Rio de Janeiro: AquaRio & Olympic Boulevard with Pickup

Latin America's Largest Aquarium: 8,000 Animals & an Underwater Tunnel

You get picked up from your hotel, driven to AquaRio with entrance included, walk through four floors and a basement of 8,000 marine animals with a guide, pass underneath the 3.3-million-liter main tank, and stop at the Olympic Boulevard's street art before returning in an air-conditioned vehicle. No arranging tickets, no navigating the port zone alone, no figuring out transport between stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit AquaRio and Olympic Boulevard

• Arrive at AquaRio aquarium
• Explore Oceanic and Diving Enclosure
• Take pictures without flash
• Learn about marine life and ecosystem
• Walk through underwater tunnel
• Visit Olympic Boulevard graffiti murals
• See Mural das Etnias by Kobra

The experience

The minivan was supposed to pick us up at 8:30, and it showed up at 8:47, which sounds like a complaint until you realize the driver had actually waited at the wrong hotel entrance for fifteen minutes before figuring it out. That's the kind of thing that happens when you're traveling with a group of nineteen people spread across different neighborhoods in Rio, but once everyone was loaded and heading toward the Zona Portuária, the whole day shifted into focus. AquaRio sits in a converted cold-storage warehouse that doesn't look like much from the street, but inside it's four floors of something genuinely strange: 8,000 animals, 350 species, and a tank so massive it holds 3.3 million liters of water and goes seven meters deep. Sharks glide past, stingrays hover like underwater pancakes, and the light filters through in ways that make you forget you're in a warehouse in a port zone.

The guide moved us through at a pace that didn't feel rushed, stopping in front of the Recinto Oceânico e de Mergulho (that's the big one, the centerpiece tank), and pointing out details about how the animals move, what they eat, how the ecosystem works. No flash photography, which the guide mentioned twice because apparently people always forget, and honestly it makes sense once you're in there and you see how the light already does the work. Toward the end of the tour, you walk underneath a tunnel with the water and the fish directly above your head, and yeah, that's the moment everyone pulls out their phone. It's not subtle, but it works. The whole thing takes a few hours, and you're moving through climate-controlled space the whole time, which matters in Rio's heat.

After AquaRio, the tour includes a stop at the Olympic Boulevard, which was built for the 2016 Games and has become a canvas for street artists from all over the world. The Mural das Etnias by Kobra is there. It's massive, takes up an entire building side, and even if you're not into graffiti, the scale of it stops you. You get time to walk around, take photos, and the air-conditioned minivan is waiting to bring you back to your hotel. The whole day is maybe five or six hours door-to-door, depending on traffic and how long you linger at each stop.

What’s included

• Entrance to AquaRio.
• air-conditioned roundtrip transfer from your hotel.
• guided tour through four floors and basement with 8,000 animals.
• stop at the Olympic Boulevard to see street art including the Mural das Etnias.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in 6 languages09:00 and 14:00

Guide in 6 languages09:00 and 14:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “If you do not provide us the pickup location at the time of booking and you do not inform us about it later, we will assume you will meet us at the Meeting Point at the Front Desk of the Rio Othon Palace (Avenida…”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Rio Carioca Tour Ltda

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Latin America's largest aquarium without arranging separate tickets, transport, or timing. The pickup, entry, and guide are all coordinated, which is what makes a full morning or afternoon possible without logistics eating into your day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's the maximum group size?

Each minivan holds up to 19 travelers, so it's small enough to move through the aquarium without feeling crowded but large enough to keep costs reasonable.

Is photography allowed inside AquaRio?

Yes, but no flash photography. The lighting inside is designed to work without it, and flash disturbs the animals.

How deep is the main tank?

The Recinto Oceânico e de Mergulho is seven meters deep and holds 3.3 million liters of water. It's the largest tank in the aquarium.

What time does pickup happen?

Pickup time is confirmed directly with you based on your hotel location. The operator contacts you to arrange the exact time.

Is the vehicle air-conditioned?

Yes, the minivan is air-conditioned throughout the tour.

What's included in the price?

Entrance to AquaRio, the guided tour, roundtrip hotel transfer, and a stop at the Olympic Boulevard.

Is there a tunnel under the water at AquaRio?

Yes. Near the end of the tour, you walk through a tunnel with the main tank above you, so the fish and sharks pass overhead.