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.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
Dreamingonthebeach, 10/24/2025 7:40:07 PM
I had the privilege of joining the Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with our incredible guide, Ray Vieira, and it was an unforgettable experience. As a global healthcare practitioner, this tour opened my eyes to the social, environmental, and health challenges faced by residents of the favela, as well as their remarkable resilience and sense of community. Ray offered a deeply authentic perspective, sharing personal stories and insights that helped me understand the complex realities of life in Rocinha—beyond the stereotypes. The walk was safe, well-organized, and deeply educational. It was inspiring to see how community initiatives and local entrepreneurship are improving the quality of life here. This is more than a sightseeing tour—it is a human experience that connects you to the heart of Rio. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to understand Brazil from a more meaningful and compassionate lens.
C2213ZTfeliciaf, 10/22/2025 11:24:38 PM
Our tour guide, Ray, made the experience incredibly insightful and educational. She was engaging, knowledgeable, and shared information about Rocinha. I highly recommend this tour — and be sure to wear comfortable shoes!
Amy M, 10/20/2025 9:03:42 AM
This is an amazing experience. Carlos was an incredible guide and so informative. I highly recommended this experience to everyone. There are a lot of steps so being comfortable shoes
krzysztofsF8609AH, 10/19/2025 8:17:45 PM
Ray was very nice, well informed. She had a patience to answer all of our questions, thanks to her we could understand history and present life of the favela. Really unforgettable experience.
ClaudiaSurjadjaja, 10/19/2025 8:03:44 PM
Ray Vieira passionly shared honest stories about life in the favela — the struggles, but also the pride and innovation. It isn’t poverty tourism - it is people showing their resilience and sharing their world with openness, dignity, and creativity. This tour is a lesson in humanity. Claudia Surjadjaja, Indonesia
F3456DHjohnm, 10/19/2025 12:35:03 PM
Ray was an incredible tour guide, extremely knowledgable and authentic! 10/10 would recommend doing the tour with Ray.
Compass57735930994, 10/18/2025 10:29:37 PM
The tour with Ray gave me a deep insight into life in the favela — not only by seeing the surroundings, but also by understanding its culture and history. Ray is a very knowledgeable and patient guide. Two of the tour members were Americans who asked several rather offensive questions, yet Ray responded to them politely and with great patience. I would definitely recommend her to my friends and family who are interested in learning about the favela!
MichaelaH632, 10/18/2025 7:55:09 PM
One of the best Rio experience!! Our guide Ray was excellent and shared many fascinating personal experiences. Very safe and informative. Truly recommended!
Danielle M, 10/17/2025 8:05:56 AM
What a great tour this was! Martin, who lives in this favela, was a passionate and knowledgeable guide. It was a super authentic experience.
538trevork, 10/16/2025 9:58:12 AM
A real eye-opener. Having a local guide (Ray actually lives there) offers a whole new experience and a unique perspective on life in Rocinha. If you're in Rio, don't miss out on this.
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multilingual guide
- Be aware of uneven steps
- For the privacy and comfort of all participants, we do not allow sunglasses equipped with cameras on our tours.
- You must be fit or in good condition to walk at least 5 km
- Our walking tour is around 3km downhill
Departure point
For this option there is NO PICKUP in Copacabana or Ipanema - You all must come to the only meeting point only at 4:30PM. Igreja Universal SAO CONRADO (Please wait outside the church) Av. Niemeyer, 780 at 16:30 Ps: You must take an uber or taxi to meet our guideReturn details
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.Redemption
Any question? E-mail us at favelawalkingtour@gmail.com Only WhatsApp: +55 21 98178-9239 (Bruno) Emergency Call: +45 2980-1109 Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions. Drop off by beach (Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana).24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund