Most reviewed
Rocinha walk
Local guide
- Length2 - 3 hours
- InsideAbout 2 hours
- GuideEn, Pt, Es, Fr
Pick-for-me guide
Favela tour in Rio: the walks, the prices and the warnings
Rio de Janeiro: Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with Local Guide
★ 4.8 · 3,989 user reviews
The quick version
A favela tour in Rio is a guided walk through a community such as Rocinha or Santa Marta, which the city backs with registered local guides while foreign governments advise against it.
Advice in brief
Two questions, one walk
A community walk that fits, or an alternative
Answer two questions, and a walk appears with its starting price. Read the official advice on this page first.
The right fit for you
Rocinha walk with a local guide
from $32
2 - 3 hours, about 2 hours of it inside the favela; camera glasses are not allowed.
The right fit for you
Santa Marta tour
from $33
2.5 - 3 hours with a viewpoint and Michael Jackson Square; free pickup in Copacabana.
The right fit for you
Two Brothers hike from Vidigal
from $49
3.5 hours to a summit above Leblon and Ipanema, at sunrise or by day.
The right fit for you
Little Africa heritage walk
from $39
2.5 hours in English through the port district and Pedra do Sal, without entering a favela.
A favela tour in Rio splits opinion even among officials: the city promotes visits with registered local guides, while foreign governments advise against them.
Editorial team, riodejaneirotour.click · Updated November 11, 2026 · Takes 8 min
Quick look
- Biggest favelaRocinha, with 72,021 residents in the 2022 Census.1
- City viewRiotur says visits work best with registered local guides.2
- Foreign adviceThe UK, Australia and Canada advise against favela tours.3,4,5
- Typical walkAbout 2 hours inside Rocinha on the most reviewed tour.
- Starting priceCommunity walks start from $29 to $44.
What a favela tour in Rio actually involves
A favela is a neighborhood of dense, informal housing, and the UK government notes that favelas exist in every major Brazilian city and can sit right next to the districts tourists use.6 In Rio they climb the hills above the beaches, which is why you see them from Sugarloaf and from the Christ statue. A favela tour in Rio is a guided walk, sometimes with a van ride up, through the lanes of a community whose residents live there; a favela walking tour in Rio is the same idea entirely on foot.
The scale surprises most visitors. In the 2022 Census the national statistics office counted Rocinha, in the South Zone, as the most populous favela or urban community in Brazil, with 72,021 residents.1 Riotur, the city tourism agency, writes that Rocinha was long known as the largest favela in Latin America.7 A walk there feels less like a village visit than like crossing a small city built up a mountainside, with shops, motorbikes, schools and murals packed into it.
Rio has many communities, but tours concentrate on a handful. Rocinha and Santa Marta carry by far the most reviews on GetYourGuide, followed by Tavares Bastos and Vidigal, where walks are often combined with a hike. Each has a different character, which the sections below set out, after the advice you should read first.
Side by side
The main community walks compared
| Community | Length | Starts at | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocinha | 2 - 3 hours | Sao Conrado or pickup | $32 |
| Rocinha, half day | 3 hours | Copacabana | $33 |
| Santa Marta | 2.5 - 3 hours | Botafogo | $33 |
| Santa Marta, local guide | 2.5 - 3 hours | Information stand | $31 |
| Tavares Bastos | 3 hours | Pickup point | $29 |
| Vidigal and hike | 5 hours | Vidigal | $90 |
From-prices and lengths from each GetYourGuide listing; read the meeting point in your booking.
The official advice, from both sides
Here the official sources disagree, and you deserve to hear both sides before paying for a seat. The UK tells its citizens to keep out of every favela, and it names the tours sold to visitors, along with bars and lodgings that advertise a favela address.3 Australia's line is that a tour group does not change its advice to stay out, and Canada says they are not safe for outsiders even with a local guide, adding that emergency services can barely reach them.4,5 The UK also reports that tourists have been shot after entering favelas by accident.9
The city sees it differently. Its tourism agency publishes a guide to cultural visits in the favelas and recommends making them with registered local guides and with associations or projects that welcome visitors.2 Brazilian law asks every working guide to sit a technical guiding course and to hold a Cadastur entry, the federal list of tourism providers.10,11 That is the standard the city has in mind when it says registered.
Neither side can decide for you. If you follow your own government, skip the tour and see the favelas from a viewpoint or on a city walk elsewhere. If you go, go only with a registered local guide on a reviewed tour, never on your own, and keep in mind that conditions can change without warning: the UK notes that armed incidents, including police operations, can happen with little notice.12 Check your own government advice again on the morning of the walk.
