Rio de Janeiro Afro-Brazilian Heritage Tour: Valongo Wharf

Stand at the sites where Rio's Black community reshaped their identity and shaped Brazil's culture.

This 3.5-hour Afro-Brazilian heritage tour in Rio de Janeiro visits Valongo Wharf (a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest slave port in the Americas) and Pedra do Sal (the birthplace of Samba), guided by a specialist in decolonial narratives of Black history. The tour includes entry to the New Black Institute, operates in small groups, and is led by guides fluent in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Children are welcome from age 8.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Afro-Brazilian heritage sites

• Visit Valongo Wharf
• Tour Institute for Research and Memory of Pretos Novos
• Explore Territory Museum in Gamboa
• See Pedra do Sal landmark
• Visit symbolic Little Africa square

The experience

The tour centers on two anchors of Rio's Black history. Valongo Wharf, now an archaeological site in the port district, was the largest slave port in the Americas. The New Black Institute, located there, holds research and memory of the Pretos Novos (newly arrived enslaved people). Pedra do Sal, in the Saúde neighborhood near Largo da Prainha, is the historical and religious landmark where the Black community built Samba and reshaped their identity after enslavement. Both stops are external visits framed through decolonial narrative: a deliberate shift from how these sites have been told before.

The route also passes through the Territory Museum in the Gamboa region, focused on Afro-Brazilian history and culture, and Largo da Prainha, a square once marked by Black presence and the zungus (informal gathering spaces) and now recognized as one of Rio's coolest neighborhoods. A live guide in your chosen language (English, Spanish or Portuguese) leads groups small enough for real conversation, not a crowd moving through. All entry fees and the New Black Institute ticket are included. You bring only yourself and the willingness to stand in places most Rio tours skip.

Little Africa, the company running this tour, is Black-owned and a trusted partner for Embratur (Brazil's tourism board) and the Black Travel Summit. The tour is part of UNESCO's Global African Diaspora Project. The whole experience runs 3.5 hours, and the operator notes it suits all fitness levels, though they recommend it is not ideal for people with mobility disabilities given the external walking and neighborhood terrain.

What’s included

• Live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• entry to the New Black Institute.
• all fees and taxes.
• small-group format for meaningful conversation.

Options for this experience

5 options

Meet us on the Little Africa tourGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 09:00, 09:30 and 14:00Lasts 3 hours; the tour runs about 3 hours 30 minutes. Muhcab, Saltstone and Valongo stops (The New Black Institute is closed on Sundays). VLT modal transport: local transport during the walking tour is included, but transport to the meeting point is not. Ticket: entrance ticket to The New Black Institute.

One-way ride with Little Africa tourGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 08:30, 09:30 and 13:30Lasts 4 hours. Pickup in the South Zone: send your hotel address via WhatsApp through the booking platform. (The New Black Institute is closed on Sundays.) Car or van: the driver collects you from your hotel, takes you to the tour guide, and brings you back afterward. Ticket: admission to The New Black Institute is included.

Little Africa tour with round-trip transportGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 13:30Lasts 4 hours. Pickup in the South Zone and Barra: share your hotel address with us via WhatsApp through the booking platform. Please note the New Black Institute is closed. Car or van: the driver picks you up at your hotel, drives you to meet the tour guide, and returns you to your hotel afterward.

See 2 more options

Meet us with Afro food experienceGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 09:00 and 09:30A set menu is offered, but drinks are not included. On Sundays the New Black Institute is not open and is not part of the visit.

Complete Cultural ExperienceGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 09:00Little Africa Experience: explore the routes of Afro-Brazilian history. Afro food tour: a guide accompanies you to an Afro food experience at a Black-owned restaurant, with a set menu of a starter and a main course. Transportation: round-trip transfers to and from your hotel are included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday5 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (8 to 11 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Agência Etnias Turismo e Cultura

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand Rio's Black history through sites most visitors never reach and narratives most guides don't tell. The small-group format and specialist guide make the difference between walking past these places and standing in them with someone who knows why they matter.

Traveler reviews

4.97★★★★★★★★★★

119 verified traveler reviews

5 ★117

4 ★1

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 11 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Valongo Wharf and why does it matter to this tour?

Valongo Wharf is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Rio's port district and was the largest slave port in the Americas. The tour visits it as an archaeological site and includes entry to the New Black Institute, which documents the history of the Pretos Novos and holds research on this period. It is the historical anchor of the entire experience.

Is Pedra do Sal just a historical site, or is there something specific about it I should know?

Pedra do Sal is the birthplace of Samba and a historical and religious landmark in the Saúde neighborhood. It is where the Black community reshaped their identity after enslavement and profoundly influenced Brazil's national culture. It is not a museum but a living neighborhood site with real cultural weight.

What does "decolonial narrative" mean in the context of this tour?

Decolonial narrative means the guide tells Black history from a perspective that centers Black agency and resistance rather than the colonial or erasure-focused versions often taught. The tour deliberately reframes sites like Valongo Wharf and Pedra do Sal to show how the Black community shaped Rio and Brazil, not just how they were harmed.

What is included in the price, and what should I budget for separately?

All entry fees and taxes are included, plus a ticket to the New Black Institute. Lunch and tips are not included, so plan to eat before or after the tour and bring cash or card for gratuities if you wish.