Brazil · CITY TOURS IN RIO DE JANEIRO
Good city tours in Rio de Janeiro fill up weeks out and the best go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and where they genuinely differ.
See Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, and Rio’s main sights in one small-group day with hotel pickup, tickets, and lunch included.
“What a wonderful experience! If you want to see a lot of the city and major sights this is the tour to go on. This one includes lunch and it was delicious!”
A full day in Rio packed with Christ the Redeemer, key city sights, and optional Sugarloaf cable car, plus BBQ at a Brazilian steakhouse.
“A good trip covering all highlights in Rio Great guide sofas i think ,also helped with walker and wheelchair”
One guided day in Rio with tickets for Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, plus lunch and key sights. Small group, long day.
“Don’t miss this tour. It’s beyond the words to describe the views you will see. Just amazing! Sugarloaf mountains along with Christ statue are amazing.”
Rio highlights in one day, hitting Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, Selaron Steps, and more, with lunch and hotel pickup.
“Trip is very complete try not to carry lots of staff don’t need just some thing to drink, or buy there buffet food 🥘 very good and complete as well churrasco very tasty, Gaby is an amazing guide full of energy and happiness and very lovely lady, remember to buy ice cream or a drink for her, in appreciation thank you Gaby, as well as your driver u guys did great! 👍 👍 😀❤️”
Backstage at Rio Carnival City of Samba with Grande Rio, costume try-ons, samba workshop, and a caipirinha cocktail.
“This was such a fun activity! The guides went out of their way to entertain and everyone on the tour, no matter their age, had a great time!”
See Christ the Redeemer, Selarón steps, Maracanã, Sambadrome, Lapa arches, the cathedral, and Sugarloaf in one packed Rio day.
“Did not show up!!!!! Waste of half of our first day in RJ. Reached out to them twice, no response. Asked Viator to confirm they had our booking after an hour of waiting and according to Viator, Pepe tours told them they were 10 min away from picking us up. Another hour of waiting determined that was a lie… Woke up early to get to the meeting place on time after limited sleep the night before for nothing. Gross”
See Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf with included tickets, plus lunch and Rio city icons on a guided small-group day.
“Marcio was a very personable and friendly guide. My sisters and I learned alot about Brazilian culture and the heart of Rio de Janeiro thanks to him. This was money and time well spent.”
A private 8-hour Rio highlights tour with hotel pickup, a dedicated guide, and cable-car views at Sugarloaf and Corcovado.
“We were picked up right at the cruise port by a private driver and our guide, Karla. Communication beforehand was excellent, with very clear instructions about the meeting point. Karla spoke excellent English and was energetic, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about her country. At each stop, the driver dropped us off and Karla guided us personally, sharing a wealth of information, taking photos for us, and making the experience feel very customized. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Carretão, a Brazilian steakhouse, which was a highlight of the day. Karla seemed to know everyone everywhere we went. At both Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, she greeted the staff warmly…”
Backstage Rio Carnaval tour at Samba City with caipirinha, costume try-on, and samba class at the Grande Rio factory. 90 min.
“Using the lift instead if the stairs and watching the construction work. Not many completed floats to see. I thought it was boring. However the other 30 participants seemed to have a great time.”
8-hour Rio highlights with Sugarloaf and Christ tickets, air-conditioned transport, and lunch included, built for a small group pace.
“The tour despite the cloudy and rainy weather was spectacular due to the Camilla guide, made every moment memorable!!!Auto-translated”
Private Rio guided tour with a flexible route, round-trip transport, and beach-to-icon photo stops, led by a local guide. From $56.
“Millene was absolutely amazing! I was in Rio solo and she gave me the warmest and most amazing introduction to Rio. Thank you for the best day!”
A 12 to 13 minute private helicopter flight over Rio’s icons, from Christ the Redeemer to beaches and Sugarloaf, with a top-notch crew.
“The flight with helicopter in Rio was the highlight of outer stay in Rio de Janeiro. Caio, Amanda and Romano made our experience unforgettable. 100% recommended”
Half-day Rio tour with Christ the Redeemer ticket, Mirante Dona Marta views, Selarón Steps, Cathedral, and Maracanã from outside.
“Nice tour didn't feel rushed Nat was a lovely tour guide full of knowledge and a credit to her profession. Good value for money.”
Half-day Rio tour to Christ the Redeemer, Tijuca Forest, Maracanã, Sambadrome, Selarón Steps and Cathedral, with pickup included.
“Nice guide and driver, and the statue is cool, but some things could be better. The pickup was about 15 minutes late with no communication, even though my hotel was the first stop. and the city tour was kind of meh, with a lot of time allocated. Lots of waiting around. Also, at least my group consisted of both English and Portuguese speaking, so the guide would say everything twice, and often when he got to the English part, we were already past whatever he was talking about.”
Spend a day in Petrópolis with imperial palaces, Gothic cathedrals, German architecture, optional beer tastings, and city time.
“Despite COVID-related restrictions that did not allow us visit the interior of the Imperial Palace, Osleide, our guide, and the driver Antonio did an excellent job m. All went very well. Osleide was very instructive and helpful. Remarquable!”
Pick a coast, a city or a river, and start there.
