Tours/Rio de Janeiro/Rio Top 4 Attractions - 7 Hours Private Tour
Viator · Private tour

Rio Top 4 Attractions - 7 Hours Private Tour

5.0(9)Rio de Janeiro1 hour
TRIPADVISOR5.0(9)

Description

Corcovado and Sugarloaf mountains, Santa Teresa District and Selaron Steps in one day. Take a 7-hour, private tour to the 4 most visited attractions in Rio with a private local guide. Ideal for those who have limited time in Rio, see Christ the Redeemer and the southern beaches of Rio; then take a Swiss-made cable car up to the impressive Sugarloaf. Visit Santa Teresa district. To wrap the day we’ll visit the colorful and famous Selaron’s Steps. Tour includes pickup and drop-off from the location of your choice in Rio. Tour can be conducted at your pace and adapted to your needs.

Tour Options

ENGLISH, SPANISH & PORTUGUESE
  • Larger Vehicles: 1 person - Compact Car 2 to 3 people -Sedan 4 to 5 people - SUV 6 to 10 people – Van English, Spanish & Portuguese: This tour version can be conducted in English, Spanish or Portuguese upon your convenience. Pickup included

Itinerary

10 min

After leaving your hotel we’ll drive towards Cosme Velho neighborhood. On the way we’ll pass Palacio Guanabara and start the day going all the way up to the summit of Corcovado Mountain at 2,100 feet to visit the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Places we will drive by on the way to the first attraction depend on your hotel location.

10 min

Depending on your hotel location we’ll drive by or even stop for a picture at this vantage viewpoint at the end of Leblon Beach.

Pass by

Depending on your hotel location we'll pass by this very nice beach in the most expensive neighborhood in South America.

Pass by

Depending on your hotel location we'll drive by this very iconic beach on the way to the main attractions of the tour.

Pass by

Depending on your hotel location we'll drive by this rock at the end of Ipanema Beach considered one of the best spots in Rio to observe the sunset during the summer.

Pass by

This worldwide famous beach is also the area where most hotels are located in Rio.

Pass by

The seaside avenue in Copacabana is the most famous beach area in Rio.

Pass by

At the very end of Copacabana Beach Leme Beach is the best place for a picture of Copacabana.

Pass by

Depending on your hotel location we’ll drive by this less busy beach located at the very far end of Copacabana.

Pass by

On the way to the main attractions we’ll drive by this nice neighborhood that can easily be seen from the top of Corcovado Mountain.

Pass by

Guanabara Bay is 100 miles in diameter and has its 1 mile wide entrance at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Pass by

Depending on your hotel location we’ll drive by this classical neighborhood that offers the best view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Pass by

This was the home of Princess Isabel, the daughter of Brazil’s second emperor. Today the beautiful building houses the headquarter of Rio de Janeiro State government.

Pass by

On the way to Corcovado Mountain we’ll drive through this neighborhood that was once the home for most embassies in Brazil when Rio was the country capital.

Admission not included20 min

This is one of the ways to reach the Christ Monument on top of Corcovado Mountain. The cogwheel train runs up and down the mountain every 20 minutes taking 120 passengers each time.

Pass by

The area of Tijuca National Park represents 7% of the city. The park located inside Tijuca Forest houses several waterfalls and hiking trails. Tijuca National Park is also the home for the Christ Monument.

Pass by

The visitors center was created in 2013 and houses an environmental education center and can be visited when going to the Christ Monument by minibus.

Admission not included60 min

The monument is located inside the Tijuca National Park, is reachable by train or van, and the ride through Tijuca Forest is quite pleasant. Going by van we’ll make a quick stop at the Paineiras Visitors Center and take a shuttle van to reach the monument. The train does not stop at the visitors center. At the monument we’ll enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the city. From there we’ll go to Sugarloaf Mountain, the second most visited attraction in Rio.

Pass by

Tijuca Forest is the largest reforested urban forest in the world. The forest takes 10% of the city area and houses the Tijuca National Park.

Pass by

At the foot of Urca Mountain lies a small and beautiful beach with red sand and surrounded by mountains in both sides.

