Feel what life in a Favela is like. We take you to the top of the Rocinha Favela or Tavares Bastos and then descend on foot. On the way down, you get a unique insight into the vibrant spirit of the people, especially the kids.
Discover what life is like inside the Favela. We take you to the highest part and then we walk down the small streets, where you can see everything very close.
Schedule & prices
Runs
Every day
Start times
9:30 AM
Next available
Wed, Oct 7
Adult (ages 18–60)
$47
Senior (ages 61–80)
$47
Youth (ages 7–17)
$47
Child (ages 3–6)
$47
Infant (ages 0–2)
Free
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 6.
Tour Options
Favela Tours
Itinerary
Rio de Janeiro
90 min
Let's go from van até to the upper part of the community. Once again, we began to wander around the interior by foot, visiting various towns and learning about local life.
The tour can take place both in Rocinha and in the community of Tavares Bastos.
What's included
Included
Private transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option selected)
localguide
Not included
Food and drinks
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
671 reviews
5
597
4
55
3
7
2
7
1
5
How it compares in Rio de Janeiro
No. 19 by number of reviews among 1,656 tours in Rio de Janeiro
Starting price $47 is 41% below the typical $80 for tours of similar length in Rio de Janeiro
Excurgo comparison of 1,656 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Favela Tours take?
Favela Tours lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Favela Tours cost?
Prices start at $47 per person for this Rio de Janeiro experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Favela Tours run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:30 AM.
How much does Favela Tours cost for children?
Children aged 3–6 pay from $47, adults from $47. Infants go free.
Can I cancel Favela Tours for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered.
What languages is Favela Tours offered in?
The experience is available in PT, EN, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 19 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Favela Tours worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 671 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Be a Local Tours.
Reviews(671)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
A
Alberto_A
September 18, 2026 · via Viator
Unprofessional
Booked then got a message an hour later stating they had no more room. I asked them to cancel so I could book elsewhere. They said they would but never did. So I had to waste my personal time with Viator to obtain my refund.
Operator response
Hello, how are you? Sorry for the ploblem with the cancelation.
As soon as we spoke to you, telling that we didn’t have more rooms available, we canceled it directly on the viator system.
If you had a problem on the website, you might contact their customer info, to check what happened, because we don’t have how to follow up on the system.
Sorry once again for the trouble.
Cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
L
lapandit
June 19, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Uninspiring trip to the Favela.
It was a bad experience from the very start. Our guide turned up at 10.30am , half an hour late. We were in sqeezed into a tiny taxi, 5 of us plus guide being driven to the favela. The guide had no real talent at story telling, spat out statistics about everything other than the tour , spend a lot of time at an eatery , spouting on topics such as Angelina Jolies encounter with bees etc. Over all disappointing , listless and poor guiding.
Operator response
Hello, thanks for your review. We had a problem with the van on the way to the tour and had to change transportation. Sorry if you felt bad, the car was a 7 seat model.
About the delay on the pick up, as Rio is a big city, traffic can be a problem, that’s why we keep in touch with out clients up dating the transfer location and timing.
Thanks for your feedback.
All the best,
Be a Local Tours Team
A
angelawJ2424UJ
May 2, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Excellent trip
Great trip. Excellent guide. Very informative
Operator response
Hello, greetings from Rio. Thanks for your feedback.
It was a pleasure to have you with us and we all hope to see you back soon.
Cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
D
Diana Marcela D
April 29, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Interesting
Very eye-opening experience. Patrick, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable.
Operator response
Hi Diana, thanks for your feedback. It was a pleasure to have you with us.
All the best,
Be a Local Tours Team
D
Dream38930063512
April 27, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
What goes in favelas?
This was a top notch "Rio experience". Patrick was knowledgeable and evidently cared about people living in favelas. You must hear the real stories of the people to understand the favela life. I hope next time I visit Rio favelas there will be more kids playing soccer than working.
Operator response
Hello, greetings from Rio. Thanks for your review and feedback, it was a pleasure to have you with us and we all hope to see you Back soon.
Cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
Z
Z3105MWrachelh
February 16, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Book this tour, don’t think about it .
If you have been lucky enough to stumble across this tour, then please don’t hesitate to book it. It was the best tour I have ever done because i honestly can’t stop thinking about it. Patrick, our tour guide, was incredible, he created a calmness for us and he knew the people and what to do and what not to do. I never felt scared, I just felt utterly honoured to meet such beautiful people. It was humbling and a day I shall never forget
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hello greetings from Rio. Thanks a lot for your review and feedback. It was a pleasure to have you with us and feel the experience to be inside Rocinha.
Hope to see you back soon,
Cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
W
WoolyBeef
January 29, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Fabulous tour
Whilst we got off to a late start due to me following Viator instructions and not the company WhatsApp instructions- the tour company were absolutely brilliant in making this tour happen for us. The weather however couldn’t be organised and it rained all throughout the tour. This didn’t distract Patrick our guide from providing a fascinating narrative as we walked down through the favella.
Highly recommended company and tour guide.
Operator response
Hi, thanks for your review and feedback, it was a pleasure to have you with us.
We are very happy that you liked it and got a very nice experience on it.
Hope to see you back soon, all the best,
Be a Local Tours Team
J
JohnPaul_L
January 3, 2026 · via Viator
Solid tour and experience
This was a pretty cool tour. A bit pushy on the politics, but it was overall enjoyable. The tour guide was great.
Operator response
Hello, greetings from Rio. Thanks for your feedback and review.
The guide is free to explain about the favela and every subject envolved on that.
It’s impossible to separate politics from life inside the community.
Hope to see you back soon, cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
D
Dougers-007
October 14, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Do this tour!
Outstanding tout with a wonderful guide- Patrick. He displayed a clear and through knowledge with a lovely mixture of factual detail and local chat chat. And he knew everyone! It was superb. Strong recommendation for a tour we were unsure about at the point of booking!
Operator response
Hi, thanks for your review and feedback, it was a pleasure to have you with us and we all hope to see you back soon.
Cheers,
Be a Local Tours Team
I
Inspire56631791605
October 11, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
In Rocinha, see a tour of hope
Attend a Patric-led Rocinha tour, which is not just a sightseeing but a profound human experience. The corner sold dry food bags, and the streets were filled with cars and children laughing. Patric pushed to replace a toy gun in children's hands with football, symbolizing the hope to replace violence. Real, touching, worth a visit in person.
Operator response
Muito obrigado pelo seu comentario. Foi um prazer em poder estar contigo no Rio de Janeiro.
Esperamos reve-lo em breve.
Grande abraco,
Equipe Be a Local Tours
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