. We are sure that you had a good time and we want to wish you a pleasant trip.

Safe and interesting experience

Ralph_R, May 2023

Although there were some booking miscommunications, I’m still giving this tour a 5 star review. (Be sure to clarify the time and pickup location because there’s some confusion there). The company eventually rescheduled me and made things right. My tour guide was Bruno, and he was excellent. He was born and raised in the favela and had lots of stories and experiences to talk about. Definitely safer to go into the favela with a local guide, as they know the etiquette, where to take photos or not, etc. It was an eye opening experience, highly recommended.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks for your feedback my friend. Yes, we will make sure that everyone keeps an eye on their meeting point and time of pickup for a next time. As for your tour, we are very happy that you managed to take the tour and Bruno could share with you his community feeling. Have a safe and nice day

Rio De Janeiro/ Americans Perspective

Tania_H, May 2023

Very informative and educational I will pass on to many that visit this beautiful country! It’s also very interesting how Brazil and America are similar in many ways!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks for your feedback! It has been a pleasure for us to show you our community. Have a nice day

Good for an idea of the favelas

Petros_G, May 2023

You get the general idea of the life in favelas and rhe culture. Daniel the guide speaks excellent English and is helpful. I would like more walking in the alleys and if possible enter a house or two!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thanks a lot for your feedback. We do not enter people's house as it may sound very intrusive. However, your opinion for us is really important and thank you for that. Have a great day

Michael is a good tour...

KuanChu_L, Apr 2023

Michael is a good tour guide. I learned a lot in terms of the history and story of Favela. I strongly recommend people to attend this tour.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you very much for your feedback. We wish you a great day and hope that your trip went fine :) Kind regards Favela Walking Tour

Good experience

Meinhard_G, Apr 2023

Good tour, fast paced so watch out, all downhill. Good guide. It's a low class working area tight alleys with brick and concrete buildings not a slum with cardboard and corrugated metal housing.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks for your feedback. I hope you have had a good time with us. Enjoy your trip!

1 traveler found this review helpful

Amazing tour of Favela Rochina

Fiona_B, Apr 2023

What an amazing tour and experience. The tour guide - Carlos was fantastic. He lives in the favela and was very informative. The trip is very safe, nothing to worry about and we were able to buy things and take photos throughout.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks again for your feedback. We wish you a great day and be safe! Kind regards Favela Walking tour

Great tour

Alexa_T, Apr 2023

Tour was great. Very fun and informative. Make sure you bring water, a lot of walking and stairs. Great tour

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks for coming on our tour. We wish you a great day and hope you enjoy your trip in Rio. Kind regards Favela Walking Tour

Better than expected

Trey_K, Mar 2023

The tour guide was excellent and made the trip. He was a local from the community we tour and he was very passionate about showing and authentic experience ans explaining about the real life inside the favela.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks a lot for your feedback. We loved having you on our tour. We wish you a great day and hope that you continue your trip safe and happy!

Lovely safe tour

Jessica_T, Mar 2023

Alberto is awesome and had a fantastic time seeing favela with our group. Got to see the locals perform a little dance and see the neighbourhood where everyone lives.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for your great review. We wish you a great trip in Rio!

Favella life in Rio

Elwyn, Mar 2023

Fabulous day out with Carlos. A very authentic view of Favella life from a local. Very informative. Be prepared to walk down a lot of steps!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks a lot for your feedback! We wish you a great day

1 traveler found this review helpful

Could gain more insight

Rachel_H, Mar 2023

The tour is a great way to see the favelas and our guide was great. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The only issue we had was that we had stayed mainly to the main road of the favelas and didn’t actually see much of the more poorer areas and how they survive daily. I did ask the guide but he stated that tourists had complained that they don’t won’t to see the rougher/poorer areas due to the poverty and rats..I did reply , that was the point to view and gain knowledge of how the favelas why of life works not just the better side of it. However, the tour and the guide does give you some insight to its daily life.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that you were not satisfied with our tour leader not being able to show you the "rougher part of the favela". But we would like to state that our focus is not on poverty but the good side of the favela and its people. Overall, we wish you a great day and thanks for coming! Kind regards

We had an amazing time on...

Mark_M, Mar 2023

We had an amazing time on the Favela walking tour. Our guide, Alberto, gave a rich picture of what life is like living in Rocinha. We felt safe and welcomed by all the locals. I really recommend anyone visiting Rio to give it a go.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks a lot for your feedback. We appreciate it. We wish you all a great day

Inspirational insightful tour a must do

Jenny_A, Mar 2023

Daniel’s enthusiasm to share his story and his home was welcome. Great insight into how the ‘other half live’ . It would be very difficult living here but the people make the most of it .

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks a lot for your review. It makes all very happy! We wish you a great trip in Rio and you are always welcome again and again

Favela walking tour

kirstie_m, Mar 2023

This was a fascinating trip that gave a real insight into a very different way of life for thousands of people.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for your feedback and for being on our tour! We wish you a great day and hope you had a fantastic trip in Rio!

Enjoyable Favela walking trip.

Bryan_P, Mar 2023

Very good insight to a Brazilian way of life.See how the majority of people in Rio live .Great views and a chance to try local food and drink .All very safe with guide .

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for your feedback. We really appreciate that. All the best of luck

Great tour with an incredible guide.

John_C, Mar 2023

Daniel is amazing! The favela is sooo interesting. Do it. It will be a highlight of your time here……

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you very much for your feedback! We wish you a great day and safe trip in Rio!

A must do on your trip to Rio!

Yuliet_M, Mar 2023

Love this tour! The Favella is truly a city of its own and the sense of community it’s beautiful. Our amazing tour guide Daniel really shed light on the beauty of it people and how everyone takes care of each other, it reminded me of home. Definitely recommend this tour on your trip to Rio!

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thanks for your words. I honestly appreciate your time to come on our tour and later on have a bit of time to leave us a review! Thanks again and we wish you a great day

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