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Best Tours & activities in Rio de Janeiro (2026)

Guided tours are a good way to see more of Rio in a short time. Free Walker Tours runs tip-based walks of the historic centre from the clock tower on Largo da Carioca, passing Confeitaria Colombo, Praça XV and the Theatro Municipal, as well as a walk on the African heritage of the port area and a pub crawl in Lapa. Eat Rio has run food tours since 2011, with a five-hour daytime tasting walk through Glória, Lapa, Centro and Flamengo and an evening bar tour with live samba.

For nature, Jeep Tour, founded in 1992, takes visitors into the Tijuca Forest in open-top converted military jeeps, with hotel pick-up and stops at waterfalls and the Vista Chinesa. Saveiros Tour has sailed Guanabara Bay since 1978, with a daily two-hour cruise from Marina da Glória past Ilha Fiscal, the Rio-Niterói Bridge and Sugarloaf. Favela Tour, operating since 1992, runs three-hour visits to Rocinha and Vila Canoas with hotel pick-up and supports community schools. Book tours a day or two ahead, and check weather-dependent trips on the morning.

5 places · Updated October 27, 2026

Our top 3 tours & activities in Rio de Janeiro

  1. Eat Rio Food Tours Food tour, Glória / Lapa / Centro / FlamengoA Rio food tour company running since 2011, with a five-hour daytime tasting walk, an evening bar and samba tour and a Brazilian wine experience.
  2. Free Walker Tours Walking tours, CentroA Rio walking tour company founded in 2013, running tip-based tours of downtown Rio and its African heritage, plus a Lapa pub crawl and food tour.
  3. Favela Tour Community tour, Rocinha / Vila Canoas (hotel pick-up)A private operator running three-hour visits to Rocinha and Vila Canoas since 1992, with hotel pick-up and support for community schools.

Tour operator

3. Favela Tour

Community tourRocinha / Vila Canoas (hotel pick-up)

A private operator running three-hour visits to Rocinha and Vila Canoas since 1992, with hotel pick-up and support for community schools.

View details — Favela Tour

Tour operator

4. Saveiros Tour

Boat tourGlória

A Guanabara Bay boat operator founded in 1978, running a daily two-hour cruise from Marina da Glória past Sugarloaf, Niterói and the island forts.

View details — Saveiros Tour

Tour operator

5. Jeep Tour

Open-jeep toursHotel pick-up

A family-run Rio company founded in 1992, taking visitors into Tijuca Forest and around the city's sights in open-top converted military jeeps.

View details — Jeep Tour