By popularity
Favela and hill walks by number of reviews
- Rocinha walk3,989
- Santa Marta tour2,612
- Rocinha half day2,421
- Rocinha 3-hour walk1,850
- Tavares Bastos576
- Two Brothers hike517
Number of reviews per GetYourGuide listing at the time of writing.
Rocinha favela tour: the long walk up
The most booked Rocinha favela tour on GetYourGuide, with 3,989 reviews, lasts 2 to 3 hours with a local guide and starts from $32. The listing says about 2 hours are spent inside the favela, the rest being pickups and drop-offs, and that the 10:30 and 16:30 departures meet in Sao Conrado, with no pickup from Copacabana or Ipanema. It also bans sunglasses with built-in cameras and other recording devices, a rule worth reading before you pack.
Expect hills and stairs. Another half-day Rocinha walk warns that narrow alleys and stairs make it unsuitable for people with knee problems or reduced mobility, and a 3-hour walk with a local guide asks for a moderate level of fitness. Wear shoes with grip, carry water and a light layer, and keep valuables back at your room, the same rule as for the beach.
What you see depends on the guide, but the city guide gives a sense of it. Riotur mentions viewpoints such as the Laje da Mulher Maracuja, the Porta do Ceu and the Mirante Rocinha bar, from where you look across to Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf and the lagoon.8 It also tells the story that in the 1930s and 1940s a motor-racing circuit ran through the area.13 Ask your guide where the old track ran; few visitors know.
Shortlist
Community walks with the most reviews
Murals and views
Santa Marta tour
Botafogo hillside
- Length2.5 - 3 hours
- StopsMichael Jackson Square
- PickupFree in Copacabana
Shorter visit
Tavares Bastos
Football pitch visit
- Length3 hours
- Rated4.9
- GuideEn, Es, Pt
Santa Marta: painted houses, a cable car and a pop legend
Santa Marta sits on Morro Dona Marta beside Botafogo, and from its lanes the Christ statue looks close enough to touch, as the city guide puts it.14 In 1996 Michael Jackson filmed scenes of the video for They Don't Care About Us there, and in 2010 the sculptor Ique Woitschah made a life-size bronze of the singer, which became one of the most visited spots in the area.15,16
The bright facades at the entrance are an art project. Riotur explains that the Favela Painting project by the Dutch duo Haas&Hahn had young residents paint the Praca do Cantao and 34 houses around it.17 The community also has a small cable car up the slope, recently refurbished, with a corner of shops for visitors.18 The square and the bronze statue are the photo moments most tours plan around.
The leading Santa Marta tours on GetYourGuide run 2.5 to 3 hours. The more reviewed one, with 2,612 reviews, starts from $33 and stops at a viewpoint, Michael Jackson Square, a local restaurant and a visitor center; it meets in Botafogo and offers free pickup in Copacabana. The other, from $31, leaves from a tourist information stand. The first notes that tipping the young drummers you meet is appreciated.
Group total
Community walks for your group
Pick a community walk, add your travelers and see the starting sum.
Choose from 4 options
Community walks for your group
Pick a community walk, add your travelers and see the starting sum.
- Rocinha walkAbout 2 hours inside · for each guest from $32
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View - Santa Marta tourFree Copacabana pickup · for each guest from $33
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View - Tavares BastosFootball pitch visit · for each guest from $29
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View - Two Brothers hikeVidigal, 3.5 hours · for each guest from $49
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View
Starting prices on GetYourGuide, exchanged at the ECB reference rate. The booking page gives the exact price.
A typical walk
How a Rocinha walking tour runs
Meet
Sao Conrado or pickup
Some departures meet in Sao Conrado, with no pickup from Copacabana or Ipanema.
Ride up
Van into the community
The itinerary starts with a van ride into the community.
Walk down
Lanes and stairs
About 2 hours on foot inside the favela.
Viewpoints
Christ and Sugarloaf
Rooftop views over the lagoon and the bay.8
Finish
Drop-off
The tour ends at one of several drop-off points.
Vidigal and the Two Brothers trail
Vidigal climbs the hill between Leblon and Sao Conrado, and Riotur calls it a cultural hub, known for the Nos do Morro theatre project that took thousands of young residents onto stages in Brazil and abroad.19 From the top, the city guide says, you look down on the beaches of Leblon, Ipanema and Arpoador and out over open sea.20 It is the favela most visitors reach on the way to a hike rather than for a walk alone.
That hike is the Dois Irmaos, or Two Brothers, trail. Riotur mentions local guides who lead the trail and show visitors the community on the way.21 On GetYourGuide, a Two Brothers hike from Vidigal of 3.5 hours, at sunrise or by day, starts from $49 and has 517 reviews. A longer Vidigal walk with the hike runs 5 hours from $90 and bans alcohol and drugs before or during the walk.