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This flat trail located at the base of Sugaloaf Moutain is a place for a short walk looking for marmoset monkeys with Sugarloaf and the Red Beach as background.

Pass by

This small and picturesque neighborhood is located at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Pass by

This solid granite wall rises above the entrance of Sugarloaf cable car. Here we’re very likely to observe climbers trying to reach the mountain summit.

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This hiking trail staring at Claudio Coutinho Trail also grants access to Urca Mountain.

Admission not included20 min

The round shape of this mountain next to Sugarloaf reminded the Portuguese a ship used to carry sugar. This is the first step to reach Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car.

Admission not included60 min

The second most visited attraction in Rio, Sugarloaf is a monolithic solid granite block over 1,200 feet above sea level located at the very entrance of Guanabara Bay in Rio. The access to the monument is at Urca neighborhood. The monument can be reached by taking 2 cable cars to the summit of Sugarloaf. The cable car station at Urca is at the foot of Morro da Babilonia, and the Swiss-made cable car will take us first to Morro da Urca, and then we’ll take another cable car to reach the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain. The views are spectacular during the entire trip. From there we'll go to Santa Teresa, a bucolic district on a hillside and Rio’s bohemian neighborhood known for its steep cobblestone paved streets.

30 min

Our third stop is this picturesque and well preserved colonial style area born in the mid-1800s that turned into an artsy neighborhood full of bars, cafes and good restaurants that offer a myriad food options including the best Acai and cheese bread in Rio. The place offers great photo opportunities with its painted murals, street art, cobblestone streets and a variety of souvenirs shops, including the only one in Rio listed on Lonely Planet for having only items made by local artists. Upon leaving Santa Teresa we'll visit Selaron Steps to see the beautiful work of Jorge Selaron.

Pass by

Also known as Arcos da Lapa the aqueduct used to supply the city with water from the rivers born at Tijuca Forest. Now it is used as a passageway for the tram that connects Downtown Rio and Santa Teresa neighborhoods.

30 min

Escadaria Selarón is our last stop. A colorful tiled stairway, gracefully decorated by the Chilean artist Jorge Selarón who moved to Rio in 1983. The steps connect the areas of Lapa and Santa Teresa. The 215 steps that he entirely covered with tiles mostly donated by visitors from all around the world. Since 1990 Selarón has laid over 2000 tiles to the stairs as a tribute to the Brazilian people.

Pass by

One of the nicest areas in Rio this tidal lagoon connects with the sea and it is surrounded by a bike lane.

Highlights

Local guide
Private tour
Tolls and parking fees
Transportation by private, air-conditioned car
Hotel/port/airport/flat pickup and drop-off

What's included

Included
Local guide
Private tour
Tolls and parking fees
Transportation by private, air-conditioned car
Hotel/port/airport/flat pickup and drop-off
Not included
Sugarloaf Mountain
Corcovado - Christ the Redeemer
Meals and drinks (if any) are not included

Pickup Locations & Times

We will pick you up from the pier, airport, hotel or rental apartment in Rio. Please make sure to enter your hotel name. In case of a rental apartment or unlisted hotel please enter the full street address. Places we will drive by on the way to the first attraction will depend on your hotel location.

Traveller Ratings

5.0
9 reviews
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9
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Important Information

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • A maximum of 4 people per booking
  • Operated by a multi-lingual guide
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Admission fees will be paid directly at the attractions.
  • Attractions entrance fee prices may change without prior notice.
  • Infant seats available upon request. Please advise at the time of booking.

Reviews(9)

A
April F
April 25, 2026
The private tour with Luis was, Worth every bit of the Price. We can honestly say we had a remarkable memorable time!

Luis was amazing. Our experience wouldn’t have been the same without our incredible host. From the moment we arrived, he made everything feel effortless and enjoyable. During our visit to the statue of Christ and Sugarloaf Mountain, he was not only knowledgeable but also incredibly patient, allowing us to take in every moment at our own pace without ever feeling rushed. What truly stood out was how attentive and accommodating he was throughout the entire day. Whether it was answering questions, helping us capture the perfect photos, or guiding us through our walk in the city, he made sure we were comfortable and fully enjoying the experience. His warm personality, professionalism, and genuine care made this trip unforgettable. If you’re looking for someone who goes above and beyond to create a memorable experience, he is absolutely the one. Highly recommended!

