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Rocinha Favela Tour: Discover Rio's Largest Community
4.8
737 Ratings
Copacabana
Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela on a 3-hour walking tour. Explore Rocinha with a resident guide and gain insight into the challenges faced by these communities.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela on a 3-hour walking tour. Explore Rocinha with a resident guide and gain insight into the challenges faced by these communities.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Copacabana Beach - This is our first beach and place where we pickup most of our clients at 13:30 (be aware)
- Ipanema Beach - Second beach - another great location in Rio and one of the most expensive areas in Brazil. We drive by to pickup clients as well. We drive by the second meeting point at 13:50
- Rocinha - We expect to arrive in…
- Copacabana Beach - This is our first beach and place where we pickup most of our clients at 13:30 (be aware)
- Ipanema Beach - Second beach - another great location in Rio and one of the most expensive areas in Brazil. We drive by to pickup clients as well. We drive by the second meeting point at 13:50
- Rocinha - We expect to arrive in Rocinha after all pickups at 14:30 for our walking tour - please wear comfortable shoes for the tour
What's Included
- Local guide
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Access Contribution to community
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (select hotels only)
- Local guide
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Access Contribution to community
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (select hotels only)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Visiting the Rocinha favela, one of Rio’s hundreds of “favelas” (the Brazilian term for a slum or shantytown) and the largest in the country, is a local experience that gives you the chance to see Brazil from another point of view. With a resident guide, take a non-intrusive walking tour to learn about daily life in the favela and gain insight into the…
Visiting the Rocinha favela, one of Rio’s hundreds of “favelas” (the Brazilian term for a slum or shantytown) and the largest in the country, is a local experience that gives you the chance to see Brazil from another point of view. With a resident guide, take a non-intrusive walking tour to learn about daily life in the favela and gain insight into the challenges these communities face.
When your tour is finished our driver will be heading back to Copacabana neighborhood crossing the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema, therefore you must inform our tour guide where you are staying so we can make sure you are dropped off as close as possible to your hotel.
Duration of our tour including pickup and drop off is around 3 hours.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multilingual guide
- Be aware of uneven steps
- You must be fit or in good condition to walk at least 5 km
- Our walking tour is around 3km downhill
Location
Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro
Avenida Atlântica
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(737 Ratings)
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Benjamin_w
Jul 7, 2025
What a open and welcome vibe this favela has! - Daniel was born and still lives in Rocinha and tells about the live in the favela in a very open and honest way. He has taken us up in the favela, to gradually walk down and show is many different sides of the favela. What moved me most were the warm and open people, especially the kids. And the initiatives of the inhabitants themselves to create new opportunities and chances for the kids. The atmosphere in the shopping part of the town is very nice, very nice vibe. It is safer in the favela than in the rest of Rio de Janiero. But listen to the guide: you cannot film in certain areas. If you do, you could be in trouble. But Daniel explains very clearly where and why. Thanks Daniel, and also the others that helped you with transport and the people from the Capoeira school. I learned a lot, and enjoyed it tremendously.
Review provided by Viator
Maya_d
Jun 28, 2025
Best tour guide Ray! - This experience started with a motor taxi ride up to the top of the favelas which was a highlight in itself! Our guide Ray was very knowledgeable as she lives in the favelas. Learning the history and purpose of the favelas really changed my thoughts on the beautiful culture! One thing to know is there is a lot of walking and stairs which I had no problem with but someone who is older or has back troubles, be ware! Overall amazing and gorgeous art and views within the favelas!
Review provided by Viator
Joel_d
Jun 10, 2025
Our guide Rose very... - Our guide Rose very excellent and explains very well. It is advisable to take this tour during your stay in Rio de Janeiro. Recommended 100%
Review provided by Viator
F4859xwantoniom
Jun 4, 2025
A great insight about life in the Favela - Favela tour was a great experience whilst in Rio. Admittedly was a little apprehensive as it was reported there had been a police action earlier in the morning. Met the tour guides at the meeting place and they advised that they were taking us to an adjacent favela and our safety would be assured. Edson (tour guide) explained the situation and indicated that at some point during our visit, no photos could be taken in some places, so we needed to respect that.
So next thrill was to climb on a motorcycle ride to the top of the favela. The incline of a road was at least 70 degrees and so we were thankful that we only had to walk down. Once at the top, we have probably had one of the best viewing positions of the Ipanema and Leblon.
The tour guide explained life in the favela, as he was born and bred in the area. He spoke passionately about the hardships of daily life, the evolution of basic essential services and how it was controlled. We saw a playground for primary school kids which had a basketball and soccer field to provide sporting facilities for the kids which was great to see
At the end of the walk through the favela, i was very happy to have done the tour. Edson and his support team made us feel safe and welcomed to the favela. I would encourage others to do this tour. It was a great experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christopher_h
Jun 4, 2025
Something different - This is a nice walk through the Rocinha favela. Our guide, Rose was really sweet and she gave us great insights about her home, as she has lived her entre life on this favela
Review provided by Viator
Mwiriadi
Jun 3, 2025
The best Favela experience I could have hoped for. - It was a great experience to see what happens in the Favela and life people lead. The good and the challenging life and how people make it.
Daniel was excited to tell his story and the life of the Favela in all its glory both good and bad.
It was an experience that I will take with me and one I highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sofia_l
Jun 2, 2025
Worth the price - Get to walk like a local through the Favela go ti a viewpoint and feel the experience or Rio the true city
Review provided by Viator
Jimlosangelesletsgo
Jun 2, 2025
A must-do tour to understand the full mosaic of Rio - The tour greatly exceeded my expectations! Our guide, Carlos, was wonderful and clearly loves Rocinha. He grew up there and was quite passionate when telling the story of the favelas of Brazil. You will leave understanding that Rocinha is a neighborhood of Rio with its own culture, history, and vibe rather than a place to be feared. The people of Rocinha are clearly living fulfilling lives without wealth. The neighborhood is a reminder that wealth may provide convenience and opportunity but it isn’t required for happiness.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rzeczpospolitano
May 31, 2025
“The best thing I have ever done in my life” - These were the words of my 63 year old father to describe this tour; I took him to Brazil for his first ever time in South America. Visiting Rocinha and being guided by Junior was a huge pleasure and privilege. I admit I was momentarily terrified when I realised that reaching the pinnacle of the favela meant jumping on the back of a scooter with someone and scaling the winding roads up the hill. But I got on with it and hung on for dear life. The experience was so exhilarating. When we dismounted the scooters, we were treated to a beautiful view over Rocinha, as well as a capoeira troupe’s performance. This performance really moved me: the group’s energy was utterly electric and the talent of its young members breathtaking.
Indeed, the warmth of the locals in general was dazzling: the children of the favela, in particular, shone so bright and were so full of humour and occasional mischief (nothing dark, to be clear: just normal childlike behaviour such as insisting we watch their impromptu reggaeton performances to the sound of a portable Bluetooth speaker on the street as we passed by, then demanding popcorn as a tribute).
For anyone who is concerned about safety in Rocinha, please rest assured that you will be just fine here. Believe it or not I felt safer in Rocinha than I do in many other areas of Rio de Janeiro!
I can highly recommend this trip and give the highest praise to Junior, who was himself an inspiring, warm and extremely interesting person to have the privilege to spend our time with. Muito obrigado.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caroline_s
May 22, 2025
Excellent trip - Fantastic insight in to how the Favelas work, the people who live there and how it operates. Excellent guide who actually lives in the Favela.
Review provided by Viator