Getting up is part of the experience, and the advice splits again. The city guide says visitors ride a motorcycle taxi or the local van up to the viewpoint, while Australia advises against motorcycle taxis.22,23 The Two Brothers listing above makes the climb to the trailhead by scooter as part of the tour. If you join, ask the operator how the ride up works and whether a helmet is supplied.
Video
Everyday life in Rocinha, Rio's largest favela
Planeti on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Crime rates are particularly high in shanty towns or 'favelas'. Don't enter favelas, even with a tour group.
Before you book
A checklist for any favela walk
Check first3
- Your own government advice on the day
- A registered local guide leads the group
- Where the tour meets and if pickup is included
Bring3
- Shoes with grip for stairs and slopes
- Water and sun protection
- Small notes for tips or a drink
Leave behind3
- Jewelry, watches and spare cards
- Camera glasses or other recorders
- Plans to wander off alone
Tavares Bastos and gentler alternatives
Tavares Bastos is a small community in the South Zone, and the tour there that travelers rate highest pairs a 3-hour walk with a visit to a street football pitch, from $29. It has 576 reviews averaging 4.9, the highest average among the walks on this page. It suits travelers who want a shorter, calmer visit with a sporting angle rather than a long climb.
If the advice from your government settles it for you, Rio still has plenty to show about the same history. The Little Africa heritage walk, in English, runs 2.5 hours through the port district, past Pedra do Sal and the Valongo wharf, from $39. It covers the African history of the city on streets that are not inside a favela.
You can also see favelas from the outside. Santa Marta faces the Christ statue across the valley, and from Sugarloaf and the Corcovado platform you look over hillsides covered in them. Riotur notes that the communities of Chapeu Mangueira and Babilonia in Leme are just 200 metres from the seafront, on a walk that can lead on to Sugarloaf.24 A guided city day passes several such views without a single step inside.
Photos, money and manners on a community walk
Photography is the question guides hear most. The biggest Rocinha tour forbids camera glasses and recording devices, and other tours set their own limits. As a rule of thumb, photograph views, murals and your group, and ask before pointing a camera at a resident, a doorway or a child. If the guide asks you to put the phone away on a particular street, do it straight away and without a debate.
Ask about money before you go. Tours are priced as shown here, and some guides suggest buying a drink, a snack or a piece of art from local businesses along the route. The Santa Marta listing mentions that tips for the young drummers are appreciated. Bring small notes in reais for that, not a wallet full of cards. Riotur points visitors to projects and associations that welcome the public, which is where a purchase or a donation does the most.2
Finally, check who is guiding you. A guide registered in Cadastur receives a certificate and a tour guide badge, and the register lists each guide by category, segments and languages.25,26 Ask to see the badge, and choose tours whose listing says a local guide leads the walk, as the leading Rocinha and Santa Marta tours do. A good guide explains the community with respect and keeps the group together.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
Are favela tours in Rio safe?
Which favela is the biggest?
Rocinha.
The 2022 Census counted 72,021 residents, the most of any favela in Brazil.1
How long does a Rocinha tour take?
2 to 3 hours.
The most reviewed tour spends about 2 hours inside the favela.
How much does a favela tour cost?
From about $29.
Leading walks start from $29, $32 and $33, depending on the community.
Can I take photos inside the favela?
With limits.
The biggest Rocinha tour bans camera glasses and recording devices; ask your guide.
Where did Michael Jackson film in Rio?
In Santa Marta.
He filmed scenes of the They Don't Care About Us video there in 1996.15
Can I visit a favela on my own?
No.
The UK says tourists have been shot after entering favelas by accident.9
Sources
- IBGE, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (PDF) · Censo 2022: Favelas e Comunidades Urbanas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (gov.uk) · Brazil travel advice: safety and security ↩
- Australian Government, Smartraveller (smartraveller.gov.au) · Brazil travel advice ↩
- Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca) · Travel advice and advisories for Brazil ↩
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (gov.uk) · Brazil travel advice: safety and security ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (gov.uk) · Brazil travel advice: safety and security ↩
- Government of Brazil (gov.br), Ministry of Tourism service page · Cadastrar Guia de Turismo (Cadastur) ↩
- Government of Brazil (gov.br), Ministry of Tourism service page · Cadastrar Guia de Turismo (Cadastur) ↩
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (gov.uk) · Brazil travel advice: safety and security ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Australian Government, Smartraveller (smartraveller.gov.au) · Brazil travel advice ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro City Tourism (riotur.rio) · Roles nas favelas cariocas ↩
- Government of Brazil (gov.br), Ministry of Tourism service page · Cadastrar Guia de Turismo (Cadastur) ↩
- Government of Brazil (gov.br), Ministry of Tourism service page · Cadastrar Guia de Turismo (Cadastur) ↩