Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Sugarloaf Mountain53 optionsMuseums11 optionsMaracanã Stadium Tours23 optionsHelicopter Rio8 optionsCity Tour Petrópolis8 optionsCity Tour Rio de Janeiro12 optionsBoat Tour Rio de Janeiro8 optionsWalking Tour Rio de Janeiro67 optionsJeep Tour Rio12 optionsAquario Tours10 optionsSanta Teresa Tours29 optionsRio de Janeiro Airport Transfer14 options
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Rocinha Favela Tour Rio: Motorbike & Local Guide ExperienceYou ride a motorbike through Rocinha's main street with a local guide trained by Tiago TK, stop at two rooftop viewpoints, walk through the alleys and meet residents and community leaders, visit your guide's home, and finish at Bella Vista Rooftop. The whole experience is guided, so you show up at the subway station and everything else is arranged.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see how Rocinha actually works rather than observe it from a distance — the motorbike ride and local guide mean you're moving at the neighborhood's pace, not a tourist's pace, and meeting people who live here rather than hearing about them.
Rio Pub Crawl in Lapa: Samba, Cachaça & Live MusicA guided pub crawl through Rio de Janeiro's Lapa district where you dance in live samba circles, taste cachaça at each bar, and learn samba moves from a local guide who speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese. Free entry to selected bars, a welcome shot, and additional cachaça between stops are included; the night runs four hours and requires a minimum age of 18 with valid photo ID.Is it for me?Book this if you want to dance, not observe—the samba circles are participatory and the guide teaches you the steps as the night unfolds. Skip it if you prefer a quieter evening or have mobility constraints; the night involves sustained dancing and moving between multiple stops over four hours.
Rio: Santa Teresa Tram, Selarón Steps & Lapa Half-Day TourYou ride the historic tram over an 18th-century aqueduct into Santa Teresa, walk the cobblestone streets and descend the famous Selarón Steps, visit Ruins Park for city views, and end at a century-old café. Hotel pickup from beachside neighborhoods is included, as are entrance fees and a guide who speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. The whole thing takes a half-day, so you're back by early afternoon.Is it for me?A good choice if you want Rio's bohemian neighborhoods and colonial history in one morning without arranging transport or entry fees yourself—the tram ride and the walking pace let you absorb the neighborhoods instead of rushing between them.
Rio de Janeiro: Hang Gliding & Paragliding over Tijuca ForestYou meet at the landing area, get fitted with a helmet and emergency parachute, ride up to Pedra Bonita in the instructor's car, and launch into a glide over Tijuca Forest and the city's skyline. The flight lasts around an hour, includes video footage, and ends on São Conrado Beach. Weight limit is 75kg; weather conditions on the day may affect heavier passengers.Is it for me?Right for anyone who wants to see Rio from the air without needing to learn to fly solo — the instructor handles everything, and you just experience the glide over the forest and city below.
Rio to Buzios Private Transfer: No Taxi Lines or Car RentalYou get a named driver waiting at arrivals with your name on a sign, a private air-conditioned vehicle with space for luggage and family, and travel insurance built in. No taxi queue, no rental paperwork, no shared rides—just fixed-price transport from Rio airport to Buzios or your hotel, with pickup timed to your arrival.Is it for me?Right for travelers landing in Rio without a car rental plan or those coordinating family and corporate pickups where timing and privacy matter. The driver waits at a set time with your name, which is what removes the airport negotiation and gets you moving on schedule.
Rio de Janeiro: Sunset Boat Tour with Drinks & Swim StopsYou’ll watch Rio’s skyline fade into gold from a boat on Guanabara Bay, stopping to swim at Adão e Eva Beach and snap photos near bold landmarks like Sugarloaf Mountain and the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum. With drinks, snacks, music, and a local guide sharing stories along the way—you might find yourself wishing sunset lasted a little longer.
Rio: Christ the Redeemer, Selarón Steps & Santa Teresa TourYou’ll ride through Rio’s Tijuca Forest to reach Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, then wind past Santa Teresa’s hillside streets before exploring Lapa’s lively corners. End at the vibrant Selarón Steps where every tile tells a story—and maybe find your own moment among them.
Rio de Janeiro: Hang Gliding over Christ the Redeemer & Sugar LoafYou fly tandem with a certified instructor from Konrad Heilmann's team, launching from Tijuca Forest and passing over Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, and Rocinha before landing on São Conrado beach. The flight lasts roughly an hour total, equipment is provided, and you can add 360° video capture. Groups are capped at eight, and the experience is weather dependent.Is it for me?This is built for anyone who wants to see Rio from a perspective most visitors never get, without needing prior flying experience or special fitness — the instructors handle the flying, and the tandem setup means you're secure the whole time.
Rio Carnival Backstage Tour: Grande Rio Samba Factory & Dance ClassYou'll walk through the Grande Rio factory where carnival floats and costumes are built, see the construction process up close, dress in an authentic parade costume, learn samba steps from a professional dancer, and drink a welcome caipirinha. The whole experience happens in one afternoon without you having to arrange entry, timing, or a guide—just show up at Cidade do Samba and the carnival backstage opens.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see how Rio's carnival actually gets made—the floats, the costumes, the competition—without having to navigate the factory on your own or piece together a guide. The bilingual guide and fixed itinerary mean you move through the backstage in the right order and understand what you're looking at.
Rio de Janeiro sunrise tour: Christ the Redeemer before the crowdsYou’ll watch Rio wake up from Dona Marta Lookout at sunrise, stand almost alone beneath Christ the Redeemer before crowds arrive, and wander through colorful chaos at Selarón Steps with a local guide. Hotel pickup, breakfast, and entry fees are included—just bring curiosity (and maybe an extra coffee).
Rio Little Africa Walking Tour: Slave Trade History & Samba HeritageYou walk through Rio's Port district with a guide, moving between the Valongo Wharf (where 900,000 Africans arrived), Pedra do Sal's samba heritage sites, the Mercedes Baptista statue, the Ethnicities mural, and two museums dedicated to African-Brazilian history and archaeology. The tour takes about four hours, includes an air-conditioned vehicle for breaks, and covers the arrival, survival, and cultural legacy that shaped modern Brazil.Is it for me?This tour is for anyone wanting to understand how African history shaped modern Brazil and Rio itself—the guide and the walking pace let you absorb the neighborhood's story rather than rush through it, and the museums anchor what you see in the streets with context and detail.
Private Walking Tour Rocinha Rio de Janeiro: Local GuidesA private walking tour of Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro's largest favela, led by bilingual guides who grew up in the community. You walk the alleys and rooftops for three hours, starting with pickup from your hotel in Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon, and learn the neighborhood's history and daily life directly from residents.Is it for me?Walk through Rocinha's alleys and rooftops with the people who live there, hearing the neighborhood's real history instead of a script.
Rocinha Favela Walking Tour Rio de Janeiro with Local GuideYou ride a moto-taxi to the top of Rocinha, then walk the streets with a local guide who shows you supermarkets, social projects, and the daily routes residents use. You get views of Rio from the hilltop and hear the actual history of Latin America's largest favela, not the stereotype. Bring cash for the taxi, donations, and souvenirs.Is it for me?This tour works if you want to see Rio's largest favela as a real neighborhood, not a cautionary tale — the local guide and the walking pace are what make that possible, and the moto-taxi ride is what gets you to the vantage point where the city makes sense.
Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer, Selarón Steps & City TourYou’ll ride up Corcovado Hill for close-up moments with Christ the Redeemer, pause at Dona Marta Lookout for sweeping city views, explore Rio’s colorful Selarón Steps, and step inside its unique cathedral—all with a local guide handling tickets and transport. Expect real glimpses of Rio life that stay with you long after.
Rio de Janeiro: Food Tasting Tour with 33 Brazilian DishesYou’ll taste your way through Rio with 33 beloved Brazilian dishes—from crispy street snacks to tropical fruits and homemade sweets—guided by a local who shares family stories along the way. Expect laughter over caipirinhas, new flavors you can’t quite name, and an easy pace that feels more like hanging out than touring. You’ll leave full—in every sense.
Rio de Janeiro: Christ the Redeemer & Sugarloaf Mountain Full DayYou ride two cable cars to Rio's highest viewpoints, spend 45 minutes at Christ the Redeemer and 90 minutes on Sugarloaf Mountain, see the Cathedral and Selarón Steps, pass the Sambadrome and Maracanã, and eat lunch included. Hotel pickup from South Zone and all entry tickets are handled — you just show up ready to go.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in Copacabana, Ipanema, or Leblon who want Rio's main landmarks in one day without arranging tickets, transport, or timing themselves. The full-day pace is what fits both mountains, the Cathedral, and the city's cultural sites into a single trip.
Rio: Tijuca Forest Pedra Bonita Hike & Vista Chinesa ViewsYou’ll start your day with hotel pickup in Rio before hiking through Tijuca Forest’s tangled trails toward Pedra Bonita’s summit. Along the way you might spot monkeys or coatis darting through the trees, then catch your breath at Vista Chinesa with its sweeping city views. Expect a friendly guide who shares local stories — plus plenty of time at the top to soak it all in.
Rio de Janeiro: Two Brothers Sunrise Hike & Local GuideYou climb Morro Dois Irmãos in the pre-dawn dark with a local Vidigal resident, ride up by moto taxi through the neighborhood, walk 1.5 kilometers through Atlantic Forest with lanterns, and reach the summit as the sun rises over Guanabara Bay. The guide photographs you, shares local knowledge, and you descend as Rio wakes up below. Total time is two to three hours.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Rio from a perspective most visitors miss and prefer moving through the city with someone who actually lives there — the early start and local guide are what make the quiet and the connection possible.
Rio de Janeiro: Morning Sailing Tour with Bay LandmarksYou’ll sail from Marina da Glória past Rio’s historic forts and islands with a local guide sharing stories along the way. Watch Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer shift across your horizon, spot fishing boats near Niterói, and pause by the futuristic art museum before returning early afternoon — all in Rio’s easygoing morning light.
Rio de Janeiro: LGBTQIA+ Bar Food Tour & Local StoriesYou’ll feel like you belong from the first “entra aí” as you join locals for salty bolinhos de bacalhau and cold chopp in Copacabana’s real bars. With every laugh and story Murillo shares on this LGBTQIA+ friendly tour, you’ll taste more than food — you’ll catch a bit of Rio’s soul tucked behind every plate and glass.
