A unique opportunity for tourists who want to experience the true essence of Rio de Janeiro. With a guide who is a resident of the community, you will have access to an authentic and enriching perspective, getting to know the art, culture and daily life of the locals up close. During the tour, you will visit iconic landmarks, such as the famous statue of Michael Jackson, which marked the history of the community. In addition, the tour includes visits to social projects that make a difference in the lives of residents, providing a deeper and more human insight into the reality of the favela. By choosing this tour, you will not only have an unforgettable experience, but you will also directly contribute to the local economy, supporting the sustainable development of the community. It is a way to travel with purpose, where each moment lived is an exchange of experiences and learning.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 4.
Guided tour by a guide who lives in the favela, learning about all the art, culture and social projects that boost the community and the well-being of the favela!
They will visit the statue of Michael Jackson, which became a tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro, after the pop star came to the Favela!
Free tram ride, cultural visit, caipirinha workshop. Safe tour with accredited local resident.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Guided Tour to Favela Santa Marta lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
Prices start at $50 per person for this Rio de Janeiro experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Tourist Information Stand of Favela Santa Marta. Search for Mario Guide. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in PT, EN, ES.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 71 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Favela Top Tour.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
To be honest, this definitely goes in my Top 2 list of favorite Rio excursions. From the time of arrival until the end of the tour, everyone moved with professionalism. Mario was theee best tour guide. He was informative, allowed us into his home and of course took us to the locations where Michael Jackson shot his video. An added touch was how he waited with me until my Uber came. LADIES…if you go solo, Mario definitely takes iconic photos of you. Ask me how I know?😃
Really interesting tour of one of the smallest favelas, by someone who lives in it and spoke perfect English. Was great to see one of the houses and the main square as well as walk down the narrow steps. Highly recommended!!
A strong contrast followed with the visit to the Santa Marta favela. Famous as a filming location for Michael Jackson's video "They Don’t Care About Us," we experienced the authentic Rio here. We met Christina, a resident who gave us deep insights into the life, the challenges, and the proud culture of the favela. We paused at the Michael Jackson platform – accompanied by samba rhythms and a spontaneous dance performance that made the zest for life of the Cariocas directly palpable.
1000% recommended Mario was incredible and what we saw impressed us. It is very much worth it
It was an unforgettable experience, going into this beautiful favela and learning about its history, the guide Mario Martins was impressive! It is a place that everyone should visit. We felt very comfortable on the tour.
Muchas gracias Ustedes siempre bien venidos!!
I had a fantastic tour with Mario. As a local of Santa Marta he has all the knowledge and insights to the favelas history and its people. He is very thoughtful and friendly, knows all the people in the community and makes you feel welcome. I can totally recommend this tour.
Incredible. Amazing local guide. Great experience.
The owner of the company is a tour guide along with two other colleagues. Thing that impressed me is they live in Santa Marta favela and they know every corner of it. They are knowledgeable and respected in the area. The kids LOVE them and that already says enough about them. ❤️ I will definitely come back, because it’s not only a sacred place because of King of Pop, but because of the community that lives there. Tour guide had answers for all my questions, from the time favela was built all until today. Beautiful, local tour! We were walking all the way down, dancing to Michael’s aongs, recreating his moves through favela, even though we used a cable car to take us up. Tour last 2-3h. Local lady is making the best caipirinhas and you can pay by cash or card. SEE YOU SOON AGAIN!!!! 🍀🙌🏻❤️!
Thank you very much; you are always welcome.
It was a great experience, Luis works with his family, very passionate and proud to show me the story of Santa Marta, absolutely amazing to be at the same place that Michel Jackson shoot his videoclip, i would recommend to everyone to go and explore . Thank you Luis
Thank you very much; you are always welcome.
Very insightful tour. Our guide Raycca showed brought us to the top of the favela with the train and led us through the narrow streets and stairs down to the bottom of Santa Marta. Raycca has grown up and still lives there today. She told us everything about the Favela and also about her own personal story which is very impressive. She speaks English very well so it was easy to follow along. We felt safe throughout the whole tour. There were opportunities to play soccer with the residents and to see a samba show. But nothing is forced upon you and there is also no obligation to give money. However, you are of course welcome to do so if you wish. We recommend this tour to everyone interested in learning about Favelas an Culture.
Thank you very much; you are always welcome.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Tour to Favela Santa Marta | 3 hours | 5.0 (71) | $50 | |
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