1 people found this helpful
C
claudialW1124IA
November 6, 2025
Knowing Rio

My trip to Rio was very pleasant, Luis was explaining about the places we were visiting apart from sharing the customs of Brazil. There was a pleasant chat and good advice.

1
117edmad
November 1, 2025
Amazing day ! Highly recommended

We had a private guided tour with Luis today, and it was an excellent experience! He is very knowledgeable, and the tour was extremely well planned and perfectly timed. Time went by so fast, and we learned a lot about Rio – both its fascinating history and the city today. It was great to have a private tour, as it allowed us to ask questions, explore at our own pace, and really take in the atmosphere. Highly recommended!

S
Swkrupa78
April 11, 2025
Excellent full day tour of Rio by one of the best guides ever!

My wife and I along with 2 other couples, were in Rio for 2 days ending our Oceania cruise. We choose to book a private shore excursion with TourguideGus, about 8 months in advance. Gus is a fantastic service provider and he is highly recommended by Cruise Critic forum. Gus did all the arrangements and customized our day and kept us informed all the way. When the day came for the tour, Gus indicated he had an unexpected situation come up, but he had arranged to have one of his associates, Luis Darin, step in. We had a fantastic time with Luis as our guide! He was very accommodating as one the couples in our group has Parkinsons and his wife had a hip replacement so they needed extra help. He made certain our group was given priority access to the lines and elevators to both the train for Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf attractions. And he did not rush us. Luis is well informed, speaks excellent english, and he gave us a wonderful history of Rio. He brought us to an authentic Brazilian restaurant in Santa Teresa for lunch break and the food was delicious! Luis is also very friendly and we all thought this was definitely the best tour we took on our cruise with Oceania. I highly recommend Luis to not only people who are on a shore excursion but to anyone traveling in Rio. Luis, thank you again for the wonderful tour you gave us!

M
Miskin5
August 7, 2024
Totally incredible - don’t do Rio without Luis!

We could not recommend a tour with Luis highly enough. We are two adults and two children (15 & 9) We experienced so much more on our two day tour with Luis than we could have dreamt of doing on our own. We visited Brazil’s ‘bucket list’ attractions, but also attractions we didn’t even know about. It was tiring but totally free of stress. We experienced all the local foods and fruits at a busy farmers market, we hand fed pieces of banana to monkeys, we were taken to breathtaking view points, we ate fruits we hadn’t previously heard of from trees in the botanical gardens. Luis was extremely knowledgable and good to be with. He’s a really nice guy who speaks impeccable English (with a New York accent). Don’t do Rio without Luis!

S
stephb68
May 17, 2024
Great private tour

In advance of our tour, Luis reached out to us to ask what interest we had and to arrange some highlights. He picked us up promptly from our hotel. We saw all the highlights that we had wanted to, plus he introduced us to some wonderful local spots, like the farmers market (Yum!) and an artistic neighborhood where we had lunch with locals. His English is exceptional having lived in the US for several years. He happily answered all of our questions and gave us very good overview of Brazilian life and culture. I highly recommend!

A
Ana N
May 1, 2024
Amazing tour

I'm glad I booked this tour. It was perfectly organised by Luis and efficiently conducted by his colleague Gus. All in perfect English. In a short time, I managed to see the most important sights. The guide also told me lots of interesting stories about the sights we visited. I especially appreciated that we were able to skip the huge line on the way to the Christ and we were up there in a short time. Without a guide and his contacts this wouldn't have been possible.

P
pcpoke64
May 1, 2023
Very nice service

Very nice service. I bought these tour for my mother and a friend. Mr. Darin was very kind and his service was very good for the. He picked them up on time and in a very comfortable car. Good conversation and wonderful recomendation.

J
jonathanaL7441VL
April 13, 2023
Luis is very knowledgeable about Rio

Luis knows the city inside and out! Well trusted! Very knowledgeable about the filter & history of Brasil and especially Rio! Felt safe as we went through Rio and different parts of town with Luis. When we visit again definitely calling Luis for another private tour